[adi_tourer]

I am planning to buy Isuzu Vcross since I like to travel long distances and have covered 1000's of KM in my Creta. Now want a car which can take me anywhere. There are options of used Fortuner and others but I need a car which has good space for luggage for a family's month-long trip.
I wanted to buy Hilux but that has gone too far away from my budget , so VCross seems to be a good option for me.

I am confused between Vcross MT and AT version!

[GTO]

Definitely the oldschool 6-speed AT . It'll suffice for all your overlanding needs. The V-Cross is anyway a bit cumbersome to drive. Before closing, ensure that you are okay with the length of the V-Cross, it's heavy steering & bumpy ride. Very stylish and could be practical, but pickup trucks are not for everyone.

I would strongly recommend you to:

- Test-drive the Scorpio-N Diesel AT 4x4.

- Wait for the Thar 5-door which will be more practical for family usage.

- Test-drive the XUV700 AWD.

The Scorpio-N & Thar 5-door will be preferred over the V-Cross for your kind of usage, and beat it in offroading too. All 3 Mahindras will entail a waiting period, yet will be well worth the wait. Use your Creta for a little longer.

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by adi_tourer

I am confused between Vcross MT and AT version!

You should definitely go for AT. As an owner of V-cross since 2016 I can confirm the truck is reliable and well put together. The luggage space will spoil you and you will be tempted to carry everything on long trips. I would have bought the AT but it was not available in 2016.

Please note, its a large truck and nothing like a Creta. Unless you have a small 2nd car for city usage please take multiple longer test drives to ensure you can manage it. The Isuzu will definitely be great for long trips and the bouncy ride can be sorted by adding weight or adding comfort shackles (which I have).

None of the other SUV's have the road presence of V-cross/Hilux.

[Sankar]

To add to what GTO has said

1) VCross sold here is old. This model was replaced internationally along with the Mu-X.
2) This VCross/MuX was a Isuzu GM collaboration. The current gen VCross MuX is Isuzu Mazda Collaboration.
3) If buying VCross buy AT, the convenience will be appreciated.
--

I booked a Hilux within a week of its launch and canceled it within a week of the price reveal. I think Hilux in KL did not get RTO approval as a white board vehicle either, not sure about this. Anyway whilst I was preparing for Hilux ownership there were a few concerns regarding the pickup lifestyle and problems associated with it and solutions.

1) Bouncy ride as the bed would mostly be empty. Can be fixed.
2) Near vertical rear passenger seat backrest. No fix for this. VCross is slightly better in this regard.
3) Cramped cabin feeling accentuated by the rear glass close to the headrests. No fix.
4) If driving with four people or three the luggage and personal stuff would have to be stored in the bed and the selection of a suitable canopy or cover.
4.1) Prevention of dust and water ingress in the cargo area. Prevention of dust ingress seems to be major headache.
4.2) Safety and security of the items stored in cargo area. Need a good strong canopy preferably metal (Aluminium). Expensive.
5) The laws concerning the modification of rear cargo bed are sketchy. One just CANNOT use the pickup as delivered as a personal vehicle for over landing or camping with just a bed liner and cover.

Considering all the above, especially No,6, any fully enclosed metal roof 4x4 seems to have a major advantage with overlanding and camping in India. Remove the third row and there will be enough space for racks and drawers and a collapsible tent on roof to sleep.

[adi_tourer]

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Originally Posted by GTO

Definitely the oldschool 6-speed AT . It'll suffice for all your overlanding needs.
I would strongly recommend you to:

- Test-drive the Scorpio-N Diesel AT 4x4.

- Wait for the Thar 5-door which will be more practical for family usage.

- Test-drive the XUV700 AWD.

I completely agree that size of Vcross will be a problem.

- Yes, I planned to book Scorpio-N 4x4 but couldn't due to site issue

- There is no clarity by when Thar 5 door will be launched(this is preferred). I don't like current Thar for a family setup otherwise it is really good.

- I like XUV700 AWD but it feels more on luxury side than rugged.

Thank you for your suggestions, will keep posted on how it goes.

Originally Posted by tazmaan

You should definitely go for AT. As an owner of V-cross since 2016 I can confirm the truck is reliable and well put together. The luggage space will spoil you and you will be tempted to carry everything on long trips. I would have bought the AT but it was not available in 2016.

Thank you very much for your suggestions.

Originally Posted by Sankar

To add to what GTO has said

1) VCross sold here is old. This model was replaced internationally along with the Mu-X.

I booked a Hilux within a week of its launch and canceled it within a week of the price reveal. I think Hilux in KL did not get RTO approval as a white board vehicle either, not sure about this. Anyway whilst I was preparing for Hilux ownership there were a few concerns regarding the pickup lifestyle and problems associated with it and solutions.

