Torque about a traveller

MU-Xcels on & off road

Words by Neil Dowling Photos by Christine Arnasiewicz

There are four main contenders in the 4WD - not SUV - wagon market which should make it easy to pick a winner. All have a ladder-frame chassis, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, part-time 4WD with low-range, coil suspension on the rear with disc brakes all around, and the availability of seven seats.

The Isuzu MU-X comes up against its ute-based rivals - Ford Everest, Holden Trailblazer, Toyota Fortuner, SsangYong Rexton and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport - with similar features and pricing at $50,200 for the entry-level LS-M tested here, rising to $56,400 plus on-road cost. Some are cheaper with the Fortuner starting at $44,590, the Rexton from $46,990 including on-road costs and the Pajero from $50,990. There’s also a fivecylinder turbo-diesel Everest at $54,450 but it's not as lively as the new 2.0-litre version that starts at $61,490. The price is ballpark so owners pick fuel economy as another reason for the Isuzu winning their wallets. Isuzu claims 8.1 litres/100km as an average for the LS-M. The other two variants, LS-T and LS-U, get a better consumption of 7.9 L/100km because they have 18-inch wheels instead of the test vehicle’s small-diameter 16-inch units. By comparison, the Everest claims 7.1 L/100km and is slightly worse than the Pajero Sport that has an average of 8.0 L/100km. Better to buy the LS-T or LS-U, then. That’s the good news. The MU-X is affordable, economical and has a reputation for lasting the distance while towing up to 3000kg (as long as it is within its GCM). It has been one of the most popular tow vehicles used by the older traveller on a round Australia holiday, mainly because of the vehicle’s reputation for reliability and its relatively low fuel consumption. Last year, Isuzu’s only two models - the D-Max ute and the MU-X SUV - outsold all of BMW’s 19 models and all of Audi’s 15 models. In 2018, that’s 27,640 Isuzu sales compared with BMW’s 23,055 and Audi with 19,416 sales. The latest MU-X gets some extra features and some polish but compared with the Hilux, Ranger and Rexton, for example, falls short in a few areas, including standard safety gear.

Dash design is simple and understated. Three dash storage areas are welcome features for travellers.

There’s no autonomous emergency braking (AEB) or adaptive cruise control, for example, that are standard on the rival three models. The MU-X’s infotainment system is ordinary and the central monitor is hard to see when there’s any sunshine glare. There are touch-button controls for the audio which can be difficult to get to work when you’re driving. The headlights have to be turned on and off manually - becoming very uncommon in an age of automatic and dusk-seeking headlights and keyless entry and start systems. Buy the cheaper LS-M and not only do you use a bit more fuel with the 16-inch wheels, but you miss out on satellite navigation. But many people don’t care. They know the MU-X - like its D-Max ute sibling - is simple, durable and easy to fix. There are a lot of good things. The 16-inch wheels have higher-profile tyres that are more comfortable for occupants, and are better in the dirt - especially sand where they

can be lowered in pressure to provide a longer footprint. The 16-inch rubber is also cheaper to buy than 18-inch donuts come replacement time. Then there are the appreciated userfriendly features. The dashboard has three glovebox compartments plus a big lidded storage bin between the seats, cup holders in the centre console and bottle holders in the doors. The boot area has a high floor, designed so there’s a flat floor when the third and second row seats are folded down. In creating this artificially high floor, Isuzu has made storage areas under a removable floor section. Seating is for seven and there’s enough room for two adults in the third row, though probably not for a long journey. It’s an easy vehicle to enter and leave despite the tall stance with help from the side steps, grab handles and the flat floor.

Plenty of room in the back with a comfortable cushion rake. Long-travel rear suspension gives a compliant ride over all surfaces.

Wagon looks like a city slicker but goes hard in the bush.

Flat second and third-row seats for heaps of cargo room. Lidded storage bin at rear is handy for recovery gear.

