Renault Arkana vs Isuzu MU-X
What's the difference?

Renault Arkana

$36,990 - $45,990

2026 price

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Isuzu MU-X

$49,900 - $77,100

2026 price

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Chery Tiggo 8 PRO MAX

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2026 Renault Arkana

2026 Isuzu MU-X

By Emily Agar

By Marcus Craft

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.3L

Diesel Turbo 4, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Diesel

Fuel Efficiency

5.9L/100km (combined)

8.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Stylish, distinctive design
Great boot space and practicality
Responsive handling

Suitably refined on-road (for a 4WD wagon!)
Retains off-road capability
Eight-speed auto is good. (It should be in the 3.0-litre as well)

Dislikes

Mild-hybrid gains feel limited
Snug rear seat space
Slow off the mark

Extra gruff
Laggy take-off
More power and torque wouldn't hurt

2026 Renault Arkana Summary

This time around my family of three has been reviewing the updated Renault Arkana Esprit Alpine mild-hybrid, and you might be wondering… why?

In a market that is positively bursting at the seams with established and new competition, including full-hybrid rivals like the Honda HR-V RS and Hyundai Kona Premium, the Arkana has its work cut out for it.

It’s also a slightly unusual proposition, pairing the raised ride height of an SUV with the swooping roofline of a coupe, while sticking with a mild-hybrid powertrain as more and more rivals make the jump to full-hybrid.

So, does this small French SUV coupe still have enough going for it to stand out from the crowd?

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2026 Isuzu MU-X Summary

Isuzu’s 3.0-litre MU-X has attracted plenty of fans over the years – and for good reason: it’s a seven-seat 4WD wagon packed with features, driver-assist tech and it has a decent 4WD set-up including a recalibrated rough terrain mode.

But the Japanese brand's 1.9-litre experiment has now officially ended – it’s a Gary-goner. So, for this test I’m driving its replacement: the 2.2L MU-X. This 4WD wagon has a, you guessed it, 2.2-litre engine – offering better claimed fuel consumption than the 3.0L, as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission and idle stop-start technology. And this MU-X has the same 3.5 tonne towing capacity as the 3.0-litre version, that’s 500kg more than the outgoing 1.9L MU-X.

So, how does this new 2.2L MU-X perform off-road? And does it make more sense as an adventure wagon than its 3.0L stablemate?

Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Renault Arkana 2026 Isuzu MU-X

Verdict

The Renault Arkana Esprit Alpine mild-hybrid combines some serious design flair with a reasonable amount of practicality for a smaller family, but it’s hard to ignore the lack of improvement in efficiency following the addition of the mild-hybrid system. That said, it still succeeds on some fronts. It just does it quietly.

Verdict

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.

Renault Arkana vs Isuzu MU-X What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Renault Arkana vs Isuzu MU-X
What's the difference?