DRIVEN
ISUZU D-MAX UTILITY Our 2021 Pick-Up of the Year has previously come over most convincingly in mid-range form; does the entry-level version continue this trend and be best of all, or is it a work truck too far?
WHEN ISUZU LAUNCHED THE CURRENT D-MAX, it did so on the back of the massive popularity its predecessor had achieved at the down-to-earth end of the market. The old D-Max never managed to mix it with the likes of the Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi L200 for lifestyle appeal – but for farmers, builders and utility users, it was an absolute winner. One goal the company’s UK importer set for the new model was to carve out a bigger share for itself at the top end of the double-cab market. But of course the D-Max also needed to watch its back in work-truck territory, where the Ranger and Toyota Hilux are forever poised to take advantage of any slip-ups. Following the vehicle’s introduction last spring, we tested the mid-range DL20 and top-spec V-Cross models – and concluded that as before, the D-Max becomes less convincing the higher up the market you go. We’re
leaving out the specialised AT35 there – it’s a story all of its own – but the corollary of that should be that the entry-level Utility model is the most convincing of the lot. It’s certainly very authentic. It’s available in Single-Cab and Extended-Cab form but we’ve got the Double-Cab here, with the same extremely spacious second row of seats that becomes standard as you move higher up the range. These are trimmed in a stout, hard-wearing fabric and you plant your boots on rubber rather than carpeting, so this is a truck which, if you’re careful where you aim it, can be hosed out after a hard day’s work. However it’s also a truck with what may be a surprising amount of premium kit. You get air-conditioning, cruise control and lumbar adjust as standard, as well as Bluetooth, DAB and an exceptional range of safety aids. Higher-spec models may add things like chrome, leather, alloys and a fancier media system, but we’ve long argued that a few well chosen items go 90% of the way – and the equipment on the D-Max Utility is very well chosen indeed. You could spend your life aboard one of these without ever feeling like you were missing out. This has become particularly true just recently, as Isuzu has added a locking rear diff as optional equipment on the base-spec version of the D-Max. This was previously limited to the DL20 and
Cabin is trimmed in hard-wearing materials that will live with a lifetime of hard use. Wipe-clean seats and surfaces mean you don’t need to worry about climbing aboard in muddy clothes, and rubber flooring allows you to hose it out. Yet it’s in no way sparse; even in Utility form, the D-Max has air-con and cruise control, as well as DAB, Bluetooth, lumbar adjust and an excellent suite of safety kit. It’s almost like being aboard a premium truck in disguise
28 | AUGUST 2022
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