Isuzu MU-X vs Geely EX5

What's the difference?

The MU-X has plenty of appeal as a daily driver – dependable and it’s a proven 4WD wagon.

Does the 2.2-litre engine add anything substantial to the mix?

Well, it's better than the 1.9-litre, that's for sure, and there's a lot to like about this MU-X in terms of its off-road capability, driver-assist tech, standard features and all-round driveability. And, while the LS-T lacks the top-shelf polish of the X-Terrain, it’s still an appealing potential purchase.

But the 3.0-litre option is better because while the 2.2L is very effective off-road and general day-to-day driving, it lacks grunt and has to work that much harder and is that much noisier under load than the 3.0-litre in most driving scenarios, including 4WDing.

The Geely EX5 has good bones. It’s well packaged, sturdily built, efficient and jam-packed with technology. But questions remain. The EX5 really needs work on its safety systems and another round of chassis revisions to be competitive. 

Pricing, too, will be crucial for the EX5 to succeed in today’s savage new electric car market. 

If the list of nagging complaints can be fixed and Geely is able to back up its product with solid aftersales support, it could be a winner. The jury is still out on the EX5.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

In terms of appearance, the MU-X remains largely unchanged from the most recent iteration. And that’s a good thing. It’s blocky enough to be recognisable but sleek enough to remain inoffensive. Worth noting the door handles, window trims, front fender accents, roof rails, and side steps on the LS-T are gloss black.

Inside, nothing much has changed (other than a newly-introduced idle start/stop button) and, as such, the MU-X retains a low-key familiarity that makes it a comfortable space. Generally, design-wise, the MU-X more than holds its own against the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Ford Everest.

The Geely EX5’s exterior design is conservative verging on anonymous. Perhaps that’s because the brand is unknown here, but forgettable details like the six-rectangle badge rear and haphazard ‘Geely EX5’ badge placement aren’t the height of fashion.

Inside, though, the EX5 improves. The two screens are presented well, as is the cabin with upholstery that isn’t just boring black. The design language is more conventional — in a good way — than, say, a BYD Atto 3 or Tesla Model Y and doesn’t seem to unashamedly copy elements from established carmakers.

Key touch points, such as the rotary volume control, the (wrong way around) window switches and door handles appear to be made of real metal, with knurling in some cases. The dash and door tops are all encased in squishy rubber, too.

As for sizing, the EX5 is the exact same length as a Toyota RAV4, at 4615mm long, though being wider (1901mm) and riding on a longer 2750mm wheelbase should mean more cabin space.

The interior has a familiar and practical feel about it and the cabin is an easy space in which to become comfortable. Controls are easy to locate and operate and charging options are numerous – a mix of USB-A, USB-C (front and second row) and 12V.

Storage places include recesses for the bits and pieces from your pockets, a deep-ish centre console, as well as dual cupholders up front, cupholders in the rear fold-down centre armrest and bottle holders in the doors. There are also cupholders either side of the third row.

The MU-X has physical-button options to activate some functions (including to switch on the audio system, to adjust volume and access sat nav).

Seats are comfortable and supportive through all three rows – yes, even the third row is roomy enough to prevent whining from whoever is back there.

My camera guru/photographer/sergeant-at-arms, Glen Sullivan, reminded me that the third-row seats don’t have ISOFIX or top-tether points for child seats. Thanks, mate.

The cargo area is 311 litres with all three rows in use, 1119L with the third row flat and 2138L with the second and third rows stowed away.

The rear cargo area has a cargo cover, tie-down points, a 12V power outlet, a storage space under the rear cargo area floor and a space for tools inside the driver’s side rear cargo wall. The MU-X’s full-size spare (bravo!) is attached to its undercarriage.

Finding a comfortable driving position is easy in the EX5 Inspire with the octagonal steering wheel tilting and telescoping through a broad range of motion. The seats are supportive and well-bolstered, too — not a given in this class.

While we wish the front passenger seat was height adjustable, the Inspire’s leg rest and ability to lie the seats fully flat while charging is appreciated. The massage function has six modes, three intensity levels and is remarkably powerful. 

