Which dual-cab ute reigns supreme in the battle of the value-oriented models? We compare the 2023 Ford Ranger XLS against the 2023 Isuzu D-Max LS-M.
A lot of attention gets thrown the way of the flagship dual-cab ute. Whenever you’re seeing tough ute marketing it’s always a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, an Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain, a Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior… but the real tough work is arguably performed by the entry-level versions. The ones fleets buy en masse for the work site, and those that specify hardy materials over fancy ‘lifestyle’ add-ons.
Isuzu has long offered a work-ready and affordable ute option, with the 2023 D-Max range kicking off with the SX specification that utilises a 1.9-litre powertrain.
Our reigning 2023 Drive Car of the Year, the Ford Ranger, also caters to buyers at the entry level. Though we’ve featured both models in various comparisons over the past 12 months, this is the first time we’ve paired these specific variants against one another.
We’ve selected an Isuzu D-Max that sits one rung up. It stocks a 4×4 drivetrain, an automatic transmission, and the larger 3.0-litre engine that wins such praise with media and owners alike.
Our Ford equivalent is the Ranger XLS with a ute body like the D-Max, an automatic transmission, and a 2.0-litre twin-turbo engine under the bonnet.
Both these variants sit one level up from base spec in their respective ranges. As such, while they’re a long way from the top of the tree in terms of specification, they’re not exactly stripper specials either.
With those two fighters in mind, let’s compare two of the most affordable – and most popular – dual-cab utes to see which is the better sub-$60,000 dual-cab ute option.
How much does the Ford Ranger XLS cost in Australia?
The 2023 Ford Ranger spans from $35,390 in its cheapest XL single-cab form, up to $85,490 for the mind-bending Raptor high-performance hero. In between there’s a range of models, engines and body layouts to suit just about everyone.
The dual-cab-only XLS grade sits one up from base model, and is priced from $54,730 plus on-road costs when equipped with four-wheel drive. It’s supplied as a ute body, with no option for a factory-delivered cab chassis model.
Ford’s 2.0-litre BiTurbo engine is standard, and as with all Rangers the XLS is auto-only, in this case a 10-speed automatic.
XLS models pick up features like 16-inch alloy wheels, side steps, front fog lights, carpet flooring, and a central-locking tailgate over the XL.
Some of the shared elements with the base model include halogen headlights, fabric seat trim, single-zone climate control, a huge 10.1-inch infotainment screen and 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, and a comprehensive list of safety equipment (full details further down).
While it’s a long way from the flashiest Ranger in the line-up, the XLS doesn’t feel like a fleet special and neatly treads the line between earnest hard worker with a few creature comforts and nicer shiny bits built in.
How much does the Isuzu D-Max LS-M cost in Australia?
As the 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute, it should come as no surprise that we have a lot of time for the Isuzu D-Max. Taking top honours – alongside its Mazda BT-50 joint winner – in the popular category is no easy feat, with judges considering a full gamut of factors in handing down the prestigious category win.
It’s praise that top-specification variants like the D-Max X-Terrain eat up, but model grades such as the low-to-mid-tier D-Max LS-M deserve their time in the limelight too.
The Isuzu D-Max LS-M is one of the most affordable ways into a D-Max with the desirable 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine (the cheaper SX dual-cab offers a choice of 1.9- or 3.0-litre engines), a 4×4 driveline, and with a Crew Cab (dual-cab) body style. In effect, it’s the most affordable way into the kind of dual-cab style that makes the most sense with lifestyle buyers and families, as opposed to fleet buyers and trade workers.
It uses the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine Isuzu fans love, whose outputs are sent through a six-speed automatic transmission to a switchable four-wheel-drive system. With the automatic transmission it costs $55,300 before on-road costs.
Add on pieces such as the manual roller tonneau cover ($2983), tow bar kit ($1075), tub-liner ($670), and electronic brake controller ($820), and it starts to look scarily close to higher-specified model grades in the D-Max line-up.
