Isuzu MU-X 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage

In how many variants is the 2020 Isuzu MU-X offered in?

The 2020 MU-X SUV comes with a single 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine powered variants with two drivetrain options: Rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive. The RWD version is priced at INR 27,34,834 (ex-showroom, Delhi) whereas the four-wheel-drive MU-X is priced at INR 29,31,534. All the features in both the options remain similar.  

Which trim should you go for?

The Isuzu MU-X is available in single diesel engine option. All you get is a choice between rear wheel drive and four wheel drive versions. Both the trims get similar features and come loaded with six airbags, ESC and hill-start assist. Compared to its costlier rivals, the MU-X misses on some features like automatic headlights and wipers. 

What is the source of firepower in 2020 Isuzu MU-X?

In terms of engine displacement, the Isuzu MU-X holds the largest one with 2999 cc, followed by Fortuner’s 2.8-litre. Being having the highest displacement, The MU-X engine is at par with Fortuner’s engine. The MU-X delivers a power output of 177 PS and a peak torque of 380 Nm. The torque offered by the MU-X is least here and no matter rivals offer better torque figures. The transmission duties are carried out by a five-speed automatic gearbox. The transmission is smooth for maintaining city commuting duty. 

 Comparatively, the Fortuner’s engine is not so strong. The 2.8-litre engine is a bit noisy even at an idle state. However, the SUV comes with paddle shifters that somehow make the overall driving experience smooth and pleasant. 

How quick is this mammoth of an SUV from 0-100 kmph?

The MU-X SUV performed quite well in the performance test. It is capable of sprint 0 to 100 kmph in 12.57 seconds. As far as in-gear acceleration is concerned, the SUV takes 7.51 second to cover 20-80kmph. The acceleration figures are decent compared to rivals with slightly lighter engines. 

How well does the 2020 Isuzu MU-X carry its bulk around Indian roads?

As far as the ride and handling is concerned, the MU-X SUV is made to encounter any kind of road. With the fat tyres, ladder frame and suspension, the SUC absorbs incoming bumps from potholes and uneven roads. Provided its 2.1-tonne mass, the Isuzu goes well around corner but isn’t accurate for sudden direction changes. The steering is heavy and makes you feel cumbersome while traversing around the city. 

How sure-footed are the brakes on the 2020 Isuzu MU-X?

The MU-X SUV offers good bite from its brakes. The rubber is wide enough to provide a good grip. The SUV stands tall on 18-inch wheels that offer good traction while cornering or sudden direction change. The braking is also backed by features like ABS and EBD. 

How fuel-efficient is this tank of an SUV?

The 3.0-litre turbocharged engine still feels old school but the 5-speed automatic transmission offers quick gearshifts. As you push the throttle, the engine goes eager to engage itself in the highest gear possible at the particular rpm. The MU-X SUV returns a decent 7.8 kmpl in the city and 12.31 kmpl on the highway. With a fuel tank capacity of 65 litres, the driving range is also well settled. 

How huge is the road presence of the 2020 Isuzu MU-X in terms of looks?

In the MU-X facelift, you get to see the sharp front fascia, thanks to LEd headlamps and repositioned daytime running light. The major change has been made to the wheels as the SUV stands tall on razor-cut style 18-inch alloy wheels, making the SUVs stance more aggressive. At the rear, you get redesigned taillights, shark-fin antenna, and a dual-tone spoiler. All in all, the MU-X exterior has retained its large SUV ethics. 

Comparatively, the MU-X does not possess muscular stance like the Endeavour but it has improved with its larger 18-inch wheels consistently.  The 2018 update has surely brought more character to Isuzu’s design. The brand has ensured that the MU-X reflects a neat design among its rivals. 

Exterior Features

• Eagle-inspired sharp & muscular exterior design

• Bi-LED projector headlamps with auto-levelling

• LED rear position lamps

• Sharp & sleek headlamp & taillamp design

• Recessed front fog lamps with chrome garnish

• LED Day-time Running Lights (DRL) & light guide integrated in headlamps

• Two-tone metallic grey-body coloured front & rear bumpers

• Multi-spoke diamond-cut alloy wheels

• Double slat chrome radiator grille

• Chrome door handles

• Chrome tailgate garnish

• Chrome fold-in power door mirrors with integrated turn indicators

• Aluminium side steps

• Shark-fin antenna with gun-metal finish

• Wrap-around rear glass - quarter glass & rear windshield

• Roof rails (max. load capacity 60 kg)

• Dual-tone rear spoiler

How spacious is the inside of 2020 Isuzu MU-X?

The all-black interior hasn’t changed much although there are some more features added as standard. The dashboard gets soft-touch padding that makes it look more premium. However, the silver add-ons around the centre console aren’t pleasing to the eyes at all. No matter the plastic used is durable but it fails to add balance to the Isuzu’s cabin, keeping the price range in mind. 

