Isuzu MU-X News

Isuzu has revealed a new bi-turbo-diesel engine in Thailand that features in both the D-Max ute and MU-X SUV. This 2.2-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo-diesel engine produces 150kW and 500Nm which is 10kW and 50Nm more than the current 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel that’s available in Australia. It also produces 30kW and 100Nm more than the standard single-turbo 2.2-litre diesel engine that’s also offered in Australia and replaced the 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel in 2025. Isuzu claims this 2.2-litre bi-turbo-diesel engine is five per cent faster in the 0-100km/h sprint and eight per cent more fuel efficient than the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel under highway conditions. At this stage Isuzu Ute Australia has said this new 2.2-litre bi-turbo-diesel engine isn’t for Australia, but this may change in the future. “The newly announced 2.2L Bi-Turbo engine is currently specific to the Thai market,” said an Isuzu Ute Australia spokesperson. “Isuzu Ute Australia continually considers future product opportunities based on local customer needs, market conditions and regulatory requirements; however, we have no announcements to make regarding this powertrain for Australia at this time.” Isuzu only introduced the single-turbo version of the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel in 2025, but this new bi-turbo version may replace the ageing 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and it’s not only more powerful, but claimed to be more fuel efficient. Last year, Isuzu Ute Australia received credits with the Australian Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), however it’s unclear whether it’ll do the same in 2026. Isuzu currently only sells diesel-powered vehicles in Australia with no electrification whatsoever. The company recently shelved plans to introduce the D-Max EV and has not announced any intentions to bring the mild-hybrid engine options available in other markets. In 2026 the CO2 emissions target for Type 2 vehicles, which includes both the D-Max and MU-X, under the NVES is 180g/km. This is set to reduce to 150g/km in 2027. The D-Max 3.0-litre is claimed to emit 204g/km, whereas the 2.2-litre single-turbo is claimed to emit 188g/km, both according to combined cycle testing. These are both above the 2026 threshold and will attract fines of $1200 and $192, respectively, for each vehicle imported. The brand has previously said it's looking to trade NVES credits with other manufacturers and attempt to share the extra cost between dealers, without increasing the asking price of its diesel-powered D-Max and MU-X.

Isuzu says it will look to trade emissions credits with other manufacturers and attempt to share the extra cost between dealers, its local head office and its international HQ to keep selling the diesel D-Max and MU-X in Australia without jacking up prices. The brand is in a tough spot when it comes to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) in Australia, with two models sharing diesel engines, and no form of electrification either here or coming in the immediate future. But it also says the segments it competes in – namely the ute and off-road SUV spaces – aren’t embracing electrification, even if it had powertrains to offer. That leaves it with little option but to buy credits from other lower-emitting manufacturers. Part of the government’s NVES policy is that manufacturers who exceed their fleet emission target end in credit, while those who miss theirs end with a deficit, but brands can trade to balance their ledgers. “The strategy is that we’ll do everything we can to make the impact as low as possible on the end user,”  says  Rod Caldwell, Executive General Manager - MD Office and Internal Audit Office. “If that means we need to buy credits, we're not saying that we won't do that. "If that means that it protects the consumer from any excessive price increases or whatever, but it gives them the lowest impact, then that's what we'll do. Some brands say they won't, we're saying that's an option we will seriously consider.” Caldwell says the brand would attempt to share any cost increases across the vehicle suppliers, rather than pass them onto the customer, though he concedes that might not be entirely possible. “We're trying to trim expenses at the same time, and we've got a number of parties involved in our process,” he says. “We've got the manufacturer, we've got our owner, we've got us. So we’ve all got a job to do to make sure that the customer doesn't have to wear the brunt of it.  “We want to minimise the impact. We will have to absorb some, the factory will have to absorb some. At the end of the day, the factory is the one responsible for the penalty, not us, but we've got to come to an arrangement on how we share this burden. “It's not going to be long term. We are going to have new technology in the future, for sure.”

Isuzu says that for many of its customers, swapping to a newcomer Chinese brand would be a "pretty big leap of faith", as it cites its dealer network, part supply and workhorse reputation as reasons its customers will stay loyal. That's the word from the brand's local Executive General Manager - MD Office and Internal Audit Office Rod Caldwell who says that, in the face of ever-growing competition, Isuzu needs to focus on the things customers "can rely on". "We look at our after-sales. We look at our parts supply. Our accessories supply. We look at all those things that people can rely on," he says. "(Customers) need to understand that these cars are not going to just break down in the middle of the beach. They're not going to stall halfway up a hill. That is more important. "I think it's a pretty big leap of faith to go to a newcomer. They have to be established." Isuzu says it is currently laser-focused on strengthening the relationship with its retail and fleet customers, given the increasing competition in the ute space, and the fact it's a two-model diesel company that doesn't offer electrification. The battle, it says, is staying relevant. "It's our job to drive some noise to our brand. We do need that. We do need to drive them forward to our dealers. They need some more retail. So we're looking at everything we can to keep relevant," he says.  Step one will be the launch of a new and more family-focused MU-X targeting "weekend warriors". "We will bring out, when we refresh the new model year, we'll actually have a new variant for the MU-X, which is retail-focused," he says. "It's certainly not a fleet vehicle. So more designed for someone who's looking for a car for the family. Maybe more of a weekend warrior-type person who wants something that looks a bit, you know, a bit different to the ones that we see today, which are more sporty-looking or whatever."

