Besides being a robust go-anywhere machine, the Isuzu D-MAX is also a very fuel-efficient vehicle. This was proven in 2005 when the pick-up truck travelled from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru and then up to Alor Setar and then back to Kuala Lumpur – a distance of 1,401 kms on just one tank of fuel.
Since then, successive generations of the D-MAX have continued to maintain and even improve on the superior fuel efficiency with new powertrains having more advanced technologies. These new technologies, such as Blue Power, enable a higher power output from engines of smaller displacement.
Recently, the fuel-sipping capabilities of the D-MAX were demonstrated when 3 units of the latest generation drove an amazing distance of 2,004 kms without refuelling the 76-litre fuel tank! This achievement beat the previous one from Bangkok to Singapore – a distance of 1,809 kms, with a single tank of fuel.
For the latest achievement in what has come to be known as the Dura Miles Challenge, a team from Isuzu Malaysia drove two units of the D-MAX with a 1.9-litre engine and one unit with a 3-litre engine (all 2024 models have Euro4 engines) on a cross-border route. The journey started from the town of Phitsanulok, approximately 300 kms north of Bangkok, and ended in Klang, Selangor.
This was the first time Isuzu Malaysia put the latest 3rd generation D-MAX to the test. As in past runs, the drive was witnessed by an independent organisation, in this case, the Motorsports Association of Malaysia.
A technical steward from the association sealed the fuel tanks of each vehicle at the start and followed the convoy throughout the journey to ensure that there was no stop to take on additional fuel.
The latest achievement of 2,004 kms also earned the D-MAX a place in the Malaysian Book of Records for the ‘Longest Distance Driven In A Pick-up Truck With A Single Tank Of Fuel’.
Speaking at the arrival of the vehicles at a new Isuzu 3S Centre in Klang, Shunsuke Okazoe, CEO of Isuzu Malaysia, said that the achievement underlined Isuzu’s amazing engineering capabilities in developing Blue Power turbodiesel engines that perform way beyond the call of duty.
“While we do not expect every customer to drive their Isuzu vehicles 2,000 kilometres on a single tank of fuel, it clearly demonstrates the level of engineering that goes into every Isuzu vehicle to even make a feat of this magnitude a possibility,” said Mr. Okazoe.
“Equally amazing is that this capable pick-up truck does everything extraordinarily well. Whether it is conquering the jungle trails of Sabah in the Borneo Safari, bringing families and loved ones home safely and comfortably, or speedily delivering goods to any destination, the Isuzu D-MAX displays the prowess to handle it all with ease,” added Light Commercial Vehicle Division COO, Kenkichi Sogo.
Click here to find out more about the different D-MAX models available in Malaysia.