For some years now, the passenger versions of the pick-ups are no longer merely variants with a longer cabin and five seats. Models like the new Isuzu D-Max they are increasingly refined and have a very simple goal: to capture a (small in Europe) share of the ubiquitous SUV sales.
If recently the news about pick-ups has not been the best, with not only a decline in sales in the segment in Europe, but also the departure of key models, proposals like this D-Max contrast with a more sophisticated look, more technological content and a role more focused on the spirit of evasion and versatility than on “pure and hard” work to captivate customers.
What's more, the pick-ups still have true off-road skills that the vast majority of SUV's can only dream of.
A good example of this is the Isuzu D-Max in the 4×4 Auto LSE twin-cab version. To find out if the Japanese proposal has what it takes to “steal” SUV sales, we have already put it to the test.
Going unnoticed is not an option
In a car fleet dominated by proposals from the B and C segments, the Isuzu D-Max immediately stands out due to its dimensions. If in the US this would be considered a medium-sized pick-up truck, here on the “old continent” it captures attention wherever it goes and, were it not for the cameras and parking sensors, living with it in an urban environment could become something complicated.
In the aesthetic chapter, it stands out for the aggressive look that has already characterized Isuzu's proposals since a few years ago and for the eye-catching orange paint that guarantees that we don't go unnoticed anywhere.
Also on the outside, there is a positive highlight on the system that allows us to cover (and lock) what is in the cargo box. Very robust, this system, which resembles a “shutter” that covers the entire cargo box, allows us to park the D-Max anywhere without worrying about what we have stored there.
The agricultural and square look that once characterized pick-ups has long been replaced by modern lines.
care interior
As I have already said, the times when pick-ups were exclusively work vehicles are past and the interior of this D-Max proves it. If in the past the dashboards of these proposals used the simplest plastics and the equipment was limited to a speedometer and little else, today we have an interior that is in no way owed to any other car.
On board the Isuzu D-Max we find a careful assembly, numerous storage spaces (although the glove compartment could be bigger), materials that are pleasant to the touch and an offer of equipment capable of creating the envy of some SUV's.
Inside, the D-Max uses materials that are pleasant to the touch, not being "due" to SUVs.
Regarding the available space, at the front the feeling of relief reigns, but in the back seats the “humble” origins of the D-Max come to the top and legroom is not plentiful. As for the “baggage compartment”, it's hard to imagine what doesn't fit in the huge cargo box.
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big, heavy but economical
If there's one field in which pick-up trucks differ most from SUVs, it's in the driving chapter. Based on a chassis with spars and crossmembers, the D-Max cannot rival the SUVs in the areas of comfort and handling. The driving position is quite high, giving a feeling of safety that, in the case of the D-Max, is totally justified (it was the first pick-up truck to obtain five stars in the EuroNCAP tests).
Without load, the rear becomes something “jumpy” (a result of the suspension designed to support “heavy loads”) and the steering does not have the speed or precision that we find in SUVs with unibody construction. However, on bad roads, the large wheels and the robust chassis ensure that we pass obstacles as if they weren't even there, being able to provide a good level of comfort.
The seats are covered in leather (the front seats have heating and, in the driver's case, electrical regulation and memory.
When the asphalt ends, we have one of the best all terrain models on the market. We have gearboxes, a rear differential lock and a suspension with a long enough travel that make us dream of forays across North Africa in search of the old Dakar tracks.
In fact, it is in the countryside that D-Max feels “at home”. There, its dimensions don't seem so big and its level of refinement allows us to travel long kilometers on dirt roads in comfort and safety. On those same roads, if we are not lacking in talent, rear-wheel drive allows us to enjoy some more fun moments when approaching some corners.
The "cover" for the cargo box is robust and is an asset in the field of security.
As for the engine, the Isuzu D-Max comes equipped with a 1.9 l Turbo Diesel with 164 hp and 360 Nm of torque: it is a “power well”! It allows for good performance and only disappoints in the field of refinement (although I, a fan of Isuzu Diesels of yore, I was pleased to hear it “snore” under the hood like in the past).
Supporting this engine is a six-speed automatic gearbox characterized by its long stepping. Something slow and indecisive when it comes to reducing, this can be manually controlled (the solution we end up using whenever we want to “squeeze” the 164 hp). The best part is that this “quiet” character of the box translates into very interesting consumptions.
When I took the D-Max to the Ribatejo marshland, it presented me with averages of 7.5 l/100 km, while in cities the averages rose to 10 l/100 km, values more than acceptable in a model with these characteristics.
The automatic transmission with long staging allows good consumption, but it is not an example of speed.
Is it the right car for you?
The Isuzu D-Max is living proof of the evolution of pick-ups in recent years. Formerly work vehicles, these models now offer levels of equipment and quality that allow them to compete with SUVs without major complexities, also benefiting from a lower IUC value derived from the fact that they are mixed passenger and goods vehicles.
It's true that the D-Max doesn't have the dynamic qualities of an SUV on the asphalt, however when it ends, the Japanese proposal offers us a real evasion capacity, leaving behind all SUVs, including those with all-wheel drive. All this is done in a cabin with pleasant materials, robust and well equipped.
That said, if you are looking for a robust, versatile model with an interesting endowment of equipment, the Isuzu D-Max may very well be the ideal choice, combining work and leisure in a pleasantly surprising way. Basically, the Japanese pick-up truck is like good leather boots, which adapt as quickly to the stables as to the management office of any farm.