Ford Everest Tremor vs Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain 2026 Comparison

A look at the respective price tags of the Ford Everest Tremor and Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain makes it obvious why we’ve thrown them together. The recommended retail price of the former is $78,440 plus on-road costs (ORCs) while the latter is $77,100 (+ORCs), but that is far from the whole story.

Complicating matters is that our Everest Tremor test car has the works in terms of options. Not just $750 for premium paint, but $2900 for the Touring Pack, $3550 for the Rough Terrain Pack and $1200 for the Premium Seat Pack (we’ll go into the contents of each in a moment).

Add on-road costs into the equation and you’re essentially looking at $100,000 drive away, or as near as makes no difference.

Combine this with the fact that there are no options to choose from on the MU-X X-Terrain and that Isuzu offers a special deal on the flagship of $75,990 drive away and suddenly those neck-and-neck RRPs have a $20,000-plus chasm between them.

This is impossible to ignore, as you could add not only a bull bar, light bar and snorkel from Isuzu’s genuine accessories range, but a front locker, new suspension, a lift kit and wheel and tyres from the aftermarket to the MU-X and still come in less than the price of the Everest.

That sharp drive-away pricing is no doubt a key reason why the X-Terrain is the second best-selling MU-X variant.

When it comes to what makes the Ford Everest Tremor and Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain unique from their sibling variants, it’s easiest to start with the Isuzu as, well, there isn’t much to talk about. X-Terrain upgrades are purely cosmetic, with red stitching for the leather-accented seats, a unique radiator grille, body coloured lower side skirt and red ambient door lighting. Over and above an LS-T, that’s it.

This isn’t necessarily a shortcoming, as an LS-T comes pretty well equipped, with heated and power adjustable (eight-way driver, four-way passenger) front seats, leather-accented upholstery, LED lighting, power tailgate, roof rails, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, auto lights and wipers and a leather steering wheel. All four colours – white, black, grey and silver – are no-cost options, too, which is nice.

Ford goes a bit further with the Everest Tremor. In addition to Bilstein position-sensitive dampers, 17-inch wheels with General Grabber all-terrain tyres and longer coil springs that contribute to an extra 29mm of ground clearance, there’s a unique Rock Crawl drive mode, auxiliary grille LED lamps, a steel front bash plate, tyre pressure monitoring, front recovery hooks, heavy duty side steps and Tremor badging for the front seats.

As mentioned, however, if you want the full-fruit Tremor you need to dig a bit deeper into the pockets. Any other colour than white – a pair of greys and black – is $750, the $3550 Rough Terrain Pack adds a rough terrain front bar, under-vehicle armour and auxiliary switch bank, while the $2900 Touring Pack includes a 360-degree camera, tow bar and trailer brake controller with Pro Trailer Backup Assist. Finally, the $1200 Premium Seat Pack features heating and ventilation for the front seats, a 10-way power adjustable (eight-way standard) driver’s seat with memory and eight-way power adjustable (four-way manual standard) passenger seat. The third row can also be deleted for no extra cost.

Otherwise, the Tremor basically mirrors the Sport’s equipment list, including LED lighting, leather-accented seats, dual-zone climate control, auto lights and wipers, keyless entry and start, power tailgate, roof rails – everything you’ll find in the Isuzu, basically.

Ford offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and servicing costs just $1596 for the first five visits (including brake fluid). Intervals are 12 months or 15,000km and roadside assistance is refreshed for 12 months with every service.

Isuzu’s warranty coverage is six years or 150,000km and service intervals are likewise 12 months or 15,000km, though at $2345 for the first five it’s a fair bit more expensive than the Ford. Roadside assistance is provided for seven years.

Both the Ford Everest Tremor and Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain wear five-star ANCAP ratings from 2022, with vulnerable road user protection the chink each share in their armour.

The Everest scored 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 93 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 86 per cent for safety assist, while the MU-X scored 86 per cent, 85 per cent, 69 per cent and 84 per cent respectively for the same criteria.

It’s worth noting that the Isuzu’s vulnerable road user score is less than the 70 per cent threshold now required for a five-star rating, but its fundamentals remain sound.

