Latest news with #Isuzu
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Living with the Isuzu Hi-Lander pickup: Can it tackle the urban jungle?
Traversing through a sea of hatchbacks, white cabs, and compact/subcompact SUVs in Mumbai, we are driving the Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander pickup, the oddball amidst everything else around us. The only common factor is the Mumbai monsoon that spares no one, much like its roads. There is a difference, however. I haven't bothered to slow down over the last pothole or the one before that or that occasional puddle of water on one side of the road. Heck, I've not even slowed down when a waterlogged street required me to do so. The Hi-Lander may not be the practical choice for a dense city like Mumbai, but it's surely turning out to be a wise choice on a rain-fested afternoon like this one. No stereo, auto climate control, and electrically adjustable ORVMs may be deal breakers for some, but the Isuzu Hi-Lander does so much else, so much better. We spent some time with it braving the Mumbai monsoons. The Hi-Lander is basic in its looks and equipment but offers a lot more in terms of capabilities Isuzu Hi-Lander: Basic But Capable The Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander is the base trim in the D-Max pickup range. You've met the more modern and desirable V-Cross trim, but the Hi-Lander is bare bones. Call it basic for what it has to offer. Our test unit is devoid of niceties like electrically adjustable ORVMs, auto climate control, and a stereo system, which would otherwise be deal breakers for some. With the Hi-Lander, the purpose is a lot different. It does so many things differently, so much better. The halogen headlamps and blacked-out grille all scream basic, yet essential. But it's not bare-shell. The blue paint scheme on our test car looks nice and upmarket, while the wheels come with covers that look like alloys from a distance. It's tall, wide, and unapologetic. But the lack of rear parking sensors is concerning, given its mammoth size. Isuzu tells us the latest model on sale is better equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), traction control, Hill Descent Control, auto climate control, rear de-fogger, three-point seatbelts for all seats, along with an occupant detection sensor, and an idle stop system. The Hi-Lander does not offer a stereo system, far from the touchscreen-intensive cabin of today's cars The cabin is equally nice from a basic standpoint. The black and grey fabric upholstered seats offer decent support, while the MID unit stacked between the twin-pod instrument console gives you all the essential information. The plastics feel sturdy, if nothing too fancy, and you know, this won't be rattling too much even after rough use over a few monsoons. Isuzu Hi-Lander: When Work Calls The Hi-Lander is easily not the most friendly in the city. The massive proportions of over 5 metres in length make this quite the poser. The loading area gives it a utilitarian feel. Those looking up to you from their humble cars are equal parts in awe and confusion. Easy to mistake one for the outdoorsy type, I get why. However, driving one in the city gives you the same brownie points as a full-size SUV. The three-wheelers make way for you, and so do the hatches. And like I said earlier, no pothole is too big to slow you down. The 1.9-litre diesel has the old-school grunt. The clatter is distinctive and the motor is audible with a long-travel clutch for company. Not the most ideal in bumper-to-bumper traffic This is one of the few offerings still in the market that offer a rather raw driving experience. The long-travel clutch and the gear shifter are nothing like what you expect from a conventional compact SUV. It's a pain to drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Heck, I'm pretty sure my testosterone shot up driving the Hi-Lander, that's how much of manual labour it feels. The door closes with a reassuring thud, and the pickup comes to life with that distinct diesel clatter. The Hi-Lander transports you back to the early 2010s when diesel power wasn't seen with an 'end of the world" gaze. The 1.9-litre diesel engine is as old-school as it comes. Power feels aplenty with 161 bhp and 360 Nm of peak torque, while the 6-speed gearbox channels the power to only the rear wheels. Yes, there is no 4x4 available on this mover. It's enough to get by in the city, especially with torque kicking in from just under 2,000 rpm. There is always a surge waiting for you when you want to overtake or simply coast on the highway in sixth gear at 90 kmph. This feels right at home. The deck has a carrying capacity of 225 kg, enough to move houses and then some Isuzu Hi-Lander: The True Purpose But the biggest selling point remains its massive deck that can help move things. Just when I needed to test its capabilities to the fullest, the perfect opportunity arrived when a friend asked me to help her move houses. It's nice when the stars align and allow you to flex the hardest. The deck has a carrying capacity of 225 kg, more than enough to carry boxes of home decor, furniture, clothes, and even plants. Our test unit was also equipped with the lockable hard lid covering the deck, just what you need during the monsoon season. Outside of the actual labour of getting these in and out of the pickup, this was as