IT’S A WRAP
Isuzu’s AUV holdover takes one last ride
FAST and furious it isn’t. But like a box-office movie, this holdover of an AUV just keeps coming out with sequels that follow one central plot line. And people still line up to watch them.
That has basically been the story of the Isuzu Crosswind model. Introduced in September 2001, Isuzu’s hardy version of a then-stylish Asian utility vehicle hasn’t changed at all beneath the hood, and practically all upgrades have happened either with the body kits and accessories, or in the cabin. After four relaunches since 2001, the basic body design and the Euro2, 2.5-liter 4JA-1L turbocharged diesel engine have remained constant.
But, here’s the thing about unchanging car models: When news comes about that its production will cease, it feels like a sizeable chunk of automotive history goes with it. And when you really think about it, no matter how insistent the automotive media has been at asking Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) about the Crosswind’s replacement, there’s simply no substituting a vehicle that has become an enduring part of the motoring lives of its over 100,000 owners.
Thus, we couldn’t help but feel a tinge of nostalgia when IPC held a “one last ride” event for the Crosswind on June 21- 23. This being the model’s final year of production, its makers have determined that a trip up north would be fitting.
Twenty- three IPC officers and guests piled aboard five Crosswind units — representing five of the model’s six variants — for a 260- kilometer trip from Tuguegarao to Sta. Ana, Cagayan, and back. The participants were treated to the excellently maintained roadway and the beautiful sceneries of the northernmost coastline of the Luzon mainland.
At the Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort, IPC officers led by its president, Hajime Koso, and IPC sales and planning department head Joseph T. Bautista, paid tribute to the series, and revealed the final iteration of the Crosswind model.
“The Isuzu Crosswind perfectly characterizes the commitment that Isuzu has, and would be delivering, to the Filipino market. We will continue to find more ways to make this vehicle more Filipino-centric,” Mr. Koso said.
“We named it the Crosswind because Isuzu didn’t have a passenger car, and our way of ‘crossing into’ the passenger car market was by offering a vehicle that would feature not only the qualities of a passenger car, but also that of an SUV, a minivan, and a cargo carrier. So, the Crosswind became our all- in- one vehicle,” Mr. Bautista revealed.
For its final hurrah, the 2017 Crosswind has been given a new look, a final design change.
“We had been working with professional car designers in Taiwan since 2015 to render clay modeling, and 2-D and 3-D designs. The grille and bumper of the Crosswind actually forms an ‘ X’ and a ‘ W,’ representing the name Crosswind. We have also added new fog lamps,” Mr. Bautista disclosed. Previous Crosswinds can also be fitted with this new look, as the executive explained that the new design is a “bolt on” feature, which can be bought from IPC’s new parts center in Taguig City.
The new design is available on all six variants of the Crosswind: the XS and XL M/ T; XT M/ T; XUV A/T; and the top-of-the-line Sportivo-X A/T and M/T. These variants, which come in six colors, are priced from P790,000 (for the XS) to P1.235 million (for the Sportivo-X A/T).
During our entire trip, it felt like nothing did change with the Crosswind. That familiar engine rattle and vibration, the unhurried 84hp and 185Nm outputs, the retro- look single in- dash entertainment system ( but with DVD/CD/MP3/WMA/JPG playback and a USB slot, mind you), the double wishbone with torsion bar springs and stabilizer bar in front with Flex Ride suspension, semi- elliptical leaf springs and telescopic shock absorbers in the rear giving us that “boaty” ride, and that sturdy body that feels like it could survive any beating — everything was still there.
To be clear, though, it’s not goodbye to the Crosswind just yet. In fact, the final design upgrade of the model means that, despite this being its final year in production, the seemingly indestructible AUV-cum-MPV is expected to provide many more years of service. Mr. Bautista assured that the supply of Crosswind parts and services are guaranteed for at least another 10 years.
The Crosswind really is like a blockbuster flick. Even if you’ve seen it in the cinemas, you’ll look forward to watching its reruns on cable TV.