If there’s one pickup truck in the entire world that I could claim to be somewhat of an big fan of, it’d be the truly venerable Isuzu D-Max. I’ve actually driven more than my fair share of them in the past, and in more than one form, too! From arctic exploration vehicles to camper truck variants and blue-collar workhorses, the Isuzu D-Max platform is endlessly versatile to suit your needs and use cases, either for work or play.
However, if there’s one part of the D-Max that I never really got to properly test out in the past, it would be its off-road capability, as I’ve heard, though not tried out extensively myself, of how immensely capable these trucks are off the beaten path. So, with this goal in mind, I couldn’t help but accept an invitation to test the new Isuzu D-Max V-Cross’ off-roading performance at none other than the famed Millbrook Proving Ground.
While the Millbrook Proving Ground might be well-known for its asphalt sections, it’s a really neat, eye-opening experience to learn that they have an extensive off-roading test area. Now, the car for today’s test is a pretty ordinary Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, with no special off-roading modifications or other performance-enhancing upgrades to speak of. It’s basically no different than most showroom-spec D-Maxes out there.
Can A Turbo-Diesel Work Truck Really Go Off-Road?
Granted, there are, as you can see, a handful of cosmetic add-ons and quality-of-life accessories, such as the truck bed canopy, an overhead LED lightbar, and some other miscellaneous bits and bobs. In fact, even the tyres are the standard set of all-terrain road-spec rubber that you get from Isuzu, to boot. Plus, to make sure that I get through this rather hardy off-roading test area in one piece, I was assigned a professional co-driver to help out.
I’ll be the first to admit that these off-road trails are some of the more challenging ones that I’ve driven through, and there’s certainly no shortage of those that I’ve conquered before. At the Millbrook Proving Ground, there’s a varied selection of impossibly steep uphill climbs and dizzyingly sheer drops going downhill, as well as having to wade through special pools and troughs, drive across concrete ditches, and much more.
There’s even a variety of different surfaces that you’ll be driving through, including concrete, sand, gravel, rocks, and mud. Some of these are also designed to simulate unpaved roads. They’re definitely a great way to push any off-roader to their natural limit, though thankfully, it’s a bit more tolerable the day I arrived, as the conditions were quite dry. I’m sure the lack of soft mud and slippery grounds helped the D-Max a tiny bit.
Some Of The Toughest Off-Roading That I’ve Done Yet
No doubt, the most difficult part of the trail was Millbrook Proving Grounds’ “One-in-One” hill descent, which is a frankly absurd vertical drop. It feels right-angled downwards as far as the eye can see, when you’re sitting in the driver’s seat, and you really can’t see anything when you drive up to the edge! Additionally, with it being a concrete pad, this definitely made it a tad slippery and no less dodgy when you’re driving down it.
Yet, coupled with the built-in Hill Descent system, set to 4-wheel drive with low gears, and after shifting into 1st gear, the new Isuzu D-Max V-Cross handled it like an absolute champ! It’s quite an impressive off-roader, and it managed the rest of the trail just fine, with a bit of time spent on the rock crawling sections, and the steep side slopes, angled to around 20 to 25 degrees. Sure, that might not sound like a lot or even a huge deal.
However, when you’re in the car, it’s more than enough to make you feel extremely uneasy, almost like you’re about to fall out of the door! Elsewhere, for some of the more basic off-roading stuff, the new Isuzu D-Max’s approach, breakover, and departure angles, front to back, are perfectly fine during my test, too.
An Off-Road-Capable Truck Right From The Factory
Not once did we risk getting the bottom scraped up, let alone having the truck beached entirely, which is mightily awe-inspiring given the extreme conditions out there at Millbrook. On the bright side, if that ever happens to you, the D-Max does come with ample underbody protection, so that ought to bring you some extra peace of mind. On that note, I’m left just as impressed with the D-Max’s traction control system and the drive modes.
It was able to put power down to the right wheels, at the right time and place, ensuring that I was able to drive out of some remarkably demanding off-road bits, all while maintaining maximum traction at all times. So, while it might not necessarily look the part, the new Isuzu D-Max V-Cross is a hugely capable off-roader, and best of all, it handily gives you all the confidence and electronic safety nets in the world to lend you a helping hand.
Whether it’s a tough off-road trail, unpaved roads leading across your jobsite, or if there’s a rocky path between you and a nice camping ground, I reckon the D-Max could tackle them without breaking a sweat. And, it’ll easily do this bone-stock, without any off-road-specific mods, and while wearing road-spec tyres. If you want to learn more, and while you’re here, be sure to check out my recent review of the new Isuzu D-Max V-Cross!
