Maxus Philippines debuts with new G10 and V80 people-haulers

Maxus Philippines, under AC Industrials of the Ayala Group of companies, has officially entered the Philippine automotive market. Distributed by AC Motors, AC Industrials’ automotive distribution and retail group, Maxus will join Honda, Isuzu, Volkswagen, Kia, and KTM in the automotive stable under the Ayala wing.

The Maxus brand traces its roots way back to the Leyland Steam Van brand in 1896, which then evolved to Leyland Motors in 1906. Fast forward to 2004, Leyland DAF Vans (LDV) created the Maxus brand. Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) bought the Maxus brand in 2010 and continues its distribution up until today.

Currently, Maxus is distributed in Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and Africa, while being marketed under the LDV brand in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

One of the two nameplates that Maxus Philippines debuts is the G10 MPV, or more appropriately classified as a minivan because of its sliding doors configuration.

The Maxus G10 has a 9-seat capacity, all adjustable, but its greatest selling point is the set of four captain seats in the second and third rows. The last row features a bench seat that can be folded and tumbled in 60:40 fashion. Other amenities include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, front and rear air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, cruise control, and a 220V power socket. Safety features include dual front and side airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all nine occupants, and ABS with EBD.

Powering the Maxus G10 is Euro 4-compliant 1.9-liter diesel engine with VGT, sending 148 horsepower and 350 Nm torque to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. It has a McPherson (front) and 5-link coil springs (rear) suspension setup and Lotus/GM Pan-Asia chassis timing.

The Maxus G10 has an introductory price of P1,680,000 and available in five colors: Silver, Gray, White, Gold, and Black.

The second model that Maxus Philippines launches is the V80 van that’s catered towards people- and cargo-hauling purposes. The Maxus V80 is available in three variants: Comfort, Flex, and Transport, with seating configuration and capacity varying in each variant.

The Maxus V80 Comfort stands at the top of the range with its 13-seat capacity – three in the front cabin and 10 individual seats at the back. All seats are reclinable while safety features include dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, ISOFIX, and rear proximity sensors.

On the other hand, those who are looking for a cargo-hauler for their small business should turn their attention to the Maxus V80 Flex. Rid of seats at the back, the V80 Flex maximizes its cargo-hauling capacity with a sliding door at the side and dual swing doors at the back.

Lastly, the Maxus V80 Transport should be the choice of those who want to buy a van to start a people transport business. It offers an 18-person capacity with its bench cabin seats but with the same safety features as the other V80 variants. This variant is slated to go head-to-head against popular 18-seat vans in the country like the Toyota Hiace Commuter Deluxe and Nissan Urvan.

All Maxus V80 variants carry the same 2.5L CRDi diesel engine with VGT that produces 134 hp and 330 Nm of torque, with a 6-speed manual transmission sending the power to the rear wheels. This engine allows for as much as 1,100 kg payload capacity, dampened by a McPherson (front) and Independent Parallel Leaf Spring (rear) suspension setup.

The Maxus V80 Comfort sells for P1,570,000 while the V80 Transport has a price tag of P1,288,000. The V80 Flex cargo van can be bought for P1,190,000.

As a new brand, Maxus Philippines wants to emphasize its slew of aftersales services. Periodic maintenance service (PMS) interval schedule is set at the first 5,000 km and every succeeding 10,000 km, or once a year, whichever comes first. The general warranty is 3 years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first.

Maxus Philippines also offers a 24/7 emergency roadside assistance, a pick-up and delivery service for customers, and on-site servicing for corporate fleet accounts.

The first Maxus Philippines dealership will rise at the Greenfield District Showroom and Service Center in Mandaluyong City. Maxus Philippines will also establish dealerships at the ASEANA Manila Bay in Parañaque City, along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, and in Cebu for its future customers in the Visayas.