The contest was so tight this year, we have two winners in the 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute category – for the first time in the history of the award. It is not because we are sitting on the fence. Rather it’s an indication of the level of competition in this segment – and the similarities between these two jointly developed utes.
The Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 are twins under the skin, with identical engines and transmissions, suspension settings, safety technology, and infotainment systems. In fact, the only major difference is the external appearance, with each vehicle wearing body panels styled to fit within their respective brand’s broader range.
One clear example of this is the identical bi-LED headlight technology packaged in different-looking housings. One is a sleek Mazda design, the other has a truck-like Isuzu appearance, but the spread of the beam is the same.
The Isuzu and Mazda utes are made on the same production line in Thailand – even the air in the tyres and the coolant in the radiator are the same. The steering wheels and key fobs are the same, too, only the badges are different. The list of similarities is seemingly endless.
Another point worth considering: the Isuzu D-Max might not be as good as it is, if not for the significant investment and commitment from Mazda throughout the development process.
So why did the Isuzu D-Max win this award by itself in 2021, but is a joint winner with the Mazda BT-50 this year? A year ago, the Isuzu D-Max had a significant price advantage. But after three price rises in 12 months, the Isuzu D-Max lost its value edge, and you can now throw a blanket over it and the equivalent Mazda BT-50 – depending on which price list you reference.
The RRP of the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain automatic test car is $65,900 plus on-road costs which, earlier analysis showed, pushed the price beyond $70,000 drive-away according to Isuzu Ute Australia’s website.
The RRP of the Mazda BT-50 SP automatic test car is $65,090 plus on-road costs, or $66,900 drive-away according to the Mazda website as this article was written.
Isuzu has since reinstated a drive-away offer of $62,900 drive-away for its flagship model. But as history shows, this price is not permanent and the flagship Isuzu could return to $70,000 drive-away at the stroke of a pen.
We also looked at pricing and specification for the base variants of each model, and found that while there were differences in price, differences in spec offset this.
This is why we determined the price of the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 to be line-ball, especially when comparing their RRPs and standard equipment at, or near, both ends of their ranges.
There are other small differences which, in Drive’s opinion, balance each other out. Isuzu offers a six-year/150,000km warranty, Mazda offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Some buyers may prefer the Isuzu’s extra 12 months of coverage – or Mazda’s unlimited mileage up to the five-year mark. With these two utes, the choice is yours.
The cost of routine maintenance – based on capped-price service programs for each vehicle – works out to have a difference of $7 after five years.
Routine maintenance in the Mazda BT-50 is listed at $2308 over five years; the Isuzu D-Max is listed at $2315 over the same period. But Isuzu’s capped-price servicing lasts seven years, the Mazda program runs out after five years.
Then there were the vehicles themselves. They drive identically. Mazda spent its money on unique bodywork rather than fine-tuning the suspension or making any significant interior changes.
Which is perhaps why the Isuzu/Mazda twins aren’t at the top of the class in terms of driving dynamics and comfort on-road – or in terms of their ability off-road.
But the Isuzu/Mazda twins excel with their long standard equipment lists and impressive levels of advanced safety. In this regard, they truly are class-leading.
Isuzu and Mazda ought to be praised for democratising advanced safety, regardless of your budget – or model choice.
In addition to the usual array of autonomous emergency braking, radar cruise control, and speed sign recognition, every model – in both the Isuzu and Mazda ute line-ups – comes standard with blind-zone warning and rear cross-traffic alert, intelligent cruise control (which will match the sign-posted speed), and autonomous braking capacity in intersections.
The lane-keeping tech was frustratingly overzealous when this model came out in 2020, but a tech update in late 2021 muted the aggressiveness of the lane-keeping intervention – and a one-touch ‘off’ button was added to the steering wheel (rather than having to navigate the driving menu).
To sum up, the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 twins tick the most boxes across broad criteria. And, because of this, they are both worthy winners of our 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute category.
The finishing touch: the subtle styling differences mean the Isuzu D-Max will appeal to buyers who prefer tough-truck looks, while the Mazda BT-50 will appeal to buyers looking for a sleeker, upmarket appearance.
They really are two cars in one – and buyers are the winners here, because they are spoiled for choice.
Keyword: Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 win 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute