The Isuzu D-Max has been retested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP after the original was described as being ‘too aggressive’. Isuzu has made changes to the performance of the knee airbag, improving performance and keeping the five-star safety rating the pickup received in 2020.
The result is a minor improvement to the D-Max’s overall score. Adult occupant protection in the event of an accident is slightly better, scoring 86% in Euro NCAP’s testing, while child occupants are equally protected.
However, Euro NCAP
noted that the revised knee airbag’s performance is not symmetrical. Isuzu confirmed that protection for front-seat passengers in left-hand-drive vehicles is reduced marginally when measured against our right-hand-drive UK models.
Various safety systems fitted to the D-Max pickup, including traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, lane departure prevention and forward collision mitigation, allowed for a safety assist rating of 83%. Pedestrian protection was rated at 69%, the bluff front of the D-Max providing adequate protection to a pedestrian’s legs and head in an impact. The automatic braking system usually slows sufficiently to avoid impact.
The pickup was described as ‘aggressive’ in a frontal impact, the bulk of the D-Max providing limited mitigation to other vehicles involved in a head-on collision. Euro NCAP noted some ‘localised areas of high deformation’ to the Mobile Progressive Deformable Barrier (MPDB) and marked the truck down accordingly.
These scenarios are tested using a moving deformable barrier representing another vehicle. This barrier, the MPDB, moves at 31mph towards the test car, which is travelling at 31mph towards the barrier. The closing speed of 62mph thoroughly tests compatibility between different vehicles and the basic crash safety of each car. Large vehicles are expected to offer more protection and better compatibility with smaller vehicles.
In other tests, the Isuzu D-Max performed well. Protection was good in the severe side pole impact, simulating a crash with a tree, where the D-Max scored maximum points. The D-Max pickup is also equipped with a centre airbag to protect against occupant-to-occupant interaction in side impacts, which worked well under Euro NCAP’s testing, providing good protection of the head for both front seat occupants.
Manufacturers are rushing to have their vehicles tested ahead of a stricter testing regime coming into force in 2023, including Volkswagen with the ID Buzz and Amarok, and Ford with its new Ranger. All scored the same five-star rating.
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