Mobile videoke bar

Leave it to Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) to come up with a unique and adventurous way of orienting the local motoring media with their products. IPC recently brought selected motoring journalists to Tabuk, Kalinga in the hinterlands of the Cordilleras, for its White Water Rafting and Kayaking Quest on the mighty Chico River. On the way there and back, we were also able to sample their latest offering, the Isuzu Crosswind XUVi, the top-of-the-line variant of the Crosswind model line.

The XUVi is differentiated from its lesser siblings by wearing a special monotone body color, finished in either Ebony Black or Caribbean Gold, which are the only two color choices for this model. The bumper over-rider is also painted body color and accented with stainless steel garnish, while the rear bumper has an integrated chrome-plated step board with anti-slip molding. Wheels are the same attractive and robust 5-spoke 15-inch alloys as in the XTRM and XUV variants, but painted in titanium silver before being mounted on the XUVi.

Inside, passengers are treated to seats and door trim inserts covered in elegant Montana beige leather. Front and rear center armrests with dual cup holders, map lamps and seat back trays further ensure comfort and convenience. Rear passengers get preferential treatment since they get to watch a movie or belt out their favorite tunes on a videoke system entertainment package that includes a single in-dash CD/VCD player with an MPEG converter, two 5.6-inch LCD monitors mounted on the front row headrests, two wireless microphones, a hidden transmitter and a remote control module.

During our drive from Solano, Nueva Viscaya to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, our Caribbean Gold XUVi test drive vehicle left us with the same driving impressions as its XUV and XTRM brethren, since they are equipped with same drivetrain. While the 2.5-liter turbo-charged direct-injection 4-cylinder diesel engine provides plenty of power and torque, it looses some of its finesse (and sound deadening) when compared to the engines mounted on Isuzu Fuegos. The diesel clatter intrudes into the interior and the engine feels a little rougher during idling. But I guess this roughness translates to the ruggedness that XL/XT/XTO, XUV and XTRM buyers find attractive.

The XUVi’s automatic transmission, on the other hand, generated a love-it-or-hate-it impression among its users. When overtaking on the open highway, the tranny felt slow when left to shift on its own. With the tranny having no "power" mode button, we literary needed the patience of a saint to get to passing speed on full auto, since it shifts before the turbo had gathered enough revs to generate useful boost. To quicken the pace and keep the engine within its power band, we needed to fiddle with the O/D switch or row the gears manually when the situation warranted it. However, when we drove through traffic or just around town, the automatic proved to be a blessing, providing shiftless convenience and relaxed driving while taking advantage of the engine’s torque to move the XUVi briskly around town.

While the comfortable interior with its various upgrades effectively made up for the power train lapses, the XUVi’s real claim-to-fame is its videoke system. The videoke system provided a mobile entertainment center for the occupants, exposed the "hidden" talents of some of the participants and converted some of the motoring journalists from drivers to rear passengers, with others being converted from "captive" audience to singing sensations.

The Necvox 5.6" LCD monitors provided clear video images throughout the entire trip without missing a beat while the Pioneer CD/Tuner audio system played the karaoke VCDs with outstanding clarity. Only non-original or poorly reproduced VCDs made the system skip and the video image to pixelize. The wireless microphones and the hidden transmitter worked well with the system, and the remote control module offered a convenient way of adjusting the voice volume and the echo control. Especially thoughtful were the little pockets sewn into the front seat backs that held the remote control module and the instruction cards.

Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Tessa Salazar and Aris Espinosa hogged the XUVi backseat for the duration of the trip from Manila to Tabuk while Shell’s Elaine Tan was able to squeeze in some seat time to belt out a few songs. We were able to hear their repertoire on the mini-walkie-talkies provided by IPC for each vehicle in our convoy. Those of us in other vehicles considered ourselves fortunate that we can turn off these walkie-talkies when we got tired of their voices. Their driver and "captive" audience (such as our motoring editor, Junep Ocampo, at one point in the trip) weren’t so lucky since they had to endure the duo’s singing during the entire trip.

Professional singers and karaoke enthusiasts may be a little disappointed with the XUVi’s videoke system on two areas: the interior space inhibits interpretative dance movements (sorry, no Elvis hip gyration and karate kicks allowed) and the road vibrations at speeds in excess of 60kph will shake your vocal chords, making each note sound like a tremolo. When we finally got the XUVi backseat space from the PDI singing duo, we tried to seriously sing "The Old Song" while zigzagging through Dalton Pass. We sounded more like Fred Panopio with his signature "yoddle-lei-hee-hoo" rather than David Pomeranz, despite our best efforts. It was then we decided that we are better off driving than singing.

But seriously, the only flaw I found in the system is that the speakers are so near the passenger seats that a miscue with the mike volume and handling will give you a loud and annoying feedback. Other than that, the Isuzu Crosswind XUVi provided an entertaining way to while away the time when traveling on a long trip. It can likewise be entertaining when you get stuck in traffic, especially during a flood-prone sudden downpour. Just make sure that your windows are tinted and your doors are locked. Otherwise, you may find a line of bored and stranded commuters lining up to sing in your mobile videoke bar.