Written by Text by Jude Morte Thursday, 26 February 2009 BEFORE you disagree with this writer over what
exactly is driving and riding fun in a multipurpose vehicle (MPV), do bear in mind that “fun” is an adjective subject to the whims and caprices of the person doing the story. Or the MPV provided for the story.
Why? Because the Isuzu Sportivo is a fun MPV.
Despite a look that hasn’t exhibited major structural changes since 2007, the exterior still is a fount of fun. A tall ground clearance (190 mm), roof rails, an-easy-to-locate spare tire, side step boards, an aggressive front fascia and chrome-line rims create more bling and invite more attention for a no-nonsense utility vehicle.
Step inside and you’ll see why Isuzu made much ado about the Sportivo’s comfort and convenience. The leather-wrapped seats aren’t hard on the lumbar area, you have a towering view of traffic, and the first two rows offer comfortable seating for five. However, the third row is meant for two kids, midgets and adults up to five-foot-three or below due to limited knee-room. Air conditioning is decent, but delivers cold air at the blower two setting onward. The JVC in-car entertainment is now DVD-capable, and totes a monitor in front (within the head unit) and two 6.5-inch monitors within the front backrests so that every occupant can enjoy unobstructed viewing pleasure. The sound, though, tends to be wanting, as the bass level is muffled and the treble level is rather tinny. Case in point: in the “Battle of the Bulge” episode of the Band of Brothers collection (where E Company lays siege to Bastogne), the shots of gunfire are rather muted and you can hardly hear the characters’ voices (particularly that of Eugene Roe).
Storage is a love-hate matter, depending on the occupant. There’s a cavity above the glovebox, but there are no cupholders for front occupants. The center console can hold a Canon EOS 400D, a Canon EF 10-22 lens and a Canon EF 60 mm lens, but door storage is narrow. There are cupholders for second-row occupants, but they are at the base of the center console. The second- and third-row seats fold and tumble forward, and when both rows are folded the rear can swallow a balikbayan box and five to six maletas (large travel bags). The bad news is that the seats’ respective latches are hard to find, as they are in the same black color as the seat frame bars.
It is in the forward driving dynamics where the current Sportivo can be a bit of a problem. The M/T’s gearing is even, the throws are generally positive (albeit tall) and you need little effort from your left foot to engage the clutch. Problem is, the 2,180-kg gross vehicle weight and the narrow powerband require frequent use of second (or even first gear) for acceleration on all sorts of surfaces. It would be better, though, if it had some sort of forced induction (with boost coming early) to better acceleration. The results speak for themselves—a 155 kph top speed and 7.09 km/l on a week of mixed driving.
When it comes to handling, steering and safety, there are some potential thrills. The tall ride height makes the vehicle exhibit lots of lean during hard cornering. At least the OE tires give good grip, breaking traction at 70 to 80 kph. The suspension absorbs small and medium sized road irregularities with ease, but is a bit bouncy on large potholes. Steering is light in feel but low in feedback, but both brakes and engine braking are strong. Kudos also can be given to the Sportivo’s lighting, as the foglights can take place of the headlights’ brightness anytime and the cabin lighting makes it easy to find small items on the chassis floorpan. It’s a good thing, too, that the Sportivo has parking sensors (especially at the rear) and they aren’t that sensitive, making parking in cramped Makati lots or basement parking areas surprisingly easy.
Based on what the Sportivo has to offer, it is obvious that Isuzu delved more into making its MPV more fun for its occupants.
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