Holden Acadia vs Isuzu MU-X

What's the difference?

The Holden Acadia is a proper seven-seater SUV in that it will fit adults in the third row without turning your friends into enemies. It’s also practical and well fitted out with storage places and utilities such as USB ports.

I was particularly impressed with the advanced safety equipment on-board even at this entry LT level. Yes, it’s a V6 petrol and it’s not the most fuel-efficient SUV, but our time with it showed that with cylinder deactivation and the stop-start system it might not be as thirsty as you’d think.

So, engine aside, not much new for the 2024 MU-X, but I can confidently say this: if you’re not towing big loads all of the time, then the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel won’t just save you cash at the dealership, but at the service station, too.

To fully understand the look of the Acadia, take a peek at the GMC website - but make sure you shield your eyes in the same way you would during a solar eclipse, or when welding, or in an atomic blast.

You’ll understand when you get there but suffice it to say contained within the site are some pretty confronting trucks and SUVs. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll realise the Acadia is the supermodel of the GMC family.

Yep, it has a big, blocky, truck-like look but it’s a refreshingly tough styling alternative to more elegant looking SUVs such as the Mazda CX-9.

The Acadia is also one of the smallest members of the GMC family, yet its dimensions position it as a large SUV in Australia. Even then it’s not huge compared to other large SUVs here, so you won’t have an issue piloting it in Aussie car parks or fitting into spaces.

The Acadia measures 4979mm end-to-end, 2139mm across (with the mirrors out) and 1762mm tall.

Along with the Mazda CX-9 the Acadia would also consider the Kia Sorento and Nissan Pathfinder to be among its rivals.

Inside, the Acadia is a modern and stylish looking place, although it’s a bit unrefined. Still, as one YouTube commenter reminded me parents will like the wipe clean surfaces.

Well her comment wasn’t written that politely but being a parent, I concur that the hard plastics have that advantage.

The interior is not all unrefined. The seats, even in the entry grade LT we tested, while cloth (and only available in Jet Black) are sculptured with bolsters and finished with a textured pattern that looks and feels great.

If you like the look of the 2023 Isuzu MU-X, then boy have I got good news for you, because the changes to the 2024 model occur under the bonnet, and nowhere else, really. That means you get the same simple, boxy exterior design, which emphasises capability over fanciness.

Yes, the MU-X design is more dependable than daring, but I reckon it works, with the three-row SUV cutting a fairly handsome figure, even if it is yet to receive the design tweaks just rolled out on the updated Isuzu D-Max.

Inside, though, it definitely presents as a little utilitarian, with some plastics that feel like they could survive a nuclear blast, and the 7.0- and 9.0-inch central screens both feel a little underwhelming by modern standards.

It all feels very comfortable and hard-wearing though, which is probably every bit as important, given the MU-X’s target market.

The Acadia’s practicality game is strong. It boasts seven seats with third row positions actually able to fit adults, five USB ports sprinkled through the cabin, and a cargo capacity of 1042 litres with the third-row seats folded flat and 292 litres with them in place. If you have three kids, even teenagers, the Acadia could be the perfect family personnel carrier for you.

All three rows are spacious and even at 191cm tall I had good shoulder and elbow room up front, and in the second and third rows I had enough legroom to sit in each seat behind my seating position without feeling cramped.

Feeling a bit down because you might not be able to stretch the budget to get the LTZ-V? Well, cheer up – the LT has more headroom and that’s because it doesn’t get the sunroof which eats into the ceiling height.

Cabin storage is excellent. There’s a wide and deep centre console bin, a hidey hole in front of the shifter, a tray for second row passengers, six cup holders (two in each row) and decent-sized door pockets.

Directional air vents for everybody on board, three-zone climate control, two 12-volt power outlets, privacy glass and proximity unlocking complete a great practicality package.

Practicality has always been a sizeable MU-X perk, regardless of the engine. 

