D-Max success in Thailand inspires Isuzu Philippines

13 Jan 2010

Photo from Isuzu Philippines

Isuzu Philippines has found inspiration to further market the Isuzu D-Max as a world-class vehicle following the pickup truck's success in Thailand.

Isuzu recently celebrated its one-millionth Isuzu D-Max sale in what has been dubbed as the "pickup capital of the world."

"One million is incredible by any standard," said Prayad Boonsoong, chairman of the official Isuzu distributor in Thailand. "You can't sell a single vehicle model to that many customers if your product is anything but excellent and class leading. Sales success is the purest affirmation of a vehicle's quality, beating any other type of award."

The Isuzu D-Max had its global debut in Thailand in 2002 and is the only series in the Isuzu stable to so far reach the one-million sales mark.

"We are very proud of this latest achievement by the D-Max. It should provide us with more inspiration to push for this superb vehicle in the Philippine market," Isuzu Philippines president Keiji Takeda said.

Isuzu Philippines has sold 15,181 units of the Isuzu D-Max since it was launched in the local market in October 2003.

"I believe it is also our responsibility to inform Filipino consumers that such a world-class quality pickup is available in their local market. They deserve the same level of performance and reliability as other pickup owners around the world," Takeda said.  

Isuzu is the fifth leading brand in the Philippine market based on data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers in the Philippines, Inc. with total sales reaching 9,213 units in 2009.

