Isuzu AT35 D-Max (2023) First drive review

At the very top of the double cab market sits a niche market dominated by flared arches, big wheels, and long travel suspension. Lifestyle off-road bakkies appeal to many and result in many a heated fireside chat. We drove the latest entrant to this segment on launch and can only see this argument heating up further!

A Bakkie with Bite

Isuzu has been a staple of the bakkie market in South Africa since the 80’s and is very pervasive on SA roads. Now in its seventh generation, the D-Max is enjoying renewed sales success in the double cab market with the likes of its LSE and V Cross models.

On the back of these successes, Isuzu has launched a brand-new derivative, the Arctic Truck 35, a chunky off-road biased lifestyle vehicle with capabilities far exceeding its price tag. We spent two days in the Outeniqua mountains outside of George putting this rugged machine through its paces, and this is what we found.

Explorers choice

For those not in the know, Arctic Trucks is a company made famous by a particular British motoring show on one of their “Specials”, wherein a modified Toyota Hilux was driven to the North Pole. Arctic Trucks will gladly modify your double cab of choice with all the kit your heart desires for your next overlanding expedition. Still, it is hellishly expensive and will void your manufacturer’s warranty. That is where the AT35 comes in, the AT35 is the only Arctic Truck kit that is assembled on a manufacturer’s main assembly line, such as the one at Isuzu in Gqherba along with standard D-Maxs’.

All AT35s’ start life as a standard D-Max, but along the line, they deviate with the addition of chassis strengthening, extra welds, brackets and painting, as well as uprated parts that you won’t find on standard models such as high-strength wheel bearings, suspension points and dampers.

Unabashed style

There is no mistaking an AT35, the wide arches and massive wheels and tyres ensure that the AT won’t go unnoticed. The arch kit adds over 200mm to the width of the standard D Max, and that is in order to accommodate the humongous 35-inch tyres from which it pulls its naming convention. Outside the very obvious modifications, the AT35 gets all the same kit that you will find in the top-spec V-Cross. Interior-wise, there’s a set of comfortable leather-bound and embroidered seats for driver and passenger and some AT branding around the gear selector and rubber floor mats.

A point that was highlighted to us is that Isuzu will be aligning their colour options so that the paint options will be the same across mu-X and D-Max, with both lines receiving their own model-specific specialty colour selections. On the D-Max and AT35 you have the option of a gray called Islay Grey and Norwegian Blue on the mu-X, with the other base colours such as reds, whites, blues, and silvers now matching.

Market player

I want to talk about the elephant in the room here, and that is where the AT35 has been placed in the market. It is plain for all to see that the AT35 is going up directly against the Ford Ranger Raptor in terms of appearance and price. Although the AT35 and Raptor are similarly priced and look the same, they could not be further apart in terms of the target market, which needs to be stressed.

The Raptor is a brilliant piece of kit that will appeal to a specific demographic that values style and speed over capability, whereas the AT35 is made for folks that want the looks while going places and doing things that the Raptor will struggle with. To put it another way, if one needed to drive in nails, a sledgehammer like the Raptor can do the job but a perfectly weighted carpenter’s hammer like the AT35 will do a better job, therefore the intended audience of each vehicle is completely different.

In a straight-up race the Raptor will trounce the AT35 every time but if one were to tackle, lets say, a wet and steep rocky incline that required low down torque at slow speed, the AT35 will surpass the Raptor, two very different uses indeed.

Power and drive on a tricky route

Under the bonnet of the AT35 is a 3.0l 4-cylinder turbo diesel that churns out 140kW and 450Nm. Mated to a slick-shifting 6-speed auto box, the AT35 is not going to set any speed records, but on the open road will cruise with aplomb and comfort. On gravel, it sits firmly and deals with undulations and rapid surface changes with barely a hiccup it is, however when the AT is pitted against near vertical rocky trails that it’s intended use becomes apparent.

The Outeniqua mountains are a perfect playground for the AT35, with winding gravel passes, challenging 4×4 trails, and stunning vistas in every direction. Our route took us out of George and directly inland to the adventurer’s paradise of the Attaquaskloof. Long sections of rutted gravel gave way to forestry roads, shaded evergreen forests, and then onto the deep valleys flanked by towering mountains.

The AT35 is beyond comfortable, having done this route previously in a completely different 4×4 and cursing every rock and tree stump after 6 hours in the driver’s seat, the AT35 was a breath of fresh air and after a long day of trails, we were actually looking forward to getting back in for a drive back to George.

Model and Pricing

Consumers will be looking at the pricing of double cabs now and wondering how on earth many of these vehicles are now in excess of a million rand. The lowly workhorse double cab has become so packed with features and tech that that is just where the pricing stands. Pricing on the AT35 may seem a tad steep when taking into consideration the pricing of similarly spec’ed machines.

Verdict

We do like the AT35, it is perfectly styled for the end of the market it plays in, and it is capable far exceeding its price tag, and then there is the question of exclusivity, Isuzu SA will only be building about 100 units a year which means that there are going to be very few of these floating about. The market for these types of vehicles is very niche and buyers will need to seriously consider the real reason they are buying in terms of vehicle use and of course the cost of ownership. It is going to be very interesting to see how this battle for lifestyle offroad machine plays out, and we may still be surprised when another player enters the fray.

Keyword: Isuzu AT35 D-Max (2023) First drive review