2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-T 4×4 Review

The Isuzu Ute brand is one of 2023’s sales success stories in Australia. So far, to the end of August, the brand has sold 28,409 units – up 1,812 units or 16.7 per cent on 2022 – and it’s because of the good quality, reliable and well-rounded products that it makes. And with 9,815 units sold over the same period for an almost-40 per cent increase on 2022, it’s the MU-X large SUV that is giving healthy sales numbers increases for the brand locally. Is it the large seven-seat off-road SUV to buy? We tested the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-T 4×4 to find out.

We’ve tested the MU-X before and came away quite impressed with Isuzu’s big seven-seat off-roader. While it’s not perfect, it offers a lot to new car buyers like a spacious cabin, good driving dynamics, great off-road ability, a grunty turbo-diesel engine and the typically good value that Isuzu is known for. Have the 2023 model year updates improved the MU-X recipe?

Price & Equipment: 9/10

There are just three variants in the MU-X range, with the choice of rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive for each model. The 2023 Isuzu MU-X range kicks off with the base model LS-M (from $47,900 plus on-road costs) with the $53,900 +ORC mid-spec MU-X LS-U and top-spec $59,900 +ORC LS-T at the top of the range. Adding four-wheel drive to any MU-X model (as most buyers do) adds a steep $6,000 to the price. The car we tested is the 4×4 LS-T, which is priced at $65,990 drive away – officially less expensive than the LS-U 4×4 that sits below it.

Because it’s the top of the range model, the 2022 Isuzu MU-X LS-T comes with every feature available on the MU-X, including:

• 20-inch alloy wheels with a full-size alloy spare wheel
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED exterior lighting
• LED front daytime running lights
• LED front fog lights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Smart key entry with push button start and remote start
• Electric tailgate with kick-to-open functionality
• Heated and electric-folding mirrors
• Black leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• 10-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat (including lumbar)
• 4-way electrically adjustable front passenger seat
• 9.0-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• AM/FM/digital radio
• Four USB-A ports
• Eight-speaker sound system
• Dual-zone climate control with rear fan speed control
• LED ambient interior lighting
• Auto-dimming interior mirror
• Anti-theft alarm

Safety kit is very healthy with:

• Eight airbags (including a front centre airbag and third row curtain coverage)
• Auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assist
• Automatic post-collision braking
• Misacceleration mitigation braking
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Lane keep assist with lane trace assist
• Driver attention monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition
• Intelligent speed limiter
• Adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality
• Auto high beam
• Reversing camera
• Front and rear parking sensors

The MU-X range received a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022 with scores of 86 per cent for adult occupancy protection, 85 per cent for child occupant protection, 69 per cent in vulnerable road user protection and 84 per cent in safety assist. It lacks very little for safety kit but we’d like to see a 360-degree parking camera and rear auto braking added to the equipment list.

Exterior colour options for the MU-X LS-T include:

• Mineral White (no-cost)
• Basalt Black ($650)
• Cobalt Blue ($650)
• Magnetic Red ($650)
• Moonstone White ($650)
• Mercury Silver ($650)
• Obsidian Grey ($650)
• Galaxy Blue (on our test car – $650)

While some may baulk at the MU-X LS-T 4×4’s pricing, we think that it’s pretty good value for money. Its main competition – the Toyota Fortuner Crusade (around $73,000 drive away) and Ford Everest Trend Bi-Turbo 4×4 (also around $73,000 drive away, plus options) – are not only more expensive to buy, but not as well equipped as the MU-X LS-T, especially the Fortuner with multi stage heated front seats, an additional three USB points, heated mirrors, remote start, ambient door lighting, a larger 9.0-inch touchscreen, auto wipers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a hands-free tailgate, larger 20-inch alloys, intersection turn assistance, auto post impact braking, miss-acceleration mitigation, stop and go for the adaptive cruise control, lane keep and departure prevention assistance, driver attention monitoring, a centre airbag, an alarm, tyre-pressure monitoring and automatic high beam.

Performance & Economy: 7.5/10

The entire 2023 Isuzu MU-X range comes with a 3.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine that can also be found in the Isuzu D-Max ute. It produces 140kW of power (at 3,600rpm) and 450Nm of torque (between 1,600rpm and 2,600rpm). The sole transmission option is a six-speed torque converter automatic sending the engine’s power to all four wheels through a transfer case, capable of low range functionality. Rivals like the 2.0-litre bi-turbo Ford Everest Trend (154kW/500Nm) and 2.8-litre turbo Toyota Fortuner Crusade (150kW/500Nm) are more powerful than the MU-X, but both also weigh more than the MU-X – the Everest is rated at a porky 2,323kg (tare) and the Fortuner at 2,130kg, 253kg and 60kg more than the MU-X respectivaly, so they feel similarly quick in the real world.

The ‘4JJ3-TC’ engine has been improved in the Isuzu range over the years, and is now more powerful, more efficient and quieter than ever. It’s a nice unit that has more than enough grunt to push you and your six passengers around. Even with seven-people in the MU-X, we found the power more than acceptable but more grunt would make it even better. There’s no getting around that it’s a diesel engine however, and the engine used in the Everest is more refined.

As we mentioned, the sole transmission on offer is a six-speed torque converter unit and it’s largely pretty good and does a good job of getting the MU-X moving. The MU-X pulls away with no fuss and gearbox shuffles through the gears smoothly and almost imperceptibly, though we’d like to see an eight-speed transmission added as that would increase both drivability and efficiency. The MU-X has a braked towing capacity of 3,500kg, with an unbraked capacity of 750kg, which is matched by the Everest Trend.

