Isuzu D-Max Extended Cab vs GWM P500

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 Extended Cab in South Africa

Isuzu D-Max Extended Cab

3.0 DDi Extended Cab LSE AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 700,760 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 350 @ 1800-2600 Nm ⛽ 12.7 km/l
VS
GWM P500 in South Africa

GWM P500

2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4x4 9HAT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 999,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 255 kW 🔧 648 Nm ⛽ 9.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance P500
Fuel Economy D-Max Extended Cab
🛡 Safety D-Max Extended Cab
📦 Practicality D-Max Extended Cab
🔑 Ownership P500
D-Max Extended Cab starts ZAR 799900 cheaper D-Max Extended Cab from ZAR 504,700 · P500 from ZAR 799,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec D-Max Extended Cab P500
Engine Power 110 @ 3600 255
Torque 350 @ 1800-2600 648
Engine Size 3000 2000
Claimed Mileage 12.7 9.8
Ground Clearance 232 224 mm
Boot Space Not Applicable Not Applicable
Airbags Not Available Not Available
Kerb Weight 1930 Not Applicable
Seating Capacity 4 5
Warranty 5 years / 120 000 km 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both D-Max Extended Cab and P500 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance P500 +41 pts
Efficiency D-Max Extended Cab +2 pts
Safety D-Max Extended Cab +29 pts
Practicality D-Max Extended Cab +6 pts
Ownership P500 +17 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

D-Max Extended Cab

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

P500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

D-Max Extended Cab

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

P500

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec D-Max Extended Cab P500
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Current South African D-Max Extended Cab listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Current South African P500 listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Extended Cab pickup Double-cab pickup
Body Type Cab Single/extended/double cab as per derivative name Pickup
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year MY26 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Pickup Pickup
Vehicle Type Pickup Pickup
Drivetrain Note - Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4x4 9HAT
Spec D-Max Extended Cab P500
Ground Clearance 232 mm 224 mm
Wheelbase 3125 mm 3350 mm
Length 5333 mm 5445 mm
Width 1870 mm 1991 mm
Height 1790 mm 1924 mm
Kerb Weight 1930 kg Not Applicable
Gross Vehicle Weight 3000 kg Not Applicable
Seating Capacity 4 5
Boot Space Not Applicable Not Applicable
Towing Capacity 3500 kg Not Applicable
Front Track Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Track Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Turning Radius 12.5 m Not Applicable
Load Bed Length 1805 mm Not Applicable
Load Bed Width 1530 mm Not Applicable
Front Legroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Legroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Headroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Headroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Shoulder Room Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Shoulder Room Not Applicable Not Applicable
Boot Space Seats Folded Not Applicable Not Applicable
Number of Doors 2 4
Max Payload 1005 kg Not Applicable
Boot Volume Not Applicable Not Applicable
Doors 2 4
Seats 4 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 76 l Not Applicable
Gross Combined Mass Kg 6000 kg -
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 3000 kg Not Applicable
Ground Clearance Max 232 mm 224 mm
Ground Clearance Min 232 mm 224 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 232 mm 224 mm
Height Mm 1790 mm 1924 mm
Length Mm 5333 mm 5445 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 1805 mm Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm 1530 mm Not Applicable
Payload Kg 1005 kg Not Applicable
Cargo Volume Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Overhang Mm 1318 mm -
Tare Mass Kg 1930 kg Not Applicable
Track Front Rear Mm 1570 / 1570 -
Turning Circle 12.5 m Not Applicable
Turning Circle M 12.5 m Not Applicable
Width Mm 1870 mm 1991 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

P500 leads by 4 points

Both D-Max Extended Cab and P500 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 60 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 70% confidence
60
#1 Winner

P500

70% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Safety 9
Performance 98
Efficiency 48
Safety 9
Practicality 75
Ownership 65
Leads by 4 points
56
#2

D-Max Extended Cab

79% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 81 Check Safety 38
Performance 57
Efficiency 50
Safety 38
Practicality 81
Ownership 48
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance P500 +41 Efficiency D-Max Extended Cab +2 Safety D-Max Extended Cab +29 Practicality D-Max Extended Cab +6 Ownership P500 +17

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

P500

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 48/100
Safety 9/100
Practicality 75/100
Ownership 65/100

D-Max Extended Cab

Performance 57/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 38/100
Practicality 81/100
Ownership 48/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM P500 wins with 60 pts vs 56 pts for D-Max Extended Cab

In structured scoring, P500 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, D-Max Extended Cab may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the P500 edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: D-Max Extended Cab 50 vs P500 48. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: D-Max Extended Cab 38, P500 9. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: D-Max Extended Cab 48, P500 65. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: D-Max Extended Cab 81, P500 75. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: D-Max Extended Cab 57, P500 98. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The P500 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The P500 scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between D-Max Extended Cab and P500 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: D-Max Extended Cab scores 57 vs 98.

Efficiency: D-Max Extended Cab scores 50 vs 48.

Safety: D-Max Extended Cab scores 38 vs 9.

Practicality: D-Max Extended Cab scores 81 vs 75.

Ownership: D-Max Extended Cab scores 48 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives P500 the advantage in this comparison.