Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) celebrated a milestone with the manufacture of the 100,000th Crosswind. One of the company’s best-selling name plate for nearly 20 years, the celebratory Crosswind rolled off the Binan, Laguna manufacturing plant witnessed by IPC President Nobuo Izumina last January 21. He was joined by various company officials and team members from the production line.

“Today, the 100,000th Isuzu Crosswind comes out of the assembly line. This is a vehicle that holds a special place in Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s history as it proves that vehicle manufacturing in the Philippines is a viable endeavor, and one that meaningfully contributes to national progress by generating employment and government revenue,” Izumina said.

Released as the Hilander in 1997, the model quickly developed a strong reputation in the highly competitive AUV (Asian Utility Vehicle) segment. Though sales momentarily dipped during the Asian Financial Crisis, it picked up again in 2000 especially with the introduction of new variants such as the XTRM.

By 2001, Isuzu launched a heavily revised Hilander that took the moniker Crosswind. It boasted of a sleeker, bolder, and more modern interpretation of the AUV which IPC saw as a vehicle fitting for the new millennium. Keeping the Crosswind fresh, IPC continuously kept it updated with new variants including the XUV and Sportivo.

Throughout its two decade history, the Crosswind was the poster child of Isuzu’s brand values: durability, reliability, and fuel efficiency. It also pioneered features such as a full-featured multimedia system.

To date, Isuzu Philippines has assembled 82,488 Crosswinds with the remaining figure contributed by the Hilander to reach the 100,000-unit milestone.

“Isuzu Philippines Corporation is truly humbled by the Filipinos’ overwhelming reception to the Isuzu Hilander and Crosswind. Rest assured that Isuzu will continually offer vehicles that make a difference in people’s lives,” Izumina said.