As a large seven-seat diesel SUV, you wouldn’t think that the MU-X would be fuel efficient, but its efficiency in the real world might surprise you. The claimed average fuel consumption of the MU-X LS-T 4×4 is 8.3L/100km with CO2 emissions rated at 220g/km – on paper, that’s a bit more than the Fortuner (7.6L/100km) and very slightly more than the Everest Trend 4×4 (7.2L/100km). In our testing, we averaged 10.3L/100km in mostly urban driving, which we were pretty satisfied with. The MU-X has an 80-litre fuel tank, so even in urban driving, a range of around 800km is possible.

Ride & Handling: 8.5/10

As we’ve discovered in the past, the ride and handling balance of the Isuzu MU-X is excellent. The MU-X’s 20-inch wheels with chunky Bridgestone Dueler H/T rubber, paired with a well-sorted suspension setup do a good job of soaking up the city’s lumps and bumps. The MU-X is blessed with a good mix of comfort thanks to its multi-link rear suspension and great off-road clearances. Due to the high centre of gravity, the 2023 Isuzu MU-X doesn’t handle like a sports car – or even a regular passenger SUV – but this is to be expected for a large ute-based 4×4. Pushing into a corner at speed reveals some body roll, but it is not uncontrollable – you never feel unsafe behind the wheel of the MU-X.

The Ford Everest is definitely more car-like in its ride quality and handling, but the MU-X is still comfortably ahead of the Fortuner, offering a relaxed and safe feel behind the wheel. We found the steering a little light for our liking and would like a little more road feel communicated through the steering wheel. The active safety tech on the MU-X worked rather well, too. Most systems work intuitively, without interrupting the driving experience.

Interior & Practicality: 9/10

Choosing a word to describe the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-T’s cabin is comfortable thanks to its seats, feature list and cabin quality. The quality of materials is reasonable with soft touch dashboard panels, lovely soft leather time and there are also a lot of storage. It’s got more than enough modern tech for drivers, while it also has more than enough space for families and their paraphernalia too.

The materials in the cabin are what we would call adequate and fit for purpose. There is a fair bit of hard plastic on the door panels and other touch points, but the dashboard and lower centre console are covered in stitched soft touch materials. There are storage options abound and the MU-X features a large centre console, two cupholders behind the gear selector, a space to put your phone and wallet in front of the gear shifter, two glove boxes, cup holders at each end of the dash that double as small storage cubbies, a cubby by the drivers right knee, map pockets and door bins that can hold large bottles. You’d be hard pressed finding things to put in all of these storage solutions.

Sitting in the centre of the MU-X’s dashboard is an 9.0-inch touchscreen that is equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, Bluetooth calling and streaming functionality and AM/FM/digital radio. It’s not amazingly intuitive to use thanks to its layout and small icons, while it’s also a bit slow, and it dims automatically when you turn the headlights on, but it’s a massive improvement on the previous car and it’s well featured too. We’d love to see a fully digital instrument cluster join the MU-X though, as it would make it feel more expensive inside.

Sitting in the second row is not the chore it is in some cars, with doors that open nice and wide and comfortable seats. There’s plenty of room for two adults or three kids and there are also plenty of amenities too, including a fan speed controller, rear air vents, map pockets, two USB-A ports, door pockets with bottle holders and a centre arm rest with cup holders. In the second row are two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points for child seats – but none in the third row.

Getting into the third row is very easy – just pull on the handle on the top of the second row and the seat folds down and away, giving easy access. Once back there, there’s ample space for two kids and adults will fit reasonably well too. Third row occupants also get air vents and airbag coverage, as well as cupholders. In the third row, we think there’s more space than both the Everest and Fortuner.

Open the power tailgate and it reveals 311-litres of cargo space behind the rear seats with the third row in place, with 1,119L of boot space with the third row folded and a huge 2,138L of space with the second row folded too. In comparison the Ford Everest has 259L/898L/1,823L respectively, making the MU-X comfortably more capacious. Helping the MU-X’s practicality further are features like under-floor storage, while it also has a full-sized alloy spare wheel.

Service & Warranty: 8.5/10

New Isuzu products are equipped with a six-year/150,000km warranty, which is superior to the five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty you get with the Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner. The Isuzu also comes with seven years of roadside assistance, which is the same as the Everest if serviced through a Ford dealer and a lot more than Toyota’s none.

The cost to service the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-T over the span of five years/75,000km is $2,435, or $487 annually. That’s a little more than the $2,190 cost for the Ford, but much less than the $2,900 for the Toyota. Both the Isuzu and Ford’s service intervals are more convenient than the Toyota’s six-monthly intervals as they only require a visit to a service centre once every year.

The 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-T 4×4 DiscoverAuto Rating: 8.5/10

Overall, as we’ve discovered previously, the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-T is a great offering for those wanting a large seven-seat 4×4 that’s as capable on the school run as it is tackling the bush. It has a lot going for it – a willing turbo-diesel engine, solid driving dynamics, a reasonable quality interior that’s stuffed full of comfort and tech features, a great aftersales program with a long warranty and a practical cabin that can easily hold a lot of people and luggage.

Of course, it isn’t perfect – the engine can be a bit loud and deserves some more grunt, it could have more features like a sunroof and a 360-degree camera and the infotainment system, while well featured, could be slicker. But overall, we think there’s a lot of appeal in the MU-X, especially in LS-T guise with how sharply it’s priced and how well it’s equipped. While there are some great options in the large 4×4 segment, we think that if you’re after one, the MU-X should be the first stop on your shopping list.