ISUZU describes its D-Max as a pick-up without compromise and this philosophy is seen at its best in the Utah double cab.

It is a vehicle which is smart enough to be used as an everyday car and when fitted with a truck-top covering the load area it becomes a mega 4×4 estate.

The D-Max is one if the real lookers in the world of pick-ups and has proved it has what it takes to upstage some potent opposition.

It capitalises on Isuzu's long reputation of producing rugged and affordable utility vehicles, such as the Trooper which became a firm favourite in the UK and is still a familiar sight on our roads.

The aim with the D-Max was to create a pick-up that was tough on the outside and comfortable on the inside, while providing class-leading pick-up capabilities.

And in keeping with modern trends there is scope to accessorise the vehicle, as was seen on the test example which had a sliding load tray in the rear which made the carrying of heavy goods so such easier.

All the driver has to do is open the drop-down tailgate and press a button to slide the shelf out over the tailgate for the items to be loaded. It just remains to press the button again and the shelf slides back into the load area, so reducing strain and possibility of back injury when handling awkwardly sized and heavy items.

Under the bonnet is a powerful 2.5-litre twin turbo diesel which whisks the D-Max along at the pace of a saloon car. With a new chassis, new suspension and surprisingly brisk acceleration, the D-Max is a real front-runner in terms of pick-up driving enjoyment.

At the moment it faces some tough opposition from the likes of Mitsubishi and Volkswagen, but in overall terms this vehicle scores very highly.

It comes in three body styles - single, extended and double cab and in the world of work vehicles has some impressive stats such as class-leading load-lugging credentials with 3,500kg (braked) towing and 1,000kg payload capacities.

There are four basic specifications for the double cab which are Eiger, Yukon and Utah.

The Utah which features selectable all-wheel-drive comes with either six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, as was fitted to the test vehicle and proved itself to be smooth, even under heavy acceleration.

With 163ps on tap, combined with a hefty amount of torque this is a powerful and capable vehicle and in the economy stakes, a combined fuel consumption of 38.2mpg is not bad either. It is also covered by an impressive five-year/125,000-mile warranty.

The D-Max was developed from the old Isuzu Rodeo pick-up but is longer and features a wider track.

Owners and operators will benefit from ultra-low total cost of ownership, thanks to competitive insurance ratings, high expected residual values and low-cost contract-hire packages.

Residuals assessor, CAP Monitor, forecasts that the Isuzu D-Max 4×4 double cab will retain a class-leading 39.9 per cent of its original price after three years and 60,000 miles, bettering all of its key rivals by a significant margin.