WHEN Maxus launched the T60 pick-up in early 2019, the main photo on the marketing material had a trailer carrying a tractor hitched to it. That immediately sent the message that it was meant to do a job, not to splash around in the mud or cross deep rivers.
In a market full of outstanding choices, pick-ups that boast of deep wading depths, fancy suspension systems, big bore and quick turbo spooling, and even just big wheels, fancy colors, and body graphics to update look and stance, the Maxus T60 is the boy sitting in the back of the classroom. The teacher won’t know how he performs until he is asked to do so.
And that is what I was able to ask the T60. “Just how good are you, kid?”
My impression is the T60 has not been getting a fair share of reviews–a lot of prejudice, veiled sometimes as technical jargon, and a lot of comparative putting down. The 2020 Maxus T60 Elite 4×4 I test drove is raw, honest, and capable to do its role without pretending to be a seasoned sportsman or a trail master. It has the power to do what is expected of it, and does it without attracting too much attention. It has its faults, but on its own and not to be taken in comparison to others.
First off, the T60 is traditional, but not conservative in its styling.
A lot of its visual appeal comes from the fact that it looks like it is cut from a single block of marble. Nothing too fancy, but nothing backward and retro. A very strong, muscular shape, bulbous where it should be and slim where it’s tight. If you are familiar with the stance of the Hi-Lux of a recent past, you know what I mean. It is not an old design, the large grille with the massive Maxus logo, surrounded by two trapezoidal headlamps is a fresh, recent design element. It is happy with 16-inch wheels and tires, instead of expensive 17-inchers.
The little bits around the vehicles, the side markers, the signal lamps, the lack of trim other than a subdued step board speaks about the nature of the T60–a salaryman off to do this work and earn his keep. To do that we go to the cargo side of things.
Two dozen pallets
My dad got a donation of two dozen wooden pallets, European specifications, ISO1, 31.5 inches x 47 inches with a thickness of 5.5 inches, each weighing about 25 kilos. Now that dozen pallets would not even log in the total weight capacity of 1,020 kilograms that T60 can actually handle. But that is enough to test the carrying capacity of the rear bed that measures 1510mm (59.44 inches) long by 1485mm (58.4 inches) wide and 530mm (20 inches) tall.
Seven pallets can stand side by side with three more pallets across the bed while two more on top. But lashing those with a tie-down exceeds the roof height of the pick-up and will mean two trips from Laguna to Parañaque.
So instead we dismantle the pallets (a good three hours of hammering and crowbars to get all two dozens safely on board. We had to line the pick-up bed with a thick tarpaulin to avoid scratching it as it does not have a standard bed liner but instead has a thick rubber coating. That load required 5 men to handle–300 kilos of wood is no mean feat. But all disassembled it just sat in the cargo bed nicely.
Construction site
The photos here of the T60 were taken at the soon-to-be completed Alaminos-San Pablo bypass road which also runs parallel to the TR-4 extension section of the South Luzon Expressway.
These infrastructure projects, planned and launched during the past administrations of former presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Benigno Aquino III. Prior to this, plans to construct the extension began as far back as the Marcos administration, before being approved during the Ramos administration.
I have previously driven over part of the Sto. Tomas to Makban section which is nearly 11 kilometers long. The whole TR4 extension traverses 57 kilometers all the way to Tayabas, and then Lucena in Quezon. The five sections of the road are as follows: entry point at Santo Tomas all the way to Makban, Laguna (10.58km) which has convenient exits to also lead to the University of the Philippines in Los Baños. Probably the straightest stretch will be the Makban to San Pablo, Laguna (12.2km) which exits near SM San Pablo. From San Pablo the TR-4 heads to Tiaong, Quezon which is the shortest section at 8.1km exiting near Villa Escudero. The second to the last stretch from Tiaong exits to Candelaria which is the longest drive at 14.4 kilometers. Before hitting the end of the TR-4 there is one more interchange in Tayabas, Quezon, and then ends up in Lucena City but outside the city proper.
