Isuzu has upgraded the European spec V-Max pickup truck with a new 1.9-litre diesel engine. This is a four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 160bhp/360Nm of torque. It can be mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic with a shift-on-the-fly AWD system. The new engine is downsized from the current 2.5-litre unit that produces 134bhp/320Nm, but has a higher output.
The UK market top-of-the-line model (which has been featured here) is quite heavy on features. It gets touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, cruise control, leather upholstery and rear parking sensors as a part of the upgraded list.
No changes have been made to the exterior except for the addition of LED daytime running lights which have been added as a part of the new safety regulations. The V-Max still retains its butch design and can be had as a single cab, double cab and extended double cab.
Will we get this upgraded V-Max in India? We would like to believe so as these feature upgrades are now standard options for a vehicle priced in the same bracket as the V-Max. The advantage that the V-Max has is that it is currently a niche offering in this part of the market.
