UNLESS you are a hard-core off-road driving enthusiast,a roofer or a builder, you may not be familiar with the Isuzu name but the company is no johnny-come-lately to the automotive market. In fact, it's one of Japan's oldest car makers.

Isuzu entered the UK market way back in 1987, but the company's origins can be traced as far back as 1916 when the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding & Engineering Co ventured into automobile production in a deal with the Tokyo Gas and Electric Company.

Having no experience in car making the company did a deal with the British Wolsley company to build its models overseas. The firm despatched six engineers to Britain tasked with learning everything needed to start vehicle production at a new factory in Fukagawa.

The first car (a Wolsley A9) rolled off the production line in 1922 and the first Isuzu branded model - named after the Isuzu river- emerged in 1933.

This led to a Government contract to build trucks, the development of Japan's first diesel engines and, after the war, a new deal to build Hillman passenger cars signed with the Rootes Group.

When the Rootes Group ran into domestic problems, Isuzu cut loose and signed deals with Subaru, Nissan and later, General Motors ( a move which opened up the US market to its commercial vehicles).

Despite producing a full range of passenger cars (including the Florian Aska saloon, which won its class on the RAC Rally in 1983), Isuzu today is best known in the UK for its range of go-anywhere pick-ups.

And although it was an early entrant in the SUV market with the Trooper, a Discovery wannabe for cash-strapped off-roaders, and - in a roundabout way - the Vauxhall Frontera, which was a re-badged Isuzu MU, Isuzu has left the 'lifestyle' market largely untapped - until now.

The D-Max V-Cross has been handed the job of spearheading a new assault on the market for people who fancy something more rugged than a RAV4 and need the practicality of a pick-up.

But there's no such thing as a free (ploughman's) lunch so some compromises are required.

The 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel may boast 162 bhp and 266lb/ft of torque, but mated to the D-Max's six-speed automatic gearbox progress is best described as 'leisurely'. Isuzu says the 'box is 25% quicker at shifting ratios than it was but, in town, the D-Max finds itself at a disadvantage to smaller, lighter cars which have superior acceleration. On country roads the suspension isn't as compliant as a road car but the D-Max can cruise all day at 70mph on a motorway. A six-speed manual gearbox is available if you'd prefer to change gears yourself.

Where the D-Max does score points over its saloon-car rivals is in practicality.

It's perfect for towing a trailer or a caravan and the load bed itself is plenty big enough for trips to the tip. The test vehicle came with a factory-fitted hardtop which transforms the load bed into a huge boot, protecting your luggage from the elements as well as adding extra security. The payload capacity is a hefty 1000kg.

The D-Max is a formidable beast off-road, too. The 800mm wading depth means you can tackle streams and floods with confidence. The chassis has extra underbody protection from rocks and mud, while the D-Max has a full suite of electronic aids such as hill descent control and the interchangeable four-wheel drive system is standard across the range.

Even if you've no interest in venturing off the road, it's reassuring to know the D-Max is highly unlikely to get stuck when it snows. This is a vehicle designed to get you where you need to be regardless of the weather conditions and terrain.

It's the same story in the cabin where the fascia trades soft-touch plastics for hardened materials better able to withstand a no-nonsense lifestyle. Build quality is good and we would have no qualms about using this as a working vehicle. The surfaces are designed to wipe clean so there's no need to worry about a bit of mud.

Of course, no lifestyle vehicle worth its salt would eschew a touch-screen and full smartphone integration, so the D-Max system has been upgraded for this year.

The 9.0 screen has 1200x800 pixels for a pixel density of 167 pixels per inch. At a normal viewing distance the pixels are invisible to the naked eye.

The system is generally responsive and easy to use thanks to large icons and a snappy processor.

Thankfully, beneath the touchscreen is a row of physical buttons for the home page, satellite navigation, the music menu, a back button, volume, advancing between tracks/stations and a map display button.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both catered for; connection is near instantaneous once a phone is paired. Drivers can use their phone's voice command assistant to play music, navigate and make hands-free calls. Beyond smartphone integration, the D-Max features AM/FM and DAB+ radio tuners. Music can also be streamed through Bluetooth and played via USB.

Finally, there's the D-Max's price - which pretty much undercuts all the competition - and the reassurance of a five year warranty.

What more could you want? This pick-up is the perfect pick-me-up.