It’s also telling that when Isuzu introduced its lane-keep system it seemed maddeningly distracting, whereas by today’s standards it isn’t too bad, though it has also been updated in the interim. Ford’s active safety systems are some of the best calibrated you’ll find, usually only intervening when necessary.

Both cars have plenty of airbags including a front-centre and full-length curtains and 360-degree surround-view cameras are available, though it’s optional in the case of the Everest.

Despite a recent update, the technology offering in the Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain is best described as ‘adequate’, though there’s a suspicion that its buyers may well view that as a positive rather than being overloaded with screens and menus.

It has everything needed, including a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, an eight-speaker stereo, integrated satnav and five USB-C ports around the cabin for device charging (three front and two rear) along with a USB-A in the mirror housing.

The 7.0-inch instrument display allows for a digital speedometer while retaining an analogue tachometer and fuel gauge.

It’s inarguable that the Ford is much more modern, its 12.0-inch portrait infotainment screen offering wireless smartphone mirroring, digital radio, built-in satnav with connected services (one-year complimentary), voice control, an embedded modem and FordPass app connectivity.

The stereo is again eight speakers and there are five USB ports around the cabin as well as wireless charging, while the 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster is OK, but lacks the premium feel of the full-width 12.4-inch unit that’s limited to the Platinum.

You’ll find 3.0-litre turbo-diesels under the bonnet of the Ford Everest Tremor and Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain, but capacity is about all they share.

The Ford has a V6 and produces 184kW at 3250rpm and 600Nm from 1750-2250rpm, a sizeable advantage over the Isuzu’s four-cylinder that manages 140kW at 3600rpm and 450Nm from 1600-2600rpm.

The Everest also has 10 gears to choose from instead of the six in the MU-X – both automatics – and can drive all four wheels at all times as well as having rear-wheel drive, four-high and four-low. Without a centre diff, the Isuzu is limited to rear-drive on sealed surfaces.

Where the Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain fights back against the Ford Everest Tremor is fuel economy. It’s claimed to use 7.6L/100km on the combined cycle compared to 9.5L/100km for the Ford, but the real-world difference is even more stark.

Whereas the Isuzu happily sat in the low-9L/100km region, the Ford – driven very similarly in terms of conditions and routes – was in the mid-12s. While both have an 80-litre tank, you’ll be going much further per fill-up in the MU-X.

A look at the respective spec sheets makes the reason for the disparity obvious. Not only does it have more cylinders to feed, the Everest sits 20mm higher, wears more aggressive off-road rubber but, most of all, weighs a hefty 355kg more.

The current-generation Ford Everest has been the driving benchmark for this sort of vehicle ever since it was released and the Tremor does little to change that. The higher ride height, revised suspension and knobbly tyres do hurt its on-road dynamics slightly compared to a standard Everest – though there’s little in it – but the extra grip and body control on unsealed surfaces is ample compensation given the Tremor’s intent.

It steers accurately and rides with reasonable composure, but the star of the show is the engine. Not only does its grunt put rivals in the shade but its refinement is class-leading, a deep muted growl emanating from under the bonnet rather than any uncouth clatter.

This is one of the biggest differences when driving the Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain. The 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel might be rugged, dependable and in a vehicle like this even provides adequate performance, but boy does it tell you about it.

To be fair, in typical driving it fades into the background as white noise, but if you’re in a scenario where the engine is working hard, such as towing, the constant din could prove irritating. The eight-speed gearbox from the smaller 2.2-litre engine would certainly make better use of the relatively modest outputs.

On-road the MU-X works quite well. The coil-sprung rear-end provides superior ride comfort to the D-MAX ute on which it’s based – if not the Everest – so it’s comfortable enough. The steering is lighter (though less accurate) than the Everest’s and through corners at pace it feels more secure with higher limits, though the Isuzu’s highway-spec tyres are a huge advantage here.

This is where the Ford Everest Tremor has to assert its superiority and it does. Mostly. The 29mm increase in ground clearance is one thing, but the extra height and revised bumpers improve the approach, departure and rampover angles to 32/26.8/23.9° respectively (30.2/25/21.9° standard).

