2025 Isuzu D-Max Pick-Up: Everything You Need To Know
In a world of plush SUVs, sports saloons and cossetting people-movers, there is something rather refreshing about the comparatively no-nonsense Isuzu D-Max.
As the only model the Japanese company sells in the UK, a lot of responsibility is carried on the broad shoulders of the Isuzu D-Max pick-up truck, but it has proven popular against rivals as the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux having found a niche for providing sheer versatility and unabashed go-anywhere ability.
So, it is probably time to get to know the Isuzu D-Max a little better...
Isuzu: The Pick-Up Professionals
As we mention, the D-Max serves its purpose as the only model Isuzu offers in the UK. In fact, it is one of only two models Isuzu sells anywhere in the world, the other being the MU-X, which itself is a mid-size SUV conversion of the D-Max.
As such, rather than being loosely based on an existing model, a lot of effort has gone into the Isuzu D-Max from the ground-up to be the ultimate pick-up truck first and foremost. It’s little surprise then that Isuzu refers to itself as the Pick-up Professionals.
It hasn’t always been this way though. In fact, Isuzu sold a small range of passenger models in various markets, most notably the Isuzu Trooper in the UK. A proper off-roading powerhouse, the Trooper was unstoppable in the rough stuff and duly gave rise to Isuzu developing a reputation in the automotive world for building rock-solid, off-roading workhorses.
While the Trooper – and other passenger-focused Isuzu models – are no more, the Isuzu D-Max is therefore the culmination of that expertise in the rough stuff wrapped in a sturdy, commercial suit.
That’s not to say Isuzu isn’t hard at work developing the D-Max range though. Indeed, next year will see the range expand to include Isuzu’s maiden BEV (battery electric vehicle), which will be one of the first of its kind to offer electric power in the pick-up segment.
2025 Isuzu D-Max: Dimensions, Loads & Body Styles
| Single Cab 4x2 | Single Cab 4x4 | Extended Cab | Double Cab | |
| Length | 5320mm | 5280mm | 5280mm | 5280mm |
| Height | 1770mm | 1790mm | 1790mm | 1790mm |
| Wheelbase | 3125mm | 3125mm | 3125mm | 3125mm |
| Load Length | 2290mm | 2290mm | 1785mm | 1520mm |
| Load Width | 1530mm | 1530mm | 1530mm | 1530mm |
| Load Depth | 465mm | 465mm | 500mm | 500mm |
| Maximum Payload | 1190kg | 1205kg | 1140-1155kg | 1085-1105kg |
| Braked Towing Capacity | 2500kg | 3500kg | 3500kg | 3500kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | 3000kg | 3100kg | 3100kg | 3100kg |
While the latest generation Isuzu D-Max certainly leans into the burgeoning ‘lifestyle’ demographic with its more premium trim levels, it hasn’t betrayed its commercial roots all the same.
It means the D-Max is the only pick-up truck on sale in the UK that offers a full range of cab styles – Single Cab, Extended Cab and Double Cab.
Indeed, while the likes of the Ford Ranger come in Single Cab guise and the Toyota Hilux can be had as an ‘Extra Cab’ – alongside the standard Double Cab with five seats - the D-Max satisfies the demand for all three.
Inevitably, the Single Cab with two seats is primarily targeted at commercial use, which explains why it has been reserved for the entry-level Utility trim only. The Extended Cab, meanwhile, can be had in Utility or DL20 trim, while the Double Cab can be had in Utility, DL20, DL40 and V-Cross trims.
Depending on the size of the cargo you regularly travel with will determine which body style suits you best.
The Double Cab offers a load length of 1520mm at a depth of half-a-metre making it one of the most generously spaced models in the class versus the similarly sized Toyota Hilux. Though smaller than the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok, it is larger than the Maxus T60 MAX and KGM Musso.
In Extended Cab guise, the D-Max features two fixed seats at the front with two cinema-style fold-down seats behind to give the flexibility of a part-time four-seater. It offers a load length of 1785mm.
The two-seat Single Cab offers the most load space in the D-Max range, extending out to 2290mm, making it ideal for transporting timber, poles and other lengthy items.
Importantly, the Single Cab is not affected by the recent change in Benefit-In-Kind company car tax rules. Whereas Double Cab (and Extended Cab) models have been reclassified on the strength of offering four or more seats, the two-seat Single Cab is considered most likely to be reserved for commercial use and is therefore covered by the existing tax rules.
As well as being spacious, the D-Max also offers one of the biggest payloads in the class with the top-of-the-range Isuzu D-Max V-Cross’ 1105kg more generous than that of the Ranger and Hilux.
The highest-rated payload in the D-Max range, however, is the Single Cab 4x4 Utility which can handle a hefty 1205kg. The rest of the range is stated with offering a maximum payload of 1085kg or more.
2025 Isuzu D-Max: Engine, Performance & Powertrains
| 1.9TD Single 4x2 | 1.9TD Single 4x4 | 1.9TD Extended | 1.9TD Double Cab | |
| Powertrain | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel |
| Engine Capacity | 1898cc | 1898cc | 1898cc | 1898cc |
| Transmission | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual/Auto |
| Max Power | 161bhp | 161bhp | 161bhp | 161bhp |
| Max Torque | 360Nm @2500rpm | 360Nm @2500rpm | 360Nm @2500rpm | 360Nm @2500rpm |
| Max Speed | 112mph | 112mph | 112mph | 112mph |
| 0-62mph | 12.7secs | 12.7secs | 12.7secs | 12.7secs |
| Fuel Economy [WLTP] | 33.6mpg | 33.2mpg | 32.9mpg | 32.5mpg |
| CO2 [WLTP] | 220g/km | 223g/km | 226g/km | 227g/km |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 76 litres | 76 litres | 76 litres | 76 litres |
There is just a single engine option available across the Isuzu D-Max range – a 1.9 turbodiesel engine generating 161bhp.
