Welcome

WELCOME, Issue 32

SEASON’S GREETINGS and welcome to the latest edition of MAX*D magazine!

If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “where have the last 12 months gone?”

It feels like just the other day we were welcoming the 2023 D-MAX and MU-X range to our shores and sharing the news that Isuzu has grown to become a top-10 selling brand. Well, 2023 has been yet another year for the record books. At the time of writing, not only is IUA on track to maintain its position as one of Australia’s top-10 selling marques over the past 12 months, but both the D-MAX and MU-X are among the top-three selling vehicles in their respective segments. The D-MAX has continued to receive critical acclaim from the Australian media, with Wheels awarding it Australia’s Best Value 4x4 Ute in their inaugural utility awards. And, to top it off, over the 15 years since we opened the doors of our first dealership in 2008, more than 300,000 Isuzu vehicles have been sold and delivered locally. It’s an amazing milestone and one only made possible by you; so thank you!

As we eagerly anticipate the final sales results of 2023, let’s take a moment to live in the moment—the here and now.

In this issue we’re taking a trip down memory lane to celebrate the last 15 years with a duo of D-MAXs on sandy Straddie Island: a 2008 Isuzu D-MAX LS-U and a 2023 D-MAX X-TERRAIN. We catch up with a D-MAX owner who has stacked up over 524,000kms in his 2021 D-MAX SX—a remarkable testimony of travel. And, of course, we share the latest news, tales of travel and tech tips. There are even hook-ups (care of Hook, Line and Sinker, on page 44) and cookups (courtesy of The Slow Road Cookbook, on page 48).

It’s been a monumental year for Isuzu as a brand, but it’s also been huge for me personally. My family is finally together again. My wife and children have made the journey to join me in Australia, along with our 2.5-year-old dog and 18-year-old cat from Japan, both of whom went through a 10-day quarantine at Melbourne Airport. Seizing the here and now, I’ve had the privilege to continue my travels of this Great Southern Land, visiting each state and more than 60 Isuzu UTE Dealers in the last six months alone.

One thing that all that travel has taught me is that we all have a unique story to tell. Everyone uses their vehicle differently and it’s those moments we create together—cherishing the company of our loved ones and living each day as it comes—that will live long in our memories.

It doesn’t matter how much faster each year seems to fly by, or how bewildering it can be to see the old one disappearing into the rear-view mirror!

So, with another 12 months printed and packaged, and the festive season a page turn away, I’d like to sign off 2023 with my best wishes. I sincerely hope that you and your family have a safe and happy holiday period and, as always, enjoy this latest edition of MAX*D magazine.

Happy reading & safe motoring!

Junta Matsui Managing Director, Isuzu UTE Australia