Isuzu MU-X LS-U 2023 Review

Sitting at the second-highest position in the range, between the LS-M and LS-T 4x4s, the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4 is priced from $61,400 plus on-road costs.

That makes it competitive against keys rivals such as the Ford Everest Trend 2.0 4x4 (from $65,590 plus ORCs) – the Ford Ranger-based family SUV that’s a benchmark in this class – although at the time of writing the top-spec LS-T was also available for $65,990 drive-away, about $1000 less than the LS-U once on-road costs are factored in.

That’s only a limited-run deal, however, subject to availability and long waiting times given its popularity. And, in any case, you’re not missing out on much between LS-U and LS-T, the main items being bigger wheels (20-inch over 18s), electric-adjust front seats (with heating) and remote engine start.

Overall, the MU-X LS-U 4x4 represents solid value in the large off-road SUV market, especially when you consider how capable it is off-road, at towing, hauling the family and their junk around or just cruising down to the coast for a cheeky surf.

It also has a lengthy six-year factory warranty, albeit restricted to 150,000km (rather than unlimited kilometres, as found with most mainstream brands), while capped-price servicing is offered for around $3700 over seven years.

Service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km, so that means you’ll pay around $530 on average per year or per 15,000km (whichever occurs first) when serviced at an authorised Isuzu outlet.

The 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U gets a few very handy updates compared to the 2022 version, including remote and hands-free operation of the powered tailgate – a godsend when the blighters are moaning and your hands are full of shopping bags.

For the 2023 model year, Isuzu Ute also added tyre pressure monitoring and automatic deactivation of rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring systems when set up for towing.

These changes might be small but they’re all meaningful time-savers, solidifying the LS-U’s value proposition once you take into account the already high specification.

Cosmetic updates round out the 2023 LS-U upgrades as well, with new-look 18-inch alloy wheels (the full-size spare wheel is steel) and new grey and black chrome accents on the grille, front and rear bumpers and side steps.

LED fog lights are also standard along with tinted rear windows, dark roof rails with a 100kg load capacity plus heated and power-operated wing mirrors.

The interior is kitted out with most of the gear demanded by buyers nowadays, including a 9.0-inch central touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control with pollen filter, rear controls plus second- and third-row air vents, smart keyless entry with walk-away door locking, an eight-speaker stereo, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and auto-dipping high beams.

Buyers can choose from eight colour options all up, with Galaxy Blue mica and Moonstone White pearl exclusive to the LS-U and flagship LS-T model grades, adding $650.

Only one colour doesn’t attract the premium paint tax – Mineral White… or 1990s fridgy-didge white as it’s known in the carsales office.

Kitted out with a wide array of safety systems, the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U comes under the five-star ANCAP rating awarded to the second-generation series in 2022, placing it up there with the safest models in class.

A suite of eight airbags includes head-protecting side curtain airbags that cover all three seating rows, while there’s also a front central airbag that protects the driver and front passenger from head clashes.

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on board include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that detects vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians and works between speeds of 8km/h and 160km/h, day or night.

Then there’s adaptive cruise control with traffic sign recognition (real-time speed limit updates), lane keeping assist, prevention and departure (semi-autonomous steering) and rear cross traffic alert supported by front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

But wait… there’s more. Trailer sway control is a nice touch, while LED headlights, driver attention monitoring, rollover mitigation, post-collision braking and ‘misacceleration’ mitigation are part of the deal.

Child seat anchorages points are fitted in the second row only – two ISOFIX and three top-tether points.

The Isuzu MU-X and the related D-MAX ute were also recently recalled for a steering-related issue.

Notwithstanding the fact that the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U is based on a same heavy-duty ladder-frame platform architecture as its D-MAX ute sibling, the SUV packs a fair old punch in the technology department.

For starters, there’s auto-levelling LED headlights with automatic high beams and LED daytime running lights, an electric park brake with auto hold and automatic wipers.

The cabin is kitted out with a somewhat small (by modern SUV standards) 9.0-inch touch-screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity and GPS-based sat-nav, which is handy when you’re out in Woop Woop with no mobile phone reception.

You get a self-dimming (monochromatic) interior mirror, UV windscreen and an average eight-speaker audio system.

The small 4.2-inch digital driver’s display, wedged between analogue dials, is detailed but almost to its own disadvantage, trying to display absolutely everything in a tiny box.

The 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4 finds motive force via its tried-and-tested 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine.

It’s unchanged compared to the pre-facelifted models but that’s no bad thing and is known as a reliable engine.

Peak power and torque are 140kW at 3600rpm and 450Nm across 1400Nm-3250rpm, with drive sent to the rear or all four wheels at the driver’s behest via a conventional six-speed automatic transmission.

Unlike the Ford Everest, you don’t need to put AdBlue in the tank.

With fuel prices (particularly diesel) remaining high in Australia, and figures at the bowser capable of making your eyes bulge and jaw drop, decent economy is paramount.

The official combined-cycle fuel consumption figure for the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4 is 8.3L/100km, which compares to the Ford Everest Trend 4x4’s 7.2L/100km, but in reality both are much thirstier.

The MU-X slurped 9.8L/100km across our week-long test, which covered suburban duties such as daycare drop-off and pick-ups, and wider-ranging drives to test its off-road chops.

If you’re towing a considerable-sized trailer, like a two-tonne boat or caravan, expect to double your average fuel consumption.