It’s not one of the most powerful engines in the class with rivals such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Volkswagen Amarok offering more potent units.
However, pick-up trucks are not purchased for their outright performance, so it is in the details where the appeal of the D-Max comes to the fore.
Coming with the choice of a manual or automatic transmission, the D-Max is more sophisticated than Isuzu pick-ups of yesteryear, but it’s in the rough stuff that it really begins to impress.
Benefiting from a lot of suspension articulation to keep the wheels on the ground and a lockable rear differential on upper-end models in the range, the D-Max makes a case for being one of the most unstoppable off-road machines on sale today.
The addition of new off-roading modes in a recent update has only strengthened the D-Max’s rugged abilities, allowing it to make light work of slippery inclines and declines.
It also benefits from a torquey engine with lots of pull lower down in the rev range, making it ideal for towing.
It allows the Isuzu D-Max to have a maximum braked towing capacity of 3500kg, which is the most any pick-up truck model can handle.
There is also one quirky area where the D-Max does have an advantage over its contemporaries, because it is permitted to travel at the same national speed limits as passenger cars.
Laws in the UK prevent vehicles with an unladen weight exceeding 2040kg travelling at the same national speed limit as cars. This means on single-carriageways the erstwhile 60mph speed limit is reduced to 50mph for these models, while on dual-carriageways it is reduced from 70mph to 60mph.
This, however, doesn’t apply to the Isuzu D-Max since no version of the model exceeds 2040kg – unlike the Ranger and Hilux. As such, this law doesn’t need to be applied in the same way and allows drivers of a D-Max to travel at 70mph legally on dual-carriageways.
2025 Isuzu D-Max: Specification, Features & Safety
| Utility | DL20 | DL40 | V-Cross | |
| 1.9TD Single Cab 4x2 | X | |||
| 1.9TD Single Cab 4x4 | X | |||
| 1.9TD Extended Cab 4x4 | X | X | ||
| 1.9TD Double Cab 4x4 | X | X | X | X |
Four trim levels across three body styles are offered across the Isuzu D-Max range, from the commercial use-focused Utility up to the flagship V-Cross.
Standard equipment available with the entry-level Isuzu D-Max Utility includes:
- Choice of Single Cab, Extended Cab or Double Cab body styles
- Automatic Headlights with High Beam Assist
- 16 or 18-inch Steel Wheels
- 8-inch multifunctional colour touchscreen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bluetooth connectivity with USB port and DAB Radio
- Remote central locking
- Manual air-conditioning
- Height & reach adjustable steering wheel
- Steering wheel mounted controls
- Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS)
- Rough Terrain Mode (4x4)
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- Cruise control
- Hill start-assist and descent control
- Reversing camera
The Isuzu D-Max DL20 adds:
- Alloy wheels
- Body-coloured front and rear bumpers
- Front fog lights
- 4.2 multi-information display
- Speed sensitive power steering
- Rear parking sensors
- Heated front seats
The Isuzu D-Max DL40 adds:
- Chrome exterior styling
- Silver side steps
- Bi-LED headlights
- Six speakers
- Front and rear USB-C ports
- Dual zone climate control
- 7-inch multi-information display
- Leather upholstery
- Electric driver’s seat
The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross adds:
- Dark grey exterior styling, side steps and 18-inch alloy wheels
- 9-inch multifunctional colour touchscreen
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- ISOFIX child seat anchors
- Rear differential lock
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Leather upholstery
- V-Cross branded mats
The Isuzu D-Max has one of the strongest safety records in the pick-up truck class with the current generation model scoring a maximum five-seats in crash testing.
The D-Max scored well across the board with 86 per cent awarded for both adult occupant safety and child occupant safety, while its safety assist systems gained 83 per cent.
How Does The Isuzu D-Max Compare To Its Rivals?
| Isuzu D-Max 1.9TD V-Cross | Ford Ranger 2.0TD EcoBlue 170PS XLT | Toyota Hilux 2.4D-4D 150 Invincible | Maxus T60 MAX 2.0 | KGM Musso 2.2TD Saracen | |
| Powertrain | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel |
| Engine Capacity | 1898cc | 1995cc | 2393cc | 1996cc | 2157cc |
| Max Power | 161bhp | 168bhp | 150bhp | 213bhp | 199bhp |
| Max Torque | 360Nm@2500rpm | 405@3500rpm | 400Nm@2000rpm | 500Nm@2800rpm | 441Nm@2600rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 31.4mpg | 33.6mpg | 40.4mpg | - | 31.3mpg |
| CO2 | 235g/km | 220g/km | 259g/km | 239g/km | 237g/km |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 76 litres | 80 litres | 80 litres | 75 litres | 75 litres |
| Length | 5280mm | 5370mm | 5325mm | 5395mm | 5095mm |
| Height | 1790mm | 1886mm | 1865mm | 1870mm | 1870mm |
| Wheelbase | 3125mm | 3270mm | 3085mm | 3155mm | 3100mm |
| Load Length | 1520mm | 1638mm | 1555mm | 1485mm | 1300mm |
| Max Payload | 1105kg | 1081kg | 1025kg | 1050kg | 1205kg |
| Braked Towing Capacity | 3500kg | 3420kg | 3500kg | 3500kg | 3500kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | 3100kg | 3230kg | 3210kg | 3250kg | 3250kg |
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