Isuzu D-Max V-Cross Z 1.9 BS6 Review : Larger than Life

By Kedar Vaidya February 10, 2023

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The lifestyle vehicle segment is flourishing in India. Recent launches like the 3-Door Thar, Suzuki Jimny, and Toyota Hilux are proof for that claim. But this is the vehicle, the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, that really started it all. And then that you see here is the latest version for us Indians.

Exterior

Mammoth proportions and Chrome bling: The two terms that come to the top of my head while describing the exterior design of the V-Cross. While it may seem like an easy task to tart up a humble pick-up to a fancy lifestyle vehicle, it’s still some hard work to differentiate your successful line of commercial pick-ups from the lifestyle ones. And it surely is a job well done on the part of Isuzu’s designers.

The front facia is characterized by the massive grille that adorns a lot of chrome. There’s also a clever use of a chrome strip that runs across the width of the car, highlighting the upper border of the headlamps and seamlessly merging into the grille. The headlamps are bi-led units with projectors. The indicators though still use halogen bulbs, and so are the fog lamps.

The side profile reveals the humongous proportions of the V-Cross. Much of it is similar to the pre-facelift model. Save for the new 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. The tire size stands at 255/60 R18. There is a generous amount of space between the tires and wheel arches, leaving the potential for owners to upgrade to bigger tire sizes, which is a common sight for these trucks. While the rear is also largely the same as before, the tail lamps are now part LEDs for the brake lamps, although turn indicators are old-school halogen bulbs.

The test car you see here also has an appearance package that consists of additional chrome inserts over the exterior. The chrome headlight accents, the chrome finished extensions for door handles, the chrome garnish over tail lamps, and the chrome stripes over the tailgate are parts of that appearance package. If you don’t like too much attention, look elsewhere as the V-Cross is an attention magnet. Each and every set of eyes that gazes upon this rig widens and leads to a second/third glance or a prolonged stare. Catching sight of a V-Cross on the street is equivalent to spotting a lady dressed in red in a sea of grey suits. As exaggerated as that statement sounds, it is true. The V-Cross with its purposeful stance and heft is a refreshing sight among a sea of pseudo-SUVs, stylistically speaking.

Interior

Climb in the V-Cross and the familiarity continues its story here. There’s little to no change to the interior layout over the pre-facelift model. The most notable change is the all-black theme instead of the beige-and-black combination of the previous model. The top-of-the-line Z-Prestige model however gets Lava-Brown leather upholstery for the seats and leather paneling over the door panels. The infotainment system that you see here is the same old 7-inch unit that doesn’t get Android Auto/Apple Car Play or any sort of connected car tech. However, Isuzu has recently updated their range of vehicles with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system which does get Android Auto/Apple Car Play. There’s no connected car tech though. But that’s not what these cars are known for anyway. What they are known for is being durable and hard-wearing. And on that front, the V-Cross ticks the right boxes. The plastics and fit and finish have a sense of durability and toughness to them. There is a sense that all the buttons will work even after 10 years of heavy usage. The steering wheel gets audio controls as well as cruise control buttons(in the automatic variants). There is a digital MID in between the analog speedometer and tachometer which shows information like Odometer reading, Trip meters, Fuel range, and DPF levels.

The rear seats look upright but are supportive and comfortable. It could do with slightly more under-thigh support though legroom is plentiful. Our team, having traveled long distances (3000km) in a V-Cross back when it was launched in India, does vouch for the rear seat comfort. It is also equipped with an 8-Speaker surround sound system that has good audio quality to keep audiophiles satisfied. Other convenience features include AUX, USB charging port, one touch driver window, and electrical seat adjustment for the driver seat (only on Z-Prestige 4×4 AT). Overall, the interior of the V-Cross, albeit looking slightly dated, strikes a good balance between durability, comfort, and space.