Between the EX5’s front seats is a floating centre console as gear selection is done via the right-hand stalk. It has two small cup holders on top, while under that is a generous, rubberised storage space perfect for handbags, cameras, or the like. It’s where the USB-A, USB-C and 12-volt socket are located for device charging.

There is a wireless charging pad that sits ahead of a large central storage box cooled by the air-conditioning. The Geely EX5’s door cards will easily accept a 600mL camping bottle.

Where the Geely EX5 falls down is the control layout. It is nice to have four physical switches beneath the touchscreen as shortcuts to switch the air-conditioning on or off, engage air recirculation and the front demister, but where’s the hazard light switch? It's on the ceiling.

Then there’s the large rotary dial which generally functions as a volume knob. Press it down and you can choose to have it adjust the temperature, fan speed, or — for some reason — one of several desktop backgrounds, including a computer-generated kitten playing with some wool. In this mode it also works as cursor for the multimedia screen, but never at any other time. Peculiar.

The convoluted menu structure has a strange control hierarchy. There's a shortcut target for the rear fog light, for example, yet to disable the lane-keep assist or adjust the regenerative braking power you need to jump through at least three sub-menus. And some of the text in the Geely EX5’s digital driver’s display is so small it’s almost illegible.

Then there are the typos and grammatical errors that should have been an easy pre-launch fix. A few include: ‘Distractive. Drive carefully’, ‘Keep safety distance’, ‘Driver is facial detection is missing’ and, a personal favourite: ‘The current battery is low, whether to enable super battery life?’ None of this inspires much confidence. At least the EX5’s processor is responsive for smooth tapping between the many menus.

The Geely EX5’s 1000-watt 16-speaker sound system is punchy and has presets – borrowed from Volvo and Polestar — which promise to emulate the sound quality of a recording studio, concert hall and other locations. Gimmicky in practice, plus, with the volume over 30 per cent, the EX5’s sound quality is disappointingly muddy.

Connectivity promises to be strong in the EX5 but the cars we drove were not fitted with 4G sims for live navigation, app downloads and remote smartphone control. Apple CarPlay will be added via a software update in July and Android Auto before the end of the year, says Geely. 

The Geely EX5’s back seat is very generous, at 188cm tall I had plenty of leg room, respectable toe room and excellent head room even underneath the standard panoramic sunroof. The floor is totally flat and, rarely, the middle seat is usable for adults.

Two more USB chargers can be found along with air vents, door pockets and a fold-down central armrest. There’s even a hidden sliding draw for storing valuables out of sight.

The Geely EX5 has ISOFIX child seat connectors on both outboard seats and three top tether anchors on its 40/60 split-fold backrest. 

The EX5 Inspire has a standard power tailgate which opens up to a total of 410 litres of boot space. If it looks a little shallow in pictures, that’s because the total space accounts for the large under-floor area (108L on its own) where Geely skipped a spare tyre.

There is one LED boot light, two shopping bag hooks and a wet storage area off to the side but, curiously, no parcel shelf.

The EX5 joins a new Chinese competitor set that’s bringing electric car prices down to — and below — size-equivalent combustion and hybrid-powered cars. 

Problem is, we still don’t know the exact price, but Geely has at least provided a guide. The Geely EX5 will be priced between $49,000 and $55,000. It has either 430km (Complete) or 410km (Inspire) WLTP-rated driving range and enough power to get out of its own way. 

When you consider high-spec combustion-engined mid-size SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 Cruiser ($51,410, before on-road costs), the Geely EX5 is shaping up to offer stellar on-paper value.

The entry grade EX5 Complete features 18-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, full LED exterior lighting with auto high-beam, rear parking sensors and roof rails that accommodate up to 50kg.

Inside, a huge 15.4-inch touchscreen with built-in navigation and 10.2-inch digital driver’s display should embarrass any combustion-engined rival. The upholstery is artificial leather, the front seats are heated and power-adjustable, the sound system has six speakers and there’s keyless entry with pop-out door handles.

Moving up to the tested Inspire brings larger 19-inch alloy wheels, a power tailgate, front parking sensors and a sunroof. Cabin niceties improve with illuminated vanity mirrors and 256-colour ambient lighting, though it notably lacks dual-zone climate control.

