Isuzu MU-X vs Lexus Lm500H

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 Lexus LM 500h is luxurious, comfortable, practical, easy to drive and expensive. While it may appear to be the ultimate family car, with only four seats it's limited in terms of how many kids and their friends you can carry. On top of that, the privacy screen introduces accessibility issues to the kids you wouldn't encounter on other vehicles. If you are thinking of a Lexus people mover as your next family car I'd suggest looking at the LM 350h which has seven seats and no privacy screen. If you’re looking at a business class executive van the LM 500h would be perfect. 

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 LM 500h doesn't look real. More like a concept vehicle with its vertical face wearing that enormous grille. Feels like if you watched it for long enough you’d catch it transforming into some kind of robot. Yet, at the same time its styling is elegant and prestigious.

I have a confession to make. I used this Lexus as my office. Its interior is that comfortable and spacious. I'm also a parent and there were times where it was the quietest place to get some work done.

It also let me observe people's reactions as they walked past with their dogs not knowing what was going on inside behind those tinted windows. The people that noticed were clearly car enthusiasts as they knew what they were looking at and couldn't pass without gaping it awe.

The LM 500h’s interior is superbly plush with thick carpets, beautiful copper metallic trim and nappa leather seats.

As I’ve said, the cockpit up front is less luxurious than the extravagant first class section in the back behind that dividing wall.

And yes, I’ve seen large screens before but nothing that stretches the width of the vehicle.

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.

You might be able to take Lexus out of Toyota but it's very hard to take Toyota out of Lexus and this particularly applies to the practicality of the LM 500h.

Every day I discovered new compartments, tray tables and storage areas. There are so many cabinets, lockers and hidey holes that we almost left my belongings (an entire family of plushie toy capybaras) behind because there are so many places to check.

Of course, I'm talking about the rear compartment here because up front there's not much storage. In fact, it proved to be quite a problem in that I had nowhere to put my bag with somebody sitting next to me and no area behind the front seats to stow it, either.

Talking of seats, the LM 500h only has four of them, with two up front and two in the rear. Up front, the seats are supportive and large, but the rear seats - those are, well... have a look at the images.

We’re talking two large captain's chairs that look as though they’ve been removed from the first class section of a plane.

And while this might be suitable for businesses shuttling a couple of executives to and from meetings, for a family, even with two children, the extra couple of seats a third row offers would come in handy.

The LM 350h has seven seats over three rows and no privacy screen. A far better choice for families.

For device charging there are USB ports up front and in the rear. There are wireless phone chargers for those in the back seats but not up front.

The LM 500h has a cargo capacity of 752 litres with all seats in place.

The Lexus LM 500h sits at the top of its range and is without a doubt one of the most expensive people movers on Earth with its list price of $220,888.

As you would imagine the standard features list is as extensive as it is extravagant.

For starters, while the regular LM 350h has two rows of seating in the rear (seven seats all up, including the front two), the 500h has the third row removed and just two super luxurious and enormous fully reclining seats fill the entire space. It’s like a theatre back there.

That theatre theme keeps going with a media screen in the back so large it stretches the width of the vehicle. Seriously, it's a 48-inch screen to watch movies or connect to your device.

The sound system is probably the best I’ve experienced - a spine tinglingly incredible 23-speaker Mark Levinson set-up.

What else can I tell you? Those rear seats are upholstered in beautifully soft semi-aniline leather. They’re heated and ventilated with a massaging function and... ridiculously comfortable.

There’s four-zone climate control, windows which have an electronic shade that turns the glass opaque, there are wireless phone chargers in the doors and carpet throughout so thick you sink down into it as you step inside.

Our LM 500h was upholstered in the 'Solis White' leather which also brings contrasting and mesmerising copper metallic trim.

Oh, and there’s a wall with an electric glass screen that can be raised or lowered to separate the rear passengers from the driver.

I should have mentioned this earlier. The kids loved it, but these parents spent a lot of time telling the 10- and three-year old not to put the screen up again.

The rear occupants, aka the kids, can also lock the screen in place. Which they did, and so sound proof is the dividing wall that we can only just hear their uproarious laughter.

Up front, the cockpit is comfortable but it’s clear all the space and luxury is for those being driven around.

Still, the front seats are leather with heating and ventilation, there’s a 14-inch media screen and 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, plus a head-up display. Sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

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.

The LM 500h is a petrol-electric hybrid with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which makes 202kW/460Nm and works in concert with two electric motors.

The front motor makes 64kW/292Nm and the rear makes 76kW/169Nm. The combined maximum power output of the two motors and the petrol engine is 273kW.

The LM 500h is all wheel-drive and has a six-speed automatic transmission.

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.

Lexus says after a combination of urban and open roads the LM 500h should use 6.6L/100km. In our own testing we found consumption was higher at 9.4L/100km.

Worth noting my driving environment was mainly a hilly suburban one filled with school drop offs. Achieved some personal bests this week, with one long run to Sydney’s outskirts, only to return in nightmarish peak hour traffic.

Premium (95 RON) fuel is required and the tank size is 60 litres. In theory the driving range is a smidge more than 900km, which drops to around 640km using our real-world average.

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.

Quite simply, driving the LM 500h is like piloting a limousine on stilts. Superbly comfortable, but with an elevated driving position that offers outstanding forward and side visibility, the LM 500h is an easy vehicle to drive for long periods of time.

A digital rear vision mirror means visibility behind is good and unobstructed by the privacy screen or the seats.

The drawbacks are down to the lack of space up front, with the driver’s chair limited in its ability to recline or slide back due to the bulkhead behind it.

And that's compounded by the lack of cabin storage for bags if the front passenger seat is taken.

As for the rear passengers there aren't many people movers offering this level of comfort, except perhaps the Zeekr 009.

Variable suspension that adjusts continuously keeps the vehicle composed and provides a high level of comfort for those in the rear. At the same time, the LM stays nice and flat through roundabouts while remaining civilised over speed bumps.

And then there's the acceleration, which, while not supercar-like is incredibly brisk for a van. The all-wheel drive system provides outstanding traction in wet and slippery conditions, too. 

Our family used the LM daily for everything from school runs to shopping trips and weekends away and not only was it fun to drive, our lucky rear passengers enjoyed sitting high and being able to see clearly out their windows along with the luxury of a giant movie screen.

The Lexus  LM 500h is yet to be tested by ANCAP so it doesn't have a safety assessment score. There is, however, a high level of safety tech onboard including AEB which can detect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other vehicles, emergency steering assist, lane keeping assistance, road sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors as well as six airbags.

For child seats there are ISOFIX points and top tether anchor mounts on the two rear seats. We have a forward facing child seat and found it easy to install.

A space-saver spare wheel is located under the boot floor.

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.

Lexus covers the LM 500h with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. 

The Lexus Encore Platinum program is complimentary for LM owners for three years, providing 24-hour roadside assist, a loan vehicle or pick-up/return service at service time, 'On Demand' vehicle evaluation options, valet and airport parking benefits as well as exclusive offers and event opportunities.

Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000 kilometres, and impressively, pricing is capped at $695 per service over five years.