2016 is major year for the South African double-cab market thanks to the arrival of the new Hilux. In order to keep up, other bakkie manufacturers will embolden their offerings. Isuzu, for example, will launch its facelifted KB model in response to the Toyota and refreshed Ford Ranger

The changes to the updated Isuzu will be largely cosmetic and include specifications upgrades. The big news late last year was the announcement of an all-new 1.9 turbodiesel engine, but a source at General Motors South Africa said this is not destined for our market. There is a rumour that an updated, more efficient version of the KDDI Blue Power 4JJ1-TCX 3.0-litre engine and a six-speed automatic transmission might be introduced to the local line-up, but,for now, it is only speculation…

The exterior has not changed dramatically, but the addition of a more distinctive grille treatment and redesigned headlights (with integrated LED elements) will make the KB stand out a bit more. The cabin is where the real changes have occured… We'll see a new version of the Isuzu Connect touchscreen infotainment system as well an all-new TFT display located between the speedometer and rev counter on the instrumentation cluster. Also new are roof-mounted speakers and a fuel economy driving app that links with your smartphone.

Availabilty of Isuzu KB facelift in South Africa

The Isuzu KB update is scheduled for the end of the third quarter or beginning of the fourth quarter of 2016. It's safeto assume that around October 2016, we'll see a new-look Isuzu KB bakkie and thiswill coincide with the arrival of the updated ChevroletTrailblazer.

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View a video of the facelifted Isuzu KB below: