Isuzu MU-X is a rear- or all-wheel drive mid-size SUV, tailored according to the "classic canons": a spar frame, continuous rear axle and rigidly connected all-wheel drive ... This car combines a pleasant design, a spacious five- or seven-seater interior and a balanced technical "stuffing" ”, And it is aimed primarily at family men with a good level of income, who are fond of hunting or fishing ...
The world premiere of Isuzu MU-X took place in late October 2013 at the Bangkok Motor Show, and after a few months its official sales began (but then only in the markets of Thailand and Australia). This SUV turned out to be just a modified version of the second generation Chevrolet TrailBlazer, based on the Chevrolet Colorado pickup frame platform.
In February 2017, the car underwent a planned update (debuting in Thailand), as a result of which it was slightly transformed in appearance due to redesigned lighting equipment, bumpers and a radiator grille, received minor modifications to the interior decoration and acquired new options. At the same time, in December of the same year, the five-door was again modernized, but already for the Chinese market - and here it received a completely new interior with a completely redesigned front panel architecture.
Outside, Isuzu MU-X can hardly be called handsome, but it looks the way a real "rogue" should be - very nice, monumental, brutal and proportional enough (but not from all angles). The front view of the car attracts attention with slanting headlights with LED "garlands" of running lights, a chrome "shield" of the radiator grille and a massive bumper with integrated foglights, and from the stern it flaunts unpretentious lights "connected" to each other by a chrome strip, a large luggage door and a neat bumper.
From the side, the SUV does not impress with anything special, and it is perceived a little awkwardly - "inflated" wheel arches of a rounded-square shape, a small area of side glazing with a darkened rear roof pillar, unpretentious sidewalls and a sheer "wall" of the rear door.
In terms of external dimensions, the Isuzu MU-X is a mid-size SUV: its length is 4830 mm, of which 2845 mm is the distance between the wheelsets, the width extends to 1860 mm, and the height is 1830 mm. The ground clearance of the five-door is 225 mm, and the size of the front and rear track is 1570 mm.
Inside, the Isuzu MU-X welcomes its occupants with an attractive, modern and balanced design that lacks even a hint of utility.
In the driver's seat, you can observe a three-spoke multi-steering wheel with a relief structure of the rim and a laconic dashboard with main analogue scales and an onboard computer display between them, and the symmetrical center console is crowned with an 8-inch touchscreen of the media center, "surrounded" by a pair of ventilation deflectors, and an exemplary block climatic installation.
By default, the Isuzu MU-X interior has a five-seater layout, but for a surcharge it can be retrofitted with a third row of seats that can even accommodate adult passengers on short trips.
In the front of the "apartment" there are amorphous armchairs with widely spaced side bolsters, soft filling and sufficient adjustment ranges. On the second row there is a comfortable sofa with an adjustable backrest, an almost flat floor and room for three people.
With seven riders on board, the trunk of an SUV is extremely modest - only 205 liters. The seats of the third and second rows are folded, which makes it possible to bring the compartment capacity to 878 liters and 1830 liters, respectively. At the same time, a full-size spare wheel at the car is suspended on brackets under the bottom.
Isuzu MU-X offers two four-cylinder in-line diesel engines, turbocharging, common rail direct injection and 16-valve timing:
- The base version is equipped with a 1.9-liter engine that generates 163 horsepower at 3600 rpm and 360 Nm of torque at 2000-2500 rpm.
- Under the hood of the "top-end" modification is a 3.0-liter unit that produces 177 hp. at 3600 rpm and 430 Nm of peak potential at 2000-2500 rpm.
The "junior" motor works in conjunction with a 6-range automatic transmission and rear or all-wheel drive, while the "senior" relies on 6-speed "mechanics" or "automatic" and exclusively all-wheel drive transmission.
The Japanese SUV is equipped with all-wheel drive of the Part-Time type with a rigidly connected front axle and a transfer case with a lowering row, capable of operating in three modes: 2H (rear-wheel drive); 4H (four-wheel drive, traction is divided equally between the wheels); 4L (four-wheel drive with a running "lowering").
At the heart of the Isuzu MU-X is a powerful spar frame made of high-strength steel grades, which implies a longitudinal arrangement of the power plant. At the front, the SUV is equipped with independent double wishbone suspension, and at the rear, a dependent architecture with a continuous axle suspended by means of a Panhard rod and four trailing arms.
The car is equipped with a rack and pinion steering mechanism with a hydraulic power steering, as well as disc brakes on all wheels (ventilated on the front axle), complemented by modern electronics.
Isuzu MU-X is not for sale on the Russian market, but it may appear in our country as early as 2019-2020. In China, the SUV is offered at a price of 178,800 to 284,800 yuan (≈1.7-2.7 million rubles).
The basic equipment of the car includes: six airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, an audio system with six speakers, ABS, EBD, ESP, LED DRLs, power windows for all doors, a multifunctional leather-braided steering wheel and other options.