Veritable luxury features include driver’s seat memory and an ottoman for the front passenger, ventilation and massaging for both front seats, a 16-speaker sound system putting out 1000 watts, 13.4-inch head-up display and optional ‘Cloud’ cream upholstery colour.

With exact pricing still to be revealed, it’s impossible to say whether the Geely EX5 is better value than the Leapmotor C10, Deepal S07, Kia EV5, BYD Sealion 7 or XPeng G6, but it certainly shapes up well against the updated Tesla Model Y that has climbed north of $60,000.

Five paint colours are available; Arctic White is no cost, while Shadow Black, Volcanic Grey, Moonlit Silver and Aquatic Green attract an extra charge.

The Geely EX5 is capable of outputting electricity either to a load like hairdryer, coffee machine or power tools at 3.3kW and to another vehicle at 6kWm adding 40km of driving range in an hour.

This MU-X has a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine, producing 120kW at 3600rpm and 400Nm between 1600-2400rpm and it’s matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Worth noting the 3.0L MU-X has a six-speed auto and produces 140kW (at 3600rpm) and 450Nm (1600-2600rpm) while the outgoing 1.9L MU-X has a six-speed auto and produces 110kW (3600rpm) and 350Nm (1800-2600rpm).

While the 3.0-litre has always been unstressed in most driving scenarios – even low-range 4WDing – the 2.2-litre feels underpowered. More about that in the ‘Driving’ section below.

The MU-X has a part-time 4WD system which includes a dual-range transfer case (with high- and low-range 4WD) and a rear diff-lock. The driver is able to shift from 2H (two-wheel drive, high-range) to 4H (4WD high-range) while on the move up to speeds of 100km/h. The diff-lock may only be engaged when the vehicle is in 4L (4WD low-range).

The MU-X also has a switchable terrain mode system which tweaks the engine, transmission and traction control to suit the driving conditions. 'Rough Terrain' mode, like a steroids-enhanced off-road traction control, is king of these modes when you’re off the bitumin.

Geely claims the EX5’s front axle-mounted 11-in-one motor, transmission and power unit is the lightest and most compact in class. Though power and torque outputs of 160kW and 320Nm are nothing groundbreaking it was perfectly adequate for the EX5’s 1765kg tare mass.

In Eco, Standard and Sport modes the tip-in response is intentionally dulled to minimise wheel spin. Three are three regenerative braking levels; medium felt most natural, though High was acceptable. There’s no one-pedal drive mode in the Geely EX5.

The front-drive Geely EX5 Inspire's claimed 0-100km/h time is 7.1 seconds and its top speed is limited to 175km/h.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption for this MU-X is 6.7L/100km. The 1.9L MU-X offers 7.4L/100km while the 3.0L offers 7.6L/100km.

Actual fuel consumption on this test was 8.7L/100km.

The MU-X has an 80-litre fuel tank, so, going by that on-test fuel consumption figure, you should be able to get a driving range of about 920km. But remember, your fuel consumption may be completely different to mine because chances are you'll have friends, family pets, sporting equipment, camping gear, the whole kit and caboodle on board. I've only been carrying vehicle recovery gear, MaxTrax, and a first-aid kit, so I haven't had a huge amount of weight on board.

Real-world efficiency is one of the EX5’s most impressive attributes, with the Inspire’s WLTP-range being 410km dependent on returning energy consumption of 14.7kWh/100km.

Over a 100km distance taking in suburban, motorway and country roads, the EX5’s dash showed a lower-than-rated energy consumption of 13.5kWh/100km, representing nearly 460km of real-world range from Geely’s 60.22kWh ‘Aegis’ lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack.

Along with the motor, some of the efficiency can be put down to the Geely EX5 Inspire’s quality 235/50R19 Goodyear EfficientGrip tyres.

Charging is middling for this pack, with the EX5 using a 400-volt architecture that allows DC power up to 100kW. Rejuicing from 20-80 per cent takes 28 minutes, says Geely, which is faster than the Deepal S07 and Leapmotor C10 but a long way short of the XPeng G6 and Model Y.

