Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 vs BYD SHARK 6 DMO

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 in South Africa

Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

Arctic Trucks AT35 A/T Diesel 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,211,910 ex-showroom
⚡ 140 kW 🔧 450 Nm ⛽ 11.8 km/l
VS
BYD SHARK 6 DMO in South Africa

BYD SHARK 6 DMO

Performance DMO AWD Plug-in Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 180 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 9.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance SHARK 6 DMO
Fuel Economy SHARK 6 DMO
🛡 Safety SHARK 6 DMO
📦 Practicality SHARK 6 DMO
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
SHARK 6 DMO starts ZAR 222,010 cheaper D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 from ZAR 1,211,910 · SHARK 6 DMO from ZAR 989,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 SHARK 6 DMO
Maximum Power 140 kW @ 3600 rpm 180 kW
Maximum Torque 450 Nm 380 Nm
Engine Size 2999 cc Not Officially Disclosed
Combined Fuel Economy 11.8 km/l 9.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 266 mm 230 mm
Boot / Load Bay - 1200 l
Airbags Front, front side, curtain, driver knee and far-side airbags 7
Kerb Weight - 2775 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 years / 120,000 km with roadside assistance 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 and SHARK 6 DMO are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance SHARK 6 DMO +7 pts
Efficiency SHARK 6 DMO +6 pts
Safety SHARK 6 DMO +5 pts
Practicality SHARK 6 DMO +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

SHARK 6 DMO

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

SHARK 6 DMO

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 SHARK 6 DMO
Model Introduced Year 2023 2025
Generation Seventh-generation D-Max; MY26 facelift; AT35 conversion First South African SHARK 6 DMO generation
Facelift History MY26 mid-cycle facelift announced 3 June 2026 No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since June 2026 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Double-cab pickup Double-cab Pickup
Gross Combined Mass Kg 5780 kg -
Model Year MY26 2026
Production Status On sale Active
Segment Extreme-terrain lifestyle pickup Double-cab Pickup
Tare Mass Kg 2160 kg -
Vehicle Type Light commercial vehicle Light commercial vehicle
Model Code M260RY7 -
Spec D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 SHARK 6 DMO
Length 5333 mm 5457 mm
Width 2040 mm 1971 mm
Height 1875 mm 1925 mm
Wheelbase 3125 mm 3260 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 266 mm 230 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 76 l 60 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2880 kg 3500 kg
Payload Capacity 660 kg 725 kg
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Boot/Cargo Space - 1200 l
Kerb Weight - 2775 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Minimum Turning Radius - 6.75 m
Front Headroom - 1025 mm
Rear Headroom - 990 mm
Front Legroom - 1048 mm
Rear Legroom - 880.4 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

SHARK 6 DMO leads by 6 points

D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 and SHARK 6 DMO are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 82 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 83% source coverage
82
#1 Index leader

SHARK 6 DMO

83% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 53
Performance 82
Efficiency 53
Safety 99
Practicality 87
Leads by 6 points
76
#2

D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

64% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 75
Efficiency 47
Safety 94
Practicality 81
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SHARK 6 DMO +7 Efficiency SHARK 6 DMO +6 Safety SHARK 6 DMO +5 Practicality SHARK 6 DMO +6

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

SHARK 6 DMO

Performance 82/100
Efficiency 53/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 87/100

D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

Performance 75/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 81/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SHARK 6 DMO leads the catalogue index with 82 pts vs 76 pts for D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SHARK 6 DMO leads. However, D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 and SHARK 6 DMO comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 75 vs SHARK 6 DMO 82.

Efficiency index: D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 47 vs SHARK 6 DMO 53.

Safety-equipment index: D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 94 vs SHARK 6 DMO 99.

Practicality index: D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 81 vs SHARK 6 DMO 87.

Ownership-cover index: D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 not separately scored vs SHARK 6 DMO not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.