Isuzu MU-X vs Volvo XC60

What's the difference?

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.

The Volvo XC60 Ultimate B5 Bright is a fine example of a family car that actually caters to families. There are plenty of practical features inside to help everyday living and it has a good amount of occupant and boot space for the class. I like how it handles on the road and its running costs are reasonable for a luxury SUV. It's not as flashy as its rivals but it's still stylish.

My husband and son spent a lot of time in the XC60 and they have enjoyed a high-level of comfort on our journeys together. We all love the built-in booster seats in the back row because of the independence they offer.

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 XC60 looks mature and graceful with its wide stance and well-proportioned body. The pronounced bonnet and stylish grille confirm its luxury SUV credentials.

The LED headlight design has been inspired by ‘Thor's Hammer’ (gotta love that Scandi heritage!) and the chrome accents around the windows accentuate the optioned darker tint.

Despite having a stately kerb-side presence, it’s not a boring looking car. The 20-inch dual-coloured alloy wheels and sleek body panelling help the XC60 appear almost sporty. Overall, its exterior design looks like it will age well.

The interior style of the XC60 can be summed up in two words - understated elegance.

The cabin isn't as flashy or wowing as some of its rivals and that might be because it lacks the visual impact of customisable ambient lighting, or because the chunkier dashboard looks more solid and dependable than sleek and fancy.

Regardless, the high-quality leather-accented upholstery and trim options elevate the space to earn the 'luxury' tag.

There is a plethora of soft-touchpoints throughout the car and visual highlights like chrome accents, an illuminated crystal shifter by Orrefors and a solid-feeling steering wheel.

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.

Families will appreciate the XC60's cabin. Both rows of seating are roomy for the class and the front seats are supportive and comfortable with multiple adjustments available.

However, there is an electric toggle dial that controls the lumbar-, side-, and under-thigh supports as well as the massage function, but flipping between modes can be a bit confusing at first.

I enjoy having the practical two-position memory function on both front seats, as I’ve been travelling a lot with my husband and the heat/ventilation features on the front seats have been great during a recent run of strange weather.

The back seats are well-cushioned and the bench is wide with three adults being able to sit without too many grumbles. 

I have plenty of room for my 168cm height and my seven-year old is able to get in and out without any trouble thanks to the higher ground clearance.

Our absolute favourite feature is built-in child booster cushions in the outboard seats. They have two height positions to accommodate different heights/weights and it’s been wonderful for my son to have the autonomy of buckling himself in. But also just awesome for my husband and I because it’s one less thing to think about! 

Storage throughout the car is good for the class with the front enjoying a mid-sized middle console, large glove box, two cupholders and two large drink bottle holders. The extra-large storage bins in the front doors are also very handy. 

In the rear, you have two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest, two map pockets and two drink bottle holders in each door.

The other amenities are great with the individual climate control and four sets of directional air vents – ideally located on the back of the centre console and on the B-pillars. 

Charging options are solid with both rows enjoying two USB-C ports and the front also getting a 12-volt outlet and wireless charging pad. The boot has a 12-volt socket, too.

Onto the other technology, the 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is responsive and relatively easy to get around once you spend some time with it. Along with the Google subscription, you also get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster shows the navigation map and the head-up display incorporates directions, which is great.

The cluster itself isn’t customisable, though, and I like fiddling with things like that to personalise the driving experience.

Another practical feature is a secondary key fob which can be programmed to control the maximum speed the car can travel and the audio volume.

I'm sure this would be handy for parents of any P-platers out there who often borrow the family car.

The key fobs are easily distinguishable. too. The spare for our test vehicle is a bright orange colour, so there are no 'whoops, I grabbed the wrong key' arguments, either.

The boot space is a great size at 483L offering plenty of room for holiday luggage. The back seat has a 60/40 split and a ski-port to open up storage options.

The loading space is level and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. You can adjust the height of the car using the air suspension and I love a powered tailgate.

There are four variants for the XC60, split evenly between the B5 petrol engine and the T8 plug-in hybrid. Our test vehicle is the top-spec Ultimate grade coupled with the B5 petrol engine.

Without any packages, this combination will cost $80,990, before on road costs, which is a $1000 price hike for the 2024 model year.

The standard features list for the XC60 is robust and there are some great premium features, like the electric and heated front seats that feature electrically adjustable under-thigh support, lumbar support and side-bolster support.

The front seats also have a two-position memory function, which I find helpful whenever I share the driving with my husband as there is no hassle for me to get back to a comfy driving position after he drives! 

Other premium features include a heated steering wheel, pre-entry climate control (perfect for those super-hot days), premium leather-accented and high-quality trims to choose from.

The technology highlights include a complimentary four-year subscription for the built-in Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play Store which are accessed via the portrait-style 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system.

There is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a very handy four-zone climate control system.

Other practical features include a handsfree powered tailgate, keyless entry, keyless start, coloured head-up display and a ticket holder on the windscreen, for those odd occasions where you have a physical ticket!

Now, here come the optional packs our model has been fitted with. There’s the 'Climate Pack' for $150 that adds headlight cleaners and a 'Lifestyle Pack' for an additional $13,800.

The latter sounds expensive but you get some lovely features in the pack, like a panoramic sunroof, improved Bowers & Wilkins sound system, Nappa leather upholstery, front seat ventilation, front seat massage function, air suspension and tinted rear windows.

Add on $2050 for the 'Thunder Grey' paintwork and it slides in at $96,990, before on-roads. and that places it towards the top-end of the market compared to its rivals, but the BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport still just beats it with a $97,900 price tag.

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.

Volvo is aiming to offer only fully-electric powertrains from 2026 and the new XC60 B5 petrol variants feature a mild-hybrid element designed to improve fuel economy, especially in stop-start traffic.

Our test vehicle has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum power output of 183kW and 350Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission.

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.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 7.6L/100km and my real-world usage averaged 8.1L/100km.

That’s pretty economical given that I cover a good mix of open road and urban driving and am not precious with the power.

Based on the combined cycle number and the large 71L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 934km. To give you an idea of time between fills, I drove it for 14 days before having to fill up.

You can’t sneak in any blends or lower grade fuel though as Volvo recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded be used.

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.

The XC60 is a relaxing car to drive, it does what you expect it to do most of the time. It has enough power to handle open-road touring with ease and while the suspension is on the firmer side, the ride feels well-cushioned.

The only time it skips a beat for me is when you're easing off the accelerator, slowing down, but then need to pick up speed again.

Say, when you find a gap in traffic and begin to merge. There can be a short delay before acceleration happens and it feels somewhat clumsy. But these moments are few and far between.

The cabin is quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. Our family had no issues chatting. It only gets loud inside when heavy rain hits that big panoramic sunroof.

Adaptive steering makes the XC60 feels nimble and horribly tight city streets less daunting. It’s easy to manoeuvre in a small car park, as well.

The clear 360-degree camera system and sensitive front and rear parking sensors also help to make light work of a parking. 

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.

It’s not often common to associate a luxury brand with reasonable on-going costs but the Volvo XC60 is offered with very competitive pricing and terms.

The five-year/unlimited km warranty is normal for the class but you can pre-purchase a three-year/45,000km or a five-year/75,000km servicing plan.

The three-year plan is priced at $1750 (averaging $583 per service) and the five-year plan is priced at $3000 (or an average of $600 per service). Both plans are cheaper than a pay-as-you-go option and are inexpensive compared to some rivals.

Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.