Admittedly, when our video producer Aaron Pagador and I were invited to go dune bashing with Isuzu Philippines and the D-Max, we were excited...and just a bit scared. Or perhaps, Aaron was excited, and I was just scared.
You see, before this event, I had little to no experience driving off-road, and neither did Aaron. Barring a short test track over slippery mud and some light river crossing, all of my motoring had taken place on familiar concrete and asphalt. But little did we know, we were in for more than just climbing sand hills.
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Right after landing at Laoag International Airport, we made our way to the dunes for base camp. There, we took off on a 1.5km practice course over some steep dips and rough sandy terrain. Aaron and I were able to shake off some jitters after a few runs and shave a few seconds off our lap times. It was a long day of travel and driving, but before we headed back, Isuzu had a big surprise.
To really put the D-Max through its paces, we were going to start our second day in Ilocos Norte with The Amazing Race-style activities around the cities of Laoag and Paoay. We had to take Isuzu’s famed pickup to go sightseeing, shop at the public market, and finally, complete a long 5km course back at the dunes.
You can check out our Ilocos adventure down below, and see how the D-Max performs as an off-roader and an urban companion.
