Maxus T60 4×2 Pro AT review: Affordable off-roader with smart features

Gone are the days when pickup trucks are only used as workhorses with their hauling capabilities and generally rugged disposition. Today, the best-selling trucks are also those that offer comfort features only previously seen in premium sedans. But as these new creature comforts rolled in, they also drove up the price which is just expected.

Enter the Maxus T60 4×2. This is not yet the top-of-the-line model but it already has a couple of features that should further make your trips more enjoyable and comfortable. The best thing about it? It’s priced affordably compared to its competition.

Priced in the Philippines at PhP 1,028,000 for this variant, let’s check what the Maxus T60 4×2 Pro AT offers in this review.

Exterior

The Maxus T60 has a very commanding presence especially when viewed from up front. It has this prominent grille with chrome edges as well as the company’s logo in the same chrome finish. A pair of halogen headlamps are also here accompanied by a complete set of halogen fog lamps in front and even at the back.

From this angle as well, you’ll notice that it’s got muscular elements that simply make it look bulky — like an animal making itself look bigger to intimidate others — and I think it’s able to do so effectively.

Heading towards the rest of its body, it comes with repeater signals on its side mirrors next to its T60 badge just below the vehicle’s A-pillar.

Up top, it also comes with roof rails so you could use it to haul additional cargo on top and tie them to the railings.

For its rear, the Maxus logo also appears here together with another set of badges on the lower right. There’s nothing too unique back here and you have your pair of tail lights stacked on both corners.

I personally enjoy the overall exterior of the T60 with its sharp corners and flared wheel arches. It simply exudes a sturdy look fit for a pickup.

Rounding up the exterior are its 17-inch alloy wheels in this matte silver finish — bringing a nice contrast to its shiny chrome trims around the body.

The T60 comes in a slew of colors specific for the models but for this variant right here there’s Lava Gray, Obsidian Black, Blanc White, and Agate Red which is what we have here.

Interior

The interior isn’t the most sophisticated we’ve seen on a pickup and it keeps things simple and straightforward. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing since it still covers the important aspects like well-bolstered fabric seats, a six-way manual driver’s seat, and a head unit with a touch display that spans seven inches diagonally.

A multi-function layout of buttons is on the steering wheel and it provides access to your music, calls, as well as for the vehicle’s Cruise Control.

For instrumentations, the tachometer, speedometer, engine temp, and fuel gauge are all analog while a small digital panel can be seen in the middle to display additional info like average fuel consumption, vehicle settings, and more. Warnings and detail are easily seen and are legible even during sunny days.

As mentioned earlier, it comes with a 7-inch touch-enabled infotainment system and it’s loaded with Apple CarPlay but no Android Auto. Instead, it goes for Mirror Link that isn’t as intuitive and easy to use as Android Auto, but it’s still a way to mirror your Android phone to the vehicle’s system.

In addition to controlling music, the head unit also displays useful data about your vehicle like your current mileage, service information, and overall vehicle status.

Apart from its touch panel, there are also buttons for quick navigation which I like since it doesn’t require you to take your eyes off the road just to perform some functions.

For connectivity, it has two USB ports — one for charging and the other for connecting a device to either Apple CarPlay or Mirror Link.

Situated in the center console just beside its airconditioning controls are buttons for its two driving modes — ECO and Power. Obviously, Eco Mode conserves less fuel by limiting available power, while Power Mode lets you pull more out of its turbocharged engine at the expense of burning more fuel.

The seats are comfortable even after a few hours spent on the road. You do get that bouncy feel while driving that’s common in pickup trucks but the seats make things bearable as they effectively cushion bumps along the way. The cabin is also spacious even for passengers at the back and they even have their own air vent back here along with a power outlet.

Again, the overall design inside feels basic with mostly plastic all around but it’s done neatly and comes across as no-frills and straight to the point. It does look neat and simple so that’s good enough for me.

And adding to its features, the Maxus T60 comes with a handful of bells and whistles to help make your driving experience easier and more enjoyable. This model comes with keyless entry, reverse sensors and camera, rain-sensing wipers, and while it skips on LED lights, it does come with Auto Headlights that detect when it’s dark to illuminate your path automatically.

You can consider these small things but they help make the T60 feel more premium as a whole.

Performance and safety

Enough about its features and let’s go to how it performs on the road.

