LDV is expanding its D90 lineup in Australia, adding a new bi-turbo diesel option to the 7-seat SUV. It is the Chinese parent company’s first in-house designed engine.
Called the D20, this is the first in-house designed engine by LDV’s parent company, SAIC. It’s a 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel that produces 160kW and 480Nm. Although the figures might look quite modest, the unit comes in as one of the most powerful diesel engines in the 7-seat SUV class.
Matched up to the unit is an eight-speed ZF auto transmission, with four-wheel drive. Two-wheel drive continues to be available on some petrol models. Four-wheel drive variants use a Borg Warner transfer case, and drivers can toggle through different 4WD driving settings via the Terrain Selection system to extract the maximum from the powertrain.
The D90 remains as one of the largest SUVs in this specific class, featuring the longest wheelbase and biggest overall body length. As a result, the cabin is very spacious and is capable of accommodating seven adults, LDV says. There’s also an impressive 1140L of boot space in five-seat configuration, or 412L with all seats up or 1800L with the two rear rows down.
As standard, the updated LDV D90 comes with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and fatigue detection, along with a rear-view camera and six airbags. These help to provide a five-star ANCAP safety rating across the board.
Other highlights include a 3100kg braked towing capacity for the diesel (2000kg for petrol models), dual-zone air-conditioning, a 12-inch touch-screen media interface with Apple CarPlay, multiple USB ports, and leather seats. Speaking about the updated model, Dinesh Chinnappa, general manager at LDV Automotive, said:
“Our target market is hard-working Australian families. Now, more than ever, they need value for money, but they also still demand safety, quality, features and performance. With childcare costs, rising energy bills, inflation, static wage increases and worries about the future, the family purse is being squeezed. Hardworking Australian families can’t afford to be flippant or wasteful with money. The new LDV D90 bi-turbo diesel fits the bill perfectly.”
The new diesel model is on sale now. See below for current drive-away prices for the complete range:
2020 LDV D90 2WD petrol: $35,990
2020 LDV D90 Executive 2WD petrol: $39,990
2020 LDV D90 Executive 4WD petrol: $43,990
2020 LDV D90 Executive 4WD diesel: $47,990