Unladen, the 80-litre fuel tank is good for an average driving range of just under 1000km per tank, according to the experts at RedBook.com.au.

Driving the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4 is an exercise in simplicity, most of the time.

Throttle response is reasonably good, the steering is direct and the suspension straddles a pleasing balance between ride comfort and handling dynamics.

Despite its chubby circa-2.2-tonne kerb weight and 4850mm length, the MU-X is relaxed to drive around town, the front-end easily coaxed through sharp turns on iffy T-intersections and parking isn’t too bad given all the sensors and a clear reversing camera.

While driver sight lines are also very good thanks to the raised ride height, big mirrors and windows, the lack of a 360-degree surround-view camera would make busy shopping centre car parks less stressful. It’s a long vehicle, after all.

Ride comfort is pretty good for a ute-based SUV, the 265/60R18 Bridgestone Dueler H/T (highway terrain) tyres combining with the independent coil-sprung front and rear suspension to make the SUV feel a whole lot more comfortable than an unladen Isuzu D-MAX dual-cab ute it shares DNA with.

The MU-X deals with speed bumps nicely and doesn’t bounce occupants around too much at lower speeds and feels settled over patchwork roads at higher speeds, both around town and on country roads.

If it weren’t the clattery diesel engine it wouldn’t be unfair to call the SUV a measured and refined suburban and exurban explorer.

In a dynamic sense, Isuzu’s large SUV is significantly more adept tracking through corners than its dual-cab cousin but it doesn’t have the body control and composure of car-based (monocoque) SUVs like the Kia Sorento.

It’s not particularly fond of mid-corner bumps when hustling but few vehicles are. And for what it is – a jacked-up adventure machine – it performs well in most everyday scenarios.

The six-speed automatic transmission is a pretty good operator, though not as smooth as newer rivals, and has one of the most supercilious names we’ve heard: ‘Rev-Tronic’. Sure, it’s a diligent gearbox and built by reputable Japanese auto supplier Aisin, but the engine revs about as quickly as a sleepy snail.

In its defence, the conventional transmission leverages the engine’s ability to lope along at low revs on the freeway for a good (and not too noisy) cruising range.

Criticisms about the way it drives? Few and far between. The 3.84 turns required of the steering wheel from lock to lock means you’ll get those forearms pumping for three-point turns and U-bangs.

Even with the latest model year updates, the MU-X still beeps and bleeps fairly regularly as the ADAS gubbins get involved. But, hey, they are effective and I’d rather have them than not.

We know the 2023 Isuzu MU-X is a solid off-roader, having given it a good mud bath when it launched in 2021, and while this test didn’t involve hardcore bush bashing it proved predictable and capable on gravel roads.

The SUV glides along smoothly-graded dirt roads and even on rutted, corrugated tracks it behaves well, soaking up the hits with poise.

It’s got a respectable 235mm of ground clearance, 800mm wading depth and switching between high and low range is straightforward, as is engaging the electronically locking rear diff.

That said, it misses out on a more advanced on-demand 4x4 system like the Ford Everest.

The 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4 is a popular tow rig and its 3500kg braked towing capacity (with 350kg tow ball limit) provides for a huge amount of versatility.

But if you want the new MY23 features that disable the rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring systems, you’ll need to fork out around $1200 for Isuzu’s genuine tow bar and wiring harness.

Kerb weight is 2155kg, GVM (gross vehicle mass) is 2800kg and GCM (gross combined mass) is 5900kg.

Boot space is impressive, starting at 311 litres with all three seat rows erected – enough for half a dozen grocery bags full of fruit and veg. This rises to an impressive 1119 litres with third-row seats stowed and maxes out at 2138 litres with the second and third rows folded down.

There’s also a 12-volt plug in the boot, adding to the one in the cockpit.

Let’s start with the front seats of the 2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4, which are wide and welcoming and feature leather-accented upholstery, which is okay in terms of quality.

Isuzu says its synthetic leather seats have “leather touches or accents, but are not wholly leather” but the cushioning is good and there were no strains or back aches after extended freeway cruising.

The cabin is filled with unyielding, hard plastics and rubber floor mats but it suits the vehicle – easy to clean and hard-wearing. It doesn’t feel particularly fancy but it doesn’t really need to.

Incidental storage is pretty good, so all your odds and sods – phones, wallets, bags, keys, chewing gum – have a place to live, as do beverages of varying sizes.

The Japanese-designed, Thai-built large SUV is a good troop carrier, with loads of room for the driver and front passenger as well as second-row occupants.

The third-row seats are a bit pokey, but they’re big enough for smaller people and kids and there’s plenty of air vents and USB ports throughout the cabin.

Most famous for its trucks, Isuzu has done a great job with this family SUV, which never feels out of its depth across a surprisingly wide range of scenarios.

Ultimately, the question is probably less of ‘Should I buy an Isuzu MU-X?’ and more ‘Which Isuzu MU-X should I buy?’

We can help you with that with our ‘What you need to know’ article based around the second-generation model’s launch, but as it stands the 2023 MU-X LS-U 4x4 strikes a very good balance.

Everything works as intended and the minor updates to the MY23 models – especially the automatic deactivation of the reversing aids when towing – add incremental but meaningful improvements to an already solid all-rounder.

2023 Isuzu MU-X LS-U 4x4 at a glance:
Price: $61,400 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 220g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)