► Isuzu D-Max truck gets some visual tweaks and more
► New Rough Terrain mode should take you further into the mud
► Less power and torque than rivals
The Isuzu D-Max has undergone a mid-life facelift. Again. This is the second time that the hardiest of pickup trucks has been revamped, and once again you’d be forgiven for not immediately spotting the differences without having the two alongside one another. Let’s face it, there isn’t much you can do with the design of the ultimate three-box-shape vehicle.
But as is often the case, the coolest element of the facelift has nothing to do with how the D-Max looks and it comes buried in some menus on the touchscreen. Alongside the usual tweaks to the looks and spec, it also gains a new Rough Terrain mode that, as the name suggests, offers a boost to its performance in the mud, snow and ice and all that.
Inevitably I spent a notable chunk of the time at the launch seeing just how far into the mud it would go before physics took over. Pretty far it turns out…
This is quite important to the D-Max given it has positioned itself as the workhorse of the sector, with a full range of bodystyles including a single cab and an extended cab that is designed to jam a couple of workers in the back to get them up to the top field.
It also has a more basic engine approach, with just the one comparatively small unit. It gets a 1.9-litre diesel engine and nothing else. No big V6 3.0-litre diesels here.
At a glance
Pros: Excellent off road, hard as nails, doesn’t need AdBlue
Cons: Fewer creature comforts than other pickups, only one small engine, economy could be better
What’s new?
As mentioned, the D-Max’s looks aren’t drastically updated, but you do get a new bonnet, front bumper, revised lights and updated alloy wheels. Plus you get ‘V-Cross’ emblazoned in big letters across the rear tailgate on the top trim. The one that’s called V-Cross, obviously – you don’t get it on the Utility model.
Then there’s the new Rough Terrain mode that helps you go further into the mud (and hopefully back out again) and updated cameras out front. The infotainment screen and system has been revised too.
Some things remain untouched, though – that ladder-frame chassis and the 162bhp 1.9-litre diesel engine are both charmingly old-school in their approach. But they work, so why muck about?
What are the specs?
The Isuzu D-Max is the value option in the pickup class, with even the top-level V-Cross model coming in below £40,000 (not including VAT). This is less than all but the most basic version of the VW Amarok for example, so on outlay alone the D-Max represents a compelling financial prospect.
Of course, the VW comes with a higher level of luxury, more equipment and a bigger engine, but the D-Max is more utilitarian.
The entry-level price is attractively low too, but it’s worth remembering that this is one of the few pickups to offer a single-cab model. Even then the D-Max undercuts the likes of the Toyota Hilux by a couple of thousand.
There are four trims to choose from, with the basic Utility aimed at those that want a tool first and foremost. It comes with some handy kit, like that 8.0-inch touchscreen and smartphone mirroring, but with its steel wheels and unpainted bumpers and door mirrors it is designed to take a bash or two. It also comes with uncarpeted floors, for ease of cleaning should you spend your working days in the muck.
Then there are the DL20 and DL40 models, which add progressively more kit. The former gets a rear differential lock, allow wheels, painted bumpers, carpets, heated front seats and rear parking sensors. The DL40 then adds LED lights, front parking sensors, a reversing camera, silver side steps, electrically adjustable leather seats and keyless entry and start.
V-Cross sits atop the lot, with more visual upgrades such as a two-tone grille, an updated 9.0-inch touchscreen, a larger 7.0-inch information display and an updated rear tailgate design, which has that ‘V-Cross’ logo on it.
All versions come with a payload that is 1085kg or higher, which means they qualify as commercial vehicles for VAT reclamation. Isuzu isn’t as worried about the forthcoming changes to the pickup tax classification, as it thinks most of its vehicles will be working ones.
More useful for lifestyle buyers is that every D-Max Double Cab also has a kerbweight under the 2040kg threshold for ‘dual purpose’ vehicles. This means they’re allowed to travel at car rather than van speed limits – not something you can say about the Ranger or Hilux…
How does it drive?
