The Isuzu D-Max is tasked with spearheading its brand’s push into the “lifestyle” market; that well-trodden but eminently profitable niche that gave birth to cars as varied as the Land Rover Defender, Ineos Grenadier, Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.
But what makes Isuzu’s sole passenger vehicle offering different is that it undercuts all of its closest rivals on price. It is cheaper than the Hilux, the Ranger, the Volkswagen Amarok, and even the KGM Musso. In short, there isn’t a cheaper way to get yourself into a large, rugged pick-up truck with a diesel engine.
Isuzu realised that it’s not enough to simply make your agricultural workhorse, well, an agricultural workhorse. You need to give it luxuries like snazzy 18in alloys, an eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as adaptive cruise control interspersed with off-road goodies such as a snorkel, a winch and chunky, all-terrain tyres.
But in gaining all of this additional technology and componentry are you now distracted from the fact it is no longer a cost-effective fleet-friendly tool? Or does it manage to blend true value-for-money, rough-and-ready charm with a modern feel that puts it as much as home towing your boat as parked next to it?
The Isuzu D-Max range at a glance
Being Isuzu's sole passenger vehicle offering, the D-Max’s range is fairly extensive but far from exhaustive. The entry-level Utility model gets interchangeable two- and four-wheel drive, a low-range gearbox, automatic headlights, 16in steel wheels (or 18s for the double-cab version), cruise control, hill descent control, air conditioning and bluetooth.
