Isuzu D-Max 2.2L turbo diesel completes 1,603 km East Malaysia journey on one tank of fuel

Following a successful Peninsular Malaysia loop on a single tank of diesel, the Isuzu D-Max 2.2-litre turbo diesel has completed another long-distance challenge, travelling from Sandakan, Sabah, to Kuching, Sarawak, on a single tank of fuel. Dubbed the D-Max One Tank Challenge. One Nation Challenge, the initiative saw Isuzu Malaysia put two D-Max 2.2-litre turbo diesel pick-ups to the test across Sabah and Sarawak without refuelling.

Driving in East Malaysia presents significant challenges due to its rugged terrain and steep elevation changes, particularly when crossing the Crocker Range, where many vehicles would struggle to maintain good fuel efficiency. The new 2.2-litre Isuzu D-Max proved capable under these demanding conditions, with both the 4×2 AutoPlus and 4×4 Automatic Premium variants completing the journey with fuel to spare.

Isuzu Malaysia Chief Operating Officer Kenichi Kudo said, “It is easy to claim that a vehicle is fuel efficient by driving it along a smooth and quiet highway. But for us, the Isuzu D-MAX’s superiority is best showcased by keeping it real on roads our customers drive on daily. This means traversing narrow trunk roads choked with lorries, roads under construction, and even crossing the Crocker Range at Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest mountain rather than avoiding it.”

The two pick-ups began their journey at the Universal Motor Isuzu showroom in Sandakan, on Sabah’s eastern coast, before heading to Telupid and climbing the mountainous roads toward Kundasang en route to Kota Kinabalu.

From there, the convoy travelled through Brunei into Sarawak, passing through Miri, Bintulu, Sarikei and Sibu, with scheduled stops at Isuzu dealerships along the way. The journey ended at the Jimisar Auto Niaga Isuzu 3S Centre in Kuching, covering about 1,605 km.

Notably, the 4×2 AutoPlus variant completed the entire journey from Sandakan to Kuching without even triggering its low-fuel warning. According to Kenichi Kudo, the D-Max One Tank. One Nation Challenge provided an ideal platform to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Isuzu D-Max under real-world driving conditions across East Malaysia.