Welcome Letter

to the 27th edition of max*d magazine!

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of max*d magazine! This issue is—once again— packed full of great news and stories. With COVID restrictions continuing to influence our travel, our fellow Aussies are jumping at the chance to explore their own backyard. Subsequently, and in line with global trends, the local automotive industry has been booming—and Isuzu UTE have been experiencing new sales records for both D-MAX and MU-X.

This success has only been amplified with the arrival of the Extraordinary All-New Isuzu MU-X. Debuting in 2013, the previous generation was one of the country’s best-selling seven-seat SUVs, enjoying exceptional popularity throughout its life. It even set a local sales record in March 2021 and subsequently crowned Australia as the biggest export market for MU-X. Now the latest iteration of this fan-favourite is here, the All-New Isuzu MU-X sets new benchmarks— combining bold and dynamic design with improved capabilities—making it the most advanced Isuzu ever.

Like its D-MAX counterpart, which debuted late-2020, this MU-X was built with Australian customer feedback in mind— expanding its towing capacity to 3.5-tonnes, boosting passenger comfort even further, and integrating the latest in safety and convenience technology. I’m confident you will be impressed by the MU-X’s comprehensive and refined package, delivered with the proven durability and reliability owners can expect from an Isuzu.

The Isuzu UTE brand has enjoyed great success over the last 6 months. The new D-MAX claimed top honours within the automotive media industry by winning the coveted ‘2021 Drive Car of the Year—Best Dual-Cab Ute’ award and News Corp Australia’s ‘2020 Ute of the Year’ award. It also took out the ‘West Australian 2020 Ute of the Year’, as part of that newspaper’s Car of the Year titles. And as testament to our commitment to owners, Isuzu UTE was also honoured at the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards, winning the ‘2020 Car Manufacturer of the Year Award’ and, after achieving the highest overall satisfaction rating across all 40 category winners, taking out the ‘Best of the Best’ award.

Safety is a continual focus for Isuzu UTE, and so appropriately in April we commenced a long-term partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA). For the next three years, we will be providing the iconic volunteer organisation with a fleet of D-MAX’s and MU-X’s to utilise as surf rescue and support vehicles. Our beaches are so popular that it’s crucial SLSA’s volunteers can have essential rescue equipment at hand to save someone’s life at a moment’s notice. You can read all about this partnership on page 12.

That’s not all, of course. On page 32 there’s a polar-opposite scene, as the D-MAX takes on the snowy NSW High Country. If 4WD day trips are your thing, some of our favourites begin on page 28, while on page 44, the Hook, Line & Sinker boys catch their dream cod. Finally, there’s a deep dive into the new MU-X on pages 20–27—with some of the innovations under its skin unpacked in a towing-based Tech Head on page 16.

As Isuzu UTE embarks on an exciting new period of our history, we want to thank you for your ongoing support and please enjoy this latest edition.

Hiroyasu Sato

Managing Director Isuzu UTE Australia maxd@iua.net.au