That starts with seven seats, and a back row where actual full-size humans can spend time — and there are not many three-row SUVs you can say that about.

I’m 175cm tall and while I wouldn’t pick row three as my first choice, I’d happily sit back there for short hops.

The middle row, too, is pretty spacious, though it is lacking in a few creature comforts, with just the air-con vents (but no temp controls) and a couple of USB ports to keep you company.

And remember when I said the brand was promising the 1.9-litre engine wouldn’t cost much in terms of capability? Well, Isuzu says the braked towing capacity for models fitted with the smaller engine is 3000kg, while the payload figure increases — now up to 735kg — mostly because the new engine is about 70 kilos lighter. Models fitted with the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel are still rated to tow 3.5-tonne. 

The MU-X stretches 4850mm in length, 1870mm in width and 1815mm in height and it sits on a 2855mm wheelbase, which means while there’s plenty of cabin space it’s not too ridiculous to park.

You’ll find 311 litres of boot space with all three rows in place, growing to 1119 litres with the second row folded flat and 2138 litres with just the front two seats in action.

Every MU-X model will offer at least 800mm in wading depth and 230mm ground clearance, too.

It has always been a value-packed proposition, the MU-X, and nothing much has changed for 2024, especially if you’re shopping for the smaller engine option. Be warned, though, there are price jumps for the carryover 3.0-litre turbo-diesel in most grades.

As usual in the ute-based SUV space, the complexity of trims and powertrains can be a little confusing, but the short version is the MU-X can be had in three trim levels, with the 1.9-litre engine offered on two of them, the LS-M and LS-U.

The LS-M opens proceedings with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, black sidesteps, keyless entry, cloth trim inside, a 7.0-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and air-conditioning.

The LS-U then adds 18-inch alloys, roof rails, a leather steering wheel, a bigger 9.0-inch central screen, dual-zone climate control and a powered tailgate.

Finally, the flagship LS-T gets 20-inch alloys, leather seats that are heated in the front and remote engine start. 

All 4x4 models are plenty capable, too, with '4x4 Terrain Command', '2-High', '4-High' and '4-Low', a rear-diff lock and a 'Rough Terrain' mode which helps with grip and traction on slippery surfaces.

All Acadias come with a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine which makes big dollops of power and torque or 231kW (at 6600rpm) and 367Nm (at 5000rpm).

A nine-speed automatic swaps gears, and in the case of our two-wheel drive LT test car the drive went to the front wheels only.

The V6 gets the thumbs up for its stop-start fuel saving system and cylinder deactivation, plus good acceleration and the smooth power delivery you’d associate with a naturally aspirated engine, but a thumbs down for needing to rev hard to make that mumbo.

Let’s focus on the new engine option here, with the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel delivering 110kW and 350Nm. They don’t sound like massive numbers, but Isuzu makes the point that the torque delivery is wide, with maximum grunt available from 1800rpm to 2600rpm, and 300Nm available from 1550rpm to 3700rpm, meaning there’s power there when you need it.

The new engine pairs with a six-speed Aisin tramsission and delivers power to two or all four wheels.

We were surprised by the Acadia’s fuel efficiency. After filling up the tank I drove for 136.9km on a combination of hilly country roads and peak hour evening city traffic and then filled up again – only 13.98 litres were used. That’s a mileage of 10.2L/100km. The official combined consumption figure is 8.9L/100km.

So, while the engine is big and not particularly new (it’s an evolution of the V6 built by Holden in Australia for the Commodore) it does have fuel-saving tech like cylinder deactivation and a stop-start system – which you can’t switch off.

Still, not the most fuel-efficient seven-seater – those with turbos and smaller capacity engines such as Mazda CX-9 are truly amazing in the way they can deliver grunt without getting thirsty.

Another perk of the smaller engine is a smaller fuel bill, with the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel promising to drink 7.4L/100km on the combined cycle - almost a litre less than the 3.0-litre 4x4 model, which is more like 8.3L/100km. 

