New Isuzu D-MAX outsells Toyota HiLux

The new Isuzu D-MAX has swept all before it in its home market of Thailand, where the majority of Australia’s most popular utes are produced.

According to a report by Thai website Headlightmag, in the first half of this year the new D-MAX found 67,625 new Thai homes – over 18,000 more than its nearest rival in the Toyota HiLux (49,622 sales).

Commanding a 45 per cent market share in Thailand, where the new D-MAX was released late last year, also outsold the Mitsubishi Triton, Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara.

Unlike Australia, where the HiLux and Ranger are the two most popular utes (followed by the Triton, the discontinued Holden Colorado and the D-MAX), the two dominant mid-size (one-tonne) pick-ups in Thailand are the D-MAX and HiLux.

Thailand is Southeast Asia’s largest auto market, one of the world’s biggest ute markets and the world’s 12th largest auto market overall.

To June this year almost 150,000 utes were sold in Thailand – nearly double the number sold in Australia in the same period.

The new Isuzu D-MAX officially launches Down Under on September 1 – within days of the facelifted Toyota HiLux.

In a boom year for new ute arrivals, they will be followed on sale here before the end of 2020 by a facelifted Nissan Navara and the all-new Mazda BT-50, based on the new D-MAX. All-new Triton, Ranger and Great Wall utes are due next year.

Thailand ute sales and market share January-June 2020:
1. Isuzu D-MAX – 67,625 (45.3%)
2. Toyota HiLux – 49,622 (33.2%)
3. Mitsubishi Triton – 11,598 (7.8%)
4. Ford Ranger – 9420 units (6.3%)
5. Nissan Navara – 6973 (4.7%)
6. Chevrolet Colorado – 1820 (1.2%)
7. MG Extender – 1479 (1.0%)
8. Mazda BT-50 – 797 (0.5%)
9. Tata Xenon – 98 (0.1%)
Total: 149,432

Thai model pictured