Ashok Leyland BADA DOST

The Ashok Leyland Bada Dost is a popular commercial vehicle range in India designed to take on the tough challenges of fleet operations initiated by businesses. As a part of Ashok Leyland's "Dost" series of vehicles, the Bada Dost range is considered a premium offering in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment. 

Being versatile, reliable, and robust light commercial vehicles, the Bada Dost range has carved a niche for itself in the competitive Indian commercial vehicle (CV) market. Backed by a powerful engine, exceptional load capacity and great efficiency, the Ashok Leyland Bada Dost range of trucks is deemed as some of the best trucks in the Indian CV market.

With robust chassis construction and a bigger load body, the Bada Dost range of trucks is capable of driving in profitability for fleet owners and operators that utilise them. Offered in 11 variants, the base model being the 2350/FSD/i1 and the top-end model being the 2590/FSD/i4, the Bada Dost range is also suitable for a multitude of applications.

Equipped with top-class features such as a mobile charging point, lockable glove box, adjustable driver seat and a digital instrument cluster in addition to the factory-fitted heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC), the Bada Dost range of trucks can also be defined as the king of comfort and performance.

Priced at Rs. 8.15 lakh - Rs. 9.47 lakh (ex-showroom), the Ashok Leyland Bada Dost range of trucks is considered to be value-for-money commercial vehicles in the Indian light commercial vehicle segment.

Ashok Leyland Bada Dost Performance

The Ashok Leyland Bada Dost range is powered by a highly advanced diesel engine. The Bada Dost i1 and I2 are equipped with a 1478cc, BSVI-compliant diesel engine which can churn out 69.7hp while the Bada Dost i3 Plus and i4 are powered by a 1478cc diesel engine which can produce 79.1hp. All these models get a 5-speed manual transmission.

In terms of suspension, the Bada Dost range of trucks is equipped with parabolic suspension on the front end for higher stability and a semi-elliptical suspension system on the rear end for better load-carrying capacity and rigidity.

Further, all four Bada Dost trucks come equipped with hydraulic vacuum-assisted brakes for effective braking performance in rugged terrain and in full-load conditions.

Ashok Leyland Bada Dost Specifications

The Bada Dost i1, with a GVW of 2652kg, offers a rated payload capacity of 1250kg. Similarly, the Bada Dost i2, featuring a GVW of 2880kg, provides a rated payload capacity of 1425kg. The Bada Dost i3 Plus, with a GVW of 2990kg, has a rated payload capacity of 1325kg and lastly, the Bada Dost i4, with a GVW of 3490kg, offers the highest rated payload capacity of 1825kg.

Ashok Leyland Bada Dost Features

Key features of the Bada Dost truck range include a spacious cabin, a digital instrument cluster, a front impact absorption bar, disc brakes, ELR seat belts, a tail lamp protector, adjustable driver seats, a lockable glove box and 12V mobile charging point, power windows and a music system, among others. 

Ashok Leyland Dost Plus Rivals

The Bada Dost range of trucks from Ashok Leyland is a high-performance and value-for-money light commercial vehicle (LCV) range which can take on challenging fleet operations effortlessly. It competes with rivals in the LCV segment such as the Tata Ace Gold, Mahindra Bolero Maxitruck Plus and Mahindra Bolero Maxx Pik-Up among others.  

Overview

Ashok Leyland offers a wide range of light commercial vehicles (LCV), with the Bada Dost series of commercial-grade trucks being the top choice of operators. The Bada Dost series of trucks is the preferred choice since it caters to a wider section of customers planning on business expansion and inducting a different range of vehicles into their fleet.

Moreover, the Bada Dost range of premium trucks is a popular choice since customers believe that they are versatile, reliable, and robust light commercial vehicles capable of carrying moderately heavy and big loads. After all, Ashok Leyland claims that the Bada Dost range of trucks offers better load capacity, with the highest rated payload capacity being 1825kg.

Aimed at delivering cargo efficiently and with faster turnaround times, the Bada Dost range of trucks serves as a suitable partner for operators planning on introducing higher profitability. Also, powered by a 1478cc diesel engine which produces decent torque output, the company says the Bada Dost range is an ideal haulier. These aspects exemplify why they are popular.

Offered in 11 variants, the base model being the 2350/FSD/i1 and the top-end model being the 2590/FSD/i4, Ashok Leyland asserts that the Bada Dost range is the perfect partner for fleet businesses looking forward to fleet expansion and higher profit outcomes.

Exterior

Ashok Leyland's design team has done their homework when it comes to designing the Bada Dost trucks because this series of trucks comes with a more contemporary fascia and cabin design which is far more advanced than the original Dost lineup of commercial trucks.  

Featuring sleek headlights with good throw at night, new door handles that are seamlessly integrated into the body, and black bumpers with a honeycomb grill that enhances the appeal, the Bada Dost range of LCVs is stunning from all angles. With a tough, body-coloured load body and a rated payload capacity ranging from 1250kg to 1825kg, the Bada Dost lineup is definitely a stunner.

Additionally, Ashok Leyland Bada Dost range of trucks’ load bodies are highly customisable for special applications such as high-side deck, container, reefer body and refuse collection, among others.

High-deck trucks have their load bed situated high above the wheels, which provides a raised uniform platform for the cargo to carry. A container is a sealed, rigid, metal load box; a reefer body is a refrigerated load body and refuse collection is trucks built for collecting domestic waste.

Interior

The Bada Dost lineup of trucks is equipped with a roomy day-type cabin, which means it doesn't have a sleeping berth behind the driving cab. The vehicles are also fitted with multiple comfort and driver productivity-oriented features like an informative instrument cluster, a mobile holder and 12V charger and a lockable glove box.

The Bada Dost series of trucks are also designed for long haulage operations with a focus on the operator’s convenience because the vehicles come with standard power steering, factory-fitted AC, power windows and a music system, among others, for a pleasant in-cabin experience.

Performance

The Bada Dost i1 and I2 are powered by a 1478cc, BSVI-compliant diesel engine which can churn out 69.7hp while the Bada Dost i3 Plus and i4 are powered by a 1478cc diesel engine which can produce 79.1hp. All of these models get a 5-speed manual transmission. 

As for suspension, all the Bada Dost range of trucks are fitted with robust parabolic suspension on the front end for higher stability and ride comfort and a semi-elliptical suspension system on the rear end for better load-carrying capacity and rigidity.

The parabolic suspension has fewer leaves with a tapered profile and the semi-elliptical suspension is provided in conjunction with a trailing arm and the suspension system may be readily mounted from the longitudinal side members of a vehicle frame.

In addition to such robust aggregates, all Bada Dost trucks get hydraulic vacuum-assisted brakes. In this system, the vacuum is created by the engine and used to perform the braking operation.

Safety

Ashok Leyland’s Bada Dost range promises higher safety with overall superior built quality, a strong and rugged cabin, and highly durable aggregates mentioned earlier. The vehicle is equipped with disc brakes in the front for better braking performance in fully loaded conditions and gets rigid cabin construction for better occupant protection.

Verdict

Taking into account Ashok Leyland’s claims that the Bada Dost range offers larger cabins, an ARAI-certified 3-seater (1 + 2) seating arrangement, an air-conditioned cabin with power steering, a reliable engine, higher payload capacity, and a larger load body, the Bada Dost series, including i1, i2, i3+, and i4 models, appears ideal for customers seeking versatile trucks with multiple load body options to enhance fleet efficiency.