All posts by Macfivenews

Motoring and travel journalist, opinionated gob on a stick
Isuzu, Pick-up/4x4

Stylish and practical pick-up

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Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

By Bill McCarthy

When it comes to pick-ups, it’s no longer just how capable the vehicle is off road, although that is pretty vital in most cases.

But these days it’s as much about the catwalk as the dirt track.  I have said before that the Isuzu is an impossibly stylish pick-up and nothing in the latest version has altered my opinion.

Obviously, there are model grades offering different levels of comfort, trim and equipment, not to mention double cab, extended cab, single cab, open top or closed cargo bay.

But the double cab is surely the most appealing of this dual-purpose vehicle with its five seat arrangement and comfort to match most family saloons.

But it’s unusual for a range-topper, like the V-Cross driven here, to be the best selling version of a particular model.

Maybe that is not surprising as it clearly is a dual purpose vehicle, offering off-road ruggedness and impressive load capacity, married to car-like comfort, surprising economy and an attractive purchase price when you take into account standard equipment. This range topper will set you back £33,849 plus VAT.       

Thanks to its upgraded suspension, 3.5t towing capacity, shift-on-the-fly 4WD system with locking rear differential and one-tonne-plus payload, it now offers even more than ever, with high-end interior and plenty of standard equipment.

Clearly its workhorse credentials are self evident. But addressing practical problems, such as boot capacity for family items such as shopping and household goods on this open back version, needs a bit of creativity while still allowing for transporting  the likes of pallets, fence panels or bags of cement.

Netting strapped to lashing points and investing in a metal roll top could be one answer.

It looks the part decked out with gunmetal grey bold new grille and running plates, together with colour-coded door mirrors and bumpers. It also features LED lights, day time running lights and a clever damped tailgate on the open cab.

It sits on snazzy 18-inch six-spoke alloys with tyres, designed for off-road, but more than capable of delivering a reasonably comfortable ride on-road,

The double cab means five are carried in reasonable comfort and major functions are operated via a nine-inch touchscreen, while a 4.2 inch display gives vital driver information. 

Other features include eight speaker sound system, push button starter, auto dimming mirror, dual zone climate control and  multi-function steering wheel.

The roomy interior also features powered and heated, multi adjustable leather-style seats and V-Cross branded mats.

Also included is a raft of safety kit and, importantly for such a long vehicle, rear camera. It  is the only pickup in the UK to have a rear radar fitted as standard on all double cab variants together with rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitor and emergency lane keeping.

The vehicle is powered by a 1.9 litre diesel engine, with auto transmission and on-the-fly capability of selecting four wheel drive. The firm says it is built to endure the harshest conditions, with a 250mm ground clearance and no compromise on vehicle handling and stability.

The 162bhp engine is more than capable of delivering the grunt needed for serious off-road work, while at the same time offering enough pace on road to more than cope with both general and motorway driving. Economy is surprisingly good with a claimed 36-odd mpg seeming pretty much near the mark.

The modified suspension means it can cope with extreme terrains, but does not make you feel seasick when on flat roads. Although you cannot escape some wallow on corners, it is surprisingly agile for such a big beast. 

In addition there is the 125,000 mile/five-year warranty and five-year roadside assistance to offer quite a tempting package.

Factfile

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross Double Cab Auto

Price: £40,549 inc VAT

Mechanical: 162bhp, 1,989cc, four-cylinder diesel engine driving four wheels via six-speed auto gearbox

Max speed: 112mph

0-62mph: 12.7 seconds

Combined mpg: 30.7

Insurance group: 50

CO2 emissions: 241g/km

BIK rating: 37 per cent

Warranty: 5yrs/125,000 miles

Motoring

Sporty with a touch of character

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SEAT Arona

By Bill McCarthy

SEAT’s baby SUV faces stiff competition in a market overflowing with excellent products, but is a stylish and reliable competitor that offers something a bit different.

Smart, sassy, stylish and desirable, SEAT along with sister brand CUPRA, is the sportier arm of the VW group.

Recently facelift the exterior has been tweaked, while there are more comprehensive changes to the interior and an upgrade in connectivity.

There’s a change to the trims available with SE, SE Technology, FR, FR Sport, Xperience and Xperience Lux ,which has replaced the Xcellence, together with a choice of 10 colours.

Sportier styling is part of the DNA of SEAT in the wider VW group and  its sharp sculpted lines and creases remain, but there is a new grille, front bumper and new, repositioned foglamps, smart black roof rails and protective side moulding.

The lights include LED technology and other neat improvements are smart 17 or 18-inch alloys, while at the rear the sporty theme is enhanced by a spoiler and diffuser, twin exhaust pipes, while the model’s Arona name is in embossed handwritten lettering on the boot.

Despite its size, the commanding driving position gives the feeling of driving a larger vehicle. It offers plenty for the money with even the entry SE offering 17-inch alloys, bi-colour roof/body, hill hold control and air conditioning, double boot floor and automatic headlights.

In addition there are height adjustable front seats, split folding rear seats, flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, cruise control, speed limiter and lane assist, auto dimming rear-view mirror, and electric front and rear windows.

The FR Sport driven here, is, as the name implies, an evern sportier version and features microsuede, heated sports seats,18-in  alloys, tinted rear windows, electric folding doorr mirrors, ‘see me home’ lighting, interior ambient lighting and rain-sensing wipers.

The centre screen is the brain of the car where infotainment and connectivity while this model features the clever digital cockpit for driver information. 

The centre screen controls built-in sat-nav, a DAB radio, wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. It is fully connected with in-car and out-car connectivity, including wireless Full Link integration and SEAT Connect.

Users can remotely access their vehicle’s data, such as driving data, parking position and vehicle status including doors and lights. They can set-up speed alerts so you can be warned if someone using your vehicle is driving too quickly, area and anti-theft alerts, opening and closing of the doors with the remote lock and unlock service, or remotely activating the horn and turn signals to find the car more easily.

It cannot be denied that a compact vehicle of this nature has to make compromises with space. Even so, most people have sufficient head and legroom in the front, the rear is cramped, especially for those six footers.

Compact, but still practical, boot space remains at 400 litres increasing to 823 litres with rear seats folded to the top of seatbacks and 1,280 litres when loaded to the roof, while a double floor makes the rear even more versatile.

On the road the gutsy three-cylinder petrol engine delivers 108bhp with style, and mated to a DSG automatic, it hits 60mph in around 9.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 113mph. The steering is responsive and the handling, not surprisingly, sporty, while the ride is firm but not harsh.

It feels equally at home in town or on the open road.

Safety kit is comprehensive with driver and front passenger airbags, and side airbags also in the front with curtain airbag, plus electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic engine immobiliser.

Factile

SEAT Arona 1.0 TSI FR Sport 110PS manual 

Price: £25,225

Mechanical: 110ps, 999cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via six-speed manual gearbox

Max Speed: 121mph

0-62mph: 10.3 seconds

Combined MPG: 50

Insurance Group: 13

C02 emissions: 123g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000