Question 1

What car should I get to tow a 22-foot caravan around Australia?

Accepted Answer

I wouldn’t be concerned about the cylinder configuration of a particular engine. What’s more important is how much power and torque that engine makes, and how towing-friendly that power delivery is. By which we mean how smooth and flexible is the delivery. What you don’t want is a peaky engine that needs to be revved before it delivers the good as that puts a strain on everything and make the vehicle tricky and unpleasant to drive. The good news is that all the vehicles you’ve nominated have good, solid powerplants that are well suited to towing a caravan. Modern turbo-diesels – especially with an automatic transmission – are ideal for this task. What you should go for, however, is the vehicle with the highest towing rating. In this case, that’s any of the Grand Cherokee, MU-X or older Discovery, all of which have variants that can handle a towed load of 3.5 tonnes. The Everest is almost as good with 3.1 tonne, but only almost. The problem is that the van you’ve nominated can easily weigh between 2.2 and 2.8 tonnes which, with a 3.1-tonne limit, leaves you very little headroom for water tanks and camping gear. You’d be amazed at how much a fully loaded caravan weighs, so don’t rely on the brochure, load the van and take it to a weighbridge to make sure the vehicle you have can legally tow it.

Question 2

Is it worth waiting for the new Isuzu MU-X?

Accepted Answer

When the new D-Max arrived in 2020, the big improvements included a step up in standard equipment and a big leap forward in refinement and ride quality. The engine and driveline, however, was carried over from the previous model, so performance and driveability were similar. With that in mind, you can probably expect the all-new MU-X to offer a similar hike in standard equipment terms. But unlike the D-Max with its rear leaf springs, the MU-X already features coil springs all around, so there may not be quite the same boost to refinement or ride quality. That said, it’s unlikely Isuzu would go backwards in this department. If you can live without the creature comforts, then a run-out deal on the old model seems like a pretty good idea. It really all depends on how much importance you place on having the latest and greatest.

Question 3

Why is my 2017 Isuzu MU-X struggling to make power?

Accepted Answer

If the new clutch helped the vehicle climb hills, then I dare say that was money well spent. As for noises from the engine under load, I’m afraid that’s a job for somebody on the spot who can listen to the vehicle and make an assessment. The noise could be major internal problems or it could be something as simple as a loose heat shield under the car. Even a loose or worn engine mount can create all sorts of mysterious and expensive-sounding noises and rattles. Don’t forget, your vehicle came with a five-year factory warranty, so a major failure that is not the result of mis-use or general wear and tear (provided the vehicle has travelled less than 130,000km) is still covered by Isuzu.

Question 4

What does the "check system" error code mean in the Isuzu M-UX?

Accepted Answer

Any time you have a fuse blowing consistently, you have an electrical problem. Either the circuit involved in lighting the indicator letters and shifting the vehicle into Park (modern transmissions use electronic actuators extensively) is shorting out or being overloaded, and that’s causing the fuse to blow as an alternative to the wiring melting and setting fire to something. If it’s a new vehicle, though, it’s covered under the factory warranty, so a trip to the dealership should put it right at no cost to you. It could be a pinched wire, a poor earth, or a fault in the electronic control system. Either way, it’s Isuzu’s problem.

Question 5

Why is the fuel consumption of my 2019 Isuzu MU-X getting worse?

Accepted Answer

My initial thought is that 11 or 12 litres per 100km for an overall average is about what I would have expected. These are not small cars, they’re not light and they have fairly ordinary aerodynamics. What you need to keep in mind is that the official fuel consumption figure is a number achieved on a very specific test cycle that in no way approximates a real-world experience. Car makers go to great lengths to nail a good number on these tests (for marketing purposes) often at the expense of real-world fuel economy. Yes, it does seem crazy, doesn’t it? You also mentioned you use your car mostly for high-speed driving. What’s your definition of high speed? Thanks to the aerodynamics of vehicles like the MU-X an extra 10km/h at freeway speeds can have a huge effect on economy. Even removing a roof-rack when you’re not using it can save a litre per 100km.

Question 6

Isuzu MU-X 2016: Problems after servicing

Accepted Answer

Any odd or new noises from an automatic transmission are, indeed, bad noises Gavin. Squealing or screeching from the gearbox can be caused by any number of things, but none of them are good and none of them are likely to go away on their own. To be honest, I’ve heard of more problems with the Isuzu’s manual gearbox, with the fifth-gear synchro dragging and making a dry-bearing noise. The first thing I’d do is interrogate the car’s on-board computer to see if any fault codes show up and take it from there.

Question 7

What do you recommend for towing a horse trailer and large draft-horse?

Accepted Answer

None of the vehicles you’ve listed are exactly low-maintenance units. They all have complex all-wheel-drive drivelines (which will be appreciated when towing a heavy trailer across a wet showground) and they use the latest common-rail diesel technology which is fairly intolerant of poor servicing. As for a power tailgate on a ute, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. But some of the wagon versions of these vehicles can be optioned with powered tailgates. The catch there is that these vehicles use coil sprung rear axles (as opposed to the leaf-sprung ute versions) so they’re not as adept at towing. The Toyota Fortuner, for instance can’t match the HiLux’s 3.5-tonne limit and makes do with 2800kg; not enough for your requirements. The Ford Everest (based on the Ranger) is a little better at 3000kg, but still trails the Ranger’s 3500kg towing capacity and is right on your self-imposed minimum.

Question 8

Isuzu MU-X 2018: How much can my car tow?

Accepted Answer

It’s not a good idea to be towing in fifth gear into a head wind or uphill, or in other adverse conditions. If you do the gearbox will shift back to fourth, or lower if need be. I wouldn’t be too concerned about towing a larger van, providing of course it doesn’t overload the MU-X. You could upgrade the turbo with a chip or other device, but in my view you’re risking trouble by doing it.

Question 9

Isuzu MU-X 2017: How do I fix broken back seats?

Accepted Answer

See if you see where the belt is stuck, that might give you a clue of how to release it. The easiest way is to call in to an Isuzu dealership and have them do it for you. It should only take a moment, and I’m sure they would help you out.

Question 10

What SUV should I buy?

Accepted Answer

There are many SUVs that would fit within your budget. I would suggest you try a Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Isuzu MU-X, Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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