Let’s see whether the D-Max still shines as brightly when taking a magnifying glass to the lower end of the line-up.
| Key details | 2023 Ford Ranger XLS | 2023 Isuzu D-Max LS-M |
| Price (MSRP) | $54,730 plus on-road costs | $54,730 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Aluminium Silver | Mineral White |
| Options | Towing Pack – $1700 – Integrated trailer brake controller – Tow bar and tongue – Extended blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage XLS Tech Pack – $750 – Upgraded Sync 4 infotainment w/navigation and digital radio – Dual-zone climate control – Rear seat air vents – Keyless entry with push-button start – Body-coloured door handles Spray-in bedliner – $900 17-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres – $750 Metallic paint – $675 |
Towbar and tongue kit – $1075 Electronic brake controller – $820 Tow bar wiring harness (7-pin flat) – $249 Tub liner – under rail – $670 Manual roller tonneau cover – $2983 Rubber floor mats – $190 |
| Price as tested | $59,505 plus on-road costs | $60,848 plus on-road costs |
| Drive-away price | $64,252 (Melbourne) | $66,724 (Melbourne) |
How much space does the Ford Ranger XLS have inside?
With the Ranger XLS leaning more toward the workhorse end of the scale, and not the show pony end of the Ranger spectrum, you get a fairly down to earth interior, but in saying that it’s still a pleasant place to be.Hard plastics cover the dash and tops of the doors, for instance, and the driver grips a urethane steering wheel and gear lever – but even those elements are finished well enough that they don’t feel like poverty-pack items.
The front seats are big and broad. At 169cm I’m not quite statistically average-sized, but getting set behind the wheel is simple enough. The steering wheel adjusts for tilt and reach, and the driver’s seat includes height adjustment.
If anything, the seat base might be right at the limit for length for my proportions. Any longer and it would feel awkward, but as it is, it works well.
The seats are trimmed in a sturdy fabric that looks tidy and should help keep grubby marks at bay. It’s hard to know how the cloth trim will stand up to the test of time.
The rear seat provides decent leg and foot room, and plenty of head room. Three kids can stack into the rear no sweat, but three adults will need to jostle for elbow room. The rear seatback is a touch more upright than is ideal for long-haul comfort and lacks under-thigh support, with a noticeably short seat base, but should be fine for trips around town or between worksites.
The seat base flips up for storage, and the rear backrest can be tilted forward to make accessing the top-mount child seat tethers easier. Although, in reality, trying to juggle a half-installed support seat and wrangle the folded seatback doesn’t always make things easier.
Being at the lower end of the model walk means the XLS does without things like a wireless phone charger, but still gets a decently sized phone/wallet-sized receptacle at the base of the centre stack.
There’s a fair-sized glovebox and console, but items like a second glovebox and dash-mount cupholders found on rivals (or the Ranger Wildtrak) don’t make it down to this grade.
On the outside, load bed lighting is standard. The tailgate is torsion-sprung to make opening and closing much easier, and the tailgate itself locks with the central locking – less helpful here with an open tub, but handy once a hard lid or canopy is added.
There’s an integrated ruler in the top edge of the tailgate plastic capping, plus cupholder detents and clamping points – arguably most properly equipped tradies will have the right gear, though these additions could be handy in a pinch.
The space is filled with the same hard-wearing plastics and a polyurethane steering wheel as the fleet-spec SX, which would hurt when paying over $60K on the road. Particularly painful is the hard centre console lid that’s uncomfortable as an elbow-rest on longer drives.
The floor is wash-out vinyl that – although easy to clean – feels a bit ordinary. That said, our tester scored a set of rubber floor mats that dramatically lifted the appearance and feel of the cabin.
It’s a no-frills affair in terms of presentation, but as a space to use, the D-Max’s interior is comfortable. I’m a particular fan of the broad-shouldered seats that provide great lateral support and a comfy base.
There is good adjustability between the driver’s seat and steering wheel to get a nice perch, while storage space is well catered to. The latter includes a tray in front of the shifter and nice large door pockets for big bottles.
There’s also a two-part glovebox with space inside the dashboard as well as underneath it.
Back seat passengers have enough headroom (even for taller passengers) and even decent knee room. The dash features a single-zone air-conditioning system, where outlets also extend to the second row. It’s nice and quick to start up and blow cool air on a hot day.
| 2023 Ford Ranger XLS | 2023 Isuzu D-Max LS-M | |
| Seats | Five | Five |
| Length | 5370mm | 5265mm |
| Width | 1918mm | 1870mm |
| Height | 1884mm | 1785mm |
| Wheelbase | 3270mm | 3125mm |
Does the Ford Ranger XLS have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Prepare to be amazed. If you’ve sat in rival utes, nothing can quite prepare you for the sheer screen real estate in the Ranger XLS. The large portrait display measures 10.1 inches and offers crisp resolution and responsive load times.Within the screen you’ll find quick access to menus to control car settings and safety systems, which are simple enough to adjust on the fly.
