Teaser Video Suggests 2020 Isuzu D-Max Has “Infinite Potential”

We’re not exactly sure about the “infinite potential” that Isuzu talks about, more so if you remember the D-Max is a cost-conscious alternative to more popular mid-sizers such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. But on the upside, the Japanese company has treated the newcomer to LED signature lighting, a revised grille, better materials for the interior, and the 1.9-liter Ddi Blue Power turbo diesel four-cylinder engine with a fair bit of torque.

The Ddi Blue Power is a twin-turbo powerplant with Selective Catalytic Reduction, and chances are this particular diesel engine serves as a replacement for the 4JJ1 common-rail turbo diesel that Isuzu shares with Chevrolet and Holden utes. It remains to be seen, however, if a handful of markets need more than 1.9 liters of displacement from a mid-size truck.

If you focus on the screenshot featuring the interior, you’ll notice a fair bit of leather, chrome garnish, upscale buttons for the climate control, as well as quite a few blank buttons flanking the automatic transmission’s gear lever. A still of the dashboard further reveals the Apple CarPlay menu on the touchscreen infotainment system’s display, and the tachometer confirms that the limiter kicks in at 4,400 revolutions per minute.

What is most surprising about the 2020 Isuzu D-Max is the Audi influence infused in the front fascia’s design. It’s not a copycat per se, yet it does look both aggressive and rather upscale for such an affordable workhorse.

Joined at the hip since 2003, Mazda and Isuzu confirmed back in 2016 that the D-Max and BT-50 would be brothers in a few years’ time. This means the all-new pickup from Mazda should arrive at dealerships in 2020 as well, sporting the 1.9-liter turbo diesel with AdBlue to reduce NOx emissions while complying with the Euro 6 emissions standard.