Tough day at the office.
It’s fair to say the Isuzu D-Max for 2021 has a hero truck in its current line-up, which the previous generation really didn’t.
In fact, the previous generation’s ‘hero’ if it could be called such, was likely the lowest-priced 4x4 variant, by reason of its understated all-round capability.
Well, Isuzu has taken a long hard look at the market and determined that, since it is now playing in the big leagues with all the grown up utes, it should have a hero product and as such, has delivered the X-Terrain – with the requisite $70k price tag.
And this is great for those who want a – very capable, highly spec’d and good looking – ute, which the D-Max X-Terrain is.
But for those who have a need for a hard-working utility which can justify its existence as far as the budget-conscious fleet manager or CFO is concerned, the X-Terrain might be a hard pill to swallow, and you might be wondering about the lesser grades of the D-Max range.
We were, which is why we went to the source and requested any 4x4 double cab but the X-Terrain, and were handed the keys to the interestingly designated LS-M automatic 4x4 ute which tucks itself neatly under the second-from-the-top LS model in terms of its $63,990 pricing and specification.
The LS-M offers a comprehensive features list, including most of the effective IDAS (Intelligent Driver Assistance System) safety suite as detailed in NZ Company Vehicle December 2020.
At first blush, the LS-M D-Max came across as being a little ‘coarse’ in comparison to other utility vehicles tested recently.
We took into consideration the empty tray and firm suspension equation, which is never flattering, but even so, the ride felt more inclined to off-roading than on, despite the Dunlop AT25s being apparently better suited for tarmac.
The interior of our LS-M reflected the workingman’s nature of the ute, with chunky dials taking place over elegant switchgear and digital displays.
While the central display carries the same basic design and style, the LS-M makes do with seven inches over nine, does not include satellite navigation, has six speakers over eight and loses the niceties of smart keyless entry, walk away locking, push button and remote engine start.
What is common between the two, other than Apple Carplay and Android Auto, the requisite modern safety features and rear differential lock, is hill descent control, which previous models did not have.
We put a few days road travelling under the LS-M, which allowed us to get down to 8 litres per 100km Isuzu reckons we could get, reasonably easily. Yes, we did see some high 7’s but the 8 litres per was more consistent.
Then we went off road.
We called on Roger Winslade of the Auckland Off Road adventure park up at the northern end of Woodhill Forest and prevailed upon him to be our support vehicle for an afternoon in his constantly improving playground.
Playing in the park is what Roger’s customers do. Roger cares for the land while providing a family-friendly, drive-it-yourself 4WD experience with tracks suitable for all levels of experience.
The land is renewable forest, which Roger caretakes in cooperation with New Zealand Forestry and the local Iwi, constantly improving the venue for everyone to enjoy responsibly.
Roger also conducts approved training days for organisations requiring such, and he is making the park available to off road vehicle manufacturers as a demonstration environment and as a competition course for off road vehicles.
Roger met us at the Rimmer Road entrance and guided us through to the bottom end of the park in his slightly older model D-Max.
Once we got some mud on the tyres going through the potholed forestry roads, our coarse riding ute suddenly took on a new lease of life. It settled and smoothed out, delivering a confident and – potholes notwithstanding – comfortable ride, despite us being in 2WD.
The change was nothing short of extraordinary. It was as if someone had come along and switched out the entire suspension setup for something ideally suited to off road work. If I was given to anthropomorphising, I would say the LS-M was eager to get grubby – like a Labrador at the beach.
Roger opted to guide us around from the left-hand seat of our vehicle. Clearly, we weren’t going to go anywhere a tow would be required – or at least Roger didn’t seem to think so and it is his turf so, off we went.
Our first foray into the forest saw us head off the gravel and sand and into some serious clay which, to be fair, gave me a momentary twitch of lost licence plate anxiety.
Roger on the other hand, was smiling as we negotiated the first round of “Cripes! That’s deeper on the right than the left” and “Really? You want me to climb that?” tracks and trails.