The Maxus T60 and its 2.8-liter diesel engine don’t fall short of power, no doubt, but don’t really deliver it with total finesse either. With its 6-speed automatic transmission, gear shifts are sometimes not flawless and give the vehicle a bit of jerk. These don’t happen a lot, though, but I believe is something that should be noted.

Overall, it’s a very torquey ride and delivers that oomph prefaced by its muscular exterior. I was actually able to attend its official launch here in the Philippines and the company demonstrated its capabilities by attaching a tractor to it to pull around the venue. It’s that powerful.

Meanwhile, its suspension feels solid especially when paved roads run out but things get jerky back on the road with even the slightest bumps. But as I mentioned, good thing its seats are comfortable enough to absorb some of the impact.

The Maxus T60 also comes with a slew of safety features. To kick things off, it’s equipped with Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution so sudden brakes are done in a controlled manner.

It’s also equipped with driver and front passenger airbags, ISOFIX for toddlers on board, and even a tire pressure monitoring system that can be viewed on its digital panel.

Creature Feature

As always, in our reviews, The Modern Creatures aims to find special features in what we review that make them worth having — its Creature Feature. For the Maxus T60 4×2 Pro, it would have to be its inclusion of small but important features that are not usually in this price point.

You have Cruise Control, reverse camera and sensors, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and more for a really competitive price. It’s actually hard to beat that.

Final Thoughts

By fronting its British heritage proudly while using the automotive expertise of Chinese-owned SAIC Motor, Maxus presents a very appealing offer with the T60. Either you get the entry-level 4×2 Pro MT (priced at PhP 948K), 4×2 Pro AT that we have here (PhP 1.028M), and the top variant 4×4 Elite AT (PhP 1.278M), you definitely get more features compared to its peers.

It doesn’t have the most seamless performance especially with its sometimes clunky transmission, but at those price points, it’s something that’s easy to dismiss.

So if you’re on the market for a straight-up reliable pickup that doesn’t break the bank, the Maxus T60 is something that’s definitely worth considering.

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Honda Accord EL Turbo CVT review: Packed with road-sensing tech

03/12/2021

When I think of premium midsize sedans like, say, the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, I get flashbacks from the ’90s with their boxy and spacious design and cream-colored interior. Recent models have of course evolved with the times but still has that overall feel — an executive look for the more mature and established individual.

But this Honda Accord that HCPI lent us decided to stand out from its peers with a sportier and youthful approach. It also packs a lot of tech to make driving easier, safer, and more enjoyable. This is the Honda Accord EL Turbo CVT Honda Sensing.

Exterior

What we have right here is the Platinum White Pearl which looks really sporty for me. I’d personally say the other two colors (Modern Steel Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl) have more of an executive feel, but the white variant is very sporty — not in a 2 Fast 2 Furious kind of way but more along the lines of Die Another Day kind of sporty.

Up front, it has full LED headlights with auto-leveling and auto high beam as it senses when no oncoming traffic is present.

Those sensors could be found at the central highest point of its windshield and on the front bumper. These unlock the Honda SENSING technology that we’ll talk about in just a bit.

Running across the front fascia is a unibrow-like ledge in chrome. The application of chrome is seen in other parts of its exterior like door handles and exhaust tips for a bit of added bling. Here we also see its Daytime Running Lights and fog lamps using full LED.

Amplifying its fastback design, the Accord comes with rather aggressive lines that run from the side of the hood all the way to the taillights. The lower part of each door also features sharp accents that further give its exterior personality.

This leads us to a pair of Guide Type LED tail lamps that easily pierce through darkness and even heavy rain. Meanwhile, adding to that is a pair of exhaust tips wrapped in chrome, as mentioned earlier.

Pop the trunk and you get a spacious area easy enough to load stuff the size of golf bags. And to wrap up the exterior, the Accord stands on attractive 18-inch wheels that look like they’re in constant motion even while standing still — a really sporty treatment.

Interior

Once you step inside, you’re put in a more executive setting with the all-black interior and leather-wrapped seats. Needless to say, the cabin has a very premium feel which is exactly what you’d expect from a sedan such as this one.

The interior is very roomy, especially at the back. With the available space, one can easily whip out a laptop and work conveniently while stuck in traffic, for example. And with its included privacy screens, it’s almost like having your own small office on wheels.

I only wish it had those in-car outlets so we could charge laptops and other devices faster in addition to its USB ports for the back row.