It ultimately helped end Holden, and the same can happen with an alarmingly high number of other prominent car brands. We’re talking about the over-reliance on one single model in Australia. It is the ‘eggs all in one basket’ that leaves sales and financials vulnerable when the inevitable happens – a popular model starts to run out of steam with consumers. Factors include newer competition, ageing models and external outside forces like spiking oil prices and evolving buyer tastes. Here, then, are some of Australia’s most vulnerable brands due to the over-dependence on one model line. Geely’s ‘Gen-Z geek’ sub-brand has struck a chord with Australians thanks to the strikingly styled 7X, and deservedly so. However, did you know there are two other, older Zeekr models sitting beside it on the showroom floor? A smaller SUV known as the X and a large people mover badged 009. Combined, they make up just 6.4 per cent of Zeekr’s year-to-date (YTD) sales, while the 7X takes the lion’s share at an incredible 93.4 per cent. Let’s hope the latter keeps the momentum up. Tesla’s Model 3 may have opened the floodgates for electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia since arriving in mid 2019, but it has now been subsumed by the larger SUV offshoot, the Model Y. The YTD sales data tells the story, with the 3’s sales tumbling 18.4 per cent to 3326 units, while the Y’s tally – supercharged by the new three-row L version – has now breached the 25,000 mark. That puts the hunchbacked SUV at 88.3 per cent of total Tesla sales, with the sedan taking the remaining 11.7 per cent. But with no S, X or ute to provide support, the Model Y is vulnerable against an unrelenting tide of mid-sized EV SUV alternatives, like the Zeekr 7X. From nowhere, the cheapest Jaecoo from Chery’s Land Rover-aping sub-brand, the J5, is responsible for more than two-thirds of all volume. This leaves three other models, the J7, J8 and Omoda 9, to fight over the crumbs. Isuzu hasn’t developed its own passenger car since the early 1990s, electing to concentrate on utes and trucks instead. The D-Max is responsible for 63 per cent of all Isuzu Ute sales YTD. It sits fourth after the Ranger, HiLux and Shark 6 on the charts. The other 37 per cent belongs to the M-UX SUV version of the ute, and that currently occupies third place amongst large SUVs behind the Ford Everest and Prado. This country sure loves a body-on-frame three-row wagon. But both Isuzus are diesel-only powered, meaning that, with no hybrid or EV in sight for Australia, Isuzu Ute faces steep fines due to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) carbon tax. And that’s just going to increase annually in severity, which will really hurt Isuzu Ute, unless it pulls something out of the hat, and fast. Australia’s top-selling vehicle since 2023, the Ranger is responsible for some 62.3 per cent of Ford’s total volume YTD. Combined with its Everest SUV offshoot, that jumps to a staggering 88.7 per cent. Given there are seven other distinct models squabbling over the remaining 11.3 per cent, that's a worry. The next most popular Ford YTD is the Transit Custom van at just three per cent, followed by the Mustang at 2.8 per cent, F-150 at 2.45 per cent, Transit Cargo at 1.9 per cent, Tourneo people mover at 0.5 per cent and Mustang Mach-E at 0.33 per cent. But storm clouds are in the air for the Blue Oval’s popular ute-based duo, with both Ranger and Everest sales down this year, thanks to fierce competition from new rivals including the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). While a Ranger PHEV does exist, it costs too much and delivers too little by comparison, meaning the vast majority of volume belongs to the diesel versions. That’s a lot of NVES fines Ford is facing, unless the incoming Bronco PHEV SUV and other future EVs grow the brand's share of the total market without cannibalising Ranger and Everest. With demand for the latest Vitara tanking, the Swift hybrid struggling and the Fronx floundering, it’s been the Jimny small 4WD that has kept Suzuki humming along, accounting for 56.6 per cent of all volume YTD. Likewise, the Defender attracts the most business for Land Rover in Australia, taking 54.1 per cent of all orders YTD. The Haval Jolion small SUV has performed the heavy lifting for GWM YTD, at 53.9 per cent of total sales, as has the X-Trail for Nissan, at 53 per cent. Australia’s continuous number one since 2003, Toyota boasts several high-volume models, including the RAV4, Prado, Corolla, HiAce, Camry and Yaris Cross. Yet even the brand’s most popular vehicle – the HiLux – only makes up 23.6 per cent of the company’s total sales YTD. Similarly, BYD’s top performer, the Sealion 7, is at 25 per cent, Kia’s biggest crowd-pleaser, the Sportage, is at 23.1 per cent and this country’s favourite Mazda, the CX-5, is at 26.4 per cent. The smaller the percentage, the higher the chances are your brand will weather any storm. Sadly, the writing was on the wall long before Australia's Own started to see its sales slide. Holden’s downfall is largely down to its over-reliance on one model. It was always the way, right back even before the Kingswood years. Here's the most telling stat. Australia’s best-seller for 15 years in a row from 1996 until 2011, sales of the Commodore crashed to just 50 position in 2019. That was following the disaster that was replacing the rear-drive VF series made in Australia with the smaller, front-wheel drive-based Opel Insignia out of Germany as the ZB series. This happened as a result of Holden’s manufacturing shutdown in 2017. The latter bombed so hard that it was cancelled in December of 2019, with Holden effectively over by the following February.

