The Isuzu D-Max AT35 is as close as you can get to driving a monster truck
Car changing is a big deal
Deputy reviews editor Tom Wiltshire has just spent a week with the most buffed-up model in the Isuzu D-Max range – it’s a bit of grr, but its bite isn’t as impressive as its bark.
Everyone remembers when Top Gear drove a pickup truck to the North Pole, and they remember the seriously modified Toyota Hilux that presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May made the journey in.
The company behind that superb off-roader was Arctic Trucks, which started as an offshoot of Toyota Iceland before becoming its own company. It specialises in modifying trucks and SUVs for total off-road supremacy – and for several years now, it’s been working its magic on the Isuzu D-Max. Better yet, Isuzu’s so on-board with Arctic Truck’s efforts that you can buy one of these modified pickups directly from an Isuzu dealer with a five year (125,000-mile) factory warranty. And I’ve just spent a week with one.
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It’s called the D-Max AT35, after the vast 35-inch diameter off-road tyres. Based on the range-topping V-Cross trim level, Arctic Trucks fits a list of modifications as long as your arm. The headline figures are that approach and departure angles have been boosted by nearly 20 per cent, and ground clearance is up by two inches – giving it better off-road specs than even the steroidal Ford Ranger Raptor.
In addition, my test model seemed to have most of Isuzu’s accessory catalogue bolted to it. The bonnet protector and wind deflectors aren’t the most attractive, but I must admit that the roof rack – complete with obnoxiously bright LED lightbars – gives it a certain level of cool.
There was also a hardtop over the loadbed, which adds real utility to a pickup truck by allowing you to carry larger items and still have them covered – not possible with a roller shutter bed cover. The load bay was even carpeted and cushioned, suggesting Isuzu expects this to be bought by families rather than the farmers or contractors that usually make up its clientele.
What hasn’t changed is the drivetrain. The D-Max uses a 1.9-litre, four-cylinder diesel with 164hp, mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. This is the first of the AT35’s issues. Even in the regular D-Max, this feels a bit under-engined – with the added weight and those massive wheels, the AT35 feels a little bit like powering the Titanic with a sewing machine.
Especially compared to the Ford Ranger Raptor and its ultra-powerful V6 engine, the D-Max isn’t one for speed freaks – you have to take things gently.
On the road, it’s a mixed bag. Those huge wheels make light work of potholes and speed bumps, and if you need to mount the occasional kerb you don’t exactly need to worry about the alloys. But again, it’s best taken at a relaxed pace, because in the corners you can feel the truck’s body moving about on the tyres, which can be a little disconcerting.
Where the D-Max AT35 shines is off-road. I tried, but there were no greenlanes in Cambridgeshire that could even come close to challenging this truck. The tyres provide basically endless grip, there’s zero concern about ground clearance or scraping the front or rear, and the off-road controls are really easy to use – it’s just a rotary switch to go into 4WD mode.
It holds another trump card over the Ford Ranger Raptor, too. While the Ranger has a severely reduced payload and towing capacity, the D-Max AT35 is still just as capable as a regular version. It’ll carry a ton in the load bed and tow up to 3,500kg (albeit slowly).
This means too that the AT35 qualifies for commercial vehicle VAT exemption – which the Ranger doesn’t.
Despite this, it’s still a pricey beast. It’s based on the top-spec V-Cross and adds around £15,000 to the price of that – making it rather hard to justify. The added compromise in on-road experience – not to mention the difficulty of parking a truck this wide in a regular space – means it’ll rightfully remain a niche option.
But it looks amazing and handles itself off-road like a champ, so if what you want is the ultimate in off-road supremacy, the Isuzu D-Max AT35 is well worth a look.
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