Three-phase AC charging caps out at 11kW, meaning you can take the EX5 from flat to full in around five and a half hours at home.

Before we launch into the off-roading section of this test, it’s worth noting the MU-X has always been decent on-road; composed, reasonably refined (for a 4WD wagon, anyway) and comfortable. And thankfully, with the 2.2-litre engine, not all of those characteristics have been thrown out the window.

It is quite noisy, especially under pressure when you have to do some heavy acceleration or when you have a bit of gear on board. When it has to work that bit harder than it usually does, it can become quite noisy. Admittedly, the 3.0-litre MU-X is also quite gruff, but there's an edge to the roughness in the 2.2-litre that is very noticeable on road.

This MU-X is quite sluggish off the mark, exhibiting a disconcerting lag under heavy throttle from a standing-start. And it’s far from the most dynamic vehicle to drive. But it has a tractability about it that manages to mostly negate these flaws.

Otherwise, the new eight-speed auto deserves credit as it’s slick and smooth in application and feels right at home in this wagon.

Now to off-roading. The MU-X is still very capable. In fact, even with the 2.2-litre engine, it remains one of the better-performing 4WD wagons straight out of the dealership, in terms of pure off-road capability.

The 3.0-litre MU-X is not the torquiest in this segment, but it offers ample pulling power available across a wide rev range – count on peak torque between 1600rpm and 2400rpm – and it delivers that pulling power in an even-handed fashion. The 2.2-litre MU-X has to work harder than its stablemate, and it’s noisier and harsher.

However, those characteristics don’t take away from how effective this MU-X is because it offers impressive off-road performance. It still has a decent amount of low- and mid-range torque, which makes dirt-road cruising and low-speed 4WDing easy.

The MU-X has part-time 4WD with high- and low-range 4WD gearing, a rear diff lock and overall it retains all of that off-road capability the 3.0-litre MU-X has been renowned for – so you don't lose any efficacy there.

The line-up’s off-road traction control system, which once was a bit patchy in its effectiveness, has gone through a couple of phases and it’s been recalibrated/tweaked over the years and it is much better now.

Of course, the MU-X also has Isuzu’s much-vaunted Rough Terrain mode (a form of early-acting off-road traction control which converts lost grip into torque for the wheels with grip), and it is smooth and effective, giving the driver better overall control in challenging terrain.

Some of this MU-X’s listed off-road angles appear shallower than the 3.0-litre MU-X’s – approach: 23.9 (3.0L = 29.2), departure: 26.4 (3.0L = 26.4) and ramp-over: 19.6 (3.0L = 23.1) – but, even if that is the case, it has very similar driving characteristics in low-speed, low-range four-wheel driving to its 3.0-litre stablemate.

If you drive with control and consideration, you shouldn't have any trouble tackling light to moderate 4WDing in this MU-X. It could even, if push comes to shove, handle challenges that may be considered by some to be on the edge of hard-core 4WDing – for a showroom-standard 4WD wagon anyway.

Ground clearance is 235mm and wading depth is 800mm, so there’s an adequate amount of clearance to work.

The MU-X – with a turning circle of 11.6m and a kerb weight of 2130kg (3.0L = 2185kg) – feels quite nimble on bush tracks.

This wagon’s wheel travel – how far the axle can move up and down relative to the chassis – has more than an adequate amount of flex, stretching its tyres close, if not all the way, to the dirt.

A noticeable trade-off is its 20-inch wheel-and-tyre combination, which is best suited to sealed surfaces and so are far from ideal for dirt-track touring. There’s an easy remedy, though. Buy a set of decent all-terrain tyres on 17- or 18-inch rims to replace the showroom-standard 265/50R20 Highway-Terrain tyres. If you are using your MU-X, avoid dropping pressures too much because you’ll risk sidewall pinches and punctures on these low-profile road tyres.

In terms of packability: the 2.2L MU-X has a listed payload of 670kg, whereas the 3.0L version offers 615kg.

