By Staff Reporter

The South African car market may not be enjoying the best times in terms of sales but bakkies are doing very well. Consumers are seeking them in large numbers for both business and leisure. With their popularity, customers are also seeking automatic transmissions as part of the offering. “Buying trends in the bakkie segment are changing rapidly, and we have seen a major upswing in the demand for automatic gearboxes in recent years,” says Dominic Rimmer, Senior Vice President, Technical Operations at Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf).

Five speed auto

In order to meet growing demand, Isuzu is offering a five-speed automatic gearbox with its 2.5-litre intercooled turbodiesel engine. The said engine produces 100 kW of power at 3 400 r/min. The maximum torque output of 320 Nm is available between 1 800 and 2 800 r/min. Combined cycle fuel consumption is rated at 8.1 l/100 km for the automatic models, dependent on driving style.

Choice

The new Isuzu D-Max 250 Auto model range will be available with the Isuzu D-Max 250 X-Rider, D-Max 250 LE, D-Max 250 Hi-Ride and 250 Hi-Ride 4×2. Also new to the Double Cab range in a Hi-Ride trim-level is the addition of a 3.0-Litre automatic model matched with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Pricing

The pricing for the new Isuzu D-Max 250 Auto model range is as follows:

D-Max 250 Ho Extended Cab Hi-Ride Auto                            R403,200

D-Max 250 Ho Double Cab Hi-Ride Auto                                 R435,300

D-Max 250 Ho Double Cab Le Auto                                           R459,000

D-Max 250 Ho Double Cab X-Rider Auto                                R474,700

The D-Max 300 Double Cab Hi-Ride Auto is priced from R464,100. All Isuzu D-MAX models come standard with Isuzu Complete Care, comprising a five-year/120,000 km bumper-to-bumper warranty and Isuzu Roadside Assistance, a five-year/unlimited km anti-corrosion warranty and a five-year/90,000 km Service Plan.