Ashok Leyland Dost Strong: Variants Explained

The Dost range is among the popular trucks in the LCV segment in India. Read our detailed report on the Dost Strong variants to know what is on the offer and can you go for it?

Ashok Leyland introduced the Dost Strong, a mini truck, in the Indian light commercial vehicle segment to both grab a hefty market share and satisfy the thirst for a solid, comfortable, potent, and a capable transporter of various stuff such as industrial goods, timber, cement, hardware, grains, food products, and whatnot!

Available in three different variants, namely Dost Strong LE, Dost Strong LS, and Dost Strong LX, the mini truck flaunts a silhouette of the perfect size for Indian streets, high fuel efficiency, high payload capacity, and much more. Also, the mini truck is high on comfort and convenience as it offers the occupants a spacious, well-cushioned, and rich cabin experience courtesy of air-conditioning, charging socket, and more. That is not all, though. And with that said, let's have a look at all the things that each of the three models of the Ashok Leyland Dost Strong has on offer.

Dost Strong LE

Being first in the lot, the Ashok Leyland Dost Strong LE serves as the entry-level offering in the highly popular and capable mini truck's lineup. Standing at 4,485 mm long, 1,620 mm wide, and 1,868 mm tall, the Dost Strong LE features an elongated front end that not only provides the mini truck with a car-like appearance but also reduces the impact of a frontal crash. Wheelbase, on the other hand, measures 2,350 mm. The front end is made up of a pair of large halogen headlamps flanking a bold & wide black grille.

Then there is a large & wide windshield that is neither too steep nor too reclined. The Dost Strong LE gets two wipers for those rainy day transportations, and since the LE is the base variant in the lineup, it gets a modest blacked-out front bumper.

The Ashok Leyland Dost Strong LE comes with a cargo tray that measures 2500 mm x 1620 mm x 380 mm (l x b x h), which is good enough for carrying a lot of stuff. And, even after giving away a large portion of its length for the deck, the Dost Strong vaunts a very spacious and comfortable cabin for the driver and the co-driver. Aside from the well-cushioned seats, there is also a centre for added comfort.

The Dost Strong LE features a dual-tone interior with seats with grey PVC material. The list of comfort & convenience features on the inside includes a cabin lamp, digital instrument cluster, sliding window (behind driver seat), 12V mobile charging point, adjustable driver's seat with sliding & reclining functions, lockable glove box, and others.

Powering the Ashok Leyland Dost Strong LE is a highly-proficient 1.5-litre Turbo-charged Diesel Common Rail (TDCR) engine that churns out 58 hp of maximum power at 3,300 rpm and 157.5 Nm of peak torque at 1600 - 2400 rpm. The power is then sent to the wheels via a fully synchromesh 5-speed gearbox with overdrive (5 forward + 1 reverse gears), and the mini truck can achieve a top speed of 80 kmph.

The clutch, on the other hand, is a 215 mm diameter, diaphragm, single dry plate, pot type unit. As for the payload capacity, the Dost Strong LE can carry up to 1,250 kg without a fuss. Even with its own weight of 1,275 kg (with driver) and a payload of 1,250 kg, the Dost Strong LE sports a gradeability of 29%. All of that is done on 14-inch wheels which come wearing 185 size tyres. Moreover, the fuel tank capacity is rated at 40 litres, and the claimed mileage stands at 19.6 kmpl.

Unlike the LS and LX models, the Dost Strong LE does with a mechanical steering setup. However, with a small turning radius of 5.85 m, it is still rather easy to pilot the base variant of the mini truck. Furthermore, the suspension setup consists of a rigid tubular axle with parabolic leaf spring at the front and a parabolic leaf spring (2 stages, overslung) unit at the rear. While the ground clearance is pretty high at 177 mm, the loading height is still fairly easy to reach, at just 840 mm.

You need a good set of brakes to bring all that weight to a halt, right? And for that, Ashok Leyland has equipped the Dost Strong LE with hydraulic vacuum assisted booster brakes with LSPV. With ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear, the mini truck boasts more than decent braking abilities. Besides, the Dost Strong LE also gets a front impact absorption bar, ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) seat belts, and other bits & pieces for a further higher safety coefficient.

Dost Strong LS

The three variants of the Ashok Leyland Dost Strong aren't too different from each other. And, such is the case with the lineup's LS model as well. The middle-range trim gets identical dimensions, looks, engine, payload capacity, and pretty much everything else to the entry-level Dost Strong LE. The only difference comes in the form of the addition of a power steering and more attractive looking PVC seat cover material, which on the LS trim comes in Beige & Brown colour. Just like the Dost Strong LE, the LS model can also be had in either White or Irish Cream finish.

Dost Strong LX

The last model in the Ashok Leyland Dost Strong portfolio, the Dost Strong LX, is probably the best equipped and most comfortable & convenient model to choose. While the changes even here are not too much, they still are significant and may lead you to go for the range-topping model than the other two variants. First, it is the arrival of an air-conditioner inside the cabin, which makes the experience of driving the Dost Strong LX and transporting goods in the mini truck a super comfortable one. Moreover, the Dost Strong LX also gets a body-coloured front bumper instead of a blacked-out unit like the LE and LS trims.

Thanks to the body-coloured front bumper, the Dost Strong LX looks all the more stylish and upmarket. Barring the two above-mentioned upgrades, the Dost Strong LX is the same automobile as the LE and LS models with all of the engine, dimensions, power figures, payload, and other peculiarities being identical across the range.

So, with all three variants of the Ashok Leyland Dost Strong explained, what's your thoughts regarding the mini truck? We bet you are impressed with all that the Dost Strong brings to the table. However, what will be your pick? Will it be the entry-level Dost Strong LE that even lacks a power steering, or will it be the range-topping LX trim with A/C and everything else? Or will you go with mid-range LS variant?

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