MOTORS: Is Isuzu D-Max a sensible company vehicle option?

After what can best be described as a period of transition, the pick-up market has settled down.

We’ve been left with a smaller range but what’s there are all pretty good. Not long ago, there was the choice of the leading Mitsubishi L200, the Navara from Nissan and other examples from Renault, Fiat and Mercedes along with the VW Amarok, which is still available but is really a Ford Ranger under the surface.

There are now only five models left, including the Ranger which is impressive for its performance and is the best-seller.

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Nipping at its tyres for that title is the Toyota Hilux which has been around for more than half a century compared to the newcomer, the bargain-basement but beefy Musso from the renamed KGM, formerly SsangYong.

The other latest arrival is the Maxus T90 which is the UK’s first all-electric pick-up made by the same Chinese company which owns MG but it’s something of a lightweight.

There have been some tax changes along the way which makes the pick-up a sensible company vehicle, especially when you take into account the luxury and comfort which now comes as part of the package of double cabs and is equal to considerably more expensive SUVs.

They’re classed as commercial vehicles so the annual Vehicle Excise Duty is higher than a standard car but that’s a small price to pay in the overall sums.

My personal favourite is the D-Max from Isuzu, which is why I have one as my personal transport where I live in the wilds of the Angus glens.

Mine has a few miles on the clock but is an incredibly reliable workhorse which takes the worst of a Scottish winter and challenging terrain in its stride.

I was delighted to get the chance to sample the latest version which I found is just as capable but now comes with a range of technology, bells and whistles which should make the journey more comfortable and safer. Having said that I found the lane departure, speed limit and impending collision warnings deeply irritating until I found the menu which allowed me to cancel them at the start of every trip. I know it’s in the interests of security, but the automatic locking of all the doors within a fraction of a second of stepping out of the vehicle is annoying when you’re in the process of unloading.

The test vehicle was the top spec V-Cross with comfortable soft leather seats which are electrically adjustable and with powered lumbar support for the driver, a 9.0-inch multifunction touchscreen with CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB and Bluetooth along with adaptive cruise control and rear view camera. There are acres of space for all the family, with charge points, cup holders and double gloveboxes built into the dash panel.

On the outside, you get substantial side steps which along with the grab handle on the A-pillar is pretty vital to make the leap into the cab.

There are automatic LED headlights, rear and fog lights, substantial 18-inch black chrome alloys and there was an optional sliding lockable load bay cover.

It’s built on a traditional ladder chassis which gives strength off-road but makes it a little less sophisticated on tarmac. This is a vehicle for hard work, which it does superbly, rather than straight line outright performance. I like the gruffness that comes from under the bonnet from the 1.9 litre diesel engine and there’s certainly no lack of pulling power.

The D-Max was named Pick-up of the Year last year in the What Van? Awards and because of its lower unladen weight of under 2040kgs is the only pick-up not subject to light commercial vehicle speed limits of 60mph on motorways and dual carriageways and 50mph on other roads.

Isuzu call themselves the “Pick-Up Professionals” selling more vehicles around the world than the recognised off-road benchmark Land Rover.

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross 4x4 Double Cab automatic

PRICE: £36,999 on the road (£44,323 inc VAT)

ENGINE: 1898cc 4 cyl inline diesel

POWER: 164 PS

TORQUE: 360 Nm

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 112 mph 0-62 mph 13 secs

TOWING CAPACITY: 3500 kgs

ECONOMY: 30 mpg combined

CO2 EMISSIONS: 241 g/km

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