IN America they are all the rage but back in Blighty pick-ups are only just starting to attain similar iconic status as trendy lifestyle vehicles at surprisingly affordable prices.
A large vehicle such as Isuzu's Rodeo costs from under £10,000, which is less than many superminis despite its prodigious performance and towing abilities.
It has a towing capacity of up to 2,500Kg, a payload of up to 1,235Kg and 195mm ground clearance in the case of the entry point Rodeo 4x2 single cab.
Priced from £9,999, the 2.5-litre diesel base model single cab comes with a five-speed manual gearbox, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, power steering, MP3 player/iPod adaptor and RDS radio, key-operated central locking, digital tachograph compatibility, driver and passenger airbags and alarm/immobiliser. The five-seat Double Cab Denver Rodeo range starts with the, 2.5-litre Denver at £13,999 and peaks with the 3.0-litre, leather-upholstered, hard-topped and tailgated Denver Max LE from £19,999.
It has 18-inch chrome rims, mesh grille, chrome-finish bonnet, touch-screen SatNav with DVD playback, cruise control, air con and luminescent displays.
The ultimate Isuzu pick-up is the 3.0 Max LE Sport with a specially soundproofed double cab to make the most of the sophisticated Pioneer audio/navigation and rear passenger DVD system featuring a touch-screen 3D Sat-Nav with TMC, Bluetooth connectivity and a reversing camera.
There are 20-inch chrome wheels, rear lamp guards, chrome bonnet edge finisher, a mesh front grille with black backing, side-steps, a premium hard top, Xenon headlamps, rear door privacy glass and Sport badging. Prices for the manual and automatic models are £23,999 and £24,999 plus VAT.
With economy of 40mpg and a large tank, the average range between fill-ups is 800 miles, which is enough to go from John O'Groats to Lands End on a single tank.