It was in these dusty stretches of still constructed roads that I was able to test over long roads, the 4×4 on both “High” and “Low” modes at the broken sections of unpaved roads. I have a personal agenda for this peek to the TR-4. Based on calculations, the new road will cut travel time by about an hour and a half from the whole stretch, but what I really wanted to confirm was where the road would exit in San Pablo because predictably, if it did exit near the SM Mall, mayhem will ensue and the City Government of the City of Seven Lakes should, as early as now, plan the proper local infrastructure to deal with it.
On twos and fours
I have driven both the 4×2 and the 4×4 versions of the Maxus T60 and the jump from blue-collar to white-collar is apparent. Instead of breathable fabric, there are leather seats with red stitching–a little flair, yes but and possibly the plus that comes from a promotion. I personally prefer the more utilitarian fabric seats. I do feel they work better, the leather gives a luxury feel–but do you want luxury when you are a working man?
Don’t expect a plush ride on the T60. Don’t expect a plush ride on any pick-up either. The trip with 300 kilos of European treated pinewood (the smell of the furniture my dad created from it is exquisite) the ride balanced out and to be fair, it felt better than a Hilux with dead weight in the back.
But it is a pickup truck, the rear leaf spring are always bouncy. On the road, with its unsprung weight, it is like going to the gym. But off-road, it is quite forgiving and wonderfully adept and adroit. Going over pavement along the South Luzon tollway is easy and the bumps barely noticeable. But drive through the cracks and splits, the vibrations and body movements are felt. This is why the utilitarian fabric seats seem better than the plush and firm leather standard for the 4×4. Is it a bad ride? Not it is not. One must remember, a salaryman cannot complain about these small things–it is part of the job.
And that is where the T60 shines like the chrome on the front grille. The grin is from end to end when talking about how the vehicle converts that 2.8-liter diesel burner into power on the road. The hauling tractor photo is not just for show. The pick-up has a 2,500 hauling capacity, which if you consider the car’s own 3,500-kilogram weight is a pretty hefty load to push and to pull.
This pick-up is by all definitions, the industrial standard. There is no consideration for lightening the steering and a bouncy acceleration because it is not needed. The steering is light enough not to tire out the driver, so it may feel heavier than usual. The is 148hp and 360 Nm of torque on the tap–again not the highest numbers when compared to others, but this power range is more than adequate.
Who needs excitement when you are doing a job? Famers won’t look for it. The construction guy doesn’t need it. The poultry farmer won’t want it.
And did I say is it automatic? A conventional, easy-to-fix drivetrain. The engine and transmissions are built by Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation (SAIC) and the 4×4 system, either a Punch or Dymos system–two companies that also make military-grade vehicle hardware for the People’s Liberation Army. Knowing that I suddenly realize that the green color of the test unit did feel military–and beautiful!
There are other goodies that add to the abilities list–a 10-inch infotainment system with 6 speakers, Apple CarPlay built right, plug-ins and Bluetooth for Android is also available. The is a powered driver’s seat, again an appreciated but maybe unneeded feature. It moves 6 ways with an axis button. There is cruise control which I believe is a must even for the working man, as well as push-button start with keyless entry, steering wheel-mounted controls, a tire pressure monitoring system (which told me I had a flat), a backup camera with rear parking sensors, and an automatic climate control system.
For safety, there is ABS with EBD, driver and passenger front airbags, electronic stability control, and an engine immobilizer. Child safety seats will be secure with Euro-standard ISOFIX tethers. Overall, these features are usually packed in pick-ups for a price range of P200K to P350K higher than the T60. And yet, these are all here in one honest package.
With a price tag of P1.328M the 4×4 is the most affordable, in its class given the whole roster of features it has. Just this week Maxus also launched its Summer Max Deals promo The Maxus T60 may not be the most beautiful, or the smartest in the class, but when asked to stand up and perform, it does it very, very well.
