Isuzu Ute has made steady if unspectacular progress since it debuted in this market a year ago, recently recording its 2000th local sale. But you can't help thinking it has a long way to go to establish the strong presence in this country it wants. As a one-model brand it is likely struggle to attract customers to its showrooms, particularly when its only model isn't terribly new. The Isuzu D-Max ute is quite a decent vehicle, but there's nothing about it that screams ‘buy me’ if the recent drive of an LS-M four- wheel drive dual-cab is anything to go by. For starters the D-Max is in essence the Rodeo once sold by Holden under that badge, so there's nothing really new to get ute buyers all worked up. In a corporate divorce Holden quit the Rodeo and took up the Colorado, a very similar vehicle also made in Thailand.
