2021 LDV T60 Max Luxe review

If our scoring section had a criterion marked ‘Ambition’ then the new LDV T60 Max Luxe would score 10/10. Its press release mentions just two competitors, the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, which dominate both the dual-cab segment and Australia’s vehicle sales in general.

It’s a bold statement, but why aim for anywhere other than the top? Nevertheless, with great ambition comes great expectations, so the question we must answer is: How does LDV’s heavily updated T60 ute stack up in an extremely competitive segment?

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If we’re talking dollars and cents, it stacks up very well. Before on-road costs, the T60 Max range kicks off at just $33,990 but even our range-topping Luxe automatic lists at $40,490, though these figures convert to a drive-away price if you’re an ABN holder. Included is five years or 130,000km of warranty and roadside assistance coverage.

The T60 is not a bare-bones affair, either, especially inside where the interior has been heavily updated. A new 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment system takes pride of place on the dash, with a redesigned gearshifter in the style of the old Audi A8 completing the makeover. The front seats are electrically adjustable and heated, there’s a six-speaker stereo and you can access Apple CarPlay via a pair of USB ports up front.

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For the money it’s an impressive cabin, with thoughtful touches like leather pads on the centre console for your knees, but there are a few shortcomings. The steering wheel has only height adjustment, not reach, and the seats have very short cushions that result in a lack of under-thigh support. They’re also very heavily padded, so you don’t so much sit in them as on them.

The reversing camera is also low-res and the T60 mutes the audio being played when reverse is selected. In theory, this is a clever safety feature to improve driver focus but it doesn’t pause the audio, just mute it, which makes it quite annoying if you’re in the middle of a news bulletin/podcast/your favourite song.

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A 360-degree camera is a welcome inclusion and the safety offering runs to six airbags, rollover mitigation and lane departure warning, however, the lack of autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring means the T60’s five-star ANCAP rating from 2017 would not carry over today.

The rear accommodation is spacious with room for three adults at a pinch. There are air vents, large bottle holders in the doors and a fold-down centre armrest, though there are no USB ports for charging and the rear bench is flat and could offer more support.

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On the outside, well, you’re certainly not going to miss the new T60. There’s more than a hint of 300-Series LandCruiser about the bold front end, the Luxe identified by its black grille and front guard, and chrome mirrors. But if there is any confusion it’ll quickly be cleared up by the giant ‘T60 Max’ emblazoned on the tailgate.

Fold that tailgate down and you’ll discover a load bed that measures 1485mm long and 1510mm wide at the floor with a depth of 530mm, while the rear opening is 1430mm wide and it’s 1131mm between the wheelarches. A spray-in tub liner is standard, as well as four tie-down points, two on the rear wall and on either side of the tailgate opening.

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Maximum payload is 750kg for the Luxe (the Pro with its heavy-duty suspension increases this to 925kg) but its 300kg maximum tow ball weight will need to be taken into account if you’re towing the maximum allowed 3000kg (braked).

I’ve arranged this review in order of traditional dual-cab buying priorities – pricing, interior then load carrying – but the big news with the T60 Max is under the bonnet. It’s especially big news as, on paper at least, it puts the LDV in the same conversation as Ford and Toyota in terms of performance.

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With 160kW and 500Nm, the T60 Max has a massive 50kW/140Nm more than the previous T60’s 2.8-litre engine and is 30kW/125Nm up on the Trailrider’s 2.0-litre. In fact, this is now the most powerful four-cylinder diesel on the market, albeit by just 3kW over the Ranger (in 2.0-litre Biturbo guise) and 10kW over the HiLux.

To be honest, both feel stronger on the road, but that’s not to diminish the T60. It’s a smooth, grunty engine that revs happily – if vocally – to the 4000rpm peak power point, but the noise settles at a cruise.

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It’s helped in its responses by the eight-speed auto, which has extremely short gear ratios, resulting in the engine spinning at more than 2000rpm at 110km/h. It also means the gearbox is constantly changing gears and there can be the odd hesitation. It doesn’t do the fuel consumption many favours either, LDV’s combined claim of 9.3L/100km indicative of a greater, if not terrible, thirst.

A rotary selector allows the choice of rear-wheel drive and high- or low-range four-wheel drive, or it can be left in a default ‘auto’ mode. This works fairly well, but in tight manoeuvring there does feel to be some diff chatter, like it’s selected four-wheel drive when it shouldn’t have. Happily, if you select a drive mode it will remember it even if the car is turned off and back on, so I took to just selecting 2H for daily duties.

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The T60 benefits from a local suspension tune developed by Walkinshaw but, to be honest, the unladen ride is pretty ordinary. The damping at higher speeds is in general compliant and controlled but poor surfaces lead to plenty of dual-cab ‘shimmy’ and sudden bumps on loose surfaces can cause the rear end to skip slightly sideways.

While on loose surfaces, the ABS can trigger quite early, but this is likely down to the all-terrain tyres. Otherwise, the T60’s handling holds few surprises. The steering is weighty without any real connection but as long as you remember you’re driving a high-riding ute there are no real concerns.

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We’ll leave it to our mates at 4x4 Australia to offer a definitive verdict on the LDV’s off-road capabilities but suffice to say, like most dual-cabs, it has a level of proficiency beyond what most will require. A rear diff lock is standard and the traction control seems up to the task, but really the tyres will be the limiting factor in any off-road escapades.

In the final reckoning, though, I can’t see the T60 Max tempting any Ranger or HiLux buyers, nor do I think LDV realistically expects it to. At this price point, its competition is the likes of the GWM Cannon, Ssangyong Musso or perhaps a base model Mitsubishi Triton. Here, the T60 makes a case for itself, with better dynamics than the former two and a swisher interior and more performance than the latter. Just where it sits in the pecking order will require a comparison test to discover.

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As mentioned in this review, there are shortcomings, particularly in the area of active safety when compared to newer rivals and, hopefully, the new infotainment system also rectifies the issues many customers found with the old one.

In essence, the question that kept popping up was: if I’d paid $40,000 for this would be I disappointed? The answer is no, the T60 Max upgrade is a sizeable one and results in a solid offering that’s worth investigating if you’re shopping at the lower end of the dual-cab segment.