Isuzu MU-X Tow Test 2017 Review

With its upgraded engine delivering an extra 50Nm of torque, the refreshed Isuzu MU-X should be better for towing. However cosmetic improvements and lower NVH levels confirm this update goes further than under the bonnet.

Choosing a large, seven-seat SUV equally at home during the daily urban grind as well as the weekend/holiday get-away hauling a large boat or caravan is tougher than batting on a fourth day wicket in India. You want a vehicle sufficiently compact for parking in tight urban streets, but also appropriately powerful and heavy to lug that trailer.

You can forget the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger for heavy towing duties; while they might be relatively lush-riding and nimble wagons, they can’t tow much more than 2000kg. For heavy towing, you’re limited to the likes of separate chassis ute-based wagons such as the Isuzu MU-X (with its 3000kg towing capacity).

The MY17 Update
As reported Isuzu’s 2017 D-Max based MU-X SUV has scored minor styling upgrades, improvements to NVH and shares the cleaner engine and six-speed auto transmission introduced just months earlier in the MY16.5 model.

Engine improvements
Based on the specifications, you’d think there hasn’t been much done to Isuzu’s ‘new’ engine. It has in fact been given a significant revamp; headline improvements are 50Nm more torque (at lower rpm) and Euro 5 emissions compliance, bookended by a new six-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous five-speed unit.

While it’s still not a silken-smooth diesel by any means, from the cabin, the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel does seem a little less noisy and harsh thanks to NVH improvements. When driving one-up, it’s hard to pick the extra 50Nm over the old engine (peak power, at 130kW remains the same). Like before, there is some lag until about 1800rpm, at which point a thick stream of torque arrives. There’s little incentive to rev the MU-X much beyond 3000rpm, if you want to avoid the increased clatter and, to a degree, vibration.

The new six-speed auto shifts smoothly enough and, thanks to the extra ratio, when cruising along on the highway the MU-X is quieter than the previous five-speed model. At 100km/h in sixth gear, the engine is ticking along at 1500rpm. Paddle shifters and ‘Sport’ mode are certainly performance car features, but actually they do also make towing easer: the MU-X has neither, relying on a transmission which is adaptive according to varying conditions. Problem is, the transmission often only determines what you need after the fact. At least the shifter has a manual mode…but would be better with paddle shifts or a dedicated ‘Sport’ mode.

Better on the inside
Efforts to make the MY17 update look smarter inside (one of the major complaints of MU-X owners was the cheap-looking interior) have worked – to a point. Hiding brittle, shiny surfaces with a slab of stitched vinyl here and there doesn’t stop the MU-X’s cabin looking a bit low rent and dated. The LS-T model’s new diamond-pattern leather seats make the biggest difference in the freshened interior.

Hitching up
We towed two different trailers behind the MU-X – a tandem-axle trailer boat hauler weighing about 2200kg and a single-axle caravan weighing 2140kg.

The MU-X’s rear view camera display gives a wide enough angle to see the towball when hitching up (not all do), making it a relatively easy job when on your own. With a relatively low 180kg towball download, the MU-X barely moved with the van coupling dropped on. While the trailer plug was easy to access, the Isuzu towing kit comes standard with just a seven-pin plug (more manufacturers are including a 12-pin plug as standard, allowing for example charging of the caravan’s fridge on the move).

Isuzu’s side mirror shells are a squared-off shape, and so make it easy to fit towing mirrors.

Good towing stability comes down to many factors, and most of them are to do with the trailer; primarily the trailer’s coupling-to-wheelset measurement (the longer the better) and how well the trailer is balanced. Vehicle weight and measurements can influence towing stability too; longer vehicle wheelbase and shorter rear axle-to-towball measurements and a hefty kerb weight are all promising features for good towing stability.

Rock-solid stability
Despite the Isuzu MU-X not having anything exceptional in terms of measurements or weight compared to its peers, its towing stability is one of the best in the business.

This tow test was no different to the many we’ve done on what is now a pretty familiar SUV; it’s been around in basically the same form since 2012. The MU-X didn’t yaw at all and pitching was minimal. On some surfaces the suspension felt a little too soft when towing, taking a few oscillations after a bump to settle, so maybe stiffer suspension would help if you’re doing a lot of towing.

Towing performance
For outright performance, the MU-X is not the best tow vehicle in its class for outright performance, but it was interesting to see how much influence the engine’s extra 50Nm has on towing. The Isuzu’s hill-climbing and overtaking performance was clearly better, while maintaining the good engine braking and relatively low towing fuel consumption of the preceding 380Nm turbo-diesel.

With the 2140kg single-axle full-size van behind it, the MU-X achieved an average of 13.1L/100km. Even though that’s a decent fuel figure, the MU-X only has a 65-litre fuel tank. While you’ll likely get a range of more than 400km out of the tank when towing a caravan of this size and weight, hitch up something closer to the MU-X’s 3000kg capacity and drive into a headwind for a while and you’ll probably be wishing for a bigger fuel tank.

The MU-X seems as though it is being left behind as other ute-based SUVs become more sophisticated; trailer sway control, autonomous braking, lane departure warning and active cruise control are all items you’ll see elsewhere but are not offered with the Isuzu. To round-off its role as a tow vehicle, trailer sway control should be parcelled up in the MU-X’s safety suite.

Even though the Isuzu MU-X is starting to feel dated and misses out some safety features offered by competitors, there are few tow vehicles which perform quite as well overall. With a heavy trailer behind it, the Isuzu MU-X has outstanding stability, excellent fuel economy and good performance.

2017 Isuzu MU-X LS-T pricing and specification
Price: $56,100 (plus on-road costs)
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

With thanks to Parravans, 38-40 Mileham St Windsor NSW 2756 and Blakes Marine, 1 Railway Rd N, Mulgrave NSW, for their help with this story.