The Daily Telegraph
Pickup trucks like the Isuzu D-Max have never been popular in the UK, where the van is king. But since HMRC views them as commercial vehicles, they come with tax perks. “So should you consider one instead of an SUV?” The four-wheel-drive D-Max can tow up to 3.5 tonnes, and lives up to its “tough, no-nonsense” reputation. But there’s no denying it is “unrefined” next to a passenger car.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What Car?
The D-Max comes in layouts to suit everyone – from a single cab with a long bed, to an extended cab, or a family five-seater that doubles as a work truck. It’s also fairly well-equipped and comfortable inside, with good safety tech, a 7-9in infotainment system and both Apple and Android smartphone mirroring. It may not be “plush”, but it is well-built and should last beyond its five-year warranty.
Autocar
This new D-Max signals Isuzu – primarily a maker of commercial vehicles – going after the “lifestyle” market. But that doesn’t mean the car has gone soft; it remains “unfathomably capable” on rough terrain. That said, on the road the D-Max’s 162bhp 1.9-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel engine is noticeably loud and harsh. At the least, what Isuzu has delivered is good value durability in relative comfort.
-
Kia EV4: a ‘terrifically comfy’ electric carThe Week Recommends The family-friendly vehicle has ‘plush seats’ and generous space
-
Bonfire of the Murdochs: an ‘utterly gripping’ bookThe Week Recommends Gabriel Sherman examines Rupert Murdoch’s ‘war of succession’ over his media empire
-
Gwen John: Strange Beauties – a ‘superb’ retrospectiveThe Week Recommends ‘Daunting’ show at the National Museum Cardiff plunges viewers into the Welsh artist’s ‘spiritual, austere existence’
-
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl: A win for unityFeature The global superstar's halftime show was a celebration for everyone to enjoy
-
Book reviews: ‘Bonfire of the Murdochs’ and ‘The Typewriter and the Guillotine’Feature New insights into the Murdoch family’s turmoil and a renowned journalist’s time in pre-World War II Paris
-
6 exquisite homes with vast acreageFeature Featuring an off-the-grid contemporary home in New Mexico and lakefront farmhouse in Massachusetts
-
Film reviews: ‘Wuthering Heights,’ ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ and ‘Sirat’Feature An inconvenient love torments a would-be couple, a gonzo time traveler seeks to save humanity from AI, and a father’s desperate search goes deeply sideways
-
A thrilling foodie city in northern JapanThe Week Recommends The food scene here is ‘unspoilt’ and ‘fun’
