Isuzu’s new SUV MU-X Drive 360 Inside
ISUZU is back in the SUV game with its new MU-X seven seater, launched in South Africa last week as a challenger to the Ford Everest, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and the market-dominating Toyota Fortuner.
It’s the first vehicle to be introduced by the newly formed Isuzu SA - a brand that fell under General Motors before the American giant quit the country last year - and the first Isuzu SUV since the Frontier was sold here around 20 years ago.
The MU-X, which stands for multi utility crossover, is available in two imported models: a 4x2 and a 4x4, both powered by the Isuzu KB bakkie’s 3-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with outputs of 130kW and 380Nm. Transmission duty’s performed by a six-speed automatic.
This SUV, like the now-discontinued Chevrolet Trailblazer, is based on the KB’s platform and shares its robust body-on-frame design, but to make for a more comfortable ride the bakkie’s rear leaf springs have been replaced by coil springs and five-link suspension, to go with independent front suspension.
The ride quality was the MU-X’s most notable feature when I drove it at last week’s media drive between Joburg and Clarens. There’s none of the hoppy, choppy ride typical of a bakkie; with its car-like suspension and high-profile tyres this vehicle displayed smooth-cruising finesse over the many scarred and potholed roads en route to Clarens.
The engine’s down on power and torque compared to its rivals (see list at bottom), and has an unhurried nature that requires overtaking moves to be planned quite carefully. That said, it doesn’t suffer from major turbo lag and it’s also quite refined. With minimal engine and wind noise the MU-X makes for a pleasant long distance cruiser.
The handling isn’t as sharp as more road-focused SUVs of the BMW X3 ilk, and the MU-X has no sporting ambitions.
Rather, it’s designed as a comfort-oriented all-terrain family vehicle and here it succeeds with its roominess, refinement, three-ton towing ability and, in the case of the 4x4, real offroading skills too.
The family-sized cabin is a proper seven-seater in a 2x3x2 formation, and even though things are somewhat cramped in the rearmost row and ideally suited to sprogs, it’s still large enough for adults.
There’s not much boot space with all the seats in place, but both the rear and middle rows can fold flat to expand the cargo area to respectively large and epic proportions.
The backrests of the middle seats are adjustable for comfort and the driver’s seat is electrically operated, but an ergonomic booboo is that the steering wheel is adjustable for height only, not reach, and I had to drive with my knees touching the dash.
Isuzu’s SUV comes fairly well loaded and both versions get cruise control, leather upholstery, keyless entry with push-button start, a rear view camera, navigation, and a touch screen audio system with Bluetooth and eight speakers. A clever feature is the cup holders mounted directly in front of the air vents to keep drinks cool.
Safety fare is very generous and includes six airbags, ABS brakes, stability control, and trailer sway control.
The styling’s a little generic but it’s garnished with the requisite modern touches including 18” alloy wheels, daytime running lights, LED front and rear lights, and aluminium side steps.
OFF ROAD
The MU-X is well set for adventure trails with its tough ladder-frame chassis and generous 230mm ride height. At the twist of a knob the 4x4 version shifts from rear- to four-wheel drive at speeds up to 100km/h, and there’s also a low range gear, along with hill start assist and hill descent control.
Thus armed, the MU-X 4x4 sailed easily through the media drive’s rugged 4x4 course near Clarens, tackling steep and rocky hills that properly tested both the low-range torque (of which there was plenty) and the hill-descent control.
Prices include a five-year/120 000km warranty and roadside assistance, and a five-year/90 000km service plan, with service intervals every 15 000km or 12 months.