Isuzu Gaining Sales Share

ISUZU Ute Australia has averaged 35 per cent year-on-year growth since its first full year of operation in 2009. The reliability reputation of its products and the brand’ s keen focus on customer service are dominant factors in that growth.

Last year, combined Isuzu D-Max ute sales of 14,640 units overtook the Mazda BT-50 (13,500) and Nissan Navara (13,897). And despite having just two model lines, IUA sold more vehicles in this country than fellow Japanese brand Suzuki, which had 10 models on sale across numerous segments in the same period.

Isuzu claimed that their enviable record is reflected not only in their internal customer satisfaction research but by external sources as well.

One of these sources is the recent Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards, which placed IUA joint second after winner Lexus in its Car Manufacturer of the Year accolade. IUA also received Roy Morgan’s Car Manufacturer of the Month for August and September 2015.

Isuzu described the recognition by Roy Morgan Research as “a huge boon for the whole Isuzu Ute team because we all work extremely hard to ensure the service and experience of our customers is always a positive one”.

“To be recognised above and alongside more established brands is a real credit to our products and the people behind them.”

Although the D-Max has benefited from a number of running changes since its July 2012 launch, it is a comparatively old model facing increasingly tough competition from other all-new or significantly updated rivals, such as the Mitsubishi Triton, Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux that variously offer more advanced technology and on-road refinement.

A facelifted D-Max with new grille, headlights, front bumper and bonnet styling along with redesigned alloy wheels, tail-lights and tailgate plus upgraded instruments and a new touchscreen system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity was unveiled last November at the Thailand Motor Expo in Bangkok.

The D-Max update was headlined by a new 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine that replaces the 2.5-litre unit used in markets outside Australia, while the familiar and more powerful 3.0-litre unit deployed here is carried over.

Isuzu MU-X SUV

Similar updates were applied to the facelifted MU-X unveiled at the Bangkok Motor Show earlier this month.

The late-2013 addition of the MU-X SUV in contributed to a 64.4 per cent sales leap in 2014 and it continues to sell well, outselling the newer Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner so far this year and comprehensively trouncing the related Holden Colorado 7 almost two sales to one. It even gives the Hyundai Santa Fe a run for its money in the large SUV segment.

On the subject of fleet sales, Mr Harding said fleet customers had the same basic requirements as private and ABN buyers in that they wanted vehicles that are fit for purpose and reliable.

Isuzu currently has 129 dealerships around Australia, with between five and 10 new outlets expected to be added this year.