CLASS OF ITS OWN
Going long distances in a pickup truck generally fills me with dread.
Though pickups have evolved significantly from being the agricultural tools that they once were, their roots are laid bare on the open road – clattery diesel engines, rather bouncy suspension and, if these have off-road tires, a mighty drone that can be heard from two lanes away. And then there’s the ponderous steering when you’re behind the wheel.
As such, spending nearly nine hours to do over 470 kilometers in the BYD Shark 6 DMO seemed like the sort of assignment that I would gladly eschew. But over the course of two days this month, BYD Cars Philippines’ newest predator proved me wrong over and over and over again.
Supreme comfort
Our sizeable convoy of 13 Shark 6 DMO units started off at Seda Hotel Vertis North in Quezon City, joining EDSA traffic as we headed to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
Truck #8 had myself and some of my esteemed colleagues from AutoIndustriya, Geloy Bernal and Brando “Mr. Banayad” Rosales. Behind the wheel for this first leg to Total NLEX was Carmudi’s Cesar Miguel.
Despite having a full house, our top-spec Shark 6 DMO Premium had more than enough room for four, along with welcome luxuries like full leather upholstery, air-conditioned front seats, wireless charging pad and rear air-con vents. Soft-touch materials all around contributed the premium feel, while orange accents livened up the dark cabin.
BYD’s famous rotating, 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system was clear and responsive, putting up a good fight against the Ford Ranger’s portrait-style screen. However, we were sometimes confounded by the number of menus and submenus that we had to go through to change even simple things like the fan speed (more separate controls would be better).
Effortless cruiser
Nonetheless, the Shark 6 DMO was truly breathtaking on tarmac.
Its four-wheel, double-wishbone suspension and rather stiff dampers made it very planted on smooth roads like expressways. In addition, the ladder-frame chassis had almost none of the wobbling you feel in other pickups (particularly the Mitsubishi Triton), while the Super DMO powertrain stayed near-silent, especially in Electric Vehicle Mode.
In a vehicle segment where the likes of the aging Toyota Hilux would gladly shake your teeth out, the Shark 6 DMO has the best on-road ride in its class. This does have a caveat – I found that it wasn’t as supple as its rivals when going over potholes and rumble strips at high speed.
At Total NLEX, I got behind the wheel until we arrived at the Alviera Country Club in Porac, Pampanga. Unlike other pickups, the Shark 6 DMO provided good steering feedback and responsiveness in Sport Mode, making it easy to keep this big beast steady on the blacktop.
And with the DiPilot advanced driver assist systems on, long journeys were next to effortless thanks to adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, while active-safety kit like the autonomous emergency braking and rear cross-traffic braking provided meant we didn’t have to test the durability of this big BYD’s high-strength steel body.
However, I did find that the Shark 6 DMO had poor throttle response in all driving modes. Also, I felt that the brakes could have been stronger and controlled with a more responsive pedal.
Rough but no tumble
At Alviera, we all got to take the BYD through its paces on a special trail, where we handled narrow paths and muddy ruts with ease thanks to the long-travel suspension.
We also got the chance to check out the Shark 6 DMO’s vehicle-to-load capabilities with a pair of units that were kitted out with off-road tires and integrated tents. Overlanders will enjoy having a wheeled power bank, especially the three outlets in the bed for all their gear.
But the real challenge came the next day – after leaving the Widus Hotel in Clark, Pampanga, we headed to the Mangatarem River Park in Pangasinan. Once we arrived at the foot of Daang Kalikasan, I got behind the wheel and was positively startled at how steep this winding highway was.
With 435 horsepower and 650 Newton-meters of torque, the big BYD had no trouble snaking between the mountains, even with four well-fed passengers aboard. After a photo-op at the mountain’s peak, I was once again startled by how steep the downhill drive was.
And then we hit the unfinished parts of this charming highway – features like the hill-descent control system and the clear 360-degree camera made sure that we didn’t tumble down the mountainside until our screaming stopped. Rocky paths with slopes of up to 30 degrees were truly challenging, especially on highway tires, but the BYD remained smooth and steady.
At last, we made it to our destination, where we enjoyed lunch alongside nature. I also drove the first leg back to Manila, where the Shark 6 DMO also demonstrated its adept handling in very twisty mountain roads.
Changing the game
With prices starting at P2,098,000, the BYD Shark 6 DMO is not likely going to sway business owners from cheaper turbodiesel pickups from Japan and the U.S.
However, for those who use their pickups as daily drivers or for overland and camping excursions, the BYD is in a class of its own. With nearly impeccable on-road manners and fuss-free off-road capabilities out of the box, the Shark 6 DMO is one pickup that I would gladly gobble the miles in, no matter the terrain.
Beware of the Shark, indeed.
