To Sagada and back—900 km plus with the DMax

With a little more than a dozen motoring journalists in tow, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) with its senior vice president for marketing Art Balmadrid on the lead backed up by product planning and development expert Joseph Bautista and IPC’s dynamic communications team led by Timmy Naval-de Leon ably assisted by Yvonne Linchangco, ventured to conquer with the Isuzu DMax pick up the world-renowned Sagada in the Mountain Province famous for its hanging coffins.

 Due to its distance and the shortage of guides, it was one of the few areas in the country that was not fully colonized by the Spaniards. With an eleven thousand population count the proud people of Sagada has been left with a culture that was barely touched by outside influence. And it is this challenging distance and the opportunity to help further promote travel to this intriguing area with breath-taking panoramic views that IPC based its blueprint for a possible “once-in-a-lifetime” test drive.

The technical objective of the event was successfully met—to give the invited motoring journalists a personal hands-on experience of the Isuzu DMax’s driving performance, ride comfort, reliability, durability and utility over a variety of road and weather conditions.

The DMax’s driving performance was tested and proven in the more than 26 hours (total) that we were on the road. We took the trip going to Sagada on Wednesday in 13 hours through the north eastern Luzon route via Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya that was close to 500 kilometers, while another 13 hours and so on the way back on Friday through the shorter Baguio route that took all of 400 kilometers. In all these almost 1,000 kilometers of driving and riding there were the inevitable overtaking and passing through narrow snaking mountain roads with the DMax’s more than sufficient horsepower and dependable torque produced from a world-renowned diesel engine to count on.

Driving or riding a pick up for 13 hours at a time without the misery of an aching back afterwards can only be attributed to the DMax’s much-vaunted suspension system that’s composed of individual double wishbone out front and Flex Ride MOVE suspension with telescopic shock abs in the rear for a real comfortable ride.

None of the journalists had any doubts about making it to our destination and back due to the well-known Isuzu reliability and durability. It was not a question of “if” we reach Sagada but more of “when”, as many of us were first-timers who wouldn’t know any better about travel time to our destination.

Although I could rightfully say to those who have not been there and are intending to go that the roads to Sagada are generally good and indeed passable, there were areas that were being patched due to the perennial mini landslides that happen whenever a typhoon visits the area. And going through these gives you the experience of driving almost off road. And the DMax was never short of anything in its driving package to easily hurdle such road condition. And the unforgiving rains that we experienced and weathered on the way up came up as another proud feat of the all-weather pick up.     

The Isuzu DMax, according to IPC is never wanting in sales. However, the sales figures indicate that the all around pick up has more owners and users in urban areas. The versatile functionality of the DMax was seen as not very much known by the market. Now, that’s part of what IPC wanted to highlight in this test drive—that the DMax can be a “use for all” vehicle in one’s garage. “This Sagada trip can show and prove that the DMax can be utilized not only for commercial use but for recreational purposes as well, especially during weekends” stated Art Balmadrid, IPC’s senior vp who’s well-loved by the motoring media during his evening remarks over dinner at the Log Cabin, a well-known Sagada dining destination that Timmy and her group made sure was included in the motoring journalists’ itinerary.   

To highlight this functionality of the DMax further, especially for the growing number of cyclists in the country that can make use of the DMax in their weekend cycling sorties, IPC invited Frederick Farr, captain and coach of the D-Max Multisport Team who led the Philippine Cycling Team to a Gold medal finish in 2007 SEA Games in Thailand to give the motoring media some tips on proper and safe cycling. This was prior to a “precision cycling competition”, which was part of the challenges of the test drive for a group competition among journalists that promised valuable prizes for the winners.

Aside from the long and challenging mountain road drive and ride, which enviably brought out successfully all the features and functions of this remarkable pick up in just one trip, the media was shown around all the exciting sites and sights that Sagada offers, including its regional cuisine.

Foremost of the sights were the Sugong Hanging Coffins, which has been featured in National Geographic TV Specials, Kiltepan Peak/Viewpoint with the breathtaking panoramic view of the Rice Terraces, Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Echo Valley, Underground River to name some. 

Isuzu Philippines has again successfully combined for their invited motoring journalists the technical experience of a test drive with the opportunity to better know and appreciate exotic destinations in their own country, which many would find difficult to make time to do so.    

For this we say, “Thank you for having us.”

People’s Choice Awards Voting Update

After two weeks of online voting for the 2013 – 2014 Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards, the yearly polls that determine the country’s most popular automobiles, the early leaders in each category include;

Subcompac

(Standard) Mitsubishi Mirage

(Luxury) MINI Cooper Hatch

Compact

(Standard) Mazda 3

(Luxury) BMW 3-Series

Midsize Sedan

(Standard) Mazda 6

(Luxury) BMW 5-Series

Large Sedan

(Single Category) Porsche Panamera

Sports Car

(Standard) Mazda MX-5

(Luxury) Lamborghini Gallardo

MPV

(Single Category) Peugeot 5008

Compact SUV

(Standard) Mazda CX-5

(Luxury) BMW X3

Midsize SUV

(Standard) Hyundai Santa Fe

(Luxury) BMW X-5

Large SUV

(Standard) Mazda CX9

(Luxury) Porsche Cayenne

Van

(Standard) Kia Carnival

(Luxury) Chrysler Town & Country

Pickup

(Single Category) Mazda BT-50

Open

(Standard) Subaru XV

(Luxury) MINI Paceman S

This vote update only involves those cast online, which make up 40% of the aggregate score and does not include the sales component, part of which shall be available by the end of July that represents the remaining 60%. 

For an up-to-the-minute vote update log on to www.autofocus.com.ph.

Voting ends at 12 midnight of September 30. Those who cast their votes stand the chance to win in weekly electronic raffles that give away valuable gifts (clocks, mugs, eco-bag, etc.) to 5 lucky voters.

Voting online via Face Book is allowed every week during the duration of the voting period.

Be involved—report

We have started our weekly efforts on our TV show, Motoring Today (Sundays, 12 noon, Solar Sports, Channel 70, Sky Cable Network) where we enjoin our viewers to report via video clips or pictures taken even just with their cell phones, any motoring problem that they come across in their daily life in the metro. The report can also be on drivers who wantonly disregard traffic rules and regulations. The video or picture of the motoring problem, which can range from non-working intersection traffic lights that cause unnecessary traffic congestion to unfinished road projects that pose danger to both motorists and pedestrians, etc., should clearly show the location of the problem while those on felon drivers should clearly show the plate numbers of the vehicle involved.

Our role in this exercise is to refer this information to the government agency involved (DPWH, LTO, PNP, MMDA, etc.) for appropriate and hopefully swift action. We’ll also do some follow-up should the problem still exist or remain unresolved after enough time has been given to have it addressed by government.

We are extending this chance to be involved and help create better motoring in the metro to begin with and in an optimistic way in the entire country, to the readers of this column.

To participate in this worthy endeavor you can “like” us in our Motoring Today Face Book page or send the info to this column’s email address.

Be involved and file your report.

Happy Motoring!!!

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