HULKING SUV
Getting reacquainted with the mu-X
It’s been a while since I last drove a hulking SUV. These days my everyday ride has been a tiny hatch, which was why when Isuzu lent me their mu-X, I had to reacquaint myself to its huge dimension, higher driving position, and wider turning radius. I had to be familiar with all these since I will be driving it along some of the most congested and narrow, roads as well as maneuver it into tight parking spaces.
The timing was perfect as I had to fetch someone in Laiya, Batangas that week, and what better ride to have than the Satin Pearl White LS-E variant of the mu-X (a 4x2 automatic, priced at P2.18 million)!
While Laiya is just around 120 km away from Las Piñas where I live (about a 3-hour drive), the route has always been a challenge because you have to deal with the traffic at the South Luzon Expressway and the town centers of Padre Garcia and Jan Juan. Moreover, the road traversing Rosario-San Juan and Laiya, while well paved and wide, is often filled with cargo trucks, jeepneys and slow-moving tricycles (with the latter always positioning themselves in the middle of the road).
One thing that certainly hasn't changed is the way the mu-X goes about its business on the road. Its torquey 3.0-liter Blue Power turbo diesel engine is a bliss especially during overtaking — I didn’t feel I was driving a 3-ton, 4.85-meter long, 1.87-meter wide, and 1.825-meter tall SUV.
Relaxed and comfortable
When talking about the mu-X’s steering and suspension, you can be assured that they give out a relaxed and comfortable feel. For those familiar with the Apolinario Mabini Superhighway (formerly STAR Tollway), there’s this long stretch of road approaching Ibaan exit — especially the right lane — that is so uneven that you feel like driving on endless rumble strips. Most vehicles, upon reaching this section of the expressway, have no choice but to slow down as the repeated pounding of the pavement could be jarring for the occupants and dangerous for vehicles with worn out or poor shock absorbers.
I took this chance to test the mu-X’s suspension system as I decided to maintain my 100 km/h speed on this stretch of the expressway, which was almost 8-km long. For some reason the rattling was almost nil and even at that speed, the mu-X drove quite smooth and steady.
Isuzu did great in tuning the mu-X’s double wishbone coil spring (with high-mounted upper control arm and stabilizer) in front and five-link coil spring and stabilizer bar at the back. This heavy-duty suspension system remarkably balances control and gives out a comfortable ride.
With a wheelbase of 2.855 meters, the mu-X has one of the most spacious cabins as well as cargo spaces, thanks to its fold-flat second- and third-row seats. When opening the SUV’s trunk door, there’s a choice between pushing a button hidden just above where the vehicle’s plate number is located and activating the kick sensor positioned between the two parking sensors in the rear bumper.
The mu-X has a classy cabin with smooth materials used for its dashboard, side panels, and armrest. The plastics, leather and leatherette are also of high quality.
The 10.1-inch touchscreen unit is also a welcome upgrade as the display resolution is now crisp and has both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. This also serves as an excellent screen for the backup camera, which is very helpful whenever one has to fit the SUV in tight parking spaces.
Safety features
Other welcome upgrades to the mu-X are its safety features like auto high beams (it turns bright or dims automatically to help reduce glare coming from the mu-X and avoid momentarily impairing the vision of the driver of an oncoming vehicle), lane departure warning, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and the autonomous emergency braking (which I have activated a couple of times, on purpose, and it really works!). There’s that blaring alarm, too — the so-called potential collision alert sound — which could jolt you if you're on the verge of really falling asleep.
A testament to these upgraded safety features is the five-star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program, more commonly referred to as ANCAP Safety. The 2020 crash-test results done on the D-Max also applies to the mu-X and its succeeding improvements.
The mu-X scored 87 percent in protecting adult occupants and 85 percent in protecting child occupants during the crash testing. It scored 84 percent for its safety assistance systems, and 69 percent in keeping the safety of vulnerable road users (pedestrians).
The mu-X may be less flashy compared to more recently launched SUVs and a bit expensive than most crossovers but, for its loyal customers, reliability is a crucial dealbreaker. Aside from being the everyday ride of families, the mu-X had been tested by their owners using the most challenging terrains. Its more adventurous drivers have also tried taking the mu-X to far off-places and exotic locations. And as expected, the Isuzu mu-X satisfactorily passed all the expectations demanded from a heavy-duty SUV.