Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X 2018 Review

The term 'lifestyle' is a buzzword that's readily bandied about in today's automotive industry, but it really is at the heart of vehicles like the 2018 Isuzu D-MAX Crew Cab ute and 2018 Isuzu MU-X SUV. Isuzu UTE Australia says that 65 per cent of its customers buy its products to tow – the legions of Grey Nomads plying our roads undoubtedly a significant factor – while off-road pursuits also figure highly for buyers of its four-wheel drive models.

We recently experienced the latter over the course of an Isuzu I-Venture Club exploration of NSW's Blue Mountains, spending three days in a mid-grade LS-U example of its D-MAX Space Cab ute and the top-spec LS-Terrain version of its MU-X SUV. Both were equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions and four-wheel drive drivelines, and apart from the ute's bullbar and driving lights, both were in standard trim with stock suspension.

For a brand with what is essentially a two-car line-up, Isuzu UTE Australia bats well above its weight, having maintained double-digit sales growth year on year since its introduction in 2008.

For the first seven months of this year Isuzu UTE Australia had sold 15,552 vehicles, with the D-MAX presently the third-best-selling 4x2 ute and the sixth-best-selling 4x4 ute.

During the same time the MU-X is the fourth-best-selling large SUV (under $70,000, 4x2 and 4x4 sales combined).

It's fair to say the evolution of both Isuzu models has been incremental, with relatively modest upgrades usually rolled out annually, but the D-MAX and MU-X both enjoy a solid reputation for reliability, durability and value, albeit at the expense of some of the features found in their high-end rivals.

Furthermore, with braked towing limits of up to 3500kg for ute and 3000kg for SUV, they're both popular choices as tow tugs.

However, the current generation can only go on for so long, and an all-new model is said to be in the pipeline. A product of a fresh collaboration between Isuzu UTE and Mazda, that model (models?) is expected to break cover in 2020.

As it stands, the D-MAX spans some 16 models, with buyers able to choose between 4x2 and 4x4 drivelines, a total of four trim grades (SX, LS-M, LS-U, and LS-T), and a variety of body styles spanning Single Cab, Crew Cab and Space Cab across ute and cab/chassis formats. The seven-seat MU-X is also available in 4x2 and 4x4 drivelines, across LS-M, LS-U and LS-T trim grades.

The 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel found in each was massaged in early 2017 to extract an extra 50Nm for a total of 430Nm (peak power of 130kW remained unchanged), while six-speed transmissions replaced the old five-speed units.

For 2018 the D-MAX's five-leaf-spring rear suspension was replaced by a three-leaf arrangement said to deliver a better, more compliant ride (on all High Ride Crew Cab models, bar the LS-M and SX cab/chassis variants), while a reversing camera filtered down to the LS-U and LS-M grades. A 4x2 version of the D-MAX LS-T was also added to complement the 4x4 equivalent.

Upgraded 2.1-amp USB charging ports appeared in both the D-MAX and MU-X, as did the appearance of a new paint scheme: Magnetic Red Mica (add $500). On the D-MAX, trailer sway control was added on the safety front (to all models bar one of the 4x2 SX cab/chassis variants) and the D-MAX's GVM (gross vehicle mass) rose by 100kg, while the factory service interval stretched to 12 months or every 15,000km, up from 12 months or every 10,000km.

While we left the towing potential of the Isuzu UTE line-up untouched on this I-Venture Club run, we certainly explored the off-road potential of both models, our circuitous route taking us in and around a variety of spectacular locations between Bathurst and the western fringe of the Blue Mountains, including the Wolgan Valley and the old shale mining township of Newnes.

We started out in a D-MAX LS-U Space Cab ute, which proved exceptionally easy to load our gear into thanks to the rear-wing doors, which open to a full 90 degrees. There are two small jump seats in the back for carrying extra passengers on short trips, but they fold away in a flash to create a more efficient load space.

Speaking of which, for a ute the cab storage is quite reasonable – there's a twin deck glovebox, the upper portion with a 12-volt power socket, and there's overhead sunglasses storage and a centre-console bin of a reasonable size, along with outboard slide-out cup holders to complement the one in the centre console, and bottle holders in the door side pockets.

We particularly liked the auxiliary power options located at the bottom of the centre stack: two USB ports, a 3.5mm jack and a 12-volt socket.

While even this mid-spec LS-U model sports a number of soft-touch finishes within its cab, it's still a fairly basic affair – even if the fit and finish of the various panels and plastics are good. The instrument display and also the 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen display look dated in comparison to some rivals, but on the flipside all the vital information is there and it takes very little time to get familiar with the features on offer.

