TECH HEAD
MU-X-IMUM TOWING
The entire D-MAX and All-New MU-X range is capable of towing 3.5-tonnes, with greater payload and axle weight capacities. Let’s get technical.
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very Australian four-wheeling family relishes the chance to hitch up the van and get away. And with overseas travel on hold, that dream has become reality for more and more of us. When your passport’s gathering mould in a drawer somewhere, the idea of a tow-and-go 4WD vacation can be irresistable. Both the Isuzu D-MAX Ute and MU-X SUV already had strong local reputations as dependable, do-it-all vehicles for work or play. Now comes the next generation—and for the first time ever, both are capable of towing up to 3.5-tonnes*. Re-engineered from the ground up, with new levels of equipment and capability, each of Isuzu UTE’s latest models were developed with the feedback from local customers in mind—arguably making the
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D-MAX and MU-X the most versatile vehicles Isuzu has ever built. Arriving here in late-2020, the thirdgeneration D-MAX introduced a new ladder-frame chassis. Constructed extensively of high-tensile steel, it delivers substantially increased strength, rigidity and load-carrying capacities. The All-New Isuzu MU-X shares the design, but employs a revised rear-subframe to accommodate the heavily overhauled five-link rear coil-spring suspension. Stiffer and stronger than the outgoing model, the MU-X’s rear suspension geometry focuses on mass management. It minimises vehicle pitch and squat when loaded up, and better controls body roll when on the road. The MU-X’s front axle benefits from Isuzu’s new, vastly improved
independent front suspension. As in the new D-MAX, this double wishbone design sports a combination of high-mounted upper-control arms, stiffer spring rates, dampers valved for varying terrain surfaces and a thicker anti-roll bar. That translates into improved overall vehicle composure, handling and dynamics when loaded up. NOT JUST BETTER, MUCH BETTER By combining the ladder-frame chassis with the uprated-coil spring suspension— optimised for carrying capacity, without compromising ride or handling—Isuzu engineers haven’t just increased the All-New MU-X’s towing capacity. They’ve boosted payload capacity, Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM), Gross Combination Mass (GCM) and axle loads. Clever. This is imperative while towing, providing the tow vehicle with greater versatility in regards to the size of the van or trailer that’s being hauled. It also offers greater flexibility in terms of fitment of accessories such as frontal protection and bar-work, as well as on-board luggage and occupant carrying capacity—all of which must weigh-in under the vehicle’s maximum capacities. Perhaps the most important capacity to keep in mind is the GVM. That figure is otherwise known as the maximum permissible weight the vehicle can weigh— and is now increased to 2700kg or 2800kg, depending on the vehicle’s 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrain configuration. GCM—the cumulative weight of the vehicle and van in tow—is now an impressive 5900kg, a sizeable increase of 150–250kg over the previous-generation
