First Drive – 2017 Isuzu MU-X
ISUZU HAS been selling its large 4x4, the MU-X in Australia since 2008 and the Japanese manufacturer has enjoyed year-on-year sales success well beyond its initial projection. In fact, sales in its first year were 2700 units which was more than the Colorado 7, which, at the time, was its twin.
But the light commercial vehicle (LCV) producer isn’t going to rest on its laurels when there’s strong competitors, like the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and the Holden Trailblazer providing more choice for buyers than ever before. Isuzu hopes its updates to NVH (noise, vibration and harshness), interior comfort, driveline and looks will be enough to help it reach double digit growth.
What is it?
The 2017 MU-X is the second-generation of the MU-X here in Australia and is the number-one selling LCV-based large-SUV under-$70,000.
Of all the large SUVs available, it’s the sixth-best seller behind the Toyota Prado, Subaru Outback, Toyota Kluger, Holden Captiva, and the Hyundai Santa Fe - of that list, only the Prado is a direct competitor as the others do not have the heavy-duty off-road or towing capability offered by Prado and MU-X.
Outside, the second-generation MU-X brings a facelift to the front and rear, and it gets 18-inch alloys on the top-spec LS-T and mid-spec LS-U, while the entry model LS-M receives 16-inch wheels. The LS-M also misses out on roof racks, which the other two grades get as standard. While there is now off-road rubber for 18-inch wheels, you'd prefer the 16-inch alloys with greater sidewall height.
Inside, the seven-seat MU-X has been updated with some soft touch-materials, improved leather seats and better infotainment. Rounding off the improved in-cabin experience is plenty of extra sound insulation on the floor pan and around the firewall. Isuzu claims the lower in-cabin noise is the equivalent of turning down the radio three-notches.
The previous 3.0-litre engine has been overhauled to meet Euro5 standards which has led to 50Nm more torque, now 430Nm at 2000-2200rpm, and fuel economy of 7.9L/100km for the manual and 8.1L/100km for the auto. The engine was developed over two years and 100,000km of testing in Australia. This included examining the driving record module from customer’s cars and their driving habits. The result is apparently an engine better suited to our conditions. However, the engine now runs a diesel particulate filter which isn’t music to the ears of off-roaders, and you can read more about this issue online at practicalmotoring.com.au.
The MU-X is available with either a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission or an Isuzu-developed six-speed manual (not available to test at the local launch) but Isuzu reports almost 95% of its vehicle sales are now automatic transmissions. The previous model had only a five-speed automatic.
The MU-X can be had with either a 4x2 or 4x4 driveline and the 4x4 gets low-range but no rear differential lock. The 4x4 driveline is part-time, so it's 2WD on-road and 4x4 can be used only in off-road conditions. The 4x4s also get diff breathers front and rear.
What’s it like inside?
Starting with the boot there’s only 235-litres of space when all three rows are up. In this small space is a 12V outlet and handy storage compartment that’s great for some tools or loose items. Pop down those two third-row seats, however, and the usable space increases to a large 1830-litres.
The third-row seat pitch doesn’t offer much room for legs and the roof is low, but they’re better than most and a longer trip would work for teens. In the very back are two cup holders and the seats were consistent with the other row’s fit and finish.
The second row has much better legroom and there’s ample head space for a 6-footer. The seats recline, but don’t slide, and there’s one USB port for charging devices. There’s also a fan control for four roof mounted air vents (two for second row and two for the third row), and that climate control can be turned on or off up front.
The driver gets electrically-adjustable seats in top-spec LS-T and manual adjustment in all other variants. The seat is height adjustable, to an extent, but the steering wheel is tilt adjustable only. The seats are well padded and both the cloth and leather seats felt good quality and should withstand Outback touring - although most buyers will likely fit seat covers.
The LS-T is also the only model to receive push-to-start ignition and a roof-mounted DVD player for back seat passengers.
The interior design for the second-generation MU-X hasn’t change much and still has the same stuffy design. The centrally-mounted infotainment system is 8-inch touchscreen in all but the base-spec which gets a 7-inch screen. The system feels about a generation behind some of its competitors and doesn’t feature Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, but its touch sensitivity works consistently and the system was easy to navigate.
What's it like on the road?