5) The laws concerning the modification of rear cargo bed are sketchy. One just CANNOT use the pickup as delivered as a personal vehicle for over landing or camping with just a bed liner and cover.

Considering all the above, especially No,6, any fully enclosed metal roof 4x4 seems to have a major advantage with overlanding and camping in India. Remove the third row and there will be enough space for racks and drawers and a collapsible tent on roof to sleep.

Yes, this is true that the current version VCross is the old model compared to the International market. I too booked Hilux on 1st day of booking but had to cancel after price reveal. Toyota is really playing the game monoploy.

I am still researching the hardtop for the cargo bed. It is really frustrating to check on different options that too overpriced.

[Piyush Kanthak]

Why not get a commercial pickup like the Yodha? Modify it to your taste. I recently saw a BHP'ians Tata Yodha which was heavily modified And it was eye catching.

[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by adi_tourer

I am planning to buy Isuzu Vcross since I like to travel long distances and have covered 1000's of KM in my Creta. I am confused between Vcross MT and AT version!

If you go for the AT your left leg would thank you no end, that depends on whether this is going to be your only car or do you have other cars in your garage. But a more than 5 mtrs long around 2 mtrs wide car with a heavy steering can be cumbersome in city traffic coupled with a MT will make it a literal "chore" in traffic. That said Creta and V Cross are as different as 'chalk' and 'cheese'. Pickups don't sell in India for a reason, choose wisely.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by adi_tourer

I am planning to buy Isuzu Vcross since I like to travel long distances and have covered 1000's of KM in my Creta. Now want a car which can take me anywhere.

You have not mentioned how many people travel together with you on such long journeys, and what all you usually or want to carry.

Isuzu is no longer what it used to be. Out of around 5 or 6 commercial trucks we had, only three remain, mostly from the initial lot. Will you believe Isuzu changed the clutch plates on a truck with less than 15K in less than a year of ownership? And no, that was not isolated as on the other one too similar failure happened at around 20K. Spares are super expensive, and I don't think it will be a wise idea to buy a V cross- brand new at this time. It shows its age and is pretty rough and difficult to handle in the city.

If you are a couple or alone mostly, consider a Thar with a soft top and see if you can use the rear portion for your stuff by removing the rear seats. I haven't seen anything like that, but it should be doable to make Thar with side-facing seats or have the arrangement to remove/ fix rear seats quickly as required.

[condor]

Originally Posted by adi_tourer

I am planning to buy Isuzu Vcross since I like to travel long distances

I am confused between Vcross MT and AT version!

Like others have already mentioned, esp what GTO has suggested - check the SUV's. Remove the last row from the Scropio-N, or similar and you will have lot of protected / enclosed space to carry your luggage. Else, get a roof-top box. Fold the 2nd row and with some intelligent management of space, you can even have some one sleep in the rear. Want to carry a couple of cycles ? Get a cycle rack.

If it is only 2 people travelling, then a SUV makes a lot of sense. Remove the 2nd row also, and you may even be able to sleep 2 people there. (Have done this removal for one person in one instance, in my Safari).

These pickups may look like having a lot of space at the back, but you will still need to protect them with the correct cover/lid.

These pickups are un-wieldy. Long, need lot of space to turn, and are terrible when it is one person driving around in city. I have experimented with a crew-cab, and have now moved to a Gypsy.

Like the Gypsy, the pick-ups can be a fad. Agreed there is a certain aura around these, but these are not for everyone. And you will still require a small second car for city use. Think, think, think - and re-think before you put in your money.

[Tassem]

As someone who has owned and mostly daily driven an Isuzu since 2017 I can tell you the following:

Get it.

• Get the AT. Manual is great for off roading but the other 90% on-road, AT helps
• Get good tyres to match your usage. HT tyres are quiet. AT tyres are a good mix, MT tyres "look" great (unless this is a dedicated adventure vehicle)
• Upgrade the suspension. Comfort levels go up exponentially
• Get a hard bed cover or canopy for utility. Very important as this vehicle has no other storage even for a small case if all the seats are occupied

These are the basic mods for everyday use. You can literally turn this into any vehicle perfect for your needs with the right mods. Mine is in its second avatar now and I'm already thinking of the 3rd.

To add - its just as easy to drive as any other car once you get used to it. I know a lot of people who happily daily drive the dmax. Honestly, I find my drives slightly better in this vs other cars because frankly traffic behaves well around a vehicle of this size. Bikes, smaller cars etc don't cut you off as much etc.

[gururajrv]

Originally Posted by GTO

I would strongly recommend you to:

- Test-drive the Scorpio-N Diesel AT 4x4.

- Wait for the Thar 5-door which will be more practical for family usage.

- Test-drive the XUV700 AWD.

