2022 Maxus D90: How does it stand against popular SUVs?

Familiar nameplates have been lording it over the local midsize SUV category for years, primarily those from Japanese and American contenders. Now it’s a Chinese brand’s turn to make waves the segment, as Maxus Philippines brings in the D90 for Filipino customers.

Maxus brings what could the biggest midsize SUV in the local market to date

The release follows the D60 midsize crossover that was previously launched in our market. But unlike that model which shares its underpinnings with the G50 MPV (despite having a different drivetrain), the D90 is a true body-on-frame SUV that’s set up to go head-to-head against its truck-based rivals. 

One area this is evident is in the D90s exterior dimensions, coming in at 5,005mm long, 1,932mm wide, and 1,875mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,950mm. The latest Maxus could easily be the biggest model in its class to date, dwarfing everything else within the segment.   

The D90 joins the power tailgate club that counts the Montero Sport, Everest, and Fortuner among its members

The D90 follows its rivals in terms of adopting LED headlamps as standard, but features a relatively simple fascia, dominated by the large, gaping grille. This is complemented by chiseled foglamp housings within the integrated front bumper and a sculpted hood up top. The shoulder line veers off to a slight tangent just beyond the exterior mirrors before following the beltline again from the B-pillar all the way to rear, giving the D90 a unique profile that sets it apart visually from its competitors. 

Much like the Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Montero Sport, and the Ford Everest, the Maxus D90 features a power tailgate flanked by wraparound LED rear combination lamps, featuring an integrated roof spoiler with third brake lamp up top. A set of 19-inch alloy wheels prop up the D90 on all four corners, only an inch smaller in diameter compared to those available on the Ford Everest.  

Maxus wants to one-up its rivals by offering leather upholstery as standard

As with most of its segment peers, the D90 boasts seating for seven with leather upholstery as standard. Rear seats fold flat to increase the load space, while front and rear dual-zone climate controls are par for the course for this segment. The D90 joins the Everest in offering a roof-mounted skylight to customers. The dashboard mounts a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen monitor, the biggest in its class, featuring support for Apple CarPlay while patched to eight speakers.

For safety, a total of six airbags comprising front, side, and curtain inflators surrounds passengers for protection, similar to that offered on the Nissan Terra. Rear parking distance control and a reverse camera are on hand for maneuvering the D90’s mass in and around parking spaces. Electronic stability control and hill-start assist are standard, while the D90 also uses an electronic parking brake as with the Montero Sport and the Terra. Similar to the Everest, the D90 offers a tire pressure monitoring system.  

Like the Fortuner, Everest, and the upcoming Isuzu mu-X, the D90 offers two engine options

As expected in its category, the D90 comes with a selection of two 2.0-liter turbodiesel engines. One is a single turbo unit rated at 158 horsepower and 375 Newton-meters of torque that comes with the 4x2 Premium trim, the other is a 2.0-liter bi-turbo mill that generates 213 horsepower and 480 Newton-meters of twist for the top-of-the-line Premium 4x4 variant. Both engines are mated to automatic transmissions. Not to be outdone by its rivals, the flagship 4x4 trim comes with an All-Terrain System with differential lock.    
The Maxus D90 is available as a 4x2 variant with a price tag of Php 1,918,000 while the 4x4 trim costs Php 2,268,000, even undercutting the top-spec Montero Sport by Php Php 30,000. Much like the Everest and Terra, the D90 is backed by a warranty of five years or 100,000 kilometers. After the first six months or 5,000 kilometers, maintenance intervals are set annually or every 15,000 kilometers, and customers benefit from a 24/7 emergency roadside assistance service.    

Find out more about how new releases fare against market stalwarts at Philkotse.com.