Nearly all the old Isuzu MU-X underpinnings have remained unchanged in this update and so it rides similarly to the previous model. For the local launch, we drove on a variety of surfaces around the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
On the road, the extra bits of sound insulation worked well and the cabin was noticeably quieter than the previous MU-X, and on gravel and coarse chips surfaces there was noticeably improved NVH. Isuzu claims the reduction in noise is around 3dB, or three turns down of the volume dial on the radio.
On sealed roads, the MU-X handles itself well, although the steering isn’t quite as accurate as some and feels overly heavy when cornering.
The revised engine with its extra torque has plenty of grunt but it did become noisy when revved hard. Only the six-speed Aisin sourced automatic was available on test, no manual, but it shifted at the right times and moving the selector over will engage manual shifting mode (no steering wheel mounted paddle shifters).
The vehicle composure was similar on gravel surfaces and the ride was well mannered. Isuzu has, overall, done a good job with the MU-X.
We were allowed some limited time to test the MU-X on an off-road course but there wasn't much chance to do more than climb and descend some loose-surface hills and negotiate a muddy bog. The MU-X features hill descent control which is speed-variable; you set a given speed with accelerator or brake and the car will maintain that speed. The crawl ratio for the automatic is 33:1 and manual 46:1.
In the short section of mud, one MU-X at the launch managed to get stuck but it appeared to be an issue of clearance, getting caught up on the spare wheel which sits underneath the body at the back. The driver was able to get out easily enough though and in our test vehicle, when we drove through the bog, we never felt the MU-X was struggling for traction.
A feature missing, however, is a locking rear differential, which features in some key competitors such as the the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. The MU-X is also part-time 4WD which means it's 2WD on road, meaning it lacks the all-wheel drive surety of vehicles, such as Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Ford Everest and Toyota Prado.
Off-road, the drive selector can be changed from 2WD to 4WD high on the move (up to 100km/h), and 4WD low-range can only be engaged only when stationary and in neutral. When low-range is selected stability control is automatically disabled.
4x4 models are also equipped with a 2mm steel front skid plate, steel sump and transfer case guards plus protection for the leading edge of the fuel tank.
Towing is 3000kg which is not bad for class, but the MU-X is two-wheel drive only (away from loose gravel) and lacks trailer stability control.
What about safety features?
The Isuzu MU-X has a five star ANCAP rating, scoring 33.58 out of 37. ANCAP said: "ANCAP and Euro NCAP conducted crash tests of the Isuzu D-Max utility. ANCAP was provided with evidence that the results apply to the MU-X sports utility vehicle, which is based on the same platform as the D-Max."
The vehicle comes with standard safety features such as airbags, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, but it lacks technology such as autonomous emergency braking and driver assists like blind spot monitoring.
Why would you buy one?
If you want a tough, reliable, practical and unpretentious off-roader with a long warranty then consider the MU-X. The vehicle has been in the market for almost a decade now and there is a strong following of buyers, proven by Isuzu's sales success. Isuzu has grown its dealer network to 130 sites nationwide, so the brand is going to be around for a long time, and its five- years/130,000km warranty and fixed-price servicing plans are better than some.
2017 Isuzu MU-X
PRICE $42,800-$56,100 (+ORCs)
WARRANTY 5 years/130,000 km
ENGINE 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel
POWER 130kW at 3600rpm
TORQUE 430Nm at 2000rpm (2200rpm - manual)
TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic; 6-speed manual
DRIVE 4x2 and part-time 4x4 with low-range
DIMENSIONS 4825mm (L); 1860mm (Excl mirrors); 1825-1860mm (H)
GROUND CLEARANCE 220-230mm (4x4 models are also equipped with a 2mm steel front skid plate, steel sump and transfer case guards plus protection for the leading edge of the fuel tank)
ANGLES 23.2-24.0-degrees (approach); 24.6-25.1-degrees (departure); 18.7-19.5-degress (ramp-over)
TURNING CIRCLE 11.6m
KERB WEIGHT 1992-2157kg
TOWING 3000kg braked 750kg unbraked
MAX TBM 300kg
GCM 5750kg
SEATS 7 FUEL TANK 65 litres
SPARE full size (steel or alloy depending on variant)
THIRST 7.9L/100km
