Isuzu has been absent from the Indian market for over a year now, in the passenger vehicle segment. The Japanese UV manufacturer has finally updated its BS6 portfolio. The BS6 updated D-Max will be offered in three trim levels- Highlander, V-Cross Z and V-Cross Z Prestige.
This base-spec trim will be carrying the name Hi-lander as seen in the branding worn by it on its front fender. It is essentially a little more premium version of D-Max S-Cab which is used strictly for commercial purposes. This iteration of the pickup truck is very barebones and only offers the essentials.
The D-Max Hi-lander gets a basic and modest-looking interior with hard plastic panels given all-black treatment. A glossy black treatment is seen on the air-con vents surround. It only offers necessities such as a manual Air conditioner; 12V charging sockets at front and rear; power windows and a fairly large instrument console with two analogue dials with a new digital colour MID. It also misses out on a basic stereo system. It gets basic 3-spoke steering with no controls.
On the other hand, the top-spec V-Cross Z Prestige has a premium finish dashboard featuring Piano Black highlights with soft-touch panels. The interiors of the pick-up truck flaunt features such as a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen unit with USB input, DVD, AUX, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry and go, steering-mounted controls, rear parking camera and automatic climate control. For the first time, D-Max V-Cross has been equipped with an engine start/stop button.
Exterior highlights of the V-Cross variants include Bi-LED Auto-Levelling Projector headlights, a Shark-Fin Antenna with Gun-Metal Finish and a stylish sidestep that adds a sportier appearance. It rides on 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels while the base-spec model has to make do with 16-inch steel rims.
The most pleasant update is the new BS6 compliant 1.9-litre Ddi diesel motor which replaces the older 2.5-litre oil burner offered as standard across the D-Max range. The new powertrain is tuned to return 161 bhp and 360 Nm of peak torque which is a bump of 13 bhp and 10 Nm.
This unit will be exclusively coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox and will be offered with rear-wheel-drive only in the base Hi-Lander trim. The higher-spec V-Cross variants have been offered with a 6-speed automatic transmission as well as an all-wheel-drive function.
Not only the pick-up truck but the Japanese carmaker has also introduced a BS6 updated version of its premium seven-seat MUX. It is available in two variants- 4×2 and 4×4 with prices pegged at Rs 33.23 lakh and Rs 35.19 lakh (both prices ex-showroom).
It ditches the older 3.0-litre oil burner for the same 1.9-litre Ddi diesel. Transmission duties are carried out by a 6-speed automatic gearbox as standard. It rivals the likes of other ladder on frame premium SUVs such as Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and MG Gloster.
This post was last modified on May 11, 2021 8:25 am