The D-Max was taking it all in stride and the precision with which its ‘feet’ were being placed was impressing me with every metre forward and up we went.
At one point, I commented to Roger that the ute wasn’t being challenged at all, which is kind of like poking the sleeping bear. Roger’s wry smile should have been a warning to me…
We stopped at the top of a little slope while Roger tiptoed down the clay to check out our potential for forward progress. It looked ugly from my perspective, but Roger came back with a big thumbs up.
Leaving the photographer at the top of the slope for those hero cock-a-wheel shots, Roger and I slid the D-Mx into the wet and slick trenches, engaged the hill descent control, checked we were in 4WD high and proceeded to showboat our way down the hill.
The D-Max performed like a champ, and we ended up comfortably in a decent turnaround mud-pit where Roger calmly directed me to an uphill trail.
We got most of the way up and came to a gnarly climb out consisting mostly of ruts which, when they grow up, are going to give the Grand Canyon a run for its money.
I was a bit unsettled with the route, but Roger – with his 40-plus years of off roading experience – was as calm as a cucumber. “Put your diff lock in and make sure you’re 4WD is engaged properly. You’ll need some gas for this one,” and that was all the advice I got.
I tested out bumper clearance somewhat gingerly, because it really didn’t look good, but no, everything was fine for my first run.
I backed up, gunned it, got stuck and backed out again. Try it again, genius, this time with a little more gusto. Nearly.
Back out and the – slightly disappointed – word from Roger was, “I don’t think she’ll have it,” but I gave it one last attempt and with more than a minute’s scrabbling and spitting mud, the D-Max clawed its way up, over and out.
And as we came up on to solid unrutted ground, Roger laconically said it all: “OK, I’m impressed.”
Turns out, Roger had often looked at that particular obstacle, but confessed he’d never do it in his truck. He wanted to see if the new D-Max could cope though… so happy we could help, Roger!
The trek back out to where we started was uneventful, and once again, the D-Max strutted its stuff, nimbly picking its way through the pines on the way back to Roger’s newly formed gravel car park.
This is going to be developed into a spectator’s area, with campsite facilities and a parc ferme for competition events like the Woodhill 100.
The Woodhill 100 is dominated more by side-by-sides and buggies rather than roadgoing trucks like the D-Max and as such, Roger has had to develop suitable tracks through harvested forests.
Accordingly, there are great big ‘sand highways’ skirting the forestry roads and the forest itself which means that if – like me – you find hardcore 4WDíng a little sedate in terms of speed, there is plenty of space for “off-road grand prix” driving at the park now too.
You can end the day with a drive along the ridge ‘roads’ with expansive views out to the Tasman for your passengers while you as the driver, look for a suitable sand trail to get you back down to sea level and scare the pants of your fellow travellers with a stunning sandhill descent.
The Auckland 4WD adventure park has gone through some significant changes and has now become the 4WD family fun park it has been building up to.
As to the new generation, working class Isuzu D-Max, it certainly met with Roger’s approval, especially with the new diff lock and hill descent control combination.
Our opinion? Well, we’re not really big into 4WDing, but there is no doubt the new Isuzu D-Max certainly is.
Better suited to an off-road role primarily than an on-road one – especially in LS-M spec – the new D-Max certainly does live up to its brand’s established reputation as being a good bastard’s working truck; and one which is well equipped in terms of safety and effective electronic driver aids.
Specifications:
BODY TYPE 4 door ute
DRIVE Part time 4x4 with rear diff lock and 6-speed sequential auto
ENGINE TYPE4-cylinder, turbodiesel
ENGINE CAPACITY 3000cc
MAX POWER 140kW
MAX TORQUE 450Nm
L/100KM (COMBINED) 8.0
CO2 EMISSIONS 207 g/km
TOW CAPACITY 3500kg
ANCAP RATING 5 Star
PRICE $63,990
