When it comes to pickup trucks, many people still have the impression of a “workhorse” that is just a tool for carrying goods. But with the diversification of lifestyles in recent years, pickup trucks are being accepted by more and more consumers. Similarly, people’s requirements for pickup trucks will also become higher and higher. They not only need to meet off-road and cargo-carrying needs, but also need to consider comfort and intelligence in daily life. There are not too many pickup trucks that can meet all these conditions at the same time. But that doesn’t mean there are none, and that is the new pickup truck brand “Star” from SAIC MAXUS. Today, we will test drive and experience the strength of this pickup truck family at the beautiful Qiandao Lake.
SAIC MAXUS “Interstellar” pickup family introduces three strong “generals”, namely “Fashionable Quality Pickup” Interstellar L, “International Versatile Pickup” Interstellar R and “Technological Performance Pickup” Interstellar H, with prices ranging from 92,800 yuan (13130$) to 201,800 yuan (28560$).
The dynamic experience of the prop site, the powerful interstellar H power And our test drive experience event today also started in the prop experience of the Qian Dao Lake Automobile Park today, the “player” that appeared in the prop experience of the site is the interstellar H, compared to the interstellar L and interstellar R, the positioning of the interstellar H will be higher, it is equipped with a 2.0T twin-turbo diesel engine, with 218PS horsepower and 500N·m peak torque.
In addition, it is equipped with two four-wheel drive systems, BorgWarner part-time four-wheel drive and on-demand four-wheel drive. It also has front double wishbone + rear five-link suspension and supports 12 driving modes for all-terrain, which can be flexible or rigid.
As soon as I sat down, the vehicle started and I clearly felt the powerful interstellar H power. Even in AUTO mode, I still felt the strong thrust of interstellar H.
When dealing with cross-axle situations, the powerful off-road mode of the Interstellar H is evident. Even in AUTO mode, it can still escape from electronic limited slip, and when the mode is switched to 4L, the vehicle’s changes are immediately felt, making the whole process smoother.
When facing the arch bridge project, the advantages of the Interstellar H twin-turbo engine become even more obvious. There is no need to step on the gas pedal forcefully. The low torque is very powerful. Even when parked on a slope, just a little power is needed to start easily.
However, it is important to note that when driving on city paved roads, only automatic or 2H mode can be used. Even if 4L mode is used in specific road environments, it must be switched immediately when returning to paved roads. The dynamic experience of off-road roads, the Star L can be soft or hard.
Now it’s time for the off-road experience. The vehicle for the off-road experience is the Star L, equipped with a 2.0T variable-section turbocharged diesel engine, 143PS maximum horsepower and 360N·m peak torque. It is equipped with a 6AT gearbox and BorgWarner part-time four-wheel drive system, and can be optionally equipped with an Eaton rear axle differential lock. However, none of the vehicles in this test drive are equipped with a rear axle differential lock.
Soon, a rugged off-road trail came into view as we drove the Star L. The high clearance of the pickup truck demonstrated its excellent off-road capability, easily navigating through puddles, narrow bends, and continuous bumps.
But when it comes to large shell craters and steep climbs, you can still feel that the Interstellar L is a bit struggling in terms of power, especially when the rear single-side wheel of the Interstellar L is suspended, I felt a little nervous, but soon, the Interstellar L proved with strength that my nervousness was unnecessary, after a brief spin, the electronic limited slip will intervene, ESP will apply braking force to the spinning wheel, and then the vehicle can be freed. City road dynamic experience, Interstellar R free driving. Finally, it is the dynamic experience of urban paved roads, and the protagonist is naturally the Interstellar R, which is equipped with SAIC π 2.0T turbocharged diesel engine, maximum power 192kW, maximum torque 410N·m, and with BorgWarner part-time four-wheel drive system, Eaton mechanical automatic differential lock and other configurations, driving is more free.
From a data perspective, the powertrain of the Interstellar R is still quite strong, and it is also a diesel model. In theory, the power should be quite abundant when starting and accelerating. However, in the test drive process, I can clearly feel that when starting, it needs a bit more throttle to have a better power response. Perhaps it is due to the tuning, but in any case, it won’t give you a great sense of acceleration at the start.