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia.  It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses. China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars. Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia. Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026.  The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop.  It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia. The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year. The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6.  Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent.  The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales.  Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025. Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year. The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it.  Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales.  The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026.  The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later.   GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far. The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors.  BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia. Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025. Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year.  The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia.  The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent.  It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag.  The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models. The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months. The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way.  

The way a car looks can make or break a model, and recently we’ve seen cars such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Tasman receive so much criticism because of their styling that the brands appear to be working on a quick redesign for them.  So will the new-look Tasman and Santa Fe translate into better sales? We’ll find out soon, once we see the updated cars and then the sales figures, but in the meantime here are our top 5 car re-designs from the past five years.  And by redesign we don’t mean the change in styling, which comes with a new-generation of a car, but the facelifts and makeovers that happened in between.   5. 2025 Nissan Qashqai Most brands update their models over the course of about seven years between all-new generations. Normally these involve tweaks to headlights or taillights and are often cosmetic changes that are easy to fit onto the existing design. So it’s always impressive when we see a striking new look come along such as with the Nissan Qashqai in 2025. The Qashqai received a complete ‘face transplant’ giving it an entirely new look. The smaller plunging grille it had worn for years had been replaced by a gloss black textured one-piece grille stretching the width of the car.  4. 2025 Isuzu MU-X Isuzu’s seven-seater MU-X SUV has spent most of its life living in the shadow of the D-Max ute it’s based on, but a revamp in 2025 saw it lose its goofy grille and gain a menacing new look. Isuzu said the mid-life update came after customer feedback and along with the redesigned face the MU-X also gained a host of new features and safety tech. Isuzu said the restyling incorporated “aeronautical design cues to inject strength and dynamism” while improving aerodynamics. 3. 2026 Subaru Solterra Subaru’s Solterra EV was massively overhauled just two years after its launch in 2023 due to strong criticism of its range, power, price and styling. The Solterra returned new and improved in 2025 with a redesign that made the SUV unrecognisable from the front. For Australia the change came even more rapidly, with the Solterra launching here in early 2024 and the updated version having just arrived in early 2026. The new face was just the tip of the huge changes that had taken place, with a larger battery installed for increased driving range and more powerful motors added. Subaru also dropped the price by up to $7000. 2. 2021 Lexus IS The Lexus IS hasn’t been sold in Australia since 2021 but it was in that year that the mid-sized sporty sedan launched locally with a redesign so big that this looked like a new-generation and not just an update.   More aggressive, but more refined the new IS had a wider body, a bigger grille, new headlights and LED running lights and new taillights. 1. 2023 Hyundai Sonata The 2023 Hyundai Sonata was hit with a stunning makeover. The facelift took a fairly dull-looking sedan and turned it into a desirable, sleek and modern four door. A new frontal design incorporating a thin LED strip skirting the bonnet edge, large lower grille and a beautifully treated tailgate with restyled taillights completed an exterior design which looked more new-gen than makeover. The updated Sonata’s cabin also received an overhaul with new tech and features.

It will come as no surprise that 2025 was a massive year for new-model launches. The sheer number of new cars arriving in Australian showrooms has been unprecedented.

Isuzu stays the course despite facing tough competition in the top-10 automakers of Australia.

A popular large SUV has received a serious buff to its adventuring capabilities.

Isuzu’s new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine takes the mantle from the outgoing 1.9-litre as the smaller option in the brand’s range, but it’s not solely a move for product improvement.