The 2.2L MU-X can legally tow 750kg (unbraked trailer) and 3500kg (braked), so theoretically you can tow the same load as a 3.0-litre MU-X. But, as mentioned, the 2.2-litre engine feels underpowered, even in general day-to-day driving, so with a load and/or towing that’s an added burden.

For reference, the 2.2L MU-X has a listed gross vehicle mass of 2800kg and gross combined mass of 5900kg.

Underpinning the Geely EX5 is the new Global Intelligent Electric Architecture, or GEA for short. It is a newer and lower-cost version of the group’s SEA platform as used in Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr and Smart products and the bones are good.

The Geely EX5’s body doesn’t rattle, creak or shimmy over nasty road surfaces. Some solid knowhow has made its way into the brake pedal calibration which is light but delightfully smooth. It’s impossible to detect where regenerative slowing ends and hydraulic begins.

It has allegedly undergone Australian suspension localisation but don’t expect outright handling excellence, the EX5’s ride is still pillowy — verging on melted marshmallow — soft. Some will find this acceptable, however there’s plenty of potential for improvement.

Over large bumps both in town and at speed it takes the Geely EX5’s rear end between two and four rebound cycles to settle. There’s also a large amount of lateral ‘head toss’, with both attributes key ingredients in making back seat passengers car sick.

I also experienced a low-frequency boom in the EX5's cabin over concrete and rough coarse chip surfaces common on Sydney roads. Otherwise, the EX5’s is a mostly quiet car.

The sharp steering is light around town but weighted up unnaturally through corners. With high quality tyres and stability control that intervenes very early, you’re unlikely to get out of shape in the EX5 on a twisty road at least.

That said, with good bones like McPherson struts up front and multi-link rear suspension we would love to see Geely revise the EX5’s chassis to bestow the sort of fluency that makes the Kia EV5 and combustion equivalents like the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 so much more pleasant to drive. Doing so would provide the EX5 a clear point of difference from the XPeng G6, BYD Sealion 7, Deepal S07 and Leapmotor C10.

The Geely EX5 is yet to be tested by ANCAP or other relevant safety testing body. 

The EX5 has seven airbags including a front centre one, a Short Blade battery that has been extensively tested to minimise fire danger along with 16 advanced driver assistance features including auto emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and more.

It is all well and good to tick the safety aid boxes but in practice, the EX5 leaves a little to be desired. Various mysterious beeps and bongs are semi-constant but more soothing than some rivals.

The EX5’s lane-keep assist worked well enough in the morning but was flummoxed by brighter afternoon light and shadows, once grabbing control of the wheel and pointing the car at an upcoming vehicle, another time towards the grass. Sometimes the system simply didn’t work to keep the EX5 in the lane at all.

The adaptive cruise control has an ‘Intelligent’ program that convincingly changes lanes by itself when prompted by the indicator. Unfortunately, like the lane-keep system, shadows on the road caused a few phantom-braking episodes.

Activating the adaptive cruise control is not intuitive because the steering wheel controls are poorly labeled. It’s the left directional and ‘ok’ button set, if you’re wondering, and you cancel cruise by hitting the cross button below the similar looking asterisk customisable hot key.

The standard surround-view camera is high quality with plenty of different angles to minimise kerb strikes.

Like the suspension tuning, Geely ought to send out engineers with a fine tooth comb to iron out issues with the safety systems before hitting start on public sales.

The MU-X has a six-year/150,000km warranty and seven years of roadside assistance. Unlimited km in the warranty would be welcome.

Service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest.

Capped price servicing covers the first five scheduled services for MY24 and later vehicle models (up to 5 years/75,000km – whichever occurs first) – at a flat price of $469 for each service.

Isuzu Ute Australia has a nationwide network of more than 160 dealer sites.

Geely is doing its best to ensure smooth parts supply from launch, having run around for 12 months stocking inventory and partnering with DB Schenker for logistics.

To promote the EX5, Geely’s launching with three years complimentary servicing and one year (or 1000kWh) of free charging on the Evie network for those who order an EX5 before February 28.

Geely has yet to announce warranty details. The brand will want to aim for more than five years, as seven years is fast becoming the minimum standard for new vehicles.

Service pricing is also yet to be confirmed, though maintenance will be due every 12 months or 20,000km.