The formula was simple – why not make SUV looking cars with a sedan method? Ditch the frame, make the whole body, and you have a crossover. That’s how Honda and Toyota made the CR-V and RAV4, respectively.
Only Honda didn’t stop there. Around 2005 they launched the Honda Ridgeline for the North American market. This is a mid-sized pickup that has a unibody construction like a RAV4. The result is much better ride comfort.
Fast forward today and there are only 2 additions (that I know of) to this niche – the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Lucky for us, Radar went on the same wagon and chose to hop into the Philippines.
The Radar RD6 EM-P Luxury is a new generation of pickup. It has a unibody construction, has a plug-in hybrid powertrain, has all the bells and whistles but can be found under 2-million pesos. Is it legit or only impressive in my head?
Legit Comfort
It’s not an exaggeration to say that this RD6 rides better than the highly regarded Nissan Navara. The RD6 just has it better, and without the heavy steering too. It’s not exactly plush but for a pickup, I found myself comparing this to crossovers and MPVs instead. The only body-on-frame pickup that’s close to its ride quality is the Changan Hunter, but the RD6 doesn’t have the learning curve which is another stellar thing about the RD6.
Gentle powerful beast
This specific RD6 trim has 2 electric motors which is why it has All-Wheel Drive. The combined output of those motors and the combustion engine is around 463 PS and 659 Nm of torque. That massive power is easy to handle thanks to the RD6’s throttle management which is easy on the delivery. They also kept the Sport Mode to HEV mode only to ensure you have the full grunt at your disposal. EV mode only has Economy which is understandable so you do not waste the limited 83km of EV only range.
There’s 951 km of combined range and around 3/4 battery charge when I got this pickup. I travelled a modest 273 km with it in both city and highway situations as I reside in Bulacan. In the end, I had an estimated total range of 939 km (travelled and remaining combined) from the full tank, which is stellar.
I could have had more range than the initial estimate but the Radar RD6 works better in the city. It has a fuel consumption of 11 km/l in the city since the batteries do most of the work. The thing is, it activates the engine fairly early into the speedometer – around 30 kph. Even if you just cruise on the highway, it still yields around 11-11.5 km/l. So for someone like me that does a lot of highway driving, the RD6 isn’t putting out the best numbers. I could use EV on the highways but it won’t be economical once I go on rural roads. Still, this is a better deal than a diesel pickup (oil crisis or not).
Great driving dynamics
You won’t miss the ladder frame here in the RD6. It manages body roll better for sure, steering is light, and the ADAS works as intended. I only wish the speed icon on the instrument cluster is bigger since little changes like 70 to 75 (and similar) are hard to see – or do I need to update my glasses?
An outstanding feature, especially on the highway, is the Adaptive Cruise Control. You can activate it even at 30 kph and what’s more, it has a Stop and Go function. This means you can stop and once the car in front of you moves, it will move on its own – unless the stop time is minutes long. You can use this in the city but not recommended since it maintains a one car distance from the one in front and city drivers will always go for that gap.
Premium cabin bits
The RD6 has good wind, engine, and road noise isolation but certain frequencies break through. Big trucks, old jeepneys, kamote motorcycles with modified exhausts, and sometimes high-pitched laughter of passersby are heard prominently inside. They’re not annoying though unless you go through the port area regularly where trucks and motorcycles are present left and right or Espanya area.
Leather is expected at this price point. What I’m amazed at here with the RD6 is how they balanced the different materials, as well as treading the touchscreen and physical button functionality. There are leather trims up to the doors, but majority are black plastic with touches of silver accent. The overall layout is also minimalist so it’s easy on the eyes while driving even when you have things around.
There’s a digital display that has a cover from the sun, a laptop-sized 14.6-inch touchscreen, buttons for basic controls, and a solid shifter. Add to that the high-resolution cameras around the car and the Wireless Apple CarPlay that doesn’t lose its connection even at the deadspots of NLEX.
There’s minimal learning curve here. You can spend around 30 minutes getting familiar with the buttons and that’s it. It’s intuitive and doesn’t have any illogical implementations. The only thing you’d have to get used to is the 2-step shifter. You’d have to push or pull twice for Drive or Reverse in order to get in gear otherwise you’ll be in Neutral.
There’s also a feature in the RD6 that other brands haven’t even considered. The backseat has 2 levels of heating and cooling, complementing the rear air vents. Now even rear occupants can be cooler during long drives especially during summer time.
Still, there are a few things I wish for in the RD6’s cabin. First, I hope there are grab bars for easier ingress and egress since this has 225mm of ground clearance despite looking shorter. Also, the mute button doesn’t pause the music. By the time you unmute the car, it’s a different song playing already which irks the musician in me. Lastly, I hope they utilized a solid cover for the sunroof instead of a curtain-like one. It’s not as thin as the others but the heat of the noontime sun gets through.
Unique on the road
Aesthetics on the road are simple in the RD6. The front face reminds me of the Batman Court of Owls, and overall there are a lot of straight lines on the car giving it a utilitarian look. I love the broken line DRL on the headlight assembly that together with the sedan-like tailgate design gives the pickup a unique presence on the road. I also find its face more EV-like compared to the Econ model, which is an EV but more hybrid looking.
It’s almost perfect for me save for 2 things. I wish the stepboard was wider as it can’t accommodate even half of my US 12 foot. Second is the tailgate step. I appreciate the inclusion since it’s mostly in full-sized pickups only. The only caveat is you’ll need a good balance in order to step into the cargo bed. There’s nothing for you to hold to help yourself up unless you have some kind of rope tied to one of the hooks. Still, the step, along with the assisted tailgate, are very nice to have in this price point.
Many would raise an eyebrow at the 800kg payload capacity of this pickup. I for one, do not mind a bit. I carry a lot of huge but not really heavy things. My guitars, amps, a full drumset, my wife’s coffee cart and other amenities, and we still won’t go past 500kg. For that, I find the RD6 800 kg payload capacity of this pickup to be more than enough. It’s also sufficient for a full glamping setup in the mountains or forests.
Radar managed to have a good balance of tech, capability, and power in the RD6 EM-P Luxury while retaining the PHP 1,948,000 price. It’s in a true league of its own since other electrified pickups in the country like the BYD Shark 6 and Changan Hunter are still body-on-frame pickups and don’t ride as good. Add to that the minimal learning curve you’ll have in this RD6 and things are really attractive for pickup newbies.
I’m sure there will be snobs who will compare this to what a traditional pickup can do and all I can say is, they don’t get the point. Both traditional and this new generation of pickup have a place on the roads. Not every pickup owner works in a farm that hauls more than 1 ton of feed for their stock, or a hardware owner that doubles their pickup as a delivery vehicle too. Some are city people who just want a massive cargo space without the compromise of ride comfort. To the latter, they’ll definitely find this Radar RD6 not just enticing, but really outstanding.