direct as it gets. On another occasion, we had to move a family of four after dinner at a restaurant since there was no local transport available. We were the only ones left and decided to lend a helping hand in the Hi-Lander. Good thing the rear seats were big enough to accommodate the unexpected extra load. In a way, the pickup has done it all - move things and people - its primary purpose after all. What's even better is how the suspension settles at cruising speeds. The clunks from the suspension are audible at low speeds, and there is a lot of rebound once you go over broken roads. But load the deck up and show the Hi-Lander flat tarmac, and the pickup settles down very well. The extra payload helps with the damping at the rear, and you will enjoy a rather nice experience. Yes, it's not as refined as an SUV, but it's not as basic as a goods mover either. The Hi-Lander is available at the same price point as several compact SUVs but is a different flavour altogether Isuzu Hi-Lander: Should You Buy One? With a starting price of ₹21.80 lakh (ex-showroom), the Isuzu D-Max Hi-Lander is competing directly against compact and midsize SUVs. And honestly, if comfort and practicality are what you are looking for, everything else at this price point will be a better buy. The fact that this is a dated model globally, with a new generation already on sale in international markets, works against it. But the Hi-Lander offers something more; it could just be your ticket to freedom from the mundane life. I had myself dreaming of overlanding adventures in the Hi-Lander outside of the city grind. That's what it does to you. Everything will seem possible. From scouting for tents to building your rig or simply diving into the massive list of accessories available, this is a rabbit hole of possibilities. Do you want to dig deeper? That's for you to decide. First Published Date:
The Citizen
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Toyota and Ford dominate 2024's world's best-selling bakkie list
In an even split within the top 10, both brands featured three products apiece. Arch rivals Toyota and Ford occupy a total of six places within the top 10 best-selling bakkies lists of 2024. Image: Jaco van der Merwe Having taken first place with the previous generation RAV4 as the world's best-selling vehicle of 2024, Toyota has also ranked top as the best-selling bakkie manufacturer of the past 12 months. Global top 10 According to a six-month and 153 market research by renowned automotive analyst Felipe Munoz, the Hilux ranked above the Ford F-150 as the world's best-seller with sales of 618 200 versus 594 100. ALSO READ: Now 'replaced' Toyota named world's best selling car of 2024 Admittedly sold in more markets compared to the F-150's core of North America, the Hilux finished as one of three Toyota products within the top 10, its Stateside twin, the Tacoma, and full-size Tundra placing eighth on 215 600 and ninth on 179 400 respectively. Equally, the Blue Oval also filled three slots within the top 10, with the Ranger placing fourth on 386 900 and the F-250 tenth on 167 300. Out of the remainder of the first 10, General Motors occupied third and sixth positions with the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (418 300) and its upscale twin, the GMC Sierra 1500 (267 500), with Stellantis placing fifth on 282 300 with the Ram 1500 and Isuzu seventh on 262 200 with the D-Max. South Africa ranked In a separate report of the biggest non-US market bakkies, South Africa ranked in the top 10 of no less than six mainstream global products. These include the Hilux (4th), D-Max (4th), Ranger (5th), Nissan Navara (7th), Volkswagen Amarok (4th) and Peugeot Landtrek. Most likely as a result of all being locally produced, with production of the Landtrek supposed to start next year, the report doesn't mention any Chinese products, or the dated Mahindra Pik Up sold in fewer global markets. So far this year, South Africa's perennial top three, the Hilux, Ranger and D-Max, once again feature within the top 10 best-selling vehicles for the first half of the year, the former keeping its position at number one overall, followed by the Ranger at number two and the Isuzu at number five. NOW READ: South Africa's top 20 mid-year best-sellers of 2025 revealed
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Man killed in horror six-vehicle crash
A man has died after a horror six-vehicle crash involving trucks on a major road in Brisbane's east. Six vehicles collided on Old Cleveland Rd, Chandler at about 3.20pm on Monday. A 20-year-old Meadowbrook man travelling as a passenger in an Isuzu tip truck died at the scene. A man has died after a six-vehicle crash with trucks in Brisbane's east. Google Maps Credit: Supplied Police said another vehicle fled the scene before they arrived. Five others were assessed by paramedics at the scene. 'No one else was injured as a result of the incident,' police said in a statement. Anyone with information or footage of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Brisbane news live: Two meteor showers to light up Brisbane sky; Young man dies in six-vehicle crash; Crisafulli in hot seat for budget estimates