Combine this with the standard General Grabber tyres, drive modes and diff lock and there aren’t too many places an Everest Tremor can’t go. Fellow tester Bruce Newton found the Everest’s traction control calibration lacking in slippery conditions (experienced on a different day), forcing the rear diff to be locked to proceed. To my mind, in a situation like that you’re going to lock the diff anyway as a matter of course, so while it’s a valid observation, I don’t see it as a huge issue.

With 20mm less ground clearance (235mm) and approach/departure/rampover angles of 29.2/26.4/23.1° the Isuzu’s main issue is that it will scrape where the Everest doesn’t, but otherwise it performed incredibly well off-road.

Its road-biased tyres didn’t prove anywhere near the handicap that could have done on the same test route as the Everest and in the same slippery conditions the Isuzu’s Rough Terrain traction control got it through obstacles that stopped the Ford without the need to lock the diff. Impressive.

When so many of these vehicles are bought as caravan haulers, this is an extremely important segment. As mentioned earlier, at 2550kg the Ford Everest Tremor is 355kg heavier than the 2195kg Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain, but its Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and Gross Combined Mass (GCM) have been increased to match.

A 3150kg GVM gives a maximum payload of 600kg, but the 6250kg GCM means the Everest has just 200kg of payload to spare if towing at its maximum 3500kg (assuming a 10 per cent downball load).

It’s a similar story with the Isuzu. A 2800kg GVM means a 605kg payload limit and the 5900kg GCM gives 205kg of headroom when towing the 3500kg maximum.

Add the family and luggage, not to mention accessories like bullbars, lights and snorkels, and both vehicles realistically have a towing maximum closer to 3000kg. And that’s still a very big caravan, but it’s something to keep in mind.

It’s a case of to-and-fro when discussing the interiors of the Ford Everest Tremor and Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain. Up front the Ford is clearly the superior product, with soft padded surfaces where the Isuzu has hard, nasty plastic (eg the door cards), more storage (dual gloveboxes and a bigger centre console bin), a better driving position and more equipment.

In the second row both offer roof-mounted air vents with separate fan controls, though the Ford’s centre row can also recline and slide fore-and-aft for greater flexibility and there’s a 230v outlet in addition to a pair of USB ports. Another tick for the Everest, though the MU-X is fine.

Where the MU-X gains ground is in the back. Not only does it offer more luggage space in any configuration, with 311 litres to the Everest’s 259 with all three rows in place, 1119 vs 898 as a five-seater and 2128 vs 1818 with all back seats stowed.

The Isuzu’s tumble-forward centre row also makes access to the third row easier than the Ford’s slide-and-tilt arrangement and there is appreciably more room in the back of the MU-X. At 180cm, kneeroom is a little tight but head and foot room are ample, whereas it’s a right squish in the Everest.

For the older kids that will usually populate these seats either is probably OK and both have roof-mounted air vents for the third row, but they’ll be more comfortable in the Isuzu.

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, this is a simple question with a complicated answer. In outright terms, the Ford Everest Tremor is the better vehicle and it’s not particularly close. It has a stronger, more refined engine, more able chassis, a better-equipped, higher-quality interior, more modern technology, cheaper servicing and comes ready to hit the trails without an extra cent needing to be spent.

However, when fully optioned the price is equivalent to a Platinum, which might not have some of the off-road gear but has more equipment (matrix LED headlights, panoramic roof, quilted leather, heated steering wheel and more) and may be the better choice for the majority of people. But the Tremor does look really cool.

Now for the MU-X X-Terrain. Isuzu really wants you to buy this variant; why else would it price it cheaper than the variant that technically sits below it and by a substantial margin? It’s an impressive package; it might be a jack of all trades and a master of none, but there are plenty of people out there who are after just that. If the price tag or the mod-cons of the Everest make you pause, this could be the seven-seat SUV for you, especially as you could build an off-road weapon for the same price as the Ford.

So perhaps the answer isn’t so complicated after all. The Ford is the better vehicle, but if your budget doesn’t stretch, you’ll be just fine with the Isuzu.

2026 Ford Everest Tremor at a glance:
Price: $78,440 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Outputs: 184kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 250g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

2026 Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain at a glance:
Price: $77,100 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Outputs: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km
CO2: 200g/km
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

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