Coming to grips with the enigmatic Isuzu Alterra

It’s big. It’s tough. It’s roomy. It’s powerful. It’s good-looking. It’s got a killer 5.1 Surround Sound 11-speaker (!) DVD entertainment system. And it’s not selling as well as it should.

You don’t have to be an English professor to know that there’s something wrong with that paragraph, both technically and logically.

But that’s pretty much the state of affairs for Isuzu’s midsized Alterra SUV. After taking on the mantle (from the Trooper) as Isuzu’s premier off-road vehicle, the Alterra has been largely overshadowed by the wildly popular Toyota Fortuner.

Of course, there’s not much else to say about the Fortuner as almost everyone has one or knows someone else who does. Best-in-class looks, most powerful engine, terrific build quality. The long waiting lines speak for the truck itself.

But having extensively driven both 4x2 and 4x4 models as well as manual and automatic variants of both brands, I can say that I have enough experience with these trucks to know their relative strengths and weaknesses.

And which is why I can say that the Alterra is arguably the better choice between the two when it comes to both everyday driving and family hauling — especially on long trips.

Why? Three reasons. First it rides better (read: slightly more comfortably) than the stiffly sprung Toyota thanks to slightly softer suspension tuning. (Their suspension designs are largely identical.) Now who would pass up a more comfortable ride if a buyer has a choice?

Second, the Alterra’s longer length and wheelbase endows it with better legroom and yet more riding comfort (the longer the wheelbase, the better the ride) than the Fortuner. The difference in the all-important knee-room is nowhere more pronounced than in the 2nd- and 3rd-row seats (especially the latter) where even adults can actually be comfortable. In contrast the Fortuner’s 3rd-row seats are best used by pre-teens or smaller kids.

Third is the aforementioned 11-speaker 5.1 Surround Sound DVD entertainment system with a subwoofer, an amplifier and dual LCD monitors mounted on the backs of the front headrests. I don’t know if it’s just me (I’m a movie addict) or if other people’s kids are just exceptionally well-behaved (compared to mine) that the need for onboard video entertainment systems is not more widespread. If all automotive product planners were like me or had kids as unruly on the road as mine, all motor vehicles would have the Isuzu’s A/V system.

There’s nothing like a few Pixar films or a handful of slam-bang blockbuster flicks to make any road trip seem shorter than it is. Suddenly, the "Are we there yets?" are replaced by "What! We’re here already?" As they say in the commercial, a peaceful drive up a long mountain road is priceless.

And the rest of the truck isn’t bad either. In fact, it’s great! I just deflated the 245/70R-16 off-road tires to their minimum 28-psi inflation pressure (I got it with 33 psi) and we all shrugged off the worst that the roads could throw at us. Both manual and automatic versions were easy to drive with the former delighting me with its surprisingly light clutch pedal and shift throws.

The clean-burning Euro-3-compliant state-of-the-art 3.0-liter common-rail turbo-intercooled 146-ps DOHC 16-valve diesel engine is a paragon of smoothness and quietness at cruising speed; yet can deliver the power to effortlessly overtake buses travelling at 100 kph. The engine feels so strong because it develops its maximum torque of a whopping 30 kg-m at an incredibly low 1400 rpm and keeps this available all the way to 3400 rpm. Now that’s one impressively flat torque band!

Steering is also surprisingly tidy and responsive, thanks to the use of a power rack-and-pinion setup when a more truck-like recirculating-ball system would have done. Braking is likewise very car-like in feel and modulation. The big front discs and rear drums are aided and abetted by ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) for secure braking even over slippery surfaces.

Styling? It’s not going to dethrone the Fortuner which itself can give the big Ford Expedition a run for its money in terms of macho points; but the Isuzu can definitely hold its own with its understatedly edgy yet sufficiently muscular styling. I particularly like the graceful curve of the D-pillar and the tall vertical taillights whose red lamps are visually connected by a protective band that runs the width of the rear bumper. Very distinctive, very original.

Inside, the cabin is as functional as can be. The three rows of seats can be arranged up to four dozen different ways. Second-row seats can be adjusted individually to allow easy access to the third row while the middle seat of the 2nd-row can be folded into a center tray or to make way for a walkthrough access to the 3rd-row. The headliner features front, middle, and rear aircon vents for well-distributed cool air.

Power everything, 12-volt accessory power outlets, front fog lamps, electronic immobilizer, rear backup sensors and dual front airbags are all standard. Price-wise, the Alterra starts at P1.395M for a manual-transmission 4x2 model without the 5.1 A/V system and tops out at P1.618M for an automatic 4x4 with all the bells and whistles. Not cheap, yes; but one heck of a terrific value when you compare this with what you get from any of its competitors. Now don’t you also wonder why there aren’t that many more Alterras out there?