How Isuzu revived the legendary VehiCross in SA with new D-Max bakkie

A quarter of a century ago, Japanese carmaker Isuzu unveiled the radically styled VehiCross – a vehicle nearly 10 years ahead of its time and the real pioneer of the modern crossover genre. Now, 25 years later, the designation has been revived locally as V-Cross, the top-line specification level for the latest D-Max bakkie range, writes News24 contributor Ferdi de Vos.

Parked next to the latest Isuzu D-Max double-cab – the VehiCross still looks coolly contemporary, and in terms of styling, it can still hold more than its own against modern crossovers such as the Nissan Qashqai, Juke, and Toyota CH-R. 

Fallaciously, the Qashqai is widely regarded as the first crossover, even though it was only presented in 2006 – nearly ten years after the VehiCross was introduced in Japan. And here is the clincher: both the VehiCross and the Juke were championed and designed by teams led by the revered Japanese designer, Shiro Nakamura.