The Ranger XLS also comes standard with six-speaker audio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and AM/FM radio. A $750 XLS Tech Pack adds built-in sat-nav, digital radio, dual-zone climate control, proximity key entry, push-button start, second-row air vents, and body-coloured door handles – and was fitted to the car we tested.
It’s a small price to pay for a decent swag of upgrades, and one we’d probably recommend – if only for rear air vents, if you plan on using the rear seats often.
Ford’s CarPlay integration also allows you to pick a small or large display size, and have a row of inbuilt system shortcuts.
All Rangers come with an embedded modem and access to FordPass Connect via a connected smartphone allowing remote vehicle lock/unlock, remote engine start, and fuel and vehicle status checks.
The XLS does miss out on wireless phone charging, even with the Tech Pack, so if you want to top your phone up between job sites, you’ll still need to pack a cable for either the USB-A or USB-C connector up front. There’s also a dedicated dashcam USB port in the interior mirror housing, and a pair of 12-volt barrel sockets.
Ford might have missed a golden opportunity here, as just about any portable device that doesn’t charge off a 240-volt house plug usually slots into a USB point. It would be nice to see the Ranger a little bit better equipped in this regard.
Ford’s 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster is relatively simple to garner info from at a glance. There’s not a plethora of display options, but there are a few different trip computer displays and some basic configuration options.
Users can connect up Apple CarPlay or Android Auto-equipped phones if those systems are preferred – Apple CarPlay can be accessed via a wireless or wired connection, but Android users must carry a cord to use their software. As standard, there is an annoying beep played through the speakers every time you make a screen selection, but this is easily turned off in the settings.
A small TFT screen is found within the instrument cluster, which shows a digital speed readout and other pertinent drive information.
Is the Ford Ranger XLS a safe car?
The 2023 Ford Ranger line-up carries a five-star ANCAP rating on all models, except the high-performance Ranger Raptor.In testing, the Ranger received an 84 per cent adult occupant protection score, 93 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent vulnerable road user protection, and 83 per cent for safety assist systems.
| At a glance | 2023 Ford Ranger XLS | 2023 Isuzu D-Max LS-M |
| ANCAP rating & year tested | Five stars (tested 2022) | Five stars (tested 2022) |
| Safety report | ANCAP report | ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Ford Ranger XLS have?
All Ranger variants come with nine airbags (including front knee airbags, and a central airbag between front seats), autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and junction intervention, lane-keeping assist with road edge detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, front and rear park sensors, and a reverse camera.
On test, most of the safety systems (where able to be checked) were accurate and gentle in their initial intervention. A little oddly, the lane-keep assist would often indicate it was unable to detect lane markings when they were clearly visible, and seemed to have an easier time picking up broken or faded lanes.
Accessing the safety menus to adjust sensitivity of systems is quick and easy through the touchscreen, and it seems as if Ford has put a lot of effort into getting the set-up right in an effort to keep owners from simply switching the system off.
What safety technology does the Isuzu D-Max LS-M have?
The D-Max fares impressively when it comes to standard safety equipment, with items including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and prevention, lane-follow assist, rear cross-traffic alert, speed assist (linking traffic sign recognition to the speed limiter), rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and a reversing camera. New for 2023 models, tyre pressure monitoring has been added to the safety list.
As part of a 2022 upgrade to the D-Max range, the entire range benefits from a new steering wheel switch that allows drivers to simply switch lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning and prevention, and emergency lane-keeping systems off. This was a common complaint with the D-Max at launch.
How much does the Ford Ranger XLS cost to run?
The Ford Ranger is covered by Ford’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Capped-price servicing is available; however, the new Ranger is slightly more expensive. The first four services are capped at $329 per visit (at 12-month or 15,000km intervals) up from $299 for the outgoing model. The $329 price applies regardless of engine, with all pricing capped at the same rate regardless of engine.
Quoted insurance for the Ranger XLS 4×4 starts from $1549 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
How much does the Isuzu D-Max LS-M cost to run?
All Isuzu cars are backed by a six-year/150,000km warranty, which betters the five-year warranty offered by twin-under-the-skin Mazda BT-50. You also get seven years of roadside assistance – exactly what you want with an adventure-focused ute – and seven years of capped-price servicing.
With regard to the latter, each service should be completed at 12-month or 15,000km intervals (whichever is first). Three years of servicing costs $1467 and five years’ worth will set you back $2315. Isuzu throws in a complimentary 3000km/three-month inspection for free.
