2022 Isuzu MU-X price and features: Long-awaited D-Max-based Toyota Prado rival moves up in price but packs high standard safety and cabin tech

Isuzu Ute Australia has confirmed pricing and specification for its eagerly awaited new-generation MU-X seven-seat SUV.

Like its D-Max sibling, the 2022 MU-X will be powered by an updated version of the renowned “4JJ3” series 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 140kW/450Nm and mated to a new six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

The new MU-X will be available in three familiar spec levels, the entry-grade LS-M, mid-grade LS-U, and top-spec LS-T, all three of which continue to be available in either rear-drive 4x2 layout, or 4x4 layout with selectable low-range mode. The MU-X will steadfastly maintain its 3500kg towing capacity regardless of variant.

Price tags for the MU-X now range from $47,900 for the base LS-M 4x2 to $65,900 for the top-spec LS-T 4x4 (before on-road costs), representing a jump of at least $4000 over the outgoing car.

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The brand hopes that consumers will see the added value in each spec level, with even the base LS-M now scoring the full active safety suite from standard.

Priced at $47,900 for the 4x2 or $53,900 for the 4x4, the base LS-M scores 17-inch alloy wheels clad in all-terrain Dunlop rubber as standard, a polyurethane steering wheel and gear selector, cloth seat trim, ‘easy-to-clean’ plastic interior surfaces, a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, a four-speaker audio system, air-conditioning, LED headlights with LED DRLs, rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera with dynamic guiding lines.

Base model LS-M grades get smaller wheels, more basic interior trims, and a smaller multimedia screen, but still have LED lights and full safety.

Next up, the mid-grade LS-