LDV T60 Luxe 2017 Review

Chinese utes have not been star performers in independent crash safety tests, but that all changes with the LDV T60, which goes on sale this week as the first to score a five-star ANCAP rating.

The T60 also adds improved interior quality, competitive pricing, a high level of specification and a long warranty to the mix. The question is, will that be enough for the LDV T60 to appeal to mainstream buyers?

The adage ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ used to help keep family cars dominant in the sales charts. How things change.

These days, utes are at the top of the sales charts not by winning on the track but because they’re practical vehicles that can play on Sunday and work on Monday.

Chinese manufacturer LDV has thrown its hat into the ring this week with the T60 4x4 ute. The T60 is available only in dual-cab form – for now – in both entry-level PRO or premium LUXE trim, and with a choice of six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmissions.

Single-cab and extended-cab models are expected in 2018, although local LDV importer Ateco Automotive has yet to announce exact timing.

The price is right
The LUXE tested here is loaded up with most of the gear buyers expect at the top-end of the ute market, but what’s missing is the big price. The LUXE manual retails for just $34,726 on the road and the auto transmission version $36,831.

Both PRO and LUXE get blind-spot warning, six airbags, tyre pressure warning, dusk-sensing, auto height-adjust LED headlights, 10.0-inch touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alloy wheels, side steps, roof rails and tub liner.

Key LUXE features are an alloy sports bar, rear diff lock, keyless entry/start, leather seats (heated front) and climate control.

LDV also offers T60 buyers a five-year/130,000km warranty, a loan car during warranty repairs, 24-hour breakdown assistance and, in a first for a Chinese ute -- the aforementioned five-star ANCAP rating.

Servicing intervals are set at 12 months/15,000km (with a first oil-change service at 5000km), but capped-price servicing is not offered.

LDV has also released a range of accessories for the T60, including hard and soft tonneau covers, a canopy, canopy roof bars, roll-out drawers and cross bars to suit the T60’s standard roof rails.

While two different nudge bars are also on the menu, a bullbar is still in development and is expected to join the catalogue next year.

The engine room
The T60’s 2.8-litre turbo diesel is one of the larger displacement engines on the market but its peak outputs are among the lowest – it’s a good 20kW and 60Nm down on the key players on the market.

The engine is fairly smooth and quiet and the turbo spools up quickly. It seems to be a pretty under-stressed engine, and also one that isn’t keen to rev. You don’t expect a diesel to scream to 7000rpm, but even by oiler standards the T60’s VM Motori 2.8-litre doesn’t spin up readily.

In manual mode, upshifts occurr at 3750rpm, while in either normal or Sport mode the auto changed up at 3250rpm.

According to the T60’s trip computer, it averaged 9.8L/100km over our 200km drive at this week’s Australian launch.

Speaking of Sport mode, selecting it didn’t seem to make the transmission any keener to downshift or hold gears than normal mode. In any case, gearshifts were smooth and kickdown responsive.

While it’s responds to a prod of the accelerator well enough around town or when cruising, when climbing hills or overtaking it becomes obvious the T60 lacks the urge of key opposition. With two occupants on board and minimal luggage, the T60 struggled to maintain 100km/h on steeper hills.

The T60's suspension could really do with some local tuning refinement. It seemed much too firm on sharp bumps and then too soft at the front over highway undulations. The suspension’s initial firmness might explain our experience on test of the ABS activating when braking over some sharp bumps at low speeds.

A brief drive of a T60 PRO (with its firmer suspension settings) revealed a suspension that has similar traits to the LUXE. It seemed even stiffer riding over sharp bumps, but a bit less prone to front-end float over bigger stuff.

The PRO was fitted with the six-speed manual (the standard transmission for both PRO and LUXE), and its vague gearshift and overly light clutch won’t make it a crowd-pleaser.

The auto sampled in the LUXE seemed to work better with the engine too, although much of the PRO’s sluggishness could be due to the fact it had only had 600km on its odo (the LUXE had travelled 1500km). No doubt the engine would free up a bit with more kays on board.

Handle, don’t ride
Threading the T60 through a bunch of smooth 35km/h-posted corners revealed a surprising amount of grip from the OE-fitment Dunlop Grandtreks and quick and accurate steering.

The strange thing is that -- on these smooth corners at least -- the T60 tracked well and was more fun than you’d expect from a ute.

Sadly, the first thing to lose grip in sharp corners won’t be the Dunlops, it’ll be you. Even though they appear to have ample side bolstering, even for a broad-beamed bloke like me, the front seats lacked side support.

While we didn’t get the opportunity to tackle anything serious, the T60 appears fairly well set up for off-roading. For water crossings, the engine’s air inlet is well positioned as it is sourced from the right inner guard and the alternator is positioned high up in the engine bay.

While the underbody appears well protected with a (fairly thin) front bash plate, ground clearance isn’t great, at 215mm.

Overall gear reduction (at 36.7:1 in low-range first) is nothing to write home about, and with an auto transmission that automatically upshifts even when in manual mode, you can’t rely on engine braking for steep descents.

The T60 does have hill descent control, but given the lack of steep terrain on test, we weren’t able to test its effectiveness.

Of course if you’re buying a ute you want it to be able to carry and tow heavy stuff. The T60 LUXE has an 815kg payload and can tow up to 3000kg, with 300kg of that on the towball.

Gross Vehicle Mass is 2950kg while the Gross Combined Mass is 6050kg, meaning that you can tow right up to the T60’s capacity (with a 100kg margin, no less) while carrying its maximum payload. Given the T60’s relatively low engine outputs though, you’d have to very patient while doing so.

On the inside
Interior finish was not as rough and ready as you might expect from a Chinese ute. Sure, the upper plastics have more of a sheen to them than you might like, but otherwise the materials felt and looked the part and everything fitted well.

The T60’s control layout is logical and easy to use. Of course the dash’s star attraction is its large, 10-inch infotainment touch-screen. The screen was simple to navigate at first – getting Apple CarPlay fired up and scrolling though the various menus when we got into the car was intuitive.

Later, when plugging the phone in again, the system wouldn’t boot up Apple CarPlay, even though the phone was charging. Perhaps it was something simple playing up, such as the (supplied) phone cord.

It’s worth noting that the only navigation system the T60 offers is via your phone (that is, with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay), meaning that your sat-nav options may be limited.

While the front seats don’t have much side support they are comfortable. Storage consists of large door pockets, a centre console with lidded bin, two cup-holders and a small tray ahead of the gear lever. There are two USB ports and a 12-volt outlet in the tray recess.

The rear seat is quite flat but doesn’t seat you as upright as some utes. Rear seat occupants get a centre armrest (with two cup-holders), door pockets and -- in the rear of the centre console -- two air-vents and a 12V port.

Let’s face it, LDV faces a big challenge entering a market that wants a knock-about ute but one with car-like quality and refinement, and preferably from a brand it knows.

Yet from this first local taste test, it’s clear that Chinese utes are on the improve. Although it needs better suspension and could do with more power, the T60 gets it right when it comes to fit and finish, equipment levels and safety rating.

2017 LDV T60 LUXE pricing and specifications:
Price: $36,831 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 110kW/360Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 254g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP