KUALA LUMPUR: Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which has seen a surge in orders in March this year, is set to deliver 300 units of D-Max 1.9L BluePower pickup truck to customers post Movement Control Order (MCO).
Furthermore, the automaker is also seeing positive sales in East Malaysia, particularly Sabah.
Isuzu Malaysia chief operating officer for light commercial vehicle division said Masayuki Suzuki the auto dealer the overwhelming orders came in March before the MCO, with the ratio of buyers comprising 60 per cent commercial users and 40 per cent lifestyle users.
"The Isuzu D-Max 1.9L Blue power continues to maintain a strong presence among commercial users and is progressing into lifestyle user market due to its strong performance and good features.
"Our market share in the lifestyle segment has almost doubled since the D-Max 1.9L launch in September last year," he told The New Straits Times.
He said the response from the East Malaysian market has remained consistent with total sales of almost 500 units from October, 2019 to February 2020.
"As their road conditions are more rugged than in Peninsula Malaysia, East Malaysians are particularly partial to Isuzu vehicles.
"The distance between many of their homes and major towns is also greater so the time and mileage saved in between refuels is what endears the D-Max to many families there," Masayuki said.
As for Sabah, Masayuki said he did not expect the response to be strong as well because engine capacity has little impact on their road tax.
He noted tha Sabahans traditionally prefer big engines but have been very accepting of the new 1.9-litre engine.
"Feedback from customers is positive that they do not feel the engine lacking in performance especially over their rugged and hilly terrain.
"They also appreciate the modern and updated features of the new Isuzu D-Max such as Hill Start Assist & Hill Decent Control, Reverse Parking Camera, Tailgate Assist," he said.
To a question on how the market and sales in other states and how Isuzu Malaysia leveraging on this trend to boost sales of the model, Masayuki said there is a general sales growth in all states since D-Max 1.9-litre models introduced in September last year.
With the market sentiment expected to be poor after emerging from the MCO, businesses still need to move forward and people will be cautious with their spending.
"As such, we believe that Isuzu products are ideally-positioned to provide high-value vehicles for people to depend on during this recovery period.
The extremely versatile, good value and hard-working nature of the Isuzu D-Max enables users to lower their operating expenditure and enjoy good returns from their use.
"It is also ideal for families as they can replace their family cars with a more versatile and capable pick-up truck as it is able to provide better all-round performance, comfort and fuel savings," he said.
Elaborating on the model, Masayuki said with the new range of 1.9L Isuzu D-Max models introduced in September last year, Isuzu Malaysia have brought out the widest selection of variants in the pick-up truck segment with 11 variants.
"Our customers can select the ideal pick-up truck to suit their budgets or operating requirements with an entry price of RM80,150 on the road price without insurance in Peninsula Malaysia," he said.
While the Isuzu D-Max 1.9L remains a tough and robust vehicle, it offers a very inclusive and comfortable cabin.
The level of comfort inside is high and includes numerous features that allow driver and passengers to enjoy long distances without feeling fatigue.