But when you start driving smoothly, the throttle response is much faster, and you can quickly reach 80 kilometers per hour. There is no sudden “loss of power” feeling when driving on less steep slopes, and overtaking is not a problem in daily use.
And what surprised me was that, although the Star R uses hydraulic power steering, I did not feel heavy during the driving process, even when frequently turning on mountain roads, it was relatively easy. The only drawback is that after continuous turns, there is a slight “looseness” in the steering, but it does not affect normal driving. Of course, it would be even better to have electric power steering in the future.
It is worth mentioning that the performance of the steel plate spring suspension of the Interstellar R exceeds expectations. When facing bumpy and undulating roads, both the driver and passengers only feel slight shaking, without major vibrations, even during long drives, they do not feel particularly uncomfortable. All dynamic experiences have been introduced, now let’s take a look at the static experience together. The static experience of the Interstellar H, with its stunning 12.3-inch dual screens. Due to the test drive experience event, the Interstellar R model assigned to me was taken by other teachers, so I had to switch to experiencing the Interstellar H. Let’s take a look at the performance of the Interstellar H apart from its performance.
In terms of appearance, the Interstellar H series, as a high-end product, closely follows the trend of the times and adopts a battle armor aesthetic design, making the overall design very grand and atmospheric. The cosmic starlight matrix-style mech front face, with a blackened intake grille, looks very imposing. The divided LED headlights of the Big Dipper combined with the vertical headlight groups on both sides exude a strong mech flavor.
The side of the car has added some black decorations and black surrounds, including a black roof rack, black exterior mirrors, black door handles, etc., further highlighting its wild side. Fixed pedals are very friendly to small users, the only thing to note is to grasp the distance when turning.
At the rear of the car, the Star H tailgate is painted in a large black area and features the MAXUS brand logo. The falcon-style holographic taillights, paired with irregular red decorative stripes, create a continuous visual effect, making it highly recognizable.
Of course, as a pickup truck, its carrying capacity is the most important, and the cargo box size of the Star H is better than many similar models, with stainless steel gantry frames on top to securely hold taller items.
Because this model is the diesel twin-turbo luxury version with 8-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive long box version, the tailgate panel is equipped with a single-side pneumatic support rod, which can be easily lowered by gently flicking the switch when opened, and it is also effortless to lift. This is very female-friendly.
The rear suspension has been upgraded to a five-link coil spring non-independent suspension, which basically meets the standard of passenger cars. Compared to the steel plate spring integral bridge suspension, the former is helpful in improving vehicle handling and comfort. Currently, some pickup trucks with a more passenger-oriented positioning will basically choose this structure.
Since it is a pickup truck that focuses on technological performance, the popular large screen element is also essential. Upon entering the car, the 12.3-inch integrated large screen has already deeply attracted my attention, which is very rare on a pickup truck and truly amazed me.
In addition, the Interstellar H is equipped with the Tencent TAI 4.0 ecosystem, which not only interacts with the dashboard, but also supports intelligent voice interaction. Even in the rear seats, the voice assistant can be activated, and the response speed to commands such as navigation and music playback is very fast. In addition, an independent air conditioning control panel is also set up below the screen.
The leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel is both luxurious and sporty. The Star H features electronic gear shifting, a first for a pickup truck, creating more space on the center console and providing an enjoyable driving experience for users.
The interior of the Star H is designed for comfort, with shell-shaped seats that provide excellent support. The driver’s seat is equipped with power adjustments, and the black, white, and brown color scheme adds to the luxurious feel of the cabin. The overall experience is more like being in an SUV than a pickup truck.
The front space and comfort are excellent, and the rear space is also good. For example, with my height of 160cm, there is still almost two fists distance between my knees and the front seat when sitting in the rear under normal driving conditions. The seats can also be flipped up and down, making it suitable for carrying passengers or travel items.
After a day of test driving, I truly felt the changes in the pickup truck. The “Interstellar” pickup truck family shattered my stereotype of pickup trucks being “utility vehicles” and bulky. It is not only fun to drive, but also just as comfortable as an SUV. I believe that soon, pickup trucks will become a hot-selling item.