Imposing to look at AT35 is thoroughly off-road ready.
With the introduction last week of the second generation AT35, Isuzu, unwittingly, deposited its macho of macho-ist D-Max into a deep rut its 35-inch all-terrain tyres is unlikely to help it escape from.
Contrary to any rut found on an off-road course tough, the furrow in question has nothing to do with the Arctic Trucks fettled D-Max’s prowess off of the black stuff, but rather its classification as a rival for the Ford Ranger Raptor.
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A scenario Toyota continuously finds itself since introducing the Hilux GR Sport, Isuzu has emphasised that the D-Max AT35 isn’t and shouldn’t be viewed as an alternative to the Blue Oval’s offering.
In addition to lacking selectable drive modes, the AT35 doesn’t feature any added power to distinguish itself from the top-spec V-Cross on which it is based, nor does it have an reinforced chassis designed for high speed off-road driving.
Unsurprisingly, no matter it or Toyota’s denouncing, unobservant South Africa is unlikely to see it the same way and will no doubt make comparisons while also berating Isuzu for having missed an opportunity to create what has all the hallmark of the Raptor rival.
Besides the 35-inch BF Goodrich rubber wrapped around unique 17-inch alloys resplendent with a AT centre cap that gives the mini “Big Foot” D-Max its name, the AT35 receives a lift-kit developed specifically for it by Arctic Trucks, heavy-duty Bilstein dampers, AT35 branded side-steps and an off-road suspension.
As a means of fitting the wheels in the first place, Isuzu has extended the colour coded wheel arches and widened the front and rear tracks, while also equipping the AT35 with a new electronic actuator that engages four-wheel-drive in 0.61 seconds.
The result of the re-engineering done in-house at Isuzu’s Struandale Plant in Gqeberha is a ground clearance hike of 34 mm to 266 mm and a wading depth increase of 65 mm from 800 mm to 865 mm.
With the transformation, the D-Max AT35’s approach angle improves from 30 to 33-degrees, its departure angle from 18 to 23-degrees and breakover from 22.5-degrees to 34-degrees.
While arguably meaner looking than the Raptor, the message is still the same; view the D-Max as a off-road focused step-up over the V-Cross rather than liking it with the Dearborn’s high-flying Bird of Prey.
Viewed in this context, the D-Max has some substance to warrant its R1 120 620 price tag, a premium of R241 420 over the V-Cross.
For one, its butch persona and aggressive frontal design furnishes it with a look that won’t be frown upon in any sense by would be buyers.
Secondly, only 100 units per year will emerge from the Struandale plant, thus making it somewhat of an exclusive giant if not on the same level of its predecessor produced in batches of less than 80 a month.
A styling success it might be, the interior has been left as is and while no bad thing, remains a bit disappointing given who much effort has gone into making the AT35 a stand-out bakkie.
In fact, the sole alterations to the interior are AT35 decals at the base of the gear lever and on the front headrests of the leather trimmed seats.
The rest is standard D-Max V-Cross and inclusive of a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, an eight-speaker sound system, push-button start and keyless entry, LED headlights and a wireless smartphone charger to name but a few.
In this context, the AT35 appears underwhelming and anything but worthy of justifying its price premium over the V-Cross.
Where it fights back though its off-road and while the trip to George for the national media launch provided a noticeable hint of what to expect, the end result was anything but a foregone conclusion.
Located deep within the Outeniqua Mountains is the Attaquaskloof Pass that over 200 years ago, served as the main trading route from the future Western Cape’s inland to the coastal towns of George and Mossel Bay.
Parts of the route, known as the Ox Wagon Trail, is still travelable and surrounded by remnants of the past, notably the original but dilapidated structure that once served as toll both.
Getting there was, however, proved a mixed bag as the trek from George passed Mossel Bay and then off of the N2 presented little in the way of troubles.
A stretch of gravel road en-route to the trail made for a nasty surprise though as the suspension and tyres made for a horrible crashy ride that had my driving partner and I question what had gone wrong.
Unlikely to have presented tough going for a V-Cross, the AT35’s suspension, as well as the dampers, provided poor dampening and in some instances, not a lot in terms of control.
Later during the day, it was discovered that tyres were to blame as they were pumped too hard and thus, not ideal for anything but tar.
Once into Attaquaskloof though, everything changed as with low range engaged, the AT35 left both its occupants in comfort as it scaled the Ox Wagon trail without any hitches in a fashion that would potentially have scraped an V-Cross.
In spite of sharp rocks, bad washouts and a considerable drop to the valley floor below, the AT35 never bottomed-out or felt underpowered as the 140kW/450Nm from the 4JJ3-TCX 3.0-litre DDI turbodiesel engine provided ample low-down grunt to traverse the real bad sections of the route without feeling wanted.
A more extreme trek away from the Ox Wagon route, which required skill and a more articulate use of the throttle to maintain momentum, failed to provide any significant challenge either as the AT35 made light work of what could be classified as a grade four 4×4 route.
Admittedly, a badly rutted section uphill required the intervention of the diff-lock, but only as a result of too little momentum as bar one other AT35 failed to negotiate this section.
The conundrum presented by the Isuzu D-Max AT35 is an intriguing one as its market positioning leaves it with little in the way of competition.
As accomplished and capable it is, with the correct tyre pressures mind you, it’s premium over the V-Cross is still steep and besides the Raptor comparisons, will warrant questioning such as why Isuzu’s couldn’t have had at least extracted 10 kW from the engine.
A debate that will only linger for the foreseeable future, what won’t be questioned is the feel good factor and ease of old-school off-road use without requiring multiple driving modes or setting
In this regard, the D-Max AT35 makes a trifle more sense than standard, however, it won’t be for all and will have to live with a bird-sized shadow, unsurprisingly, flying overhead.
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