Driving Experience

The talking point here has to be the new 1.9-liter turbo inter-cooled diesel mill. With the BS6 update, the power and torque figures now stand at 163 bhp and 370NM, a jump of 13 bhp and 20Nm over the BS4 iteration. This new engine is said to be more than 50% lighter than the 2.5-liter engine it replaces and has fewer moving parts. That’s good on the reliability front as well as NVH and smoothness. And smooth it is! The typical diesel clatter associated with diesel engines sounds very muffled. Release the clutch and the big truck gets going effortlessly. The low-end grunt is good but the old 2.5 liter felt more eager when it comes to lower revs. Further, in the rev range, there is a noticeable lag. However, once the revs touch 1500 rpm, the power delivery is strong and the V-Cross pulls hard in every gear. The engine refinement and smoothness are remarkable, a big leap ahead of the 2.5.

You can get the V-Cross with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter auto, sourced from Aisin. Also, unlike before, you can have the V-Cross as a 4×2 auto. The clutch on the manual version has a long travel and is on the heavier side. The gear lever also has a long throw and requires some muscle to shift through cogs. This would probably push most people to opt for the 6-speed auto, which we hear is a great setup. The V-Cross, based on a ladder frame and sporting leaf spring rear suspension, tends to feel floaty at the rear. Load the bed up with some weight and the floatiness is taken care of to some extent. With no weight though, the rear end does sometimes get loose, especially over loose surfaces. Word of caution for those who opt for 4×2. We suspect the V-Cross might struggle to climb steep basement approach roads, especially if wet. Do check that aspect out over a test drive before making the choice.

Over broken roads, there are some vertical movements but that aside, the Isuzu V-Cross simply laughs those off. The tough-as-nails feel that you get behind the wheel inspires confidence to take on terrain that one would think twice about in other vehicles. The shift on the fly 4×4 transfer case aids on that front. The length of the vehicle is a limiting factor in serious offroading. Of course, there are tons of options in the aftermarket to counter that problem. Over paved roads, the V-Cross performs well in turns. There’s no surprise that it would have some body roll, but it is fairly well contained. In fact, one would be surprised by the kind of speed you can carry through a corner before the V-Cross breaks some sweat. Isuzu has brimmed the V-Cross with safety features like ABS, EBD, Traction Control, Hill Hold Assist, 6 airbags (only on Z-Prestige 4×4 AT) which are standard across the whole range.

To sum up the drive experience, the V-Cross puts a smile on one’s face and makes you look forward to the next drive, even if it happens to be the usual commute to work.

Verdict

Isuzu V-Cross Review MotoArc

Call them the perks of our job, that we get to drive different types of cars all the time. A person drops them at the office, we enjoy the vehicle for a few days and then the aforementioned person takes it back from us. It’s always the Isuzus that are the hardest to say farewell to. The Isuzu V-Cross isn’t a practical buy (Although pick-up trucks are all about practicality…funny how that works). Ask any Isuzu V-Cross owner why he bought it. And the answer would never be ” I/We needed a vehicle.” It will always be “I WANTED the V-Cross.” At Rs. 22.96 lakh (ex-showroom) for the 4×2 and Rs. 23.44 lakh (ex-showroom) starting price for the 4×4, it isn’t exactly what you call cheap. However, apart from the fact that there is no other option at this price point, the V-Cross is a compelling package and ticks all the right boxes. It is indeed a special vehicle that tugs at the strings of your heart. Sure, we achingly wait for the new V-Cross to debut in India, which has been on sale in other markets for quite some time now. Until then, the 2021 Isuzu D-Max V-Cross 1.9 Z gets a big thumbs up from our side.

Last but not the least, do check out the official website to check out the offers available over the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross lineup.

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Kedar Vaidya

An utter car guy, he’s the guy on the keyboard. Driver’s seat is his place for solace. Apart from talking cars and driving, Kedar also spends a fortune on die-cast miniatures of them, especially old American Muscle. He loves to understand his ride fully and once he does, he loves to explore its limits. American Hotrodder David Freighburger is his icon, while he dreams to daily drive a 68′ Dodge Charger some day.