Moving to the second-row seats, you’ll be happy with the space offered across knee and head. The seats are comfortable and offer good cushioning. As for the third-row seats, it is certainly not made to accommodate adults. For storage, you get a bottle holder on all the doors, two glove boxes, and lots of cup holders. 

Similar to the Alturas, Isuzu MUx’s middle row seats don’t slide back and fail to make extra room. Still, looking at the proportion, the interior is spacious but not class-best. The Fortuner makes few points here with a firm touch middle-row seating that actually feels good. Also, the seats can be pushed back to make extra room for 6ft tall occupants. 

Interior Features:

• Twin-cockpit ergonomic interior design

• Sporty lava black interior with silver highlights

• Luxurious quilted soft leather seats 

• Soft pad on all side door armrests, door trims & front floor console armrest

• Premium finish dashboard with soft-touch panels

• Leather wrapped steering wheel

• Piano black finish on gear shift bezel

• Chrome finish on side doors inner levers, gear shift bezel, front console cup holders & air vent knobs

• Bright silver finish on shift-on-the-fly 4x4 knob*, steering, auto AC console & IP center console

• Premium Barleycorn Guilloche finish on door inserts

• Front anatomically designed bucket seats

• 6-way power adjustable driver seat

• 60:40 split 2nd row seats with fold away centre arm rest

• One-touch fold & tumble 2nd row seats

• 50:50 split-fold 3rd row seats

• One-touch fold 3rd row seats

• Flat-fold 2nd & 3rd row seats

• Adjustable headrests for all seats, including centre seat

What is there with the Infotainment system?

The MU-X gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is slow to user inputs and outdated. The infotainment misses on some tech areas like smartphone mirroring. However, the 8-speaker setup is good for generating a good amount of sound inside the cabin. 

Infotainment Features:

• Integrated 17.8 cm (7 inch) touchscreen entertainment system with DVD/CD/USB/MP3/FM/AM/AUX compatibility, with iPod, Bluetooth phone & audio streaming

• “Live Surround Sound” roof-mounted sound system with 8 speakers (front dash, front doors, rear doors and roof)

How much luggage can this Skoda carry?

The middle seat can be folded in a 60:40 split, making it convenient for more space. The MU-X SUV offers a boot space of 235 litres behind the third-row seat. Both the second and third-row seating can be folded for extra space. Although, the cabin is spacious and airy enough to keep your extra stuff in several storage spaces and cup-holders across the cabin. 

What are the safety features available in 2020 Isuzu MU-X?

When it comes to safety, the Isuzu MU-X is not an SUV to forget. The SUV offers safety features like ABS, Electronic stability control, hill start assist, and traction control as standard. Also, six airbags across the cabin ensure all-round protection to the driver and occupants. The cabin also gets grab-handles mounted on the driver and third-row seats as well, obviously for off-roading purpose. 

Safety Features:

• 4-Channel 4-Sensor Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)

• Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)

• 300 mm Front Ventilated Disc Brakes with Twin-pot Calipers

• 318 mm Rear Ventilated Disc Brakes

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

• Traction Control System (TCS)

• Hill Start Assist (HSA)

• Hill Descent Control (HDC)

• 6 Airbags : Driver, front passenger, front side and full length curtain

• Pre-tensioners with load limiters for front seat belts

• 3-point retractable seat belts for all seating positions

• Emergency locking retractor (ELR) for all seat belts

• 3 ISOFIX childseat anchorage for 2nd row seats

• Automatic door lock release on airbag deployment

• High tensile steel body construction with tailor-welded blanks

• Anti-intrusion bars inside side doors

• Child-proof rear door locks

• Rear parking assist camera

• Engine immobilizer

• Anti-theft alarm system

• Driver & passenger seat belt warning

• Audible & visual headlight-ON & parking light-ON warning

Isuzu MU-X Head-to-Head Competition Check

Isuzu MU-X VS Ford Endeavour

Isuzu MU-X VS Toyota Fortuner 

Toyota Fortuner has been doing well in the market for a while. The flagship Toyota has been growing in the Indian market with time. It has successfully made an impact on SUV buyers in India. The Fortuner is gifted with a muscular stance and a reliable engine. Meanwhile, the MU-X looks rather simple and clean, compared to the smart Fortuner. The 3.0-litre in the MU-X produces firepower almost similar to the 2.8-litre of the Fortuner but offers five-speed AT instead of six-speed in the latter. The MU-X again scores brownie points for its attractive pricing against Fortuner’s price tag. Moreover, the Fortuner is in need of upgrade since it has been two years now. 

Final Verdict

Having a closer look at all the factors of Isuzu MU-X, we found that the facelift has more appeal than the pre-facelift model. The SUV offers good value for money in the segment, as it still comes at a lesser price than the Fortuner and the mighty Endeavour. Although, Isuzu still needs to attend to some engine-related issues in order to attract buyers attention. All said, the Isuzu MU-X is the cheapest of the lot and offers a decent ride quality along with a spacious cabin.