MOBILITY
2,500-KILOMETERS WITH THE ISUZU MU-X AND ISUZU D-MAX Words by Belle Alba Photos by Clifford Dela Paz and Gilbert Chao
We were about to set off from Manila to Dumaguete on a 10-day road trip with three motorcycles, and wrestled with which support vehicle would be the best option for our team. Initially, we thought taking along one van would do the trick, as it would carry all the gear for our group of four riders and four support staff. After much discussion, though, the group agreed that two vehicles—an SUV and a pick-up truck—would be the better combination. With two vehicles, the lead car could scout out the terrain, stop at vantage points for those Instagram-worthy photo-ops, as well as race on ahead to ensure space on the RoRo ferries for those crucial sea crossings.
The plan was to take off from Manila and take RoRo ferries to cross the islands of Mindoro and Panay on our way to Dumaguete City in Negros Island. We’d spend three days in Negros, then backtrack the same route home to Manila. In all, it would take some 10 days and about 2,500-kilometers. Happily, our friends at Isuzu Philippines Corporation very readily sent along an Isuzu mu-X 3.0L LS-A 4x2 AT and an Isuzu D-MAX RZ4E LS 4x2 AT—both ideal for our needs. As weather was unpredictable, the crew’s luggage and other critical equipment were all securely stowed in the spacious cargo room of the mu-X, while the open cargo bed of the D-MAX was a great solution on how to safely carry a small jerrycan of spare fuel, odd-sized stuff and, if the need arose, even transport the two-wheelers in the convoy. The Isuzu mu-X 3.0L LS-A 4x2 AT, powered by a 2,999-cc Blue Power diesel engine with turbo-intercooler that delivers 177 PS of power and 380 Nm of torque, easily took on the steep inclines of the Mabinay highway linking Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental to Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental. The Isuzu D-MAX RZ4E LS 4x2 AT, with its smaller 1,898-cc Blue Power engine, could not be left far behind with its maximum power output of 150 PS and 350 Nm maximum torque. We averaged about 250 to 300 kilometers each day, spending some 6-hours on the road which meant interior amenities were much appreciated.
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AUGUST 2019
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