On the road, there’s a lot to like about the truck-like character of the engine. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, which borrows from the Isuzu N-series truck engine and has a long history in the company, never feels stressed. It’s not the smoothest or quietest engine in its class, with a typical diesel gravelly voice at idle, a relatively quiet sound at lowrange speed and is almost inaudible when cruising. It gets noisy at anything much above 3000rpm so is a place best not to visit too often. That aside, it’s very torquey. It has 130kW at 3600rpm - not particularly remarkable - but its torque is a hefty 430Nm that opens at 2000-2200rpm. Much of the off-road work with this test was in 4WD High as conditions rarely needed to engage Low. For steeper grades and some of the water crossings, the 4WD Low meant the MU-X could comfortably walk the inclines with little input from the driver. The wagon, and the D-Max ute, have clever hill descent systems that just need a dash button press to activate and then a touch of the accelerator or brake to increase or decrease the vehicle speed. It also has a very handy hill holder - just brake on a hill and it’ll hold until the accelerator is pressed, before moving off without any backward movement. No controls are needed for this function. One stand-out is the suspension. Where the D-Max ute pitched over similar gravel and sand tracks on the power lines east of Perth, the MU-X virtually glided over the rough.

There’s a lot of control at the rear as well, with the coils and lateral suspension links ensuring the wheels stayed in contact with the dirt as much as possible. Inside, it was just a cushy ride. There’s no noise from what’s happening underneath with no complaints from the suspension and only the occasional underbody noise from twigs and gum nuts. So despite this being a rather simple wagon, its performance over rough ground is anything but crude. Someone did a lot of work on the chassis before this thing hit the production line. Mechanically, there are some great features in this vehicle. The chain-driven camshafts may be a bit noisier and more expensive than a rubber-fibre belt but last much, much longer without needing replacement at around 100,000km to 150,000km as is the case with some manufacturers. Under the bonnet is easy access to the high maintenance items and includes a bleed for the diesel fuel pump, great for getting out the air or water. The gearbox is a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission that has a good reputation for durability. The drive is part-time 4WD with the change from 2WD High to 4WD High made on the move, up to 100km/h. Getting into 4WD Low requires stopping the vehicle and selecting neutral before twisting the dash control. Tyres are Bridgestone 245/70R16 all-terrain rubber on alloy wheels. There’s a full-size wheel under the chassis at the rear.

Hill holder proves its worth.

This is a solid, dependable wagon that lacks some of the refinement - safety and infotainment - of its rivals. Isuzu won’t confirm it but there’ll be a new ute and wagon in 2021 with a lot more of the missing gear. These vehicles will also be the first in a new alliance with Mazda, so the next Mazda and Isuzu will share significant features in their respective BT-50 and D-Max/MU-X. It may also mean Mazda may have a rugged 4WD wagon for the first time.

Good attention to engineering detail under the bonnet.

Nuts ‘n’ bolts

Isuzu MU-X LS-M

Price: $50,200 plus on-road costs Built: Thailand Engine: 3.0-litre 4-cyl turbo-diesel Power: 130kW @ 3600rpm Torque: 430Nm @ 2000-2200rpm Fuel average: 8.1 L/100km (12.3km/litre) Fuel tank: 65 litres Transmission: 6-spd auto Drive: 2-spd transfer; part-time 4WD Suspension: front: double wishbones, coils; rear: coils, multi-link, live axle Brakes: front: vented discs; rear: solid discs Steering: hydraulic Turning circle: 11.6m Wheels: 16-inch alloy, full-size alloy spare Tyres: 245/70R16 Dimensions: (L) 4825mm; (W) 1860mm; (H) 1825mm; (WB) 2845mm Ground clearance: 220mm Approach: 23.3 degrees Ramp-over: 18.7 degrees Departure: 24.6 degrees Weight: 2092kg Tow: 3000kg Service intervals: 12mths/15,000km Warranty: 6yr/150,000 km with 6 year roadside assist and 7-year capped price service program costing $1300 for three years. Resale (Glass’s Guide): After 3 years is estimated at 53 per cent of the purchase price.

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