There’s something refreshingly old-school about the Isuzu MU-X.
As a mid-life facelift arrives four years after this generation’s introduction, the D-Max ute-based seven-seater still harbours a trusty duo of turbo-diesels: a 3.0L and 1.9L four-cylinder, with a solid reputation for reliability.
No complex or confusing hybrid, plug-in or full electric (not yet, anyway), instead we get incremental improvements to the SUV’s style, specification, on- and off-road ability, safety and the grade line-up.
Most significant is a new flagship MU-X X-Terrain, unashamedly the streetwise looker in the range with sporty dark body bits, big black alloys shod in skinny highway rubber, and Slate Grey metallic paint that wouldn’t look out of place on an Audi RS.
It’s not a cheap Isuzu at $73,990 drive-away, but looks solid value next to mid-spec Ford Everest rivals, and is still cheaper than an entry-level Toyota Prado. New MU-X prices range-wide are up by only a couple of grand at most.
At first glance, the 2025 MU-X may look like Isuzu’s just re-heating the soup, but plenty’s been updated here. Impressively, much has stemmed from listening to constructive criticism from customers and car journalists.
This has reaped rewards. Aussies keep buying Isuzus in massive numbers because they’re decent cars in desirable segments. It sells only the D-Max and MU-X, but if you hadn’t noticed, our market’s rather partial to an SUV, and if not one of them, then a dual cab ute instead. Bases covered.
Despite just the two models, Isuzu was eighth best-selling brand of 2024, ahead of Nissan, Subaru and Volkswagen.
Our MU-X biggie was second only to the Everest in the uber-competitive sub-$80,000 large SUV segment, so you’d imagine the revised-for-’25 car will keep interest bubbling away.
We tested the new models through Brisbane’s mean streets, then the Scenic Rim’s country roads, and finally a dedicated 4×4 track to best explore mad off-road angles using the MU-X’s improved Rough Terrain Mode.
Rest assured the chunky Isuzu’s off-road chops remain deeply impressive.
Read about the MY25 MU-X specifications here, but in short, there are four grades and ten variants, you’ve the choice of that 3.0L or 1.9L (all mated to a six-speed auto), and 4×2 or 4×4.
The smaller engine variants tow 3000kg, but the popular 3.0L handles 3500kg, even with 4×2. Handy tow car, that one.
Ground clearance is 230-235mm, all wade to 800mm, and payload’s between 605kg (X-Terrain) and 735kg (LS-M 4×4 1.9L). MU-Xs weigh between 1970kg and 2195kg, so are significantly lighter than a Toyota Prado (a lardy 2495kg – 2595kg), while fuel economy’s 7.4L/100km for the 1.9L, 7.8L/100km the 3.0L 4×2 and 8.3L/100km the 3.0L 4×4.
Entry grade’s an LS-M which is the fleet special on 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres; then a smarter-looking LS-U, before arriving at the fancy LS-T with its high specification and perforated leather-accent seats.
The latter’s $69,990 drive-away as a 3.0L 4×4, but most will probably make the final jump to the X-Terrain for an additional $4000.
Design tweaks refresh rather than revolutionise. Re-designed bi-LED headlights are sleeker and more angled to give the face a more aggressive look, helped by the giant front grille with double silver horizontal lines.
Exception is the X-Terrain with blacked-out grille, which car aesthetics watchers (myself included) notice some serious Ford vibes.
There’s a new bonnet and new wheels, but the best modernising touch is the rear end with wider LED taillights and a full-width trim piece (looking like a light bar) and smaller ‘ISIZU’ badge.
The MU-X’s general cabin feel isn’t much changed. It feels of solid build quality, there’s reasonable space and user-friendly things like lots of seat and steering wheel adjustment.
Robust-feeling cloth trim (lower grades) and smartened-up dash and steering wheel finish offer marginal gains, but piano black trim (for the centre console and doors) quickly attract smudges and scratches.
The LS-T’s and X-Terrain’s leatherette seats are power and heated, and feel of decent quality. No seat ventilation’s a miss though, considering the prices. The X-Terrain adds lots of red stitching and red ambient lighting, but fortunately it’s not over the top.
New infotainment screens are a big improvement, but still no match for the striking vertical screens seen in some Ford Everest grades.
Pictured: LS-M
The LS-M gets an 8.0-inch screen and the rest a 9.0-incher, offering wired and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, although no wireless charge pad limits the usefulness of the latter. But the new unit has decent response, and its cameras good resolution and view range.
You get a lot of car with the entry-level $46,990 drive-away LS-M 4×2. It’s basic with the likes of a urethane steering wheel, but you’ve got space for days. Second row seats offer great head, leg and toe room for adult occupants, there’s air vents in the roof and two USB-C ports.
These seats recline but don’t slide, and access to the third row’s easy as they fully tumble forward. The two rearmost chairs bring tolerable space. Leg room is cramped but manageable for me as a six footer, and with the seat back reclined there’s fair headroom.
