As to be expected from the purveyors of the VCD-laced Sportivo and Trooper, the Alterra comes with another way of saying that traffic in Manila is terrible: the industry’s first 5.1 surround sound system complete with DTS capability.  Homemade movies will not look better with the standard dual 7-inch widescreen LCD screens mounted aft of the front headrests and the standard 10-speaker system with a detachable subwoofer!

So what gives with the Alterra’s “alter your perception of the SUV” routine?  Here’s a clue: squint carefully at the front door and notice the words “3.0 DDi i-TEQ”.  This short phrase of alphanumeric nonsense is actually the heart and soul of the Alterra.  Instead of plucking up the D-Max’s already potent engine, like in the case of the Ranger/Everest and Hilux/Fortuner, Isuzu has gifted their 7-seater SUV with a brand-new 3.0-liter double overhead cam turbo diesel with common rail technology.  Like Toyota’s D-4D, the 4JJ i-TEQ has variable swirl technology to improve fuel/air mixture while maintaining a clean, Euro-3 bill of health.  However, Isuzu says that their common rail is a third generation unit versus the Fortuner’s second and the Trooper’s first generation units.  However, that doesn’t change the fact that the Alterra is way below the Fortuner’s power and torque: 146 versus 160 horsepower and 305 Nm versus 340 Nm.  The Alterra is made available with both a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto box.

Perhaps the real perception altering fact of the launch is the Alterra’s price.  Expected to undercut or at least match Toyota’s superb Fortuner, the Isuzu starts at a wallet-clogging P1,389,000 for the monotone, manual transmission, 4x2 with a modest 2-channel stereo system.  It goes even higher to a stroke-causing P 1,489,000 for the “Omega Pearl White” two-tone, 4x2 with the P. Diddy-ish 5.1-surround system.  Plans are underway to launch an even more expensive 4x4 range come June or July of this year.  On a side note though, this comes with a 3-year/100,000 kilometer warranty, the first Isuzu to be offered with such.  For those who give the Isuzu Alterra is Siskel and Ebert-style two-thumbs up, rush to your nearest Isuzu dealer today!

For more information on the Isuzu Alterra, visit the most opinionated car buyer's guide in the Philippines, TheCarChart!
2nd row should accommodate 3 adults, but middle one will surely complain from the ironing board stiff seat (it folds away, you see).
Gold-plated engine cover (bling-bling) hides Isuzu's i-TEQ common rail injection diesel engine. It claims to be more high-tech and cleaner than other common rails in its class, but it's still down on power and torque.
There's no mistaking this for anything else but a D-Max dash, pressed into service once again in the Alterra.

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