Nothing much has changed when it comes to on-road manners, so I’ll keep that short. The Isuzu performs pretty well on road, with a lot of the usual caveats that apply whenever you are talking about a pickup truck. It rides nicely when you factor in the hardy suspension that also has to be capable of taking a tonne of payload in the back. Inevitably there are a couple of bumps here and there and it isn’t SUV smooth, but as trucks go it’s pretty good.
The various safety systems have been enhanced by an upgraded set of cameras that point forward. This means it can see wider and further than before and therefore means things like the lane keep assist and the traffic sign recognition systems are a bit more accurate than before.
Right, that’s that out of the way – how is it off road, and what’s this new Rough Terrain mode all about? In short, it works in conjunction with the traction control system and identifies when a wheel doesn’t have enough grip and is spinning faster than the others when you are off roading. It then applies the brakes and throttle variously to try and get you moving.
In less slippery situations you probably won’t notice it, as a quick tweak of the brakes followed by a blip of the throttle is all it might take to get you going again, but it is in really slick conditions that you can hear what it is doing.
You engage it before you head up, say, a muddy hill and then approach in the usual manner. If you get stuck then you will hear and see the impact, as the revs rise and so does the speed on the dash as some wheels spin faster than you’re moving. Often it will work though, and creep you forward and get you through the sticky stuff.
It’s not a complete Get Out of Mud Free card, though, and sometimes physics can still end up as the ultimate victor. It’s clever, and it helps maximise what you have got, but ultimately if you want to tackle really boggy and slidey terrain on a regular then you would benefit from some more off-road-biased tyres as well.
Without those, this system gives you a boost in the right direction and could well be the difference between getting home clean without having to get out and push or assess your options.
Other off-road features include low-ratio gearing, an excellent and unobtrusive hill descent control and a display that shows where your wheels are pointing and what angle you are at. It is all easily accessed and enabled through a series of simple controls. It helps that you can shift between four and two-wheel-drive on the move, too, on this occasion using a rotary dial rather than a touchscreen.
What about the interior?
The D-Max’s cabin is not as sparse and hard up as it once was, with recent updates bringing ever more kit. The screen, which measures a decent 9.0-inches on the higher level V-Cross models, while even the basic ones get an 8.0-inch equivalent, all with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. They are neatly integrated into the dash and there are mercifully a few physical controls so glove-wearing workers can dial down the volume in a dash.
Little has changed for the most recent update in terms of layout and design. It’s a solid and comfortable cabin with a good amount of room in the rear for passengers, for a pickup anyway. The seats were once almost bolt upright, but there is enough angle to them to make longer journeys bearable.
All except the entry-level Utility get rear ventilation to heat things up in the cabin, while there are some clever practicality touches front and rear. These include lidded storage on the top of the dash, twin storage spaces under the rear seats, and rear seats that flip down to fold flat so you can store items in there without spoiling the upholstery.
Isuzu has trumpeted the D-Max’s safety score, given it was the only pickup to have earned five stars when it did the test back in 2021. Things have changed a bit since then, though, with the tests getting stricter and other trucks, like the Ford Ranger, also scoring the maximum five stars.
The 2025 update has brought about a new camera system for the front of the truck, which helps improve features such as the lane keep assist and the speed sign recognition system. The new camera can see further and wider than before, meaning it can pick up on other cars earlier and keep a closer eye on where you are in a lane.
Before you buy
The Isuzu D-Max is not a direct replacement for your luxury SUV – it never has been. Instead it is a working vehicle that you can have in varying degrees of luxury.
In many ways, the mid-range trims make more sense on that basis. There are more comforts and tech features there than on the Utility, which is mainly designed to appeal to local authorities, but it keeps the price down a bit.
Verdict
The Isuzu D-Max is old school in several senses. It’s far more geared towards the working day than weekend family duties, with a wide range of versions that will take a real battering out on the farm or deep into the countryside. The new Rough Terrain mode is a handy addition, too, allowing you to escape from trickier situations without upgrading your tyres.
That’s not to say there isn’t a touch of luxury to the range-topping V-Cross model, but anyone seeking for a single vehicle to be all things to all people might be more tempted by the Ford Ranger/Volkswagen Amarok pairing.
Specs for Isuzu D-Max V-Cross doublecab auto