The Scorpio-N & Thar 5-door will be preferred over the V-Cross for your kind of usage, and beat it in offroading too. All 3 Mahindras will entail a waiting period, yet will be well worth the wait. Use your Creta for a little longer.

Although slightly a bit OT from my side, can't help but notice Mahindra being on the top 3 recommendations in your post. Certainly, a big praise for Mahindra even though Thar 5 door is still few months away from launch. Goes onto show how meticulously crafted their vehicles have proven to be both mechanically and build-wise!

As for the thread starter, used Fortuner will still serve your needs or fits your purpose as a secondary go-anywhere vehicle. Alternatively, why not try Force Gurkha?

[MB4DI]

My 7cents !

As a previous Isuzu V-cross owner, I would discourage you to go for it. The after sales service is going to be a problem sooner or later and Isuzu is loosing its ground in the Indian market.

Secondly, the vehicle has very poor low-end torque for a truck of its size. This poses severe problems in the hill/incline climb scenarios [Tarmac roads especially where Alto climbs effortlessly], which I have personally encountered. Too much clutch slippage causes high wear and tear of clutch plate. Finally, I had to sell it, just under 10 months of usage.

Hilux is miles ahead in performance and price is no doubt a deal breaker for many. So, its better IMHO to wait for 5 door Thar/Gurkha/Jimny.


Regards,
MB4DI

[vredesbyrd]

This thread screams used Fortuner.
Barring pickup specific attributes (loading bed and all), the Fortuner will serve you better in every area and is a great all-rounder.
It's a better vehicle to live with in the city too.

[Mustang Sammy]

If you must have an Isuzu, the MU-X is probably a better option.
Otherwise agree with the other respondents that a Scorpio, Thar or Fortuner are superior choices to the large and unwieldy pickup.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by adi_tourer

I am planning to buy Isuzu Vcross since I like to travel long distances and have covered 1000's of KM in my Creta. Now want a car which can take me anywhere. There are options of used Fortuner and others but I need a car which has good space for luggage for a family's month-long trip.
I wanted to buy Hilux but that has gone too far away from my budget , so VCross seems to be a good option for me.

I am confused between Vcross MT and AT version!

This is an interesting dilemma that you are in. I am assuming when you say family, we can consider 4 people and their luggage. If yes, then to be brutally honest, this whole pick-up truck and crew cab thing is simply a fad and you are being seduced by the terrific appeal of rugged go-anywhere adventure motoring, such as what you see in those innumerable over-landing videos on YouTube; wear a hat, pull on a photographers jacket, shove on some boots, grab your gear, chuck it in the back, whistle up the dog and get moving into the wide blue yonder.

Well, don’t worry, many of us are like you. Me included. If I am honest, there is really no need for a city dwelling corporate chap like me, to even own a tough 4x4 Jeepy type vehicle. A Nexon EV will do me just as well. But yet, I love the romance of that ephemeral lifestyle that such 4x4’s represent and hence I went for the Thar ( Petrol ,hardtop, AT). (Of course, I am terribly pleased with the confidence it inspires, considering the dreadful roads in Bangalore).

Now, to your question, here are some suggestions.

1. Go for an AT. This is the only practical choice if the vehicle is going to be driven in the cities and on the highways.
2. Forget the pickup truck unless you’re willing to spring 45 big ones for the Hilux. Nothing else comes close. And even then, this is the base spend. You will have to spring more big bucks to jazz it up and put in a bed liner and a lockable tonneau cover etc. None of these jazz up options, are available out-of-the-box here in India, in any degree of choice, in the aftermarket, unlike how it is in America or Australia or Canada, so you’re likely to be plagued by irritants.
3. If you are adamant about a pickup truck, go and hunt up an used Scorpio Getaway. Those are truly fantastic. Very inexpensive, highly capable, totally under rated, but rugged as the blazes and backed up by service anywhere in India. However, they are relatively rare and finding an used example which has been well cared for, is very hard. Also, there is no AT and there are no dedicated accessories for it, which are easily available for fitment, such as the above-mentioned tonneau cover et al.
4. India is a country full of dust and muck and slush and pollution and frightful smells and everything else, hence an enclosed secure, comfortable SUV with good passenger and luggage room, should be your automatic choice.
5. As many others here have suggested, if you have the money, go and pick up a Toyota Fortuner brand new. Or book, wait and buy the Scorpio 4WD, AT, which will do you proud in every possible way, basis my reading of your need and want state.
6. You do have the choice of biting the bullet and waiting a bit for the 5 door Thar, which promises to be a family friendly go anywhere tourer, with the perfect go anywhere rugged, adventuring type of image.
7. And lastly if you’re in a tearing hurry, hunt up a nice used Fortuner or Ford Endeavour, both of which will more than satisfy your cravings.

Enjoy!