For this particular vehicle, that includes factory satellite navigation (which appeared to have reasonable mapping that recognised most racks we traversed), Bluetooth streaming, climate control and cruise control, but it's single-zone climate control and it misses out on other things like voice command, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and radar cruise control.

Of course, it's all put together at a competitive price, and if you want rugged ability but are happy to forego some of the niceties – as many buyers obviously are – the D-MAX adds up to a value-packed offering.

The D-MAX took the trails of the western Blue Mountains in its stride. The turbo-diesel is a raucous unit but the torque comes in strong from low in the rev range, making it a faithful performer in an off-road setting – or when towing, for that matter.

The turning circle is appreciable (12.6 metres), as is always the case with this class of vehicle, and so it's a fairly big bus to maneuver around town, but with care we were still able to thread our way through some tightly wooded tracks in the bush, with just millimetres to spare. The reversing camera is a help when parking in town, although the on-screen guides are fixed, not predictive, and there are no parking sensors.

As a Space Cab this D-MAX LS-U still has the old five-leaf-spring rear suspension arrangement and on the road the ride, unladen as we were, was predictably harsh. The new three-leaf set-up now found in all High Ride Crew Cab models (excluding LS-M and SX Cab/Chassis variants) offers a more compliant ride, as we discovered when we had one on test a few months back.

Not that this was such an issue on the rocky, rutted tracks we were traversing with the I-Venture Club, where the terrain was sufficiently broken up to have even the passengers of the smoother-riding MU-X firmly clutching their A-pillar grab handles.

The MU-X, which we sampled in top-spec LS-Terrain (or LS-T) trim, offers a noticeably softer ride – as you'd expect from a vehicle with a coil-and-shock arrangement at all four corners. The SUV side of the family offers more refinement and heaps of storage, and room for up to seven occupants.

There's six-way electric seat adjustment for the driver, passive entry and starting, and a multimedia screen that drops down from the ceiling for second- and third-row passengers. While outdated, the latter is a huge hit with kids, as we discovered on a multi-day camping trip in early 2018.

As we discovered on this expedition, the MU-X has all the off-road ability of the D-MAX on which it's based, the SUV clambering down rock shelves and conquering tricky climbs and descents without a worry.

Neither vehicle is equipped with a rear differential lock – something of a sticking point for some prospective buyers – but rest assured both the D-MAX and the MU-X are entirely capable off-roaders.

Switching the transfer case from high range to low is simply a matter of turning a dial on the centre console (while in neutral, at a standstill and with the front wheels straight), while the same dial will also switch the vehicle from four-wheel drive high range to rear-drive only.

Ground clearance is healthy (a claimed 235mm for the D-MAX on test; 230mm for the MU-X), as are approach and departure angles (30.0/22.7 degrees and 24.0/25.1 degrees respectively), and at one point we put the pair's 600mm wading depth to the test, with all vehicles passing the dunking with flying colours.

All this was achieved on standard road tyres (specifically Bridgestone Dueler HTs) and with standard suspension. A rear diff lock would up the off-road ante further, but with the right tyre pressures and appropriate driving technique, it's truly impressive what these Isuzus can accomplish without one…

They're fairly frugal beasts, too, with this pair hovering around 10.5L/100km over the course of this predominantly off-road excursion. With fuel capacities of 76 litres (D-MAX) and 65 litres (MU-X), that's safe working ranges of approximately 650 and 550 kilometres respectively – figures that will of course increase markedly on sealed roads.

Servicing costs for Isuzu models are now cheaper, thanks to the extended servicing interval, while Isuzu's capped-price servicing arrangement now extends to five years or 75,000 clicks – and totals $2090 over that period. The standard factory warranty is five years or 130,000km, with five years of complimentary road-side assistance.

Gripes? The factory side steps aren't the sturdiest we've come across and they do limit clearance; we knocked an end cap off one (fortunately we rescued it) but otherwise they survived this three-day trip intact.

Our D-MAX Space Cab also required a very thorough slam of its doors for them to close properly; it was like the cabin was so well sealed the inside air pressure had nowhere to escape. A minor if initially irritating point, but one we acclimatised to soon enough (and it wasn't an issue on the MU-X).

It's a case of evolution, not revolution, for Isuzu's D-MAX and MU-X. The latest round of updates may be modest, but they do add to an already proven, rugged package. As lifestyle-oriented off-roaders and tow tugs go, these siblings go about their business with neither fuss nor fanfare, but for their target buyers they'll get the job done and do it well, and all for a relatively modest sum.

How much is a Isuzu D-MAX LS-U 4×4 Space Cab?
Price: $48,700 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/430Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 203g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

How much is a Isuzu MU-X LS-Terrain 4×4?
Price: $56,100 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/430Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 209g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP