What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

The What Van? Road Test: Isuzu Grafter

Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Driving

With a 800kg test load on-board our Grafter accelerated slowly away from rest, but steadily gathered pace. Sourced from Aisin, the automatic transmission delivers power smoothly, with no jerking or hesitancy, and engine noise levels are less intrusive than we expected them to be.

The little tipper struggles with uneven road surfaces, and although the ride is acceptable, it is not one of its strong points. It is easy to manoeuvre at low speeds though – indeed its manoeuvrability gives it a major advantage in busy urban areas as well as down narrow rural lanes – and forward-control means that the vision from the driver’s seat ahead and to either side could scarcely be bettered.

A hefty steel-reinforced bumper should ensure that whoever is at the wheel doesn’t feel exposed to front-end bumps and bangs.   

The steering tightens nicely at high speeds, with no hint of sloppiness, and delivers plenty of feedback. That said, over-enthusiastic cornering is not something to be encouraged given that the Grafter cage tipper appears to have a comparatively-high centre of gravity. 

Take it steady, and you should be absolutely fine.

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