The country’s diesel authority, Isuzu Philippines Corporation, capped another fruitful year by bagging this year’s Truck of the Year and bringing to Manila its off-road extravaganza. Members of the Car Awards Group Inc voted the Isuzu D-Max 3.0 as the 2016 Truck of the Year, beating perennial best seller Ford and Toyota.
CAGI President Robby Consunji said that the Truck of the Year and Car of the Year Awards are not “simply a show of hands or popularity contest,” and that winners are determined by employing “stringent testing methods” to determine the best of the best. “It’s the only award in the country that is based on instrumented tests to gather evidence of real-world acceleration, braking, and handling performance. After the number-crunching by KPMG R.G. Manabat& Co., this data-driven, unbiased program ensures an accurate representation of an outstanding vehicle on category and overall basis,” Consunji added.
“Ever since its introduction, the current Isuzu D-MAX has always possessed the Isuzu brand’s core qualities of reliability, durability and fuel-efficiency. But the pick-up goes further by also being well-appointed in terms of convenience and safety features, as well as exterior design and equipment. This combination makes it a complete package for consumers looking for value and style in a vehicle. The Isuzu D-MAX having now won the 2016 Truck of the Year – Philippines is without doubt a testament to this, and we at Isuzu Philippines Corporation is extremely honored by this recognition,” states IPC President Hajime Koso.
Off road weekend
After successfully staging three provincial legs of its popular four-wheel driving demonstrations, IPC returned to Manila for its last instalment this year. Held last November 25 to 27 at the sprawling grounds of the SM Fairview, Isuzu staged the 4×4 Playground which offered off-road driving enthusiasts and mall goers a chance to check out the capabilities of Isuzu vehicles at tackling extreme terrain.
”The urbane and sophisticated exterior styling of the Isuzu mu-X and Isuzu D-MAX, especially with their latest upgrades, may lead many people to overlook the fact that these two models’ 4×4 variants are highly capable vehicles that can take on any terrain and obstacle. By letting consumers witness and experience first-hand these capabilities in a controlled environment, like in the Isuzu 4×4 Action Playground, we can better inform them of the unmatched qualities of Isuzu vehicles,” stated IPC Senior Vice President Arthur Balmadrid during the opening ceremonies.
Making the outdoor activities more exciting were games held every two hours that guests played onstage, display booths that showed off an accessorized D-Max and MU-X variant, customized by the country’s top tuners such as Black Rhino wheels, Rhino Rack, PIAA, Sonax and Overland Ph.
Apart from the thrills provided in the 4×4 Action Playground and by the other activities, more attractions were made available for the public inside the SM Fairview mall, which were held from November 23 to 26. Guests who inquired on Isuzu models were given the chance to play Pachinko and the slot machine, where they received prizes. A giant Jengga was also put up for all guests to enjoy.