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COMMENTS

• sadam says ShocK to know this news but the Thailanders are D-maxmania. Just the other day, i was at the isuzu dealership in our locals, tried to ask for a test drive but when I get inside the cockpit, i decided to cancel because i really don't like the CHEAP INTERIOR & THRIFTY space, it's very far compared to my cousin's Mitsu STRAD truck. (13 January 2010)
• bush says great job isuzu... (14 January 2010)
• voksy says We must know that Thailand uses D-max for general purpose especially mass transport elsewhere compare to Philippines un-regulated jeepneys. (14 January 2010)
• Pong says diesel-ingay pa rin ba ang d-max? Bago ba ang technology as in CRDI? (14 January 2010)
• andal-ampatuan says I believed Isuzu is good only on big trucks like ELF, FORWARD, Giga but to pick-up trucks, no way, The Thailander are Isuzu fanatics, mok mapi. Try to ask a European if they know D-max/Rodeo, they simply say f---p, we dont know this damn dull pick up truck. they knew only L200, Hi-lux & Navara, Ranger (14 January 2010)
• Roy Eusebio says from the truck to the car into the SUV,AUV and now a Pick-Up!!! (14 January 2010)
• nikiboy says Philippines is also an Isuzu country most notably for its diesel engines ranging from the surplus/ smoke belching, direct injection to modern common rail direct injection that powers Jurassic jeepneys, trucks, buses, pick ups, construction machineries, boats, ships, generator sets and many other engine driven applications. Spare parts are readily available nationwide. (14 January 2010)
• BOOGIECAT says The D-Max is actually good..Di sya panay porma tulad ng Strada at Hilux!!.In terms of quality ng interior eh okay naman..Yung sa Strada looks so cheap(no wonder is its cheaper than the D-Max!) (14 January 2010)
• NMAD says ampatuan k nga kasi may tama k sa ulo!!!!!!!!! hindi k marunong mgbasa BOBO ngcecelebrate nga ng 1Million sales all over d world. Eh d maraming bumili... BOBO... bumili k muna ng sasakyan mo... bago k comment. baka mhirap k sa DAGA... (15 January 2010)
• NMAD says Isa k p Sadam. bk ang totoo nyan narealize mo n wl k plng pera. kaya umalis k n sa dealer. wag mong pgyabang ang strada ng pinsan mo bk hindi mo alam eh ngsisi n yun sa pgbili nya ng strada nya. smahan mo si ampatuan. sbay kau bumili ng sasakyan bgo kayo mgcomment ng ganyan. siguro kpitbhay mo si ampatuan n nandito sa comments. siguro DAGA k rin. (15 January 2010)
• heh says eh ano bang mas mabentang pick up dito sa pilipinas??? NMAD mag basa ka nga ng mga reviews sa pick ups at test/comparo! nanalo ba ang dmax?? hahaha (15 January 2010)
• jmg_32188 says basta isuzu, "high quality".. yan ang bagay kung bakit marami pa din ang bumibili sa kanila kahit luma na ang models nila.. (15 January 2010)
• sadam says katotobong NOMAD--D-max was launched in pinas on 2004 while Strada on 2007, find out the best seller here, so many pinoys regret buying the D-max (15 January 2010)
• andal-ampatuan says @NMAD--nothing personal. that million D-max sales started on 2002 while in Pinas is 15,181 units since 2003. Try to search on CAMPI & you can find the sales of STRAD since 2007 launched in Pinas & you can compare. (16 January 2010)
• maranello_5775 says Thais love pick ups for their toughness since it is very useful especially for working in demanding conditions and the dmax is probably the toughest (small)pick up for the money that is why it is a constant best seller in pick up truck crazy Thailand.Here in the Philippines, most people use their pick ups as part-family hauler, part-leisure and part-workhorse that is why the spacious strada and hilux lead the sales. (16 January 2010)
• tundrag says There are country where people are crazy about buying their likes of pick-up trucks. The Thailanders believe on the D-max. Say In Australia--Hilux are so popular while in UK, Navara now overtakes L200 on the sales. In UAE, workhorse meant for contractors, L200 & Hilux are creating heavy traffic on the jobs, maybe a ratio of 10:2 for the D-max. In the US, the TUNDRA conquered the pick-up sales on 2008 but F150 stole the crown on 2009. Here in Bohol, I noticed more Stradas running. (18 January 2010)
• kiko sanchez says The Isuzu D-Max has added the Dakar Rally to its impressive resume, finishing 11th overall among 177 participating cars, which included such brands as Volkswagen, Hummer, BMW and Opel. Needless to say, the D-Max--piloted by Australian Bruce Garland and navigated by Japanese Harry Suzuki--was also the best diesel pickup in the 2009 staging of the world-famous off-road endurance race, held from January 3-18 across Argentina and Chile. "The 2009 Dakar Rally covered a total distance of 9,500 kilometers, including 5,650 kilometers of special stages through sand dunes and rough terrains" said Isuzu Operations Thailand president Ken Takashima. "This event is renowned for its harsh driving conditions that make for the ultimate proving ground for man and machine. The Isuzu D-Max, which is already famous for its durability and fuel economy, has proven that it has the power to stand out in the toughest international rally event in the world, added Takashima. Let me say this: You can never put a good vehicle down! (24 January 2010)
• sleuth says to heh: i believe the Isuzu D-Max is the overall winner in TG Phils comparo last November 2009. The Global D-Max is really a nice truck. although it doesnt have the highest hp or torque rating, but it compensates for it's other features. plus this is really a workhorse. i've driven my dmax through moutains and rivers in the past and it really performs well especially in hauling. also, hindi nakakasawa ang design ng dmax unlike the strada na maganda lang sa una. mejo nabawasan na rin ang engine noise ng global dmax compared to the previous model. (17 February 2010)
