Design driven: 2025 Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

Over the last few years, one week with a pick-up truck has invariably led to 'things' getting done (we substituted the usual four letter word that begins with 's'). This time round, a scheduling error with a particularly anal council-run recycling centre meant there was no tip run in the works, and there was no Scottish camping trip lined up. Alternative uses for an all-wheel drive (AWD) utility vehicle had to be made, and the new Isuzu D-Max did not disappoint. 

Indeed, it is important to recognise the vast range of use cases trucks like this might face. This is a 'car' that can be taken on long trips in extreme comfort, loaded up with junk or goods to haul; or with a spacious double cab, loaded with passengers as a family wagon. Perhaps more likely, it will be used as a workhorse around farms and job sites in less than ideal road conditions, maybe even fording rivers as promotional material would have it. This is where its ground clearance, thick sidewalls and capable AWD system come into play, which until now we have not tested with any real venom. 

As chance has it, this writer lives not far from the base of the Cotswolds where there is no shortage of dirt roads or full-on green lane tracks. It is no wonder that the D-Max (and primary competitors like the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok) are a common sight. 

Trundling down to our test track, which until this point has been used sparingly, the heavens open, the sky darkens and rain briefly renders visibility almost nil. Good job then that the D-Max is fitted with a roof-mounted rack of spotlights, fondly referred to as The Retina Incinerator 3000 during our time with the car. 

They do an excellent job of lighting up the road and even better at highlighting any nasty divots or protruding trees down our dirt path — and bothering a few owls on the way no doubt. 

The AWD system comprises a locking centre diff and a few driving modes — snow, gravel etc. — which seemed to genuinely improve traction based on various runs up and down our route. A section of steep hills, now exceptionally greasy from a mix of clay and rain water, did test our confidence slightly but aside from a few expected slips the car generally kept forward momentum well. 

Note also that although these tyres have thick sidewalls they are more of an all-season offering — genuine off-road knobblies would no doubt eliminate any slippage on this particular route which, on investigation, is a lesser-used through road for one of the nearby farms. 

Inside, the grab handles on the centre console and headliner promote themselves from simply looking cool to offering actual use keeping driver and passenger steady over heavy undulations. It is at this point we should emphasise the truck was not taken on the Baja 1000 and to seasoned off-roaders this recount may feel hyperbolic. But for the average Joe — not driving a lifted Discovery with General Grabbers and a snorkel — credit must be given to the D-Max for inspiring confidence on probably the roughest of roads it will need to face. 

Back on manicured tarmac, the D-Max settles back into premium SUV mode and aside from the slightly agricultural clatter of the engine does well as a comfortable and well-equipped cruiser. 

Our test car arrived in V-Cross Double Cab form fitted with a 1.9-litre turbo diesel producing just over 160bhp, and a CVT gearbox that is as infuriating as ever. In this configuration, the auto box is around £40,000 new, while the manual saves a couple of grand. We would opt for the latter. Since the model was introduced in 2012, double cab variants have consistently accounted for more than 80% of overall sales, with more of an even mix between business, adventure and all-purpose buyers. 

Accessories include the Truckman Grand Leisure Canopy, Bed Rug, wind visors, 12V socket in load bed, bed lights, Lazer Linear-42 Elite, bonnet lift, wireless charger on the centre console, a tow bar & 13-pin electrics. All useful in their own right and contributing a touch of 'premium feel' to what is a serious investment for anyone in the market for a modern truck. 

Comfortable and well-equipped it may be, but the litany of software-based functions will surely grate on users just looking to go about their day and get the job done. There is a relatively quick-fix solution that enables the driver to disarm particular (or multiple) warnings, alerts or functions like lane-keep assist, which proves very convenient. The problem is that each time the car is switched off, the system resets, and those user preferences are forgotten. We assume there are regulations that prevent safety and driver assistance functions from being disabled indefinitely. A hat tip to Isuzu for trying though.  

Over the years the D-Max has become larger and more muscled, with flared wheel arches and staunch bumpers from and rear. Like the rest of the market, lighting has also played an increasingly important part in defining its new look, with the current model sporting an attractive set of rear lamps and a more aggressive look up front. 

It is a handsome brute and in fetching Sienna Orange paint with dark grey 18-inch alloys stands out from the usual white-with-black-plastic trim of your typical work truck. This amber colourway also evokes the original Isuzu Trooper, commonly specced during the late 1980s and early 90s in 'Claret' or 'Spectra' red. 

For sure, there is plenty of heritage for Isuzu to leverage here, from the Wasp (60s), Faster (70s-2002), Rodeo (2004)and Blade (2014). The passenger car portfolio may have shrunk to just one model (the MU-X SUV) but Isuzu has kept its gem in the crown and by all accounts taking a decent chunk of the UK's light commercial vehicle market. In 2023, the D-Max broke its own sales record, and then again in 2024, with 6,574 units. 

It is interesting to see that the upcoming D-Max EV is almost identical in appearance to its ICE sibling. It does not enter a crowded market in Europe which is largely devoid of electric work trucks like this. It will be interesting to see how the powertrain split looks by the end of 2026 when the EV has had time to bed in to the market.