Posts area Latest posts Latest posts 6.50am Young man dies in six-vehicle crash on Old Cleveland Road By A young man died in a six-vehicle crash in Brisbane's south yesterday afternoon. The 20-year-old man was a passenger in an Isuzu tip truck when it was involved in a crash with five other vehicles on Old Cleveland Road in Chandler about 3.20pm. He died at the scene. One of the vehicles involved fled the scene before police arrived. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating and police are urging anyone with relevant information, or CCTV, or dashcam footage to come forward. 6.48am Crisafulli in budget estimates hot seat By Marissa Calligeros Premier David Crisafulli is in the hot seat at budget estimates today. Budget estimates, which are held each year, allow parliamentary committees to prise information from ministers and senior officials. Crisafulli will face questions today and is expected to be quizzed by his predecessor and Opposition Leader Steven Miles. 6.30am 'Managed' Haas on track for Broncos' clash with Souths Brisbane are managing the workload of prop Payne Haas but won't rest him from games and training for the sake of it as he continues to handle a back complaint with typical stoicism. The NSW front-rower is on track to play against South Sydney on Friday night after training with the Broncos on Monday. Haas has been coping with a lower back issue for most of the season, but that hasn't stopped him shining for the Broncos and the Blues. The 25-year-old warhorse was limping at the end of the 22-20 loss to Parramatta on Friday night after a knock to the ankle but scans weren't required and he trained on Monday. Broncos head of football Troy Thomson, who was high-performance manager for the premiership-winning Rabbitohs in 2014 and world champion Australian side, said the Broncos would continue to manage Haas's training for his own individual needs. 'If Payne can't play a game of footy of course we are going to give him a rest, but this whole notion that giving him a rest is going to fix him is not how the human body works,' Thomson said. 'Movement helps recovery. If you don't move, you get sorer.' 6.29am Australia has front-row view as two meteor showers peak By Angus Dalton It's showers with a chance of fireballs this week as two cosmic events converge to put on a dazzling double-act for those willing to seek out the dark, brave the cold and ditch their phones. 'We've got two meteor showers peaking at the same time,' Associate Professor Devika Kamath, an astrophysicist at Macquarie University, said. 'You see them really well from the southern hemisphere and Australia has a front-row view.' The Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower will reach peak intensity from Monday to Wednesday amid its annual six-week appearance. The Aquariids are the third-strongest meteor shower of the year, with up to 20 meteors zipping past per hour at the peak. The Alpha Capricornids shower is also firing up to near-peak levels on Monday night and will reach its brightest on Wednesday. The Capricornids shower is weaker than the Aquariids, with about five meteors per hour, but it can send unpredictable and dramatic bursts of light scorching across the sky. The best time to view the showers will be between midnight and 4am on the nights between Monday and Wednesday (July 28-30) when both cosmic events are at their most brilliant. Stargazers keen to catch a glimpse of the action should find a viewing spot away from light pollution such as buildings, street lights and car headlights and allow half an hour for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. 6.25am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is under threat from an emerging populist bloc on her party's right flank, threatening splinters on its contentious net zero emissions pledge, woke culture and immigration, as MPs fear a further slump in the polls. Toddlers at a Sydney childcare centre had their mouths taped shut by educators as part of a 'breathing exercise', prompting an investigation by the state's regulatory authority. The Australian Council of Trade Unions will demand that employers guarantee workers' job security before introducing artificial intelligence into their businesses, in a bold proposal that will inflame tensions before the Albanese government's productivity roundtable next month. Moving from a coal-dominated power grid to cleaner sources of energy may end up costing more than first thought, as CSIRO warns of higher construction costs hitting the industry and giant premiums involved in developing new generation technologies, including offshore wind farms, for the first time. And, US President and set a new deadline for Russia to end the war in Ukraine, urgently intensifying his demands on both global flashpoints. 6.21am The top news stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Tuesday, July 29. It should be another sunny day with a top temperature of 22 degrees, but a slight chance of late showers. In this morning's local headlines: Hailstorms will become more frequent in Brisbane as the climate warms over coming years, new modelling shows. A former reality television star who appeared on a popular cooking show allegedly dragged a complainant by the hair down a hallway, and then choked her against a wall, after a dispute involving tomato sauce. The Crisafulli government has called in Queensland's industrial relations watchdog to help end its pay dispute with public school teachers, just hours before the union's ballot on industrial action was due to close.