Meanwhile, the driver and front passenger have access to an 8-inch infotainment touch unit which is pre-loaded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This feature allows you to basically port over your phone and its apps to the vehicle’s system — a really helpful feature while driving.

Just like the seats, its steering wheel is also wrapped in leather with silver accents and is populated with buttons for controlling media playback and deploying some of the vehicle’s features.

The Accord comes with an all-digital instrument cluster that’s easily visible at night or during daytime and cycles through different monitoring systems to ensure that your vehicle is in tip-top shape.

A bright red button starts and stops the engine via a simple press. For me, this lone button gives a good break from all the black elements inside. It’s like a reminder that even though the interior feels very executive and mature, it’s also sporty and always ready for a bit of fun.

Honda also did a great job with suppressing the sedan’s NVH or noise, vibration, and harshness. Partner that with its comfy seats and the result is a more enjoyable riding experience even for long trips.

Features

Aiming to make everyday driving easier and enjoyable, the Accord is loaded with bells-and-whistles that benefit both the driver and passengers. These include Smart Keyless Entry, Auto-Dimming Rear-View Mirror, and an intelligent Dual Zone AC.

You can also activate its Brake Hold feature during heavy traffic to eliminate the need to keep your foot on the brakes during bumper-to-bumper traffic. And for backing up, it uses a reverse camera with parking sensors front and back.

If the driver demands more control over its transmission, a pair of paddle shifters are present. And when it comes to making sure your trip goes smoothly, its 8-inch head unit has everything you need — from navigation, music playback, and radio features. It can even let you call and read text messages using voice commands.

Plus, as mentioned earlier, its Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capabilities bring in useful driving apps like Waze and Google Maps for a more updated navigation system. Music streaming app Spotify and even messaging apps like Telegram are also supported.

Safety and performance

Again, the Accord EL Turbo CVT Honda Sensing comes with an array of tech features guaranteed to make your trips not just more enjoyable, but also safer.

As mentioned, it comes with Honda Sensing which is the company’s driver-assistive technology.

Under its belt, the Accord uses its sensors for Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow for long, straight highways while its Lane Keep Assist alerts you and nudges your steering when you start to drift out of your lane.

Same thing happens when you’re close to the side of the road. Its Road Departure Mitigation system will alert you through vibrations from the steering wheel and steers you back to your lane. This forces the driver to use turn signals to change lanes or the system will read it as unintentional swerving and will guide you back.

Additionally, the camera on the passenger-side mirror activates and displays live video on the 8-inch display and it reveals more on that side than simply checking the mirror — it’s great for tight spaces or simply when turning right.

It is also equipped with forward collision warning, collision mitigation, and blindspot monitoring to help avoid accidents. And in case something happens, a total of six airbags are ready to deploy with two up front, two at the side, and another pair for side curtains.

Despite its somewhat bulky design, it drives really light and feels like you’re bringing a normal-sized sedan. A simple tug on its steering wheel and the vehicle easily follows.

And when you need speed, its 1.5-liter turbocharged engine delivers 190hp and 260Nm of torque. It’s powerful and responsive enough to be able to get out of its current spot easily. We’d say the 1.5-liter engine is just right for what it’s powering.

This is then paired with the company’s Earth Dreams CVT and together with the paddle shifters, the driver could easily have fun with the Accord if they wish to and take full control of the sedan’s power.

But then again, a lot of those who are looking into vehicles like this also want to spend time in the backseat. So from that perspective, the Accord is like a smooth-sailing boat, and like what’s been established earlier, it comes with controlled noise and vibrations so you can cruise long roads in comfort.

Creature Feature

As always, in our reviews, The Modern Creatures aims to find special offerings that make them worth having — a Creature Feature if you will that gives a product advantage from its peers. For the Honda Accord EL Turbo CVT Honda Sensing, it would have to be its array of tech and safety features together with its youthful design.

As I’ve said at the beginning, these vehicles have been the cars of our uncles or titos back in their days and we’re used to seeing straightforward features and a design that’s not too flashy. But with this Accord, Honda was able to take away the dull and mundane elements and breathed a fresh design and packed serious tech into this midsize sedan.

Pricing and final thoughts

Although of course, great tech and premium looks come with a rather steep pricing of PhP 2,308,000. But the useful features, Honda Sensing, and its sporty/executive look help justify the price tag.

I’m sure a good chunk of the vehicle’s market would prefer something that looks like this over some of its competition with classic designs and straightforward features — I know I would.

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