Welcome
Price as tested: $66,883 (including ORC and accessories)
Fuel since collected: 451k @ 10.5L/100km
I can’t say that the previous MU-X was on my list of Cars To Drive Before I Die. I understood the value proposition, was amused that it comprehensively outsold its Holden twin but found it to be a car I Did Not Want To Drive. Loud, ponderous and oddly packaged, it was clear that the fact it was cheap, good at towing and very, very capable off-road was what drove its sales. The blingy front end really turned me off it, too.
Then came the second generation, with big price rises corresponding to big on-paper improvements. New cabin, new packaging, updated engine and a slightly more restrained approach to styling, it looked the goods. And when I drove the mid-spec LS-U fresh off the boat, I agreed that this car was a vast improvement.
Which brings me to the LS-T parked on my driveway for the next few months. I am not an avid outdoorsman, camper or off-roader. I will be using this car largely as most suburban buyers do, for the usual running about and the occasional trip out of the city confines.
I will – various restrictions on time and movement permitting – find some challenging tracks and if the chaps at 4×4 Magazine have anything to do with it, hitch something heavy to its towbar.
What are the highlights?
As I’ve already said, this is the LS-T. That means it’s the top-of-the-tree of the three specification levels and it’s the 4×4 version, which since launch has been retailing for $63,990 drive-away (the MSRP is $65,990 + ORC). Added to that figure is $500 for the fetching Cobalt Blue paint and yet more for the tow kit, 12-pin plug and electronic brake controller, taking us to $66,883.
I said in my original review that the $6000 gap between the LS-U and LS-T probably wasn’t six grand unless you really wanted certain bits and pieces and I stand by that. Given the drive-away promotional price of the range-topper, maybe Isuzu thinks I’m on to something because the gap isn’t anything like that and changes the value proposition for the better.
You get the bigger 9.0-inch media screen (also on the LS-U) and 20-inch alloys, LED interior lighting, leather steering wheel and shifter, leather seats, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, powered and heated front seats, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, remote start, sat-nav, auto door locking, auto-levelling bi-LED headlights with auto high beam, auto wipers and a powered tailgate.
Safety
The LS-T ships from Thailand with eight airbags (the curtain reaching all the way to the third row), forward AEB with turn assist, forward collision warning, post-collision braking, traffic sign recognition, misacceleration mitigation, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane departure prevention, driver attention detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, hill descent control, trailer sway control, rollover mitigation, reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring.
Sadly for bigger families, only the middle row features child seat anchoring, with two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points.
Since I drove the new cars in August, ANCAP has had its wicked way with the MU-X and gave it a five-star safety rating to match that of the D-Max.
I said in my original review that the $6000 gap between the LS-U and LS-T probably wasn’t six grand. I stand behind that and given the driveaway promotional price, maybe Isuzu thinks I’m on to something.
Getting to know you
Given I had already driven the LS-U, I knew what to expect. Heft, mostly. It’s such a big car at just under five metres. It’s the height, though, that really gets you. The headlights are quite small and the grille kind of shrinks everything into it, so it looks taller again because it looks narrower than it is. It does look pretty good in the Cobalt Blue, though, a big improvement on the metallic brown of the last one I drove.
The cabin is roomy and robust. I was a fan of the cloth of the mid-spec car and I can’t say I’d choose the fake leather if I was to use this car as Isuzu intended. It does have rugged rubber mats for that “hose me out” vibe, though, so that’s a good thing. The plastics are middle-of-the-road, being neither plush nor scratchy (for the most part), the Tupperware vibe of the old one now a thing of the past.
It’s a loud old thing when you fire it up from cold. Trundling around the ‘burbs doesn’t quiet it down much either, so you need to be patient. The long lazy throttle suits the engine’s high torque delivery at low revs, you just need to remember to give it a good shove if you need a bit of extra pep.
Where the engine works really nicely is on the open road. A long motorway run delivered an unexpectedly comfortable and quiet experience. The stereo more than overcame the road and wind noise, which were nicely damped from the get-go.
Even rolling on 20-inch tyres, the ride is plush for a ute-based SUV and between the suspension and tyres, there’s not much left of bumps by the time they get to your backside. Speaking of backsides, the seats are very comfortable and suit the car perfectly, just enough grip to stop you sliding about and there are hefty grab handles everywhere if it’s really rough.
We’ve got a ways to go with the MU-X and hopefully some free time in the weeks ahead will see me get it a bit muddy and try out 4×4 mode.
Keyword: Living with the 2021 Isuzu MU-X LS-T