The real workhorse: 2024 JMC Vigus 4×4 manual – Drive Feature
Pickup trucks nowadays are used for almost everything, from the utilitarian aspect all the way to everyday and lifestyle use. What if you just need a normal pickup though? Something without all the fuss of the modern pickup, JMC might have the answer in the Vigus.
JMC Vigus 4×4 manual
Table of Contents
At first glance, you’d mistake the Vigus for any other pickup, especially the very nondescript design and color we were lent, but it does have the air of modernity around it with some clean lines and some muscular touches.
Overall, the exterior is very plain and basic, which isn’t bad considering the JMC Vigus’ target market.
Interior
The interior is very much the same as the outside, it is basic in the most sensible way. Nothing is out of place ergonomically buttons are few and far between with just some touches of features like steering wheel controls for the head unit, a rotary dial for the drive mode selector, and an old-school head unit that doesn’t feature a screen but does have Bluetooth connectivity.
Everything else inside is just right for a basic pickup, cloth seats, and hard-touch plastics everywhere nothing out of the ordinary which is just the way it should be.
Performance and Safety
Powering this workhorse is a 2.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine making 130 PS and 350 Nm of torque, the only transmission option is an old-school 5-speed manual that drives the wheels in either 4×2 or 4×4 mode.
Safety is also important to the JMC brand with the Vigus taking a full ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) coupled with dual airbags, basic need not mean unsafe in the Vigus’ case.
Driving Impressions
As you’ve noticed by now this isn’t a full review, that would be a disservice to the Vigus since it isn’t technically in the same caliber as the other pickups. Kelvin and I decided to take the Vigus to a place it belongs and put it where it would normally be.
That would mean taking it to the heart of the northern Luzon agricultural and industrial scene in the flat lands of Cabanatuan and the mountainous seaside of Dingalan Aurora. This entailed a full day of driving the JMC Vigus on the highway, backroads, and unfamiliar terrain, not to mention the unpredictable weather our country experiences year-round.
Driving out of the city showed the Vigus is tame and useable despite being locked in traffic, the clutch is soft enough to keep the knees and joints pain-free for a long period of time, and the generally narrow body means parking and maneuvering is easy enough. On the main highway, the Vigus applies itself as a no-frills vehicle with a sweet spot of 85-90 kph, driving to around 100-110 kph and the Vigus starts to become uncomfortable.
The shocking but good truth is the fuel economy, it averages around 15 km/l easily on the highway making it extremely frugal for something this basic in terms of powertrain. As we exited the highway to the backroads of the provinces of Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, and Aurora it was confident and it gave us a sense of dependability.
Throughout the whole day’s journey, the Vigus never put a foot wrong and even through terrible roads and weather, it operated the same as if it was bone dry and smooth.
We drove through these amazing and somewhat barren provinces without a hint of fear or trepidation because the Vigus was unfazed by the journey, we couldn’t help but marvel at the scenery and beauty of the landscapes that we drove past but were also impressed at the Vigus’ relentless ability to just keep going no matter what.
Points for improvement
I only really have two issues with the Vigus, and that’s the shifter. The positioning is very awkward and at times I would have to shift into 4th and 5th gear and hit my elbow on the center console. I would also have to awkwardly shift my driving position in order to shift properly, which of course affects the overall driving experience.
The second is the ride, while I respect the toughness and harshness of the ride I think modern technology has allowed pickups to still be rugged and utilitarian without the ultimate sacrifice of ride comfort. The Vigus is just too harsh and could do with a softer and more useable ride quality.
Price and Verdict
At PHP 1,110,000 the JMC Vigus double cab 4×4 is great value for something capable and dependable. Anyone interested in the Vigus should ultimately look at it as a tool for points A to B even if the journey entails traversing on uncharted paths and unpredictable conditions.
It represents a return to what a pickup really is for, a purely utilitarian experience for those who need business and personal usage.
