Isuzu has revealed a new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine for the D-Max in Australia, the latest territory to gain the improved engine since we revealed the news in October 2023. While there’s no official confirmation for the UK yet, sources have told Professional Pickup that this engine could soon replace the long-serving 1.9-litre here too.
The four-cylinder 2.2-litre RZ4F diesel produces 163hp and 400Nm of torque, paired with a new eight-speed automatic gearbox. That’s a useful step up in torque from the current UK-spec 1.9, which has been on sale since 2017 and offers 164hp and 360Nm.
The figures may look close on paper, but the 2.2’s broader spread of torque should make it feel noticeably stronger in everyday use. The new engine generates 255Nm from just 1,000rpm, around 60% more than the 1.9 manages at the same point. That extra shove should make towing and heavy loads easier.
Efficiency gains
Despite the added performance, fuel efficiency improves. In Australia, the 2.2 is rated at around 45mpg, an improvement of roughly 10% over the outgoing 1.9. If those improvements carry through to the more stringent European testing, the new D-Max could move closer to the top of its class for economy.
The 2.2 is paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, meaning manual options are no longer available in markets where the new engine is sold.
UK arrival unconfirmed, but expected
Isuzu hasn’t confirmed whether the 2.2-litre will be introduced in the D-Max here, and the engine currently only meets Euro 5 emissions standards, so updates would be needed to comply with Europe’s stricter Euro 6e rules. That said, with the 1.9 dropped from Australia and the 2.2 already in production for multiple markets, it would be surprising if the UK were left out.
Isuzu is under pressure from the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires a growing percentage of sales to be fully electric. The forthcoming D-Max EV will help meet that target, but it’s unlikely to shift in the volumes needed to avoid financial penalties. Strengthening the core line-up with a more efficient 2.2 diesel unit is therefore just as important as adding the D-Max EV.
Australia will get the new engine imminently as part of a model-year update. If the UK follows its usual cycle, first deliveries here could arrive in the first half of 2026.
Isuzu told Professional Pickup that its current focus is on the forthcoming D-Max EV, due early in 2026, which it says will sit alongside the diesel model.
