[Auto] Isuzu D-Max V-Cross 2021 UK review

[Agent47]

 

 

What is it?
When we're talking about Isuzu in Autocar, we're talking about the D-Max. It's the only passenger vehicle the brand sells in the UK, and has been since the Trooper SUV bowed out in 2002.

Isuzu is predominantly a manufacturer of commercial and public service vehicles, which is a big part of why the D-Max doesn't enjoy quite the same foothold on the consumer market as more recognisably 'household name' models. In fact, Isuzu sold just 3154 units in the UK last year, compared with around 6000 Toyota Hiluxes and 13,000 Ford Rangers.

But, all being well, that could be about to change. The D-Max has now entered its third generation and is what you might call a "bit of a different beast". We're driving it here following its recent arrival in UK dealerships, but if you're from south-east Asia, you might already be familiar with this latest generation, which started rolling off the production line in late 2019 and is already outselling the all-conquering Hilux in Thailand - one of the world’s biggest pick-up markets. 

The previous generation was as rough and ready as you would expect of a commercially focused, affordable 4x4 load-hauler, and while our testers found fault with the plasticky interior, slow infotainment system and agricultural powertrain, it won back some stars (admittedly not many of them) for its 3500kg towing capacity and good-value kit list, among other select attributes.

But now there’s this all-new D-Max, and right away, it’s plain to see that Isuzu is keen for us to consider it in an entirely different light from its predecessor. “Smarter, stronger, safer” are the buzzwords of the day, and just a cursory glance at the new truck’s chrome-clad front end and recognisably SUV-inspired dashboard layout reveals just how far this humble workhorse has come. 

Isuzu UK managing director William Brown recognises that the market withdrawals - both recent and imminent - of rivals such as the Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and first-generation Volkswagen Amarok have the potential to work in the D-Max’s favour. The brand hopes to achieve 10,000 sales per year by 2025 and has recently appointed 11 new dealerships to cope with the expected hike in demand, eight of which, sensibly, are ex-Mistubishi franchises. 

We had a go in the top-line V-Cross, which in £32,759 (pre-VAT) double-cab, automatic guise is expected to be the best-seller. Gunmetal-grey exterior trim elements, jazzy 18in alloy wheels, LED light clusters and optional Pearl White paint are the obvious visual differentiators from the rough-and-ready entry models, while added luxuries include a bigger touchscreen, leather-style seats, dual-zone climate control, a reversing camera and keyless entry. A locking rear differential is standard fitment from DL20 trim upwards and all variants come with an integrated rear step, a full suite of driver aids, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio and a USB port.
What's it like?
However close the D-Max comes to aping some of the conventional characteristics associated with passenger-carrying SUVs, you have to remember that Isuzu doesn’t make such cars, and neither is this wholly intended to tempt the average business buyer from their BMW X5 or Land Rover Discovery. It is, first and foremost, a tool - one that we are jokingly reminded “loves work loads” (geddit?) - so going in with lofty expectations of class and panache is a sure-fire way to come away disappointed. 

Instead, marvel at the standard-fitment 4.2in digital display, the impressively up-to-date and advanced central touchscreen (7.0in on DL40 and 9.0in on V-Cross), and eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat. Emblematic of Isuzu’s pursuit of the ‘lifestyle’ market, these are just some of the features that mark this latest-generation D-Max out from its faintly crude forebear. There are power windows all round, wireless smartphone mirroring is equipped across the range and so is cruise control of the adaptive variety. Regardless of expectation, there’s little lacking in the kit department, at least on this top-spec example. The fleet-focused, black-bumpered entry models obviously take a more analogue approach. 

Of note, too, is that this is the only vehicle in its segment with a coveted five-star Euro NCAP rating, courtesy largely of its larger airbags, reinforced chassis and updated suite of advanced driver aids. Drive it at a steady 25mph towards an immovable object and it will bring you to a controlled, straight stop - surely an appreciable ability for anyone who spends a lot of time around heavy farm and building equipment, or negotiating tight country lanes. 

First impressions count, and the D-Max’s chances of impressing are enhanced if you give it the chance to demonstrate its off-road ability before all else. The average pick-up owner might not have much call to drive along a 45deg embankment or - oh, I don’t know - ford a sizeable estuary, but it’s certainly reassuring to know it can when needed. The D-Max really is unfathomably capable when it comes to traversing the most hostile of terrain. Air intakes have been raised to increase the wading depth to 800mm, underbody protection has been substantially improved and electronic aids such as hill descent control and shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive are fitted as standard.