pickup – Revv Reviews

Hummer returning – “crazy specs”

Since I wrote an article on the Hummer being resurrected which was was just based on rumors (You can read it by clicking here) since then new information has surfaced. So, I decided to give a short news update.

GM – the Detroit automaker confirmed the plans for resurrecting the Hummer and teased us with 4 videos (linked below) for the “GMC Hummer EV pickup”. They have also scheduled a 30-second Super Bowl ad for the vehicle featuring NBA star LeBron James. The spot is scheduled to air during the second quarter of Sunday’s game.

The Hummer EV pickup (acc. to GM) will feature 1,000 horsepower and 11,500-pound-feet of torque. It would take just a blink of an eye for the Hummer to reach 60 mph from a standstill (0-60 mph takes just 3 seconds!) No price has been announced yet. Phil Brook, GMC vice president of marketing said, “It’s a combination of an incredibly capable truck and a supercar. Those sorts of times are in that ballpark.” He also went on to term the EV has an “all-electric super truck”. “It is very different from anything we’ve ever done before,” Brook said. “This is the start of big things in the electric space. This is GMC and how we’re moving into that space in a big way.” GM has no plans to build a gas-powered Hummer with an internal combustion engine, according to Brook which is actually a very sensible decision. GMC plans to release 20 new vehicles globally by 2023 and using the Hummer EV as a pivot in the all-electric vehicles market.

The Hummer EV pickup is expected to go into production in the fall of 2021 at a plant in Detroit, followed by sales starting toward the end of the year. There is no news for a Hummer EV SUV counterpart though. Moving on to discuss the teaser videos, they have details regarding the specifications and a preview of the front of pickup. The front features a new iteration oh Hummer’s well known slotted grille with the branding “HUMMER” being backlit. It looks futuristic with some pinches and hints of the old-school off-roader. The teasers also include a tagline on which GM is branding their new product. It is taglined as “A Quiet Revolution” “All-Electric. Zero emissions. Zero limits.”

People seemed to be very optimistic about the launch of the new Hummer as the poll on my previous article showed positive feedback. The YouTube comments section for the teaser videos was no different. Everything seems to be going for the Hummer. It has got public recognition, nostalgia, great advertisement, great specifications and most importantly a great start with a lot of positive feedback. The only let down could be the pricing which has not yet been decided. The Hummer needs to be priced effectively because it is wanting to enter a pre-established market with gasoline trucks as well as new EV pickup trucks like the Rivian, Cybertruck, electric F-150, etc.

Let me know your opinions down in the comments below. Remember to follow me on Instagram for future updates! @revv_reviews

Video links –

Tesla Cybertruck – ‘Minecraft taken too seriously?’

Tesla, an American automotive company specializing in electric car manufacturing has just revealed its electric pick-up truck line up. The electric vehicles which are a brainchild of Elon Musk have revolutionized the automotive industry with electric sedans, roadsters, and semi-trucks being much better and faster than their gas-counterparts.

Elon Musk (CEO,Founder of Tesla) has literally been referred to as Tony Stark in real life as many of his ideas have helped change and form the world we now live in! Even ‘PayPal – the online payment system’ was his invention. It doesn’t end there but now let’s talk about the new truck from the future which has taken the automotive as well as the tech media by storm. It is none other than the Cybertruck. I would be coming to the prominent bit that is styling in a bit but first about the pricing (value for money) and the variants.

Tesla’s vehicles have always put up a good value proposition like the Model 3 which on paper is a BMW M5 for the price of a mid-range BMW M3. The Cybertruck just doesn’t live up to the value-for-money concept as it has been priced exorbitantly. It competes with the Ford F150, Silverado 1500 and other pickup trucks in specs but is priced as a super-heavy-duty pickup truck such as a Ford F250, Chevy Silverado 2500D and 3500D. For a much better view on the topic let’s compare the base price range of the 3 trucks – Silverado 1500, Cybertruck, Silverado 2500D.

-Silverado 1500: $30,000 – $58,000

-Silverado 2500D: $37000 – $73,000

–Cybertruck: $40,000 – $70,000

The 3 Cybertruck Models are as follows-

1)Base Model (single motor) – price $40,000 / 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds / 250 miles range / 7,500-pounds towing capacity.

2)Mid Model (dual motor) – price $50,000 / 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds / 300 miles range / 10,000-pounds towing capacity.

3)Top Model (triple motor) – price $70,000 / 0 to 60 in 2.9 seconds / 500 miles range / 14,000-pounds towing capacity.

For comparison, the base Silverado 2500D has a towing capacity of 14,500-pounds which is almost double than that of the base-model Cybertruck.

Although towing capacity isn’t the only thing, Tesla has failed to understand the mentality of a pick-up truck owner because having an EV isn’t gonna be a USP for selling pick-up trucks. The 0-60 times are crazy for a truck yet these numbers sell cars not trucks. The truck would be launched in late 2021 until then many other companies would be able to catch up to Tesla. Ford has an all-electric F-150 on the way, General Motors confirmed it will put an electric pickup on the market in 2021, and EV start-up Rivian — which is now backed by both Ford and Amazon — is scheduled to release its electric pickup in late 2020. These are potential threats for the cool new truck.

The autonomous driving feature may help it sell but to an average (pick-up truck) customer , the so-called bullet-proof glass and door would just remain a gimmick. During the launch event, Elon wanted to show this bullet-proof glass and door to the public but it ended in a rather uncanny manner as the door did withstand a sledgehammer without breaking a sweat but the same can’t be said for the bullet-proof window which cracked by the metal ball thrown at it.

Reacting to this Tesla’s stock did take a hit of about 6% (just like the time Apple’s stock took a hit when the Face ID didn’t work at the launch of the new iPhone), The stock did go back up though. The tug-of-war stunt with the Ford F-150 was completely pointless due to the pricing issue.

