LDV T60 2018 Towing Review

Little-known LDV introduced the T60, alongside two other models, in New Zealand with a hope of putting a dent in the popular ute market.

With good warranty options and competitive pricing, we wondered how it would fare towing a 1500kg boat.

The vehicle

LDV appears to focus on both looks and safety features delivering a host of impressive features within an affordable price point.

 The vehicle has a fairly standard layout, and at first glance everything seems well positioned.

However, there are some odd design choices that we didn’t quite understand in the vehicle, like the large sun visor clashes with the rear view mirror and the glove box being quite flimsy.

Look past these minor finishing issues and the cabin is quite comfortable with good electric leather seats and a well sized 10-inch infotainment system with a reasonable reverse camera.

The big winner for the T60 is its safety, with an impressive five-star ANCAP score. It was encouraging to see a manufacturer focus on both affordable price-points and outstanding safety values.

In terms of the exterior appearance, the T60 looks quite grand with an aggressive front end. It’s packed with tech features, some of which enhance the car’s towing ability. Rollover Movement Intervention (RMI), Hill Decent Control (HDC) and Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) systems are fitted into its luxury models.

During our testing

We found that the T60 had good performance unloaded, and was comfortable enough for it to be used as a daily driver. On the hill section of our course with the 1500kg vessel attached, we could achieve slow acceleration from 50Kph – 80Kph at 3000rpm. Thankfully, with the manual gearbox we could select third gear quickly.

The VGT engine designed by VM Motori is produced by the same manufacturers of engines for the Jeep Wrangler and the Holden Colorado. The engine wasn’t mind-blowing but it did get the job done well. We had the vehicle in Power mode but later tested Eco and Standard modes and couldn’t feel a huge difference in performance.

At 90kph on the motorway in 6^th gear and 1525rpm, the T60 was a comfortable place to be, tracking well with little sway. 

It’s worth noting that the luxury model we were testing had harder suspension in the rear which may have helped with the stability and overall performance. If you are using this as a work ute and payload is important, stretching the budget out for the luxury model should be considered.

The large, 10-inch screen is a valuable asset for coupling the trailer and the mirrors are pretty good, too. Blind spot monitoring is another useful piece of tech the T60 has up its sleeve. Unfortunately, while chrome mirror covers fitted to the Luxury model do look attractive they can be a bit reflective, and therefore a potential distraction for the driver.

The LDV T60 is difficult to really sum up; it is a bit of a mixed bag with some features exceeding expectations and others which aren't worth writing home about.

If you are in the market for a tow vehicle, and safety, comfort, and price are all high on your list of priorities, then it could be worth looking at a T60.

LDV are working hard to secure their place in the market and include a five year or 130,000km warranty, including roadside assist with ???? <is it across all the range?> They also offer a 10-year anti-perforation warranty which should help more buyers consider this manufacturer. 

Thanks to SeaCraft Miller Moyes for the test boat & trailer.