Chevrolet Silverado vs Isuzu MU-X

What's the difference?

The Chevrolet Silverado enjoys enduring popularity in Australia’s unique new vehicle market for locally remanufactured right-hand drive versions of full-size US pick-up trucks.

Armed with unique V8 power, the range offered by General Motors Speciality Vehicles (GMSV) comprises the entry-level 1500 LTZ Premium and top-shelf 1500 ZR2, while the colossal 2500 HD offers the ultimate in heavy towing capabilities.

Their combined sales represent a leading market share of more than 40 per cent, in a specialised segment where purchase prices extend well into six figures.

The latest MY26 Silverado range is backed by a new five-year/unlimited km warranty paired with five years of roadside assist, which provides greater peace-of-mind for buyers than the previous three-year/100,000km and three years' roadside assist. The ZR2 also gets upgraded driver assistance plus additional exterior colours.

We recently spent a week aboard one of the latest 1500s to find out why the Silverado is such a popular choice for Aussie buyers and if it’s well suited to tradie duties.

Isuzu’s 3.0-litre MU-X has attracted plenty of fans over the years – and for good reason: it’s a seven-seat 4WD wagon packed with features, driver-assist tech and it has a decent 4WD set-up including a recalibrated rough terrain mode.

But the Japanese brand's 1.9-litre experiment has now officially ended – it’s a Gary-goner. So, for this test I’m driving its replacement: the 2.2L MU-X. This 4WD wagon has a, you guessed it, 2.2-litre engine – offering better claimed fuel consumption than the 3.0L, as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission and idle stop-start technology. And this MU-X has the same 3.5 tonne towing capacity as the 3.0-litre version, that’s 500kg more than the outgoing 1.9L MU-X.

So, how does this new 2.2L MU-X perform off-road? And does it make more sense as an adventure wagon than its 3.0L stablemate?

Read on.