Quoted insurance for the D-Max LS-M starts from $1514 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
| At a glance | 2023 Ford Ranger XLS | 2023 Isuzu D-Max LS-M |
| Warranty | Five years, unlimited km | Six years, 150,000km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $987 (3 years) $1316 (4 years) |
$1467 (3 years) $2315 (5 years) |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.3L/100km | 6.9L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 8.8L/100km | 8.7L/100km |
| Fuel type | Diesel | Diesel |
| Fuel tank size | 80L | 76L |
Is the Ford Ranger XLS fuel-efficient?
Claimed factory fuel consumption for the dual-cab Ford Ranger XLS 4×4 sits at a lean-looking 7.3 litres per 100km. Obviously, fuel consumption on a load-carrying vehicle is a ‘how long is a piece of string?’ question, as payload and accessories fitted can make a big difference.
After a week of mixed use we returned 8.8L/100km, but unladen on the open road it was possible to get the trip computer into the high sixes. That’s bloody impressive for a ute.
Is the Isuzu D-Max LS-M fuel-efficient?
The D-Max is officially rated at 8.0L/100km (combined) in terms of fuel consumption, but our recording stands at 8.7L/100km. The D-Max LS-M’s fuel tank fits 76L of diesel fuel.
What is the Ford Ranger XLS like to drive?
Outside of stepping into a much larger and much more expensive US pick-up truck, the Ford Ranger might just be the best driving ute you can get right now. In fact, there are times you have to remind yourself it’s a ute and not a more road-focussed SUV.The ride is nicely settled and choppy road surfaces are soaked up convincingly. It’s still possible to get some shuddering from the rear wheels on high-frequency bumps, but given the leaf springs and rigid rear axle underneath, it’s an expected side effect.
Adding in a complement of passengers or a bit of ballast in the tub didn’t seem to alter things much. Still composed and still settled. As has been the case for a while now, modern utes don’t have that skittish rear-end feel that characterised the segment for so long.
Although it’s a carryover from the previous generation, the 2.0-litre BiTurbo engine in the Ranger feels well and truly up to task in this application. It has plenty of low-down pull with no obvious weak spots or torque holes.
Outputs peak at 154kW at 3750rpm and 500Nm between 1750 and 2000rpm. It’s easy to filter through various traffic, and the responsiveness is impressive.
Revisions to the 10-speed automatic make it a much smoother operator. It’s more settled in how it shifts gears, and no longer hunts and thumps the way the old Ranger could.
A lockout switch on the shifter allows you to set a high gear limit, if you want to lock out taller overdriven gears but still let the transmission cycle through ratios itself (when towing, for instance). It’s also possible to use that same rocker switch and select gear ratios manually.
The one area Ford possibly hasn’t vaulted ahead is refinement. There’s still plenty of noise and vibration from the BiTurbo engine. That’s not to say it’s a poor performer in that regard, but it doesn’t move the game forward compared to the old model in the same way other aspects of the vehicle have been improved.
That’s in contrast to the Ranger Sport we recently had through that was more isolated – it seems the extra sound deadening of higher-grade models makes a significant difference here.
While 16-inch wheels and ‘all season’ tyres are standard, the vehicle we drove was fitted with optional 17-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres ($750). Although conditions never got too wet in the week Drive had this car, light rain and damp roads didn’t appear to give up grip too badly, and the all-terrains weren’t unduly noisy on most road surfaces.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Ranger’s 2.0-litre is paired with a part-time four-wheel-drive system with typical two-wheel-drive high-range or four-wheel-drive low- and high-range. The four-auto torque on demand 4×4 system is reserved for Ranger V6 models, which start from the XLT and above.
Another XLT and up feature is four-wheel disc brakes. The XLS sticks with front discs but rear drums. Splitting hairs just slightly, the drum brake rear felt less grabby and easier to modulate at slow speeds compared to disc-braked Rangers.
What is the Isuzu D-Max LS-M like to drive?
Unlike the lower-grade SX, which gives fleet buyers a choice of 1.9-litre or 3.0-litre power, it’s not until you get to the LS-M specification in the D-Max range that you receive the fan-favourite 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine as standard. Whereas the entry-level 1.9-litre is meek and underpowered, the larger 3.0-litre engine option is a far better suitor for the 2030kg vehicle.Outputs totalling 140kW/450Nm feel strong when put to the ground, with a helpful shove of torque making for easy overtakes and effortless towing capability. This ute gets a full 3500kg braked tow capacity, right up there equal-best with other offerings in the segment.
