- Order books open for new Isuzu D-Max AT35
- Built in conjunction with Iceland’s Arctic Trucks
- Extreme off-roader with wideboy styling
- Same 1.9-litre engine as regular D-Max
- Price from £57,005.
Serious off-road performance meets commercial strength with the new Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35, with order books now open.
The aggressive, wide-arched AT35 represents the pinnacle of the Isuzu D-Max pick-up range.
It’s built in conjunction with Arctic Trucks, an Icelandic engineering company that specialises in converting all-wheel drive vehicles for extreme off-road environments, including polar regions, deserts, and remote expedition routes.
And the D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 takes the regular D-Max and cranks-up its capabilities, coming with 35-inch tyres, Bilstein suspension with a raised ride height, and a wider, more impressive stance.
It’s available exclusively as a double cab automatic model.
Here’s everything else you need to know - including how it drives.
How powerful is the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35?
Despite its sporty looks, the D-Max AT35 is no more powerful than any other D-Max.
It uses the same tried-and-trusted 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine which develops 164 PS and 360 Nm of torque.
In terms of rivals, you might immediately look at the Ford Ranger Raptor, which has equally imposing exterior styling.
The Raptor, however, is much more potent, offering up to 292 PS, 500 Nm of torque, and the ability to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.9 seconds.
What’s they payload and towing capacity of the Isuzu D-Max AT35?
The good news for anyone considering leasing the D-Max AT35 is that you don’t have to compromise on payload and towing capacity - unlike some other performance pick-ups.
The AT35’s 1-tonne payload and 3.5-tonne towing outstrips the 680 kg payload and 2,500 kg towing capacity of the potent Ford Ranger Raptor.
Perhaps a better comparison pick-up is the Ford Ranger in Wildtrak X trim, which also has a wider stance and more ground clearance while offering a 1,056 kg payload and 3,500 kg towing capacity.
Is the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 good off-road?
The D-Max AT35 is built to handle the toughest of terrains and excels off the beaten track.
Its optimised Arctic Trucks Bilstein performance suspension system incorporates front springs and dampers, rear dampers, and body lift for a total elevation gain of +40mm compared with other D-Max models.
It also boasts a low centre of gravity, aided by the wider track and increased tyre width, which Isuzu says results in ‘a vehicle as confident on rocky trails as it is hauling tools or towing trailers across worksites and winding rural roads’.
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It enjoys approach, breakover and ramp angles of 35°, 34° and 29° respectively.
It also comes with shift-on-the-fly 4WD, a rear Differential Lock, and Isuzu’s unique ‘Rough Terrain Mode’, which is accessed via a button on the centre console and acts as an extended feature of the Traction Control System, reducing wheel spin while allocating power to the wheels with the most grip.
It’s a deeply impressive piece of tech - and we can say that with certainty having tested its limits on the slipperiest inclines imaginable (read that report here).
What standard equipment comes with the Isuzu D-Max AT35?
Lease customers will enjoy a widebody exterior design, flared fenders, oversized Arctic Trucks mud guards and side steps, 17-inch alloys clad in 35-inch tyres, leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8-speaker premium sound system, wireless phone charging, and a 7-inch digital driver information display.
A comprehensive ADAS safety suite includes adaptive cruise control and rear cross traffic braking.
What’s the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 like to drive on the road?
We recently got behind the wheel of the AT35 at the famous Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. While we didn’t take the AT35 off-roading (we’ve already tested the regular D-Max on heart-stopping terrain), we did point it at some winding and undulating mountain roads.
While there’s a little of the suspension judder you get with all pick-ups that aren’t heavily laden with goods, the AT35 handles well and feels very much like the V Cross version of the D-Max, which is no bad thing at all.
You sit noticeably higher, though, and that lofty ride height gives a commanding view of the road ahead as well as making it more capable off-road.
There’s a touch more road noise than you get with the standard D-Max but that’s to be expected from a pick-up that wears such massive off road tyres.
Would we like a little more power? Probably, yes, as it ran out of steam slightly going up the steepest of hills. But you can understand Isuzu’s logic here.
The 1.9-litre diesel engine is pretty much bulletproof and you don’t need huge amounts of power for off-roading, as low-end torque is king instead.
That relatively small engine also helps to keep the weight down, which is another big factor in being able to scramble up rocky outcrops.
All in all it’s an impressive package - and a pick-up where you get a whole lot of grin factor for hardly any compromises.
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