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ISUZU is making waves in the automotive industry with its D-MAX 1.9 Ddi range's exceptional fuel efficiency. As fuel prices continue to rise in South Africa, ISUZU's D-MAX range has proven its budget-friendly capabilities and outstanding fuel economy. The D-MAX range has been a popular choice among commercial and fleet operators, as well as private customers, for its solid performance, dependability, and reliability. The latest-generation 1.9-litre four-cylinder intercooled turbodiesel engine has taken a significant leap forward on fuel efficiency. To prove the remarkable fuel-sipping habits of the latest 1.9 Ddi engine, ISUZU recently conducted a fuel economy test drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town as a precursor to an official ISUZU ‘1 Tank Challenge’ set to take place in March this year. Driving a D-MAX 1.9 Ddi Double Cab 4x2 Manual, Grant McCleery, the head of the ISUZU Driving Academy, completed a 1,431 km test run between South Africa's two biggest cities. Recording a realistic, real-world average speed of 100 km/h over the entire distance, the D-MAX 1.9 Ddi used only 73.82 litres – which translates to a remarkable 5.1 litres per 100 km, or 19.39 km/litre! The result is even more impressive than a similar test done in 2021 with a previous-generation D-MAX 2.5 Single Cab, which used a total of 102.31 litres to cover 1,454 km, with an average consumption of 7.02 l/100km or 14.2 km/litre. According to Kevin Fouché, Department Executive: Product Planning and Programme Management at ISUZU Motors South Africa, "ISUZU customers trust our D-MAX range to deliver superb fuel economy and low running costs, matched to uncompromising reliability and durability, which are essential to keep their vehicles on the road and have fleets running as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible." With the launch of the seventh-generation D-MAX last year, the company raised the bar significantly in all areas, including technology, safety, comfort, and refinement. The introduction of the 1.9 Ddi engine has fulfilled the requirements for a modern turbodiesel engine that meets the increasingly stringent global emission standards, uses less fuel, is a lot quieter and more refined, and delivers ISUZU's world-renowned reliability and durability. ISUZU offers an extensive line-up of 24 D-MAX models in South Africa, 16 of which are powered by the economical 1.9 Ddi engine. There are five Single Cabs, four Extended Cabs, and five Double Cabs available in the 1.9 Ddi engine range. The RZ4E-TC 1.9-litre four-cylinder intercooled turbodiesel engine used in the D-MAX range relies on a 200 MPa common rail direct injection system along with a high-efficiency variable geometry turbocharger with an electronically controlled actuator to deliver excellent turbo response and acceleration across the engine speed range. As a result, it produces higher outputs than many larger-capacity engines with 110 kW of power at 3,600 r/min, and peak torque of 350 Nm between 1,800 and 2,600 r/min. The 1.9 Ddi engine features automatic hydraulic valve lash adjusters, a long-life steel timing chain, a single ancillaries drive belt with automatic tensioner, and a cartridge-type ecological oil filter to keep running and maintenance costs low.