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Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is not a gentle place for vehicles. It is a State of extremes, coastal lowlands that suddenly give way to mountain switchbacks, plantation tracks that test every rivet and inter-district stretches that punish anything less than total mechanical reliability. 

Isuzu Malaysia recently invited the media and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) to put the all-new D-MAX 2.2L Turbodiesel through its paces on the Kota Kinabalu-to-Kundasang run.

From Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang’s highland plantation routes and mist-soaked bends, the all-new 2026 Isuzu D-MAX 2.2L Turbodiesel was built for the roads you actually drive. We put it to the test.

The Flag-off 

The day started early at the Universal Motor showroom in Kalansanan, Kota Kinabalu. Breakfast was laid out, the pick-up trucks were lined up and a group of journalists and content creators were getting their first proper look at the all-new Isuzu D-MAX 2.2L. 

Before anyone turned a key, there was a product briefing, a send-off and some words from the man whose company had made all of this possible.

"This is the opportunity for you to test drive, to feel and to touch our all-new Isuzu D-MAX 2.2L,” said Universal Motor Managing Director Datuk Chok Yun Kiong addressing the gathered media and KOLs at the Kalansanan showroom before the convoy departed.

"The 2.2L Isuzu D-MAX is called the Best Ever Engine, the best in fuel saving, in durability, in powerful reliability and very low service maintenance. Today the one you are driving is not only durable and powerful, but also very pretty,” said Chok, who also joined in the entire two-day trip to Kundasang. 

By 9am, the convoy was moving. The route climbs steadily out of the city, winding up through hills and switchbacks, the air getting cooler as the altitude rises. 

For a pick-up truck with big claims behind its new engine, this was precisely the kind of road that would either prove the point or expose the gap.

It proved the point.

Coffee, switchbacks and car swap 

The convoy made its first stop at 78 Café for a well-earned coffee break. Drivers switched vehicles here, giving everyone time behind the wheel of both the 2.2L Isuzu D-MAX Double Cab and the Single Cab before the climb continued. 

By the time the group reached Tranquera House Restaurant in the Mesilau area for lunch, conversation had already turned lively. People were comparing notes, talking about how the pick-up truck handled the tighter corners on the way up and asking each other which variant they preferred.

The afternoon brought one of the day's most anticipated moments. On the hilly, low-traffic roads around Tranquera House, the D-MAX Single Cab Automatic took centre stage and owned every metre of it.

This is the first automatic Single Cab ever offered in Malaysia and from the moment you settle into the driver's seat, something feels different. The Isuzu 2.2L engine does not just move you, it moves you well. 

Power arrives smoothly and confidently, the kind that swells beneath your foot as the road opens up ahead. Gear changes happen without a second thought, almost as if the truck is reading your mind and the ride through Sabah's dramatic, rolling landscape felt less like a test drive and more like a weekend escape.

For the modern driver who refuses to choose between hardworking capability and everyday comfort, the D-MAX Single Cab Automatic is the answer they have been waiting for. No clutch. No hassle. Just clean, confident driving that makes every road, paved or otherwise, feel like it was made for you.

Because the best kind of work truck? It is one that does not feel like work at all. 

Eight gears, one smooth story

By early evening the group had checked into H Benjamin Residence in Kundasang. The night's dinner brought together the media and KOLs with local community leaders and VIP guests Deputy Chief Minister cum State Works and Utility Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam as well as Ranau Member of Parliament Datuk Jonathan Yasin. 

“The people of Sabah have long given strong support to Isuzu, especially the D-MAX, which is known as a tough, reliable vehicle suited to our roads and our way of life," said Dr Joachim. 

Dr Joachim, who is also Kundasang Assemblyman spoke about the Isuzu brand with the kind of familiarity that comes from knowing what Sabah roads actually ask of a vehicle.

"Sabah's challenging terrain, including hilly and rural areas, makes Isuzu one of the top choices here. This proves that Isuzu not only offers good performance, but also meets the daily needs of users in Sabah,” he said. 

He also welcomed Isuzu's continued investment in Sabah and encouraged the brand to keep growing its presence in communities across the state.

Meanwhile, Isuzu Malaysia Chief Operating Officer, Kenichi Kudo, spoke about what the new 2.2-litre engine represents and where the company stands on it.

"Almost every component in the new 2.2-litre Isuzu engine has been redesigned or engineered to provide exceptional performance, superior fuel economy and legendary reliability," he said. 

"It is driving dynamics have been improved to make it exceptionally suitable for the rugged and challenging conditions here in Sabah,” he added. 

