One of the cheapest 7-seat SUVs on sale in Australia, the LDV D90, will soon welcome a major overhaul for 2025, and thanks to information that has landed in our inbox, we can tell you some of the interesting new details.
Most notably, the bi-turbo diesel – available only in top Executive trim – will be axed, with a more powerful 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine in its stead. Developing 184kW and 410Nm, it is a 24kW and 60Nm jump from today’s 160kW and 350Nm petrol. Out goes the six-speed automatic as well, replaced with an eight-speed ZF, with paddle shifters.
It is worth noting that the outgoing diesel has a 3100kg braked towing capacity compared with 2000kg for the petrol-engined variants. It is unknown if the boost in power output will bring the towing capacity up closer to the 3000kg mark.
The interior is where a lot of the work has been carried out, with a 12.3-inch touch-screen and LDV’s latest operating system as seen in the MIFA carried across. This will allow things like fine control of windows from the infotainment screen. There’s also a switch to a column-mounted gear selector like in the new T60 Max Plus.
Happily, it will include Android Auto for the first time as well as DAB radio. A standout feature will be a new integrated dash camera (dash cam), which could be a real drawcard for customers and may even impact insurance premiums.
2025 LDV D90 Executive models will be differentiated with more off-road focused driving modes including crawl control, diff lock and some towing assistance features.
Safety is taken care of with the addition of Lane Keep Assist, with LDV no doubt eager to repeat the five-star ANCAP rating of the outgoing model.
LDV’s pricing structure is favourable to ABN holders, as it has a predominantly commercial lineup, with the existing D90 in runout mode at an eye-catching $34,990 in 2WD base trim. It is a true three-row SUV, rather than a 5+2, which is probably why it sells in decent numbers.
During 2023, LDV delivered 3341 D90s in Australia, according to VFACTS. And that was up 5.0 per cent on 2022. Sales so far this year are dropping, likely due to the anticipation of this new model. There have been 1382 sales in the first six months of this year, down 19.2 per cent on the same period in 2023.
LDV looks set to retain its price advantage. However, comprehensive revisions to the new model will see a bump in starting price to a whisker over $40,000 for ABN holders for the 2025 LDV D90 Mode RWD, or about $43,000 drive-away for regular buyers. The flagship Executive 4WD is set to kick off from roughly $50,000, and about $1500 less for ABN holders.