They work really well for smaller kids, also enjoy roof vents, and while seats are comfy, you feel like you’re in a hard plastic cocoon.
Cargo space is mega, with the weekly shop possible in the 311L space with seven chairs up. There’s 1119L with five seats up, and van-like 2138L in two-seater mode.
To the drive. The 110kW/350Nm 1.9L is an eager little unit, but needs worked hard considering the weight of these MU-Xs, and gets noisy when trying to get up to highway speed or tackling a hill.
For the relatively little fuel savings the 1.9L offers, the 3.0L is absolutely the target. The large displacement engine has an easy-going, confident manner with ample shove from low revs.
It’s unstressed in the main, but stand on the throttle and it gets shouty and the front end rears up. It isn’t as muscly as Ford’s V6, but overall feels superbly fit for purpose, the simple six-speed gearbox well matched, and the 9.0L/100km we saw on (hard) test impressive.
Revised suspension and needed improvements to driver aids make the MU-X surprisingly nice to live with for everyday driving.
It’s still a ladder frame SUV so gets the jiggles on poor surfaces and through town, but it’s quiet and composed on the highway, steers lightly and easy through the ‘burbs, and on a country road shows solid composure.
Having recently tested both, the drive experience is close to, but not on par with an Everest or new Prado. But the MU-X is absolutely one of the better ute-based SUVs to live with, and its engineers have employed larger dampers with revised valving before testing and validating them locally.
It makes for solid body control through faster corners when exploring the countryside, the big Isuzu resisting the urge to go all wobbly. It’s no BMW X5 of course, but handling impresses considering this car’s off-road talents, while on corrugated dirt roads it felt stable and safe.
Speaking of safety, the new MU-X makes better use of its driver assist systems than before.
Nannying lane keep assist and lane departure warning can be turned off with a simple steering wheel button press (you’ll want this on narrow country roads), while if you switch off traffic sign assist audio bongs, it remains off even when you restart the car. Other brands should take note.
Safety inclusions match the equally-loaded Ford Everest, and trump other rivals. Intelligent active cruise control has a stop-go function which works superbly in highway traffic jams., there’s now rear cross traffic brake and top grades score a 360-degree surround view monitor.
Those who tow will appreciate the rear camera’s dynamic guidelines with a hitch guide to help line up a trailer, while off-roaders gain with the tyre pressure monitoring system now displaying real time individual tyre pressures and temperatures.
Also improved is the front camera’s field of view, up from a tiny 40-degrees to a more useful 120-degrees. Top grades offer an underbody view too, using camera information from what’s just been driven over. It also shows wheel angles, helping avoid hazards below when off-roading.
Isuzu didn’t mess around with its off-road 4×4 course during our test. A steep and seriously deep hill climb with untold opportunities to bash the MU-X’s underside was offered to show off the SUV’s revised Rough Terrain Mode.
This can now be used with the rear diff lock at the same time, giving mechanical traction at the rear and electronic traction across the front. It smartly limits spin across each wheel independently, grabbing the brake on a spinning wheel and then transfers power to the opposite wheel on that axle.
The result? Gnarly climbs were walked over, and with easy and patient throttle, wheelspin simply wasn’t a thing, and articulation angles (see photos) were truly Insta-worthy.
Even the hero X-Terrain on its low-ish profile (50) highway tyres proved unfazed, once we’d dropped pressures to 24psi.
Rest assured this is an SUV that’ll take you deep adventuring, and the welcome camera view additions have made it feel far safer too. The only slight grumble is the Isuzu remains not a full-time 4WD like most other ute-based SUVs, so you must do the switch from 2H to 4H yourself.
It’s a decent rig, this new MU-X, and easy to see why the model’s enduringly popular with Aussies. It’s not overly flashy, complicated, nor a powerhouse, but it delivers on the fundamentals. Roomy, well-equipped, safe, drives well on-road considering its size and underpinnings, and proves highly competent off-road.
Its six-year warranty’s longer than rivals, but should really be unlimited kilometres rather than stopping at 150,000km. Services are average at $2345 for the first five, with visits costing $469 annually or every 15,000km. A Toyota Prado is every six months/10,000km and costs a grand more over five years.
The Verdict:
Isuzu’s making hay while the sun shines, as our new and increasingly strict NVES emissions regulations will force cleaner engines into Isuzu’s range. Until that future arrives – hybrid, plug-in, EV or otherwise, the MU-X shines on as a gutsy diesel family all-rounder.
The X-Terrain flagship brings a new hero (until a hinted-at hardcore Blade edition arrives anyway), while the non-revolutionary but welcome improvements build on an already easy-to-recommend and likeable car.
Drive-away pricing on range-topping models make the 3.0L 4×4 LS-T and X-Terrain grades look the best picks, but the range line-up is comprehensive enough to suit many needs and budgets.
