Review: The 2026 Maxus D90 — The Big SUV That Quietly Impresses
The Maxus name is more familiar on vans and trucks than on family SUVs. So when the new D90 arrived in Brunei, our first reaction was: can a brand best known for commercial vehicles really pull off a full-size, seven-seater SUV?
The full-size SUV market in Brunei has long been ruled by familiar names — Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford. Now Maxus, distributed locally by GHK Motors, is throwing its hat in the ring with the all-new D90. It’s big, it’s loaded with features, and it’s priced to make people pay attention. But is it any good? Let’s break it down.
What’s good
- Premium-feeling cabin with twin 12.3-inch screens and 64-colour ambient lighting.
- Plenty of high-end features: panoramic sunroof, massage and ventilated seats (top spec), wireless charging, JBL audio.
- Strong safety kit as standard: ADAS, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring.
- Competitive pricing for the size and feature list.
What’s not so good
- Maxus is still a newer brand here, so resale value is unproven.
- A big SUV is never going to sip petrol.
- Service and parts network is smaller than the long-established Japanese rivals.
First Impressions
The D90 has real road presence. At 5,046mm long with a 2,950mm wheelbase and 230mm of ground clearance, this is a proper full-size SUV, and it looks the part. The big front grille, sharp split LED headlights, and through-style tail lamps give it a clean, modern face. It doesn’t try too hard, but it definitely turns heads.
You can pick it up in five colours: Blanc White, Metal Ash, Spruce Green, Concrete Grey and Metal Black. The Spruce Green in particular gives it a more lifestyle, outdoorsy vibe — something a bit different from the usual white-or-black SUV crowd you see around Gadong.
Inside the Cabin
This is where the D90 really surprised us. Open the door and the cabin feels more premium than the price suggests. You get twin 12.3-inch screens — one for the driver’s digital display, one for the touchscreen — sitting on a clean dashboard with proper soft-touch materials.
Apple CarPlay is on board, along with voice control, dual-zone climate, dual wireless charging pads, an integrated dashcam, and ambient lighting in 64 colours. Top-spec models add massage and ventilated front seats and a 12-speaker JBL sound system on the diesel variant. These are features you usually only see in cars costing a lot more.
It’s also genuinely a seven-seater. With nearly three metres of wheelbase, second-row passengers get good legroom, and the third row is usable for adults on shorter trips and very comfortable for kids. There’s a power tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, and multiple charging points scattered around the cabin.
The Driving Experience
You can choose between a 2.0-litre turbo petrol or a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel. Both are paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, with the diesel pushing out up to 160kW and a strong 500Nm of torque. There’s also a four-wheel-drive system and multiple driving modes for different conditions.
On Brunei roads, the D90 feels exactly like what it is: a big, comfortable SUV designed for family duty. Around Gadong, Kiarong and the highway out to KB, it cruises quietly, soaks up bumps well, and the steering is light enough for tight carparks. Body roll is well-controlled for something this size, and the 8-speed gearbox shifts smoothly. It’s not a car you buy to attack corners, but for school runs, family trips, and long drives, it’s very easy to live with.
Safety and Tech
This is where Chinese-brand SUVs have really closed the gap, and the D90 is a good example. Standard kit includes ADAS (advanced driver assistance), adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, multiple airbags, electronic stability control, and a 360-degree camera that makes parking this big car much less stressful. For a seven-seat family SUV, that’s a strong package.
Value for Money
Here’s where the D90 makes its strongest case. Stack it up against any other full-size, seven-seater SUV with a panoramic sunroof, twin 12.3-inch screens, JBL audio, ADAS and 4WD — and the Maxus comes in noticeably cheaper.
The first 30 customers receive a BND 2,000 discount and complimentary window tinting on either the D90 or the new T60 Max pickup. Available at the Maxus showroom in Sumbangsih Bahagia.
Final Thoughts
The Maxus D90 is one of those cars that’s easy to overlook on paper, but starts making a lot of sense once you actually sit in it and drive it. It’s big, comfortable, well-equipped, and priced sharply for what you’re getting. The Maxus brand is still building its name in Brunei, so this isn’t the safe, conservative pick — but if you’re after a feature-packed family SUV without paying premium-brand money, the D90 deserves a spot on your shortlist.
Underrated is probably the right word for it.
You can view the D90 at the Maxus showroom in Sumbangsih Bahagia, with test drives available at GHK Motors’ Beribi and Kuala Belait branches.