1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194 
MAXI M US
Page 42
Page 44
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
It's been around long enough now for a second opinion. First time round we went large so this time we've ordered our Maxus small. And does it satisfy our hunger for a thoroughly decent British van? Well, sort of...
Being asked to pass judgement on LDV's Maxus is like marking your friend's exam paper.You know you have to remain impartial but feel compelled to overlook any shortcomings due to certain relationship factors —in this case the fact that were both British. liere,after all,is a vehicle that through sheer force of will made it onto the market in spite of one half of the initial collaboration (Daewoo) falling into receivership.
And lets be honest,if the Maxus hadn't come along LDV would still be relying on its archaic Pilot and Convoy, which would be about as wise as putting your faith in a train timetable.
So let's just say that the phrase 'make or break' has never been more apt— and who wants to be responsible for sending another British vehicle manufacturer down the pan?
But in the tradition of Commercial Motor we've rolled up our sleeves and covered up the badges to approach this test like any other. Like the man said, you have to he cruel to be kind.
As LDV saw the van market pass it by, it knew that times were changing. From the day the Vauxhall Vivaro rolled off the line (arguably the turning point for modern vans) things would never be the same —in fact they would be hetter.The company must have been reading its rival's brochures because you get a practical range that includes two wheelbases, two roof heights and two engine outputs from the Italian-built VM 2.5-litre common-rail turbo-diesel: 93 or 118hp. You also get to choose the GVW — 2.8,3.2 or 3.5 tonnes —so there should be something for everyone.
The base model (2.8-tonne/93hp/SWB/low roof) has a list price of £12,995, climbing to £18,995 for the flagship (3.5-tonne/118hp/ LWB/high roof). For standard equipment you get an engine immobiliser, remote central locking, CD/radio and electric windows. Options include ABS with EBD (which should be a standard feature if you ask us), passenger airbag. air-con and a steel bulkhead.
At £13,495 this week's test vehicle doesn't come cheap when compared with the competition. For £13.230 you could pick up a Mercedes Vito 11 LCD1.and the similarly/ ranked Transporter from VW is also in contention at £13,711 .And when it comes to selling on, the LDV's residuals (contrary to company claims) may prove to be off the mark when stacked up against the German contenders.
On the other hand the Maxus does come with either a three-year/100,000-mile or fouryear/60,000-rnile warranty and 20,000 mile service intervals.
Productivity lithe Maxus is going to win admirers then competitive fuel economy is a must. A laden spin round the Kent test route produced a figure of 32.7mpg, keeping the LDV in the running— the Vito and Vivaro achieved 322 and 32.9mpg respectively while VW's Transporter led the pack with a strong 37.1 mpg. Running unladen brought a significant increase in economy to 42.1mpg; again this was in line with the competition, though Mercedes' Vito fell off the pace with 38.1mpg In terms of payload the Maxus offers a decent 7.0m3 of space with nearly flat sidewalls which allow you to get the best out of it. Useful features on our vehicle included six tie-down points, resin bonded plywood floor covering and full-height sidewall trim. Unfortunately all these are optional extras so you'll have to budget if you want them.
Loading is easy thanks to a low (550mm) rear lip and doors that open out to 180. A further plus is the sliding nearside door that opens wide, allowing plenty of room to manoeuvre when hopping in and out.
On the road
With the current generation of vans becoming ever more car-like it terms of road manners LDV needed to push its chassis engineering forward because, let's face, it the company's existing models like the Pilot were never known for their suspension dynamics. So it was with a degree of surprise, and relief, that we found the Maxus rode with modern etiquette.
Assisted by independent McPherson struts up front it rides smoothly over most surfaces,only lettingitself down over uneven terrain where the suspension travel feels a touch limited in its travel.
Cornering also reveals a capable chassis that holds the road through tight manoeuvres and sweeping bends,but again it's not perfect.Throw 0 it into a tight turn a little too sharply and there's a degree of over-steer; this may not be a desirable feature in the wet. But it must be said that it only happens under extreme provocation;for all mentally stable drivers the handling should prove more than adequate. It's the same with the steering, which provides enough feel to keep you informed of what going on below your feet. Motorway work reveals a competent high-speed cruiser,if a little fidgety in cross-winds Bumping up the Maxus' stock is the engine. We had hoped to feature the 93hp unit in this Lest, but that will have to wait for another day. VM, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler, has built in a strong degree of torque from low down yet it spins happily up to the redline. Power delivery is progressive and it behaves quietly with no noticeable vibration.
Harnessing this grunt is a five-speed manual box with a dash mounted gearstick — six speeds would have been nice. Slightly less upright compared with its counterparts from VW and Mere, it shifts smoothly enough though it has a long throw compared with the Germans.
When it comes to stopping the Maxus' anchors work well, but in the absence of ABS distances are increased and so is tyre smoke. With Mercedes throwing in ESP and traction control as standard on top of its ABS with EBD among other things,it's a shame the Maxus doesn't come with this technology as standard.
Cab comfort Whereas previous LDV interiors consisted of random plastic boxes housing random controls (though the steering wheel was usually on the right) the Maxus cabin is bang up to date. In fact could be said to have shot past current trends and accelerated ahead of the pack (we'll get back to that in a minute). Upon entering the cabin (via a large step and wide access area) you encounter a twotone set-up of light grey and black plastics. Not too shabby; in fact surprisingly easy on the eye.
Now get comfortable, and with a multiadjustable seat that shifts up on down with not one hut two (optional) movements and plenty of rear space for taller drivers to utilise it's so far so good. But what's this? Just when you thought you'd found the ultimate driving position you discover the steering wheel has decided to stay put — in other words it's nonadjustable.And with LDV championing the ultra-modern set-up this is a serious oversight.
But on to the biggest draw: the dashboard. Passenger cars have had instrument pods located centrally for a few years now but being traditional souls van designers stick by, well, tradition.
With the central set-up the Maxus is trying hard to prove its up-to-date credentials but what for? It certainly doesn't improve the working environment in any practical way as the storage space usually offered has been replaced by a small oddments tray in front of the steering wheel,where its contents are reflected off the windscreen into the driver's line of vision.
The loss of storage space is offset by practical sized door bins that incorporate large bottle holders and are big enough for a folder and paperwork. You also get cubby-holes left and right of the driver, and pop-out cup holders.
There's surprisingly Little intrusion from road roar or engine noise;we reckon it beats the Vito which suffers from undue engine disturbance.
When it comes to durability of the cab we can't really comment as our particular test vehicle was only a few thousand miles into its life. But we have a feeling that the overall quality of fit and finish in the Maxus may prove to be slightly off the pace compared with the Germans.