Maxus T60 pickup truck will make Philippine debut in March 2020

The highly contested pickup truck segment is a tough market to crack with established brands already having a solid hold on the local market. Maxus Philippines wants a piece of the action with the introduction of its T60 pickup. The SAIC-owned marque, which is best known for its vans and commercial vehicles locally, wants to offer an affordable option to Filipino buyers with its newest vehicle.

This announcement shouldn’t come as a surprise as Maxus has already confirmed last December that it will bring its pickup truck in the country this year, albeit, without an official release date. Thanks to the official invite from Maxus sent out to its media partners, the official launch date has been confirmed to be on March 5, 2020. 

The T60 was the first-ever pickup built by SAIC motors that was designed for the global market. It’s also the first Chinese-made pickup to score a 5-star rating from the Australian New Car Assessment Progam. The vehicle is already on sale in the Land Down Under and has garnered quite a following. This is thanks to the pickup’s strong construction, affordable price, and its high safety rating.

For the Philippine market, no official specifications have been released yet, but if specifications from our neighbors from Australia are anything to go by, the T60 promises to be a contender. What was confirmed by Maxus Philippines was that there are three drivetrains available for the local market. The first is a 4x2 with a manual transmission. Second is a 4x2 with an automatic transmission and the third option is a 4x4 with an automatic transmission.  

Official engine options are still unknown but the T60 will most likely come with a 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine. Based on power figures from the Australian T60, the 2.8-liter will produce a healthy 147 hp and 360 Nm of torque. Transmission options could come in the form of a 6-Speed manual and a 6-Speed automatic.