Emissions drop, too, with the smaller engine rated at 196g/km of C02 combined, compared with 220g/km on for the 3.0-litre 4x4 model.

Impact on the hip pocket? Well, fewer trips to the service station for one. Isuzu says the 80-litre fuel tank should deliver almost 1100km of driving between refills.

I drove the Holden Acadia back-to-back with the Nissan Pathfinder – you can watch the model comparison in the video above, but the upshot of that experience was important.

See, while I wasn’t a major fan of the Acadia driving experience when I first met the SUV at its Australian launch in 2018, when I drove it straight after the Pathfinder the difference was like night and day.

The Acadia is comfortable, from the big seats to the smooth ride. If you’re covering a stack of territory the Acadia makes a great highways cruiser and will chomp up big distances  effortlessly.

That V6 does need to rev hard, but it’s powerful and acceleration is swift, while the nine-speed automatic shifts pretty seamlessly. Noise cancelling tech keeps the cabin fairly serene, too.

Look, it’s not the most dynamic of SUVs and there was a bit of tyre chirp in the corners when pushed, but this isn’t a performance car and nor is it trying to be.

Small windows mean a cooler, tough look, but the downside is a dark cabin and occasionally visibility is limited by the A-pillars or out the rear windows.

A 2000kg braked towing capacity will rule the Acadia out for many thinking of pulling a large caravan or big boat. The Pathfinder’s 2700kg braked towing capacity is a strength of that SUV.

Do you need all-wheel drive? Nope, but it’s handy for dirt and gravel roads. Still the 198mm ground clearance with only front-wheel drive should see you get down bumpy roads that regular sedans couldn’t handle.

First things first, you can absolutely tow with the smaller MU-X engine. In fact, we attached a load weighing close to its 3.0-tonne maximum and the Isuzu just hunkered down and got to work.

It must be said, though, it’s nowhere near as effortless as when you have the bigger 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine up front, which dispatches heavy loads clinically and easily.

The smaller option has to try harder and rev higher, and while it’s easy enough on downhill runs or flats, it’s noticeably slower when heading up hill.

It does demand the question of how often you’ll be attaching close to its rated maximum on the towball, though. If it’s often, the bigger engine is definitely for you. But if it’s occasionally, or your tow loads are lighter, you can definitely make do with the 1.9-litre option.

On the road, the 1.9-litre engine’s power delivery is actually pretty well suited to the MU-X. It’s not fast, of course, but the width of the torque band helps deliver grunt when you need it (to a point) especially in the low-end, and I reckon the whole experience is a bit smoother and quieter than with the bigger engine, too.

You are missing some of that effortless grunt, of course, and you still can’t escape the usual diesel noise that permeates the cabin, but the lower fuel use for lower power feels like a fairly decent trade. 

It won’t be for everyone, and cross-country travellers and towers will no doubt go for the bigger unit, but for everyone else the 1.9-litre is a pretty sensible option.

Full credit to Isuzu here for fitting every MU-X model, including the cheapest option, with its full safety kit, which starts with eight airbags in the cabin. 

From there, the active stuff kicks in, with the MU-X featuring AEB, 'Forward Collision Warning', adaptive cruise control (with 'Stop and Go'), traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, 'Lane Departure Prevention', lane keeping assist, 'Emergency Lane Keeping', blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and 'Trailer Sway Control'.

The MU-X has a maximum five-star ANCAP score from testing in 2022.

The Acadia is covered by Holden’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Servicing is recommended every 12 months or 12,000km. Expect to pay $259 for the first service, $299 for the second, $259 for the third, $359 for the fourth and $359 again for the fifth.

Every Isuzu MU-X model gets a six-year, 150,000km warranty, as well as five years of capped price servicing, and up two seven years of roadside assistant. 

The service are 12 months or 15,000km, and each service costs $449 per year, or a total $2245 over five years.