• kiko sanchez says For me no complaints on the Isuzu DMax-siado.... ahihi. Mine is a 2008 model, runs at 170 kph steadfastly at NLEX. Climbs up Baguio even at low rpms. Compared to the so-called Nissan Navara, which incidentally is our service vehicle here in Spain, the DMax has more low-end power and you can lug it in hillclimbs, that makes it an outstanding hauler. The Navara can't do that below 2000 rpm ---- you have to wait to get that 2k rpm and only then will the power shoots up (there's a lag)! Compared also to the Toyota Hi-lux, our service vehicle in Malaysia, it is one of the most boring pick-ups i've ever ridden. Even my English and Kiwi buddies find the same, and they love the DMax compared to all the service pick-ups we've had. Moreover, as a matter of an objective proof, and not just by seat-of-pants feel, no other locally-available pick-up could match the breadth of its peak torque in terms of longevity (1400 rpm to 3400, over an entire 2000 rpm breadth)! Needless to say, with the Isuzu DMax, power is ensured, instantaneous, and may i say, satisfying.... very satisfying! Now, as Filipinos we are, let's just be patient in awaiting for the arrival here of the 3rd-generation 3.0L Hi-Power Turbo CRDi DMax that is currently issued in Australia. This one makes more horsepower and is torquier (360 N-m from 1400 rpm to 3400 rpm) than our current Asian-version. Make no mistake, that by this time, the DMax will be a lot more way, way ahead in competition! (11 March 2010)
• Buy says At the same year model ng isuzu at mitsubishi, ang resale value isuzu ay mas mataas compare sa mitsubishi tulad ng pick ups L200 ng mitsu at LS ng isuzu. Ang layo ng difference sa presyo. So go for isuzu mga egan dahil sulit ang pera. (21 March 2010)
• ISUZU USER says Mag ISUZU kayu trust me High quality mga sasakyan nila .. ang p*ng*t k*ya ng strada hindi nga matalo ng strada ang d-max sa pabilisan at pag akyat sa mga bundok .. (30 March 2010)
• kiko sanchez says Fuel efficiency and responsive power? ---- no doubt the Isuzu DMax 3-liter 4JJ1-TC DDi-iTEQ (common-rail) is very fuel efficient. Drove down south to Camarines Sur with my wife, son, yaya, together with our things onto our way to the famed Camarines Watersports Complex just a bit further south of Naga City (and also to see the beaches of Caramoan Peninsula thereafter). Logged in a total of 425.5 km (from Tierra Pura gate to CWC) and consuming only almost 1/3 of my fuel-tank. Computing that, it gives you a fuel mileage of 17 km per liter (e.g. 425.5 km divide by 25 liters) My friends who were also on convoy with us on their Hyundai Starex CRDi's and Toyota Fortuner 3.0L D4D simply could not believe how fuel-efficient the DMax is. The Starex Fuel gauge only has 1/4 left while the Fortuner D4-D had 1/3 left. All of us (my DMax, their Fortuner and Hyundai) loaded up our fuel tanks at Petron Congressional Station prior to speeding off to Naga City at around 3:00 am, 28 April 2010. Here's a photo of my control panel at the end of the 425.5 km trip (copy and paste link): http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/10/dsc04354bx.jpg Being the cheapest 3-liter out there and yet arguably the most fuel-efficient, my all-stock DMax is just one humble hauler getting the job done wherever i take it (Pampanga, Pangasinan, La Union, Tarlac, Zambales in Mt. Pinatubo, Baguio, Rizal, Antipolo, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Camarines Sur, Albay). Copy and paste links: http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5540/dsc04532b.jpg http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6325/dsc04040i.jpg (23 May 2010)
• kiko sanchez says To our new Isuzu Philippines President ---- Good day Mr. Yamazaki. I have always been an incessant Isuzu fan. As a family, we have 2 DMax's (one 4JH1-TC and one very responsive and highly fuel-efficient 4JJ1-TC DDi-iTEQ), 1 Crosswind, and a fleet of 20-tonner Isuzu trucks for business use. If i may brief you with a consumer's point-of-view, kindly look at the linked photos. This is what we Pinoys want, frankly-speaking, as far as the Isuzu DMax is concerned: This is the current engine we now have, a 3-liter 4JJ1-TC DDi-iTEQ (copy and paste the links) ---- http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1508/4jj1tcddiiteqpower.jpg http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8299/4jj1tcddiiteqpic.jpg And these is the one that the Thailand-issue DMax has, WHICH WE ALSO PREFER yet wonder why it's not being issued here in the Philippines, a 3-liter 4JJ1-TCX DDi-iTEQ with a variable-valve geometry turbocharger (VVGS). This one churns out a peak power of 164 pferdestarke and peak torque of 360 Nm over a range of 1800 rpm to 2800 rpm (please copy and paste links) ---- http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4734/4jj1tcxddivgsturbopower.jpg http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/1641/4jj1tcxddivgsturbopic.jpg Trust us consumers, sir, that by the time you give us that type of engine onto our DMax's (it's just plug-and-play, c'mon sir!).... Isuzu will be far at the forefront of the pick-up race! Make that two! ---- also for the high-end SUV's, the Alterra with the same VVGS-equipped DDi-iTEQ! (23 May 2010)
• shooter says What defines a pickup truck? Power! control! comfort! reliability! toughness! simplicity! Value for your money! Thats why Isuzu invented the DMAX-tipid... Love it! (24 May 2010)