When I saw the macho-looking Isuzu X-Rider kitted out in full outdoor garb at the local D-MAX launch in Mpumalanga, I knew that I'd have to take it on an adventure when it finally joined the Cape Town media fleet. And sure enough, a short while later it was mine for the taking.
A wild weekend getaway
I immediately booked a spot for us at Gecko Creek Wilderness Lodge, the gateway to the Cederberg Wilderness area. Since this specific X-Rider came optionally fitted with a canopy, Front Runner roof rails, Old Man Emu suspension, intensity spotlights, a snorkel, an imposing ARB front bumper and even a built-in cutlery/braai set fitted inside the side of the canopy, we felt we had to do the proper camping thing, as well as a bit of 4x4x'ing. But, the tyre gods had other plans for us. Despite the fact that the X-Rider had only been driven from school and back, we found that the right rear AT Grabber tyre was completely flat on the day we were supposed to leave, which was a public holiday. Henceforth, we only changed the tyre, and set off for the Cederberg, but decided we'd forego the serious off-roading in case we got another flat.
Country road...
From Hermanus it's a 3-hour drive via Worcester along the N7, and we quickly realised that all of the heavy kit and the snorkel do their bit to add weight and increase drag. Our fuel consumption was not looking great; usually the 2.5-litre turbodiesel Isuzu's consumption is in the region of 9-10 litres per 100 km, but ours was up to 12, and we weren't even driving 120 km per hour. But apart from that, it was a smooth and easy drive. An additional bit of power would have been nice too, because the heavy kit also meant stirring the 5-speed manual gearbox around more often. While 100 kW and 320 Nm is quite sufficient in the run-of-the-mill X-Rider, it struggled a little with all the extra kilos attached. And we really hoped Isuzu would add rear-parking sensors to the X-Rider at the time of the D-MAX launch, but getting out of tight parking spots is still hard on the spine.
Happy campers
Once you reach Citrusdal you're pretty much at the entrance to the Cederberg. A sign post shows a right turn to Algeria on a dirt road, and from there you see the Gecko Creek signage. As we missed the turn-off to the farm gate the first time around, it was a worthwhile detour as I spotted a large, bushy-tailed Caracal running along the side of the road and then diving into the bushes.
Upon arrival at Gecko Creek, we pitched our Coleman 5-man tent in under five minutes. You do have the option of staying in a little wooden chalet or the establishment's own canvas tents, but you still have to trek all the way to the ablutions should the need arise. The kitchen/braai areas are all shared, so if you have a secluded, romantic getaway in mind, this may be a little too 'backpacker' for you. The high-speed Wi-fi is fantastic though, and the entire lodge is beautifully looked after and well-equipped. If you're camping, you don't even need to bring cutlery, crockery or dishwashing liquid.
The abominable cave man
After a hard game of Scrabble and a good night's sleep in our cosy tent, we decided to head out for some local sightseeing in the depths of the Cederberg Wilderness area. Not feeling particularly frisky, we opted for a 60-minute drive to the Stadsaal (City Hall) Caves, where we wouldn't be required to hike for hours in order to reach the stunning, otherworldly landscape. The Stadsaal Caves are well-known in the movie industry, as many international films have been shot on this exact location. The entire area looks like it belongs on a Star Wars movie set, and strange rock formations give the entire area an eerie but beautiful, desolate ambience.
Once we had finished exploring the caves and checking out the bushman paintings nearby, we headed back on the dirt road. The X-Rider is so certain of itself on this surface, that I didn't even bother to take it out of 4x2 mode into 4H; all in the name of saving diesel, of course.
In a while, Crocodile
Despite being the end of April, back at camp it was around 36 degrees celsius at 2.30 pm. Our tent is wasn't in the shade (the shady spots are few and far between) so we decided to get the braai going. But, after a lazy lunch, we realised that a nap in the sun-drenched tent will be more akin to unconscious dehydration in a sauna. Exactly twenty minutes later, we've packed up our entire camp, and bid Gecko Creek farewell. Ah, it was good to be back in the potent air-conditioning and on the comfortable (standard) leather seats of the X-Rider! I quickly plugged my iPhone into the USB port, fired up Spotify, selected Easy 80's Roadtrip, and off we went with A-Ha's 'Take On Me' in our ears, the tyres conjuring giant dust clouds behind us. The N7 and R43 were busy, and we only reached a cool and misty Hermanus at 8.30 pm.
Lessons learned
Despite being a little shorter than we had anticipated, our Cederberg trip was a great success and we were delighted by the region's beauty and more than comfortable enough in the X-Rider. We also learnt a valuable lesson or two:
1. Don't get a flat tyre on a public holiday before embarking on a 4x4 trip. (Ha, not much you can do about this! However, having a can of tyre sealant spray handy can be planned for.)
2. If you plan on adding off-road kit to your bakkie, don't go overboard. Remember that the heavier your vehicle is, the more fuel you will use. The snorkel is nice to have, but how often will your X-Rider be wading through water? It really increases wind resistance, so think twice. (We also recommend reading 10 Practical tips for those considering installing a snorkel on their vehicle.)
3. Bigger is better you're going to tow very heavily or have lots of extra weight attached. If hardcore 4x4'ing is in your blood, and you simply can't do without all of the added extras, the 3.0-litre D-MAX will do better than the 2.5-litre derivatives.
Lastly, a bit of practical advice: Don't just take your Isuzu anywhere to have off-road equipment fitted. Isuzu and 4x4 Mega World have joined hands in order to get your D-MAX (or KB, or MU-X) safari-ready, but without affecting your current Isuzu warranty. Select off-road gear from 4x4 Mega World can be included in your car finance too. (More recently, OEMs such as Nissan and Ford have also joined the party.)
Prices for the *X-Rider are as follows:
- Isuzu D-MAX 2.5 TD double cab X-Rider, R430 800
- Isuzu D-MAX 2.5 TD double cab 4x4 X-Rider, R479 600.
*The X-Rider can be differentiated from the other D-MAX double cabs by its black grille with a red Isuzu badge, blacked out B-pillars, tubular side steps, a black sports bar and 18-inch black alloy wheels. It gets a 2.1-tonne rated (braked) tow bar. The latest X-Rider now has projector-style headlamps and daytime running lamps, as well as front fog lamps.
Click to read Quick comparison: Single cabs - The new Isuzu D-Max vs. Toyota Hilux here.
