How fuel-efficient is the Isuzu D-MAX 3.0 LS-E 4×4 A/T?

If you are not aware of how much fuel costs have skyrocketed globally in the past months, then you’re probably living under a rock. Because of that, having a vehicle that needs less trips to the fuel station is a necessity these days. 

We recently had the chance to once again take the current generation Isuzu D-MAX on a week-long test drive. One of our top 10 favorites last year, this really is a truck that we love. We then thought, why not do a fuel economy test? And so we did.

The Isuzu D-MAX loaned to us was the top-of-the-line 3.0 LS-E 4×4 which exclusively comes with an automatic transmission. It is powered by a 3.0-liter 4JJ3-TCX turbo diesel engine that produces 190 metric horsepower and 450 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. At the time, the unit had more or less 12,500 km on the odometer, this means it had a fair amount of wear and tear. 

To do the test, we had to follow some parameters:

• Each test must have been started with the vehicle’s fuel tank filled-up (automatic stop) at the fuel station. 
• Next, we drove the vehicle in realistic road conditions with all OEM equipment present as it would come out of the showroom. 
• The climate control system was set to medium fan speed with a temperature of 23.5°c. 
• The pick-up bed was left empty while all three passengers only had small items and a single hand-bag. 
• Finally, we also have to consider the extra weight provided by the vehicle’s 4×4 system, compared to other Isuzu D-MAX variants equipped with this powertrain.

We conducted the city fuel consumption test by driving through the narrow streets of Balanga City in Bataan where road conditions during our test were decent with a good amount of vehicles plying the streets with a speed range of mostly between 20 to 50 kph, as well as a good amount of stop and go movements. 

After driving for an hour with a total distance of 22.1 km, the Isuzu D-MAX achieved 11.4 km/l which is a very good number considering the road conditions. 

For the highway consumption test, we took the D-MAX from Balanga City to Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales. Highway road conditions on the Bataan Provincial Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway were normal with a good amount of vehicles traveling. The highways were a mix of flat, uphill, and downhill with a speed range of 60 to 100 kph. 

After another hour of driving, our highway fuel consumption test returned 15.7 km/l which is excellent for a 4×4 pick-up truck.

What do you think of the Isuzu D-MAX’s fuel consumption?