Chinese manufacturer LDV has given its cut-price dual-cab rival to the Toyota HiLux a new diesel engine for 2020.
Debuted in the D90 seven-seat off-roader, the 2.0-litre engine is the first developed in-house by LDV’s parent company SAIC.
But where the D90 has a competitive 160kW of power and 480Nm of torque, the T60 Trailrider 2 ute makes do with just 120kW and 375Nm.
That’s an improvement of 10kW and 15Nm on the 2.8-litre engine it replaces, but puts the range-topping T60 well behind more expensive, established rivals such as the Ford Ranger 3.2L (147kW/470Nm) and Toyota HiLux (130kW/450Nm).
It also lags behind the Ssangyong Musso (133kW/420Nm), which is a direct price competitor for the T60.
The new engine allows for a braked-towing capacity of three tonnes, and a payload of 895kg.
Power in the T60 Trailrider 2 is put to all four wheels through a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
As with its predecessor, the T60 Trailrider 2 wears black exterior accents, blacked-out badges, and a sports bar in the tray. It also gets a Mountain Top roll cover for the tray, and a heavy-duty spray-in tub liner.
The car rides on 19-inch alloy wheels, and gains side steps and a nudge bar.
Standard equipment includes blind-spot monitoring, six airbags, a surround-view camera, lane-departure warning, and tyre-pressure monitoring.
Inside there are leather seats, and a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay connectivity.
Pricing for ABN holders starts at $37,990 drive-away for the manual, and runs to $39,990 drive-away for the automatic.
