On the rare occasion that the Isuzu D MAX strangely crosses your mind, you are reminded that it is a pudgy commercial workhorse that is comically unpopular in comparison to the mighty Ford Ranger and the indestructible Toyota Hilux. Unsuccessfully positioned as a lifestyle pick-up truck when launched, the D Max is a dwindling sight of the roads of the UAE – a trend that engineering company Arctic Trucks is determined to change with the introduction of the burly D Max AT35.
| Key Features: | |
| Engine | 3.0L / 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| Power | 160 Hp / 400 Nm |
| Top Speed | 180 km/h |
| Price | AED 135,000 |
Exterior
Auto buffs who are familiar with a withering British television show, are likely to be well acquainted with Arctic Trucks and its absurdity. Having developed a reputation for tuning trucks and SUVs to handle the harshest of terrains, the company’s Middle Eastern arm has been tinkering with an Isuzu D Max to reach the deepest depths of the desert – an ambition that is evident in the truck’s audacious styling.
Protruding fender flares, a functional hood scoop, rally-inspired mud flaps, along with a custom bull bar and roll bar, come together to match the stunning 17-inch alloys and the chunky 35-inch BFGoodrich KO2 tires that fill the wheel wells. Aggressively styled, the D Max AT35 is the bipolar opposite of a poseur, valuing function over form.
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Interior
Rudimentary in every sense possible, the cabin of the Japanese pick-up truck is primitive and devoid of many creature comforts that you’d tend to take for granted, automatic windows included. Encompassed in dull, grainy plastics, the cabin is home to two-tone red and black fabric seats, dashes of gloss black and silver trims, and red stitching along the steering wheel to connote its dedication to performance.
Measuring 1.86 meters wide and with a wheelbase of 3.1 meters, the Isuzu D Max offers ample amounts of space for its five occupants, with more room than the Toyota Hilux but less than that of its American rival. Towering well above most other road users, visibility is also unmatched with clear views through the sizable windows and side mirrors.
Safety & Tech
Flaunting a 4-star Euro NCAP crash rating, the Isuzu D Max is surprisingly safer than the 3-star Toyota Hilux, partly due to its cabin that is constructed of high tensile steel, driving aids such as Electronic Stability Control, and dual front, side, and curtain airbags that come as standard equipment. Add to that advanced seatbelt reminders and dual seat belt pre-tensioners, and the D Max’s ratings stand well justified.
Fitted with a tacky aftermarket infotainment screen that bears the resolution of a CRT monitor manufactured in 1998, the D Max doesn’t offer much in the way of features, apart from Bluetooth connectivity, a CD player, USB and AUX audio inputs, and a daft rear LCD option, when one clearly isn’t installed.
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Drive
Residing under the sculpted hood of the D Max AT35 is a clattering 3.0-liter twin-turbo common-rail diesel engine that punches out 160 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. With maximum power available from as low-down as 1,400 RPM, the D Max is able to conquer steep inclines without breaking a sweat, by pushing its grunt through a long-ratio 5-speed automatic transmission.
Enhancing its off-road prowess is a 30mm body lift and 20mm suspension lift that is complemented by an extremely stiff Fox suspension set-up. Though a tad harsh on the tarmac, the system comes into its own off the beaten path and is able to take an absolute thrashing, even when charging up dunes with concealed bumps and plenty of tracks.
Tipping scales at over 3,000 kilograms, the D Max AT35 is heavy and its heft is clearly felt through the weighty steering wheel. Unlike artificially aided systems that make their way into newer vehicles, the dated system provides good feedback with the exact position of the wheels remaining far from a mystery – just what’s needed when side sloping and shaving the picturesque dunes of the UAE.
Verdict
Shabbily put together and undesirable to drive over extended periods of time, the Isuzu D Max AT35 is a long, long way off your everyday pick-up truck. Dedicated to the off-road community of the country, the D Max AT35 isn’t as much of an all-rounder as its American rival, but take it off-road and not much else can keep up with it, take my word for it. What Arctic Trucks has accomplished then is no mean feat, making the D Max a lifestyle name, a task that the Japanese manufacturer struggled with for years.
Pros:
- Phenomenal A/C system
- Extremely fuel-efficient averaging 11 liters / 100 KM
- Holds gears in manual mode until red line
Cons:
- Missing a rear differential
- Tacky infotainment screen
- Faulty temperature gauge that permanently thought it was only 25-degrees outside
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