Isuzu denies D-Max, MU-X production move – report

Isuzu has confirmed it has no plans to move production of its D-Max ute and MU-X off-road SUV from Thailand to Indonesia, despite contrary statements from government officials.

According to the Economic Times, Indonesian industry minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said Isuzu would soon shift manufacturing, claiming production could begin as soon as 2027.

The Japanese automaker – which began building utes in Thailand in 1974, after more than a decade of vehicle production there – issued a statement denying the claims.

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“While our company continues to focus on Indonesia as a major market, there are no plans to relocate a Thai factory to Indonesia,” a spokesperson for Isuzu told ET.

Indonesia has been aggressively pursuing a local automotive manufacturing industry, with brands such as Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Mazda opening production facilities in the country – as well as Chinese battery giant, CATL.

Tesla was also reportedly considering Indonesia as a manufacturing base previously.

In mid-2023, Indonesian Prime Minister Joko Widodo met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney to discuss topics including a partnership to supply lithium for electric vehicle batteries.

With popular models such as the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger also built in Thailand, the country held second position for the manufacturing origin of all new vehicles sold in Australia in 2025, with about 250,000 vehicles imported.

Only Japan beat Thailand last year, when almost 360,000 imported vehicles were made there, while China came third with almost 222,000.

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