After a day on those very roads, the room knew exactly what he meant.

"The market acceptance is very phenomenal. We are so confident to call our product the best engine ever,” Kenichi said.  

At the core of the 2026 D-MAX is the all-new RZ4F-TC, a 2,164 cc four-cylinder turbodiesel that replaces the previous 1.9-litre unit with genuine intent. 

The headline numbers are 163 PS at 3,600 rpm and 400 Nm of torque across a wide band from 1,600 to 2,400 rpm — 13 PS and 50 Nm more than the outgoing engine. But numbers on a page rarely capture what an engine feels like when you actually need it.

The new 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine produces 163PS and 400Nm of torque, an 8.7 per cent power gain and 14.3 per cent more torque than the outgoing 1.9-litre unit. 

More than 255Nm of that torque is available from just 1,000rpm, meaning strong pull-away before the engine even begins to stretch. 

Paired with a new 8-speed automatic gearbox, the D-MAX shifts fluidly across all conditions. Fuel efficiency is 5 per cent better than before and the full 2.2L range meets Euro 5 emission standards. 

The Euro 5 compliance keeps the D-MAX clean and future-ready. Low road tax and minimal maintenance costs make it economical to run year after year.

The verdict from the road 

Day two began at 7am. The group gathered outside as the first light caught Mount Kinabalu above the treeline, cameras out, pick-up trucks lined up in front of one of the most recognisable backdrops in Southeast Asia. 

After breakfast, the convoy checked out and headed back to Kota Kinabalu, arriving at the Isuzu Kalansanan showroom with well over a hundred kilometres of real Sabah road behind them.

The journalists and content creators who made the full two-day run came back with a consistent picture. 

The overtaking power on open stretches impressed those used to needing patience on Sabah's highways. The 8-speed automatic gearbox earned particular praise for how naturally it managed gear changes without the driver needing to think about it at all. 

More than one person noted that the pick-up truck did not feel like a working vehicle that had simply been made more convenient. It felt like a capable, confident drive that also happened to be effortless.

The all-ladies team from Daily Express, one of Sabah’s most widely read newspaper, were among the media invited for the test drive.  

Journalist Sisca Humphrey, who drives a pick-up truck herself and knows what to expect from one, took the wheel for most of the run, getting time behind both the Double Cab and the Single Cab. 

“The drive uphill is seamless. I did not have to step hard on the accelerator. I think this is a great pick-up truck, anyone can drive it. Easy handling,” she said.

With her was fellow journalist Sherell Jeffrey, who rode as passenger throughout, taking in the full experience from the other side of the cabin. 

Completing the Daily Express team was videographer Esther Glorie Leow, who captured the drive on camera from Kota Kinabalu all the way up to the highlands.

Meanwhile, a KOL, Ewin Kassim, whose audience weighs value as closely as performance, pointed to what will matter most to many buyers considering the switch.

"The affordable price is attractive. The handling is also smooth and easy,” he said. 

What the media felt on the ascent out of KK was this - the D-MAX pulls. It pulls with authority at the bottom of the rev range, it pulls when you need to overtake on a narrow highland stretch and it pulls when the gradient gets serious enough to make lesser engines cough. 

The secret is 255 Nm available from as low as 1,000 rpm, more than half the peak torque, on tap before most drivers have even finished thinking about the accelerator. Isuzu calls this a 56 per cent improvement in off-the-line response. On the road to Kundasang, it is the difference between a pick-up truck that hesitates and one that simply goes.

The engine was rebuilt from the ground up, new block, cylinder head, crankshaft, pistons, connecting rods, turbocharger and a 250 MPa high-pressure fuel injection system. 

The result is an engine 5 per cent more fuel efficient in real-world conditions, and significantly cleaner, total emissions down 21 per cent, particulate matter reduced by up to 99 per cent and full Euro 5 compliance. It also runs on B20 biodiesel, future-proofed for Malaysia's green energy direction.

For a pick-up truck that offers smooth handling up one of Sabah’s most famous uphill routes on its first public outing in the State, effortless is the best possible verdict anyone could give.

Experience it yourself 

Come and experience the all-new 2026 Isuzu D-MAX 2.2L yourself.

Visit Universal Motor Sdn Bhd, Kalansanan, Kota Kinabalu or your nearest Isuzu authorised dealer.

Prices are On the Road without insurance, Individual, Sabah. D-MAX 2.2L Single Cab Automatic from RM111,204.60 | D-MAX 2.2L Premium 4x4 from RM144,804.60.