The Great Outdoors has always been there to offer clean air, a breathtaking panorama of forests, mountains, the sky and the clouds. There’s a regular show of magnificence out there, too — the sunrise, sunset, the carpet of pine trees veiled by clouds. There’s the music of nature which soothes the soul with the silence of the rainforest, chirping birds, swooshing rain, rushing river water. Even the howling wind has a tune.
You need a vehicle to get there.
Last week, the 2024 Isuzu D-Max brought us, 16 motoring journalists, to enjoy the Great Outdoors, driving from Pampanga province to Baguio, and on to Sagada in the Mountain Province. There, the D-Max units were transformed into living quarters by Overland Kings. But that’s getting ahead of the story.
To say it was a good ride would be an understatement. It was a ride that connected one’s senses to appreciate nature and the Isuzu D-Max.
The Isuzu D-Max is of course no stranger to long drives over twisty mountain roads and narrow town streets. We had experienced the D-Max after its launch in 2003 when Cruising Magazine, Manila Bulletin’s motor travel monthly, was deep into exploring the Philippines by land and RORO ferry. And we brought that with us every year – for 12 years – for our cross-country drives.
That weekend, 21 years later, the 2024 Isuzu D-Max delivered what we expected it to do with the many features that enhanced the ride comfort, and the safety of the vehicle.
In the Namibu Orange D-Max with me were Anjo Perez, Manila Times motoring editor, and STV Vice President for Production, Jenny B. Pineda. Anjo, formerly with the Manila Bulletin, was the photo-journalist who contributed much to the success of Cruising’s stories on motor travel. He drove the D-Max with a familiarity that added to the comfort and safe feeling of his passengers.
In the convoy with us were our friends from Isuzu Philippines – Tetsuya Fujita, IPC president and Toshihiko Kojima, IPC vice president for sales who joined the convoy to Baguio. With us all the way to Sagada were Bobet Carlos, Yvonne Linchangco, Jessa Nervaez, Hermes Cannon and Ronald Nacabuan.
Feeling safe in the D-Max
The reason for the feeling of safety came because the 2024 D-Max allowed us to look beyond the cabin – its Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) with Gen4 Smart Duo Camera offered a wider field of view. When navigating the tight corners of the Halsema Highway and the narrow Sagada streets, the D-Max’s 360-degree Around View Monitor (AVM) showed the way. These innovations have contributed to the D-Max’s five-star safety rating from ASEAN NCAP.
As usual, it was the knowledge of the power under the hood that assured us of the D-Max’s reliability –the 4JJ3-TCX Blue Power engine with 190-PS of maximum power and 450-Nm of torque. With that, the D-Max did not hesitate to climb the steep hills and drive through the rugged terrain with a full load of passengers and a lot of gear.
Another comfort feature for long drives in the mountains is the All-Terrain Command System which allows for easy switching between 2WD and 4WD, combined with the Differential Lock System and Rough Terrain Mode which ensured that the vehicle could handle any off-road challenge with ease.
After many road trips, the D-Max has established a reputation that states a lifestyle, one that says much about a choice for function and recreation, and of course, a taste for outdoor adventure. For many years, the D-Max was our partner on the road, safely bringing us to destinations, where we parked it and settled into a room in a resort or hotel.
Overland Kings
But that weekend in August, the D-Max was our partner even after the drive. Overland Kings, led by Joel Conrad Pedro, outfitted the units that transformed into living quarters for the drivers and passengers.
It was a lovely sight that greeted us at the campsite in Sagada – tents that sheltered dining tables and the kitchen, and a bonfire where we warmed ourselves to wait for our assigned rooms. Those were the rooftop tents and awning tents that were setup, lined with fairy lights, and furnished with cots, airbeds, fully-charged fans and lamp shades. This was clearly far from the way we used to go camping with the least number of city comforts.
Overland Kings, who counts the Isuzu D-Max camping event as the 38th it has set up this year, has upped the camping experience not only with the comfortable sleeping quarters but also with the small details of hospitality – food prepared by Sarsa Executive Chef, Kim Yumol, and Baguio Mountain Man, Chef Chavi Romawac, and his wife Millie.
And the thoughtful touches in the tents were much appreciated – foot rugs to keep the muddy trekking shoes off the rest of the sleeping area, toiletries, and bedroom slippers – and even water heaters in the showers in the makeshift baths at the back of the campsite!
More adventure for the iconic D-Max
The Sagada D-Max drive is the second Isuzu camping event and it won’t be the last. With the Isuzu D-Max carrying the face of adventure, there’s no stopping the many ways it will show reliability, comfort, safety, and yes, fun with the playlists too!