Following the insolvency of British carmaker LDV in
2009, Chinese SAIC Group bought it out and renamed to Maxus. At first, only
vans rolled off the assembly lines bearing the Maxus badge, but the range has
gradually expanded to include a minibus, a minivan, a pickup truck and even a
full-sized SUV. Today, Maxus has unveiled its first-ever crossover, the D60.
The newcomer stands close to the Hyundai Santa Fe
and Skoda Kodiaq in terms of dimensions, measuring 4,720 mm long,
1,860 mm wide and 1,736 mm tall with 2,760 mm between the axles.
From the technical perspective, the Maxus D60 is
standardized in the same way as the Roewe RX5 and the MG GS (both brands owned
by SAIC), but takes advantage of certain structural improvements and
reinforcements.
It will ship exclusively with a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder
engine capable of 169 hp and 250 Nm of torque,
connected to a 7-speed DSG transmission. You will only be able to buy it with
the front wheel drive first, but an AWD version will come later, too. The
manufacturer also promises to release a PHEV in the long run.
Customers will be able to choose between two and
three seat rows, the latter available in 2+3+2 and 2+2+2 seat formulae.
Standard features include a 12.3” digital instrument cluster, power-adjustable
front seats, 360-degree cameras, a sunroof, and a 14-inch touch panel for
accessing multimedia, climate control, and certain secondary car functions. The
trim can be “Leather” (note the quote marks) or “‘Leather’ plus Alcantara’.
Sales in China begin later this month, with prices
starting close to U.S. US$ 16,000. Other markets will follow later.
