Isuzu MU-X News

Isuzu has revealed its much-anticipated facelifted MU-X off-road SUV in its defacto home market of Thailand.

Following on from its updated D-Max which recently landed in Australia, Japan’s Isuzu is preparing to set loose an updated version of its closely related SUV, the Isuzu MU-X.

Two of Australia’s 10 most popular cars in April 2024 were ute-based off roaders, with both the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X continuing to soar in popularity. As orders catch up to demand, Ford and Isuzu are delivering plenty of their ute-based SUVs, with the Ranger-related Everest finding a record 2400 homes (up 254.5 per cent) and the D-Max-underpinned MU-X 1876 buyers (up 71.3 per cent). These two were not outliers, either, with the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (up 130.7 per cent) and Toyota Fortuner (up 43.8 per cent) also selling significantly more than the same month last year. The new GWM Tank 500 hybrid found 179 homes. A Ford Australia spokesperson attributed the Everest's current success to a combination of increased marketing activity, improved supply and continued customer demand.This style of vehicle is proving popular with Australians because they use sturdy ladder frames, offer seating for up to seven, stellar off-road capability and sturdy towing ability. Like a LandCruiser, a ute-based SUV is a perfect vehicle to get away from the beaten track.It helps they are closely aligned in price with family trucks like the Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Kluger. The Ford Everest Sport V6, for example, is $72,490 where a Toyota Kluger Grande Auto is $75,650, both before on-road costs.They both get leather upholstery, the same seating capacity yet the Ford has 1500kg more braked towing capacity, more ground clearance and a proven track record off road. The downside is that the ute-based SUVs are typically less advanced to drive with poorer passive safety. Their ladder frame construction increases the centre of gravity and dirt-biased tyres often fitted drastically increase braking distances.There may be an element of ‘get in while you can’ as New Vehicle Emissions Standards (NVES) threaten to make this style of vehicle less attainable, too. These regulations are expected to come in force by mid-2025. The government has made the decision to reclassify ute-based SUVs (and standalone 4x4s such as the LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol) as commercial vehicles for emissions standards which will buy them more time. Little low emissions tech is available in this segment yet. Utes, still being the bigger sellers, are leading the way for hybrids and EVs, following the launch of GWM’s Cannon Alpha hybrid – and related Tank 500 – as well as the forthcoming Ford Ranger PHEV. Expect this tech to trickle into related SUVs eventually. The new-gen Toyota Prado hybrid might be accelerated to meet the new rules, too. Incidentally, it was the only mainstream large frame-based SUV to suffer, down 77 per cent compared to April 2023, but that’s due to the highly anticipated new model arriving very soon. Large off-road wagon sales in April 2024 

Some owners of the current generation Isuzu D-Max ute and MU-X SUV, as well as the closely-related Mazda BT-50, are reporting on-going issues with accelerated front tyre wear they say is caused by a fundamental steering geometry flaw.

Isuzu has added a smaller engine to its MU-X range but would you be willing to pay less for less braked towing capability?

Out of all of the vehicles available on the market today, a 4WD simply makes the most sense as a great all-purpose vehicle because it can be big and tough and it has a drivetrain, mechanical and suspension set-up engineered to pretty much get you anywhere you want to go. Everyone should own a 4WD – and I’m about to explain why.

EVs are on the rise, emerging brands from China are stealing a lot of the headlines and head-to-head comparison tests hit the mark for many, as reflected in the Top 10 most popular reviews we published this year. Here’s the countdown from 10 to one.

Isuzu Ute Australia is doing a lot with a little, managing to be a top-10 player with just two models in its stable and holding off much bigger players like Nissan and Volkswagen in sales to the end of October this year.

Isuzu will still offer diesel powertrains for models like D-Max, MU-X and the N Series light truck, at least in the medium term, as it believes the oil-burning powertrain still has a place in a quickly electrifying world.

Isuzu Ute Australia (IUA) is headed for a banner 2023 as sales surpass 28,000 units after eight months of trading.