Even the sales figures are a let-down as compared to other Tesla launches wherein they would get 200,000 bookings on the first day. The Cybertruck got 200,000 bookings in 4 days, the number is great but there is a trick behind it. Earlier bookings took a $1,000 and still the bookings reached 200,000 on the first day but this time a $100 was needed to pre-book the truck. Many of these people may back out because chances are that they booked the truck just to show-off to their friends and family.

Coming to the styling of the vehicle, it is simply out of this world and looks like a future Mars rover to me. There are only 2 extremes for this sort of design i.e. either you like it or you don’t like it. I do like it because it stands-out in the crowd where all the other trucks look almost the same. It is ugly but in a unique way. The product design may change a bit till the launch as per Tesla. The design is the only reason that the Cybertruck is all over the place from memes to the tech and automotive news. This is a clever marketing strategy according to me because you get free advertisement, Elon even tweeted this out. Tesla would be offering a built-in solar panel at the rear as an option which will add 15 miles of range daily.

Well, these were my thoughts on the Cybertruck and let’s see how this thing plays out for Tesla as these aren’t the only problems the Cybertruck might face. One such problem could be range depletion due to load carrying. My suggestion is to decrease the price of the truck so that it competes in the Ford F-150 price segment instead of the super-heavy duty one.

2018 Isuzu D-Max V-Cross – “Road Going Monster Truck”

Overview

So today I am going to review the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, a life-style pickup truck. Isuzu launched India’s first adventure utility vehicle at the Auto Expo 2016 for those adventure seekers who wanted a go-anywhere truck, good practicality, and an appeal. Isuzu is known worldwide for its engines and the one in the V-Cross is good but not up to the mark. The vehicle is offered with a diesel motor only and the new 2019 facelifted model comes in 3 variants- Standard, High Z, and High Z-Prestige.

The 2.5L Diesel motor produces 134hp and 320Nm of torque, whereas the new 1.9L Diesel motor produces 148hp and 350Nm of torque. This vehicle was launched keeping a certain group of people in mind and convert some people into adventure seekers. One thing is for sure though, the V-Cross offers a ton of road presence. Anyone is ought to give way to this monstrous vehicle, assuming it would fit inside the person’s rearview mirror. Well, jokes aside now let’s move on to the next part.

First Impressions

We have already discussed about the car’s road presence like no other vehicle on the road. As we complete a hike in to the cabin we are rather disappointed as it is just too basic-plain-blank. Considering it is a 20 lakh vehicle the interiors and ergonomics don’t do it much good but if it is considered as a lifestyle pickup truck and that is what Isuzu is marketing it as it starts to feel more like a good deal. But on a general view, the interiors are rather monotonous, under-thigh support is average for the front seats and poor for the rear ones. The rear seats are placed too upright and aren’t very comfortable. You must think that the legroom would be amazing for a 5-meter long vehicle but no, rear passenger legroom is not good at all. The driving position is good, you sit high and one can actually see the front hood while driving. The ORVMs do a great job but rear visibility in the IRVM is poor if you have the rear cargo-bay lid on. The interiors and ergonomic issues could be blamed on Chevrolet as the interior of the Isuzu was part Chevrolet as the old Trailblazer and the V-Cross do actually share the same interior.

The pre-facelift model lacked a ton of features but the new 2019 model has fixed it all by offering many more new features. The new 2019 model includes the following features – Automatic Climate control, a touch screen with Bluetooth connectivity, MID, steering mounted controls, cruise control, traction control button, retractable ORVMs, Led tail-lights, bi-LED projector headlamps, a 4WD system with 2High, 4High and 4Low, 2 airbags, ABS with EBD, hill assist, hill descent control, PESS (passive entry with start/stop button), rear parking camera with rear parking sensors.

The Ride

The V-Cross is a very heavy car (1800 kg) and the 2.5L (134 hp) engine may seem underpowered on paper but doesn’t feel so while driving it. The vehicle has a good low-end and a very empty high-end, which is okay for an off-roading vehicle. The ride might get a little bouncy at higher speeds if the rear cargo area is empty as the vehicle’s majority weight is upfront. Finding a good parking spot might also be an issue for some considering the vehicle’s size. Hydraulic steerings are known for their feel and feedback but having one in a vehicle of this size sure does promise an upper body workout while parking in tight spaces or maneuvering the vehicle at low speeds.

There is no proper dead pedal in the vehicle and the gear knob just doesn’t know its place as one could never tell which gear you are in by just looking at it, there is just too much of play in the gear slots as well. The Isuzu just doesn’t like to be thrown into corners. The claimed mileage is 12.4 kmpl which is good for a vehicle this size. The suspension of the V-Cross just takes any bump and worst of the Indian roads with ease. A downshift isn’t actually needed for an overtake as the engine is pretty responsive at low revs as well. Judging this vehicle on the road isn’t the best thing to do as off-road is the place where it actually shines.

Verdict

Isuzu has done an extremely good job of creating a life-style pickup truck for India. Isuzu has nailed it when it comes to SUV road presence. The Isuzu V-Cross strikes a perfect balance between being a daily-driver and being utilitarian, the versatility of the vehicle is what makes it sell. While the exteriors are mind-boggling and the features are great, the only thing making this car look dull is its interiors. Isuzu needs to work on its interiors and reduce the hard plastics which cover the entire cabin and robs all the premium feel that the vehicle offers. Finally, I would like to say that if you are an adventure-seeker, the Isuzu D-max V-Cross is an absolute no brainer in the pickup truck line-up.

“It’s not just a car, it’s a TRUUUCK.”

(just your daily-dose of Nissan puns lol)