Impressively, it’s not overly thrashy or loud when pressing on the throttle – not from inside the cabin at least. The six-speed automatic transmission has the smarts to pick up a new ratio whenever it’s needed, whether you’re zipping through traffic in town, or going up and down hills further afield. It’s not nearly as sensitive to throttle inputs as its smaller-capacity 1.9-litre alternative, which is especially appreciated in suburbia where a touchy throttle can take some getting used to.
Ride control is a bit jumpy across the board, and the D-Max skips over road imperfections and creases more than you’d expect. Larger impacts are well-damped on initial hit, but the movement does cause the cabin to buck around, especially when there’s nothing in the rear tray.
While we didn’t venture too far off the tarmac with this specific D-Max, past experience with the model has been positive. There’s a locking rear differential included across the range that keeps the car moving along over particularly rough terrain, while the high-riding body articulates well over stubborn mounds and ruts.
Lastly, Isuzu should be praised for its inclusion of standard safety kit, which brings adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. Far be it from being one of the few manufacturers to offer this tech at such a low specification level, it works really well in practice and faithfully follows vehicles ahead.
| Key details | 2023 Ford Ranger XLS | 2023 Isuzu D-Max LS-M |
| Engine | 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel | 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel |
| Power | 154kW @ 3750rpm | 140kW @ 3600rpm |
| Torque | 500Nm @ 1750–2000rpm | 450Nm @ 1600–2600rpm |
| Drive type | Part-time four-wheel drive, low-range transfer case |
Part-time four-wheel drive, low-range transfer case |
| Transmission | 10-speed torque converter automatic | Six-speed torque converter automatic |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 68kW/t | 69kW/t |
| Weight | 2272kg | 2030kg |
| Spare tyre type | Full-size | Full-size |
| Tow rating | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 12.7m | 12.5m |
Should I buy a Ford Ranger XLT or an Isuzu D-Max LS-M?
It was always going to be difficult for the Isuzu D-Max to top the reigning 2023 Drive Car of the Year, the Ford Ranger. Though the Isuzu puts forward a convincing argument with respect to its hard-working engine, standard safety inclusions, and useable cabin space, the Ford Ranger is simply too good across the board for it to not take top honours in this budget-minded comparison.
But let’s break down our analysis to reiterate why the Ford Ranger reigns supreme.
From the outset, the Ford Ranger scores a tight win in the initial purchase price stakes. At the time of writing, the Ranger is narrowly more affordable than the Isuzu D-Max. It also gets a huge 10.1-inch infotainment screen, meaning it keeps much of the high-spec Ranger’s tech suite, plus handy user-friendly add-ons such as side steps and carpeting that the D-Max misses out on.
That the Ranger specifies carpeted flooring does a lot to help its interior ambience. Where the D-Max feels decidedly base-specification with its vinyl flooring, the Ranger feels that little bit more special. Though our D-Max tester featured rubber floor mats, you have to pay extra for them.
Ford has also thought about subtle things like the easy-lift tailgate, which is super light to lift and load items into the tray. Conversely, Isuzu has fitted gas struts to all 2023 D-Maxes. The former is far easier to lift, while the latter is easier to lower – take your pick.
When it comes to safety, both utes are impressively kitted from their respective base specifications. They each score five-star ANCAP safety ratings and the finer-detail individual crash assessments are fairly lineball.
In terms of ownership value, the Ford is more affordable to service, though the Isuzu gets the longer six-year warranty (capped at 150,000km). Both get up to seven years of roadside assistance.
Driving each, it’s clear the Ford Ranger is the more refined driving experience of the two. It stocks a very un-dual-cab-like ride quality, whereas the Isuzu picks up annoying imperfections, while its 2.0-litre powertrain also trumps the Isuzu’s outputs. That said, while it misses out on ultimate bragging rights, the Isuzu’s powertrain remains a sturdy unit that has regularly won fans in Isuzu ownership circles.
We are big fans of each of these models at Drive. The Isuzu was our Best Dual-Cab Ute at our 2022 Drive Car of the Year, but it was beaten at our more recent 2023 running. While both remain strong options in the contested dual-cab ute segment, the Ford Ranger deserves this win thanks to its incredible performance across the board.
Note: 2022 Isuzu LS-M pictured throughout.
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