The Age
a day ago
- Sport
- The Age
Brisbane news live: Two meteor showers to light up Brisbane sky; Young man dies in six-vehicle crash; Crisafulli in hot seat for budget estimates
Posts area Latest posts Latest posts 6.50am Young man dies in six-vehicle crash on Old Cleveland Road By A young man died in a six-vehicle crash in Brisbane's south yesterday afternoon. The 20-year-old man was a passenger in an Isuzu tip truck when it was involved in a crash with five other vehicles on Old Cleveland Road in Chandler about 3.20pm. He died at the scene. One of the vehicles involved fled the scene before police arrived. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating and police are urging anyone with relevant information, or CCTV, or dashcam footage to come forward. 6.48am Crisafulli in budget estimates hot seat By Marissa Calligeros Premier David Crisafulli is in the hot seat at budget estimates today. Budget estimates, which are held each year, allow parliamentary committees to prise information from ministers and senior officials. Crisafulli will face questions today and is expected to be quizzed by his predecessor and Opposition Leader Steven Miles. 6.30am 'Managed' Haas on track for Broncos' clash with Souths Brisbane are managing the workload of prop Payne Haas but won't rest him from games and training for the sake of it as he continues to handle a back complaint with typical stoicism. The NSW front-rower is on track to play against South Sydney on Friday night after training with the Broncos on Monday. Haas has been coping with a lower back issue for most of the season, but that hasn't stopped him shining for the Broncos and the Blues. The 25-year-old warhorse was limping at the end of the 22-20 loss to Parramatta on Friday night after a knock to the ankle but scans weren't required and he trained on Monday. Broncos head of football Troy Thomson, who was high-performance manager for the premiership-winning Rabbitohs in 2014 and world champion Australian side, said the Broncos would continue to manage Haas's training for his own individual needs. 'If Payne can't play a game of footy of course we are going to give him a rest, but this whole notion that giving him a rest is going to fix him is not how the human body works,' Thomson said. 'Movement helps recovery. If you don't move, you get sorer.' 6.29am Australia has front-row view as two meteor showers peak By Angus Dalton It's showers with a chance of fireballs this week as two cosmic events converge to put on a dazzling double-act for those willing to seek out the dark, brave the cold and ditch their phones. 'We've got two meteor showers peaking at the same time,' Associate Professor Devika Kamath, an astrophysicist at Macquarie University, said. 'You see them really well from the southern hemisphere and Australia has a front-row view.' The Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower will reach peak intensity from Monday to Wednesday amid its annual six-week appearance. The Aquariids are the third-strongest meteor shower of the year, with up to 20 meteors zipping past per hour at the peak. The Alpha Capricornids shower is also firing up to near-peak levels on Monday night and will reach its brightest on Wednesday. The Capricornids shower is weaker than the Aquariids, with about five meteors per hour, but it can send unpredictable and dramatic bursts of light scorching across the sky. The best time to view the showers will be between midnight and 4am on the nights between Monday and Wednesday (July 28-30) when both cosmic events are at their most brilliant. Stargazers keen to catch a glimpse of the action should find a viewing spot away from light pollution such as buildings, street lights and car headlights and allow half an hour for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. 6.25am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is under threat from an emerging populist bloc on her party's right flank, threatening splinters on its contentious net zero emissions pledge, woke culture and immigration, as MPs fear a further slump in the polls. Toddlers at a Sydney childcare centre had their mouths taped shut by educators as part of a 'breathing exercise', prompting an investigation by the state's regulatory authority. The Australian Council of Trade Unions will demand that employers guarantee workers' job security before introducing artificial intelligence into their businesses, in a bold proposal that will inflame tensions before the Albanese government's productivity roundtable next month. Moving from a coal-dominated power grid to cleaner sources of energy may end up costing more than first thought, as CSIRO warns of higher construction costs hitting the industry and giant premiums involved in developing new generation technologies, including offshore wind farms, for the first time. And, US President and set a new deadline for Russia to end the war in Ukraine, urgently intensifying his demands on both global flashpoints. 6.21am The top news stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Tuesday, July 29. It should be another sunny day with a top temperature of 22 degrees, but a slight chance of late showers. In this morning's local headlines: Hailstorms will become more frequent in Brisbane as the climate warms over coming years, new modelling shows. A former reality television star who appeared on a popular cooking show allegedly dragged a complainant by the hair down a hallway, and then choked her against a wall, after a dispute involving tomato sauce. The Crisafulli government has called in Queensland's industrial relations watchdog to help end its pay dispute with public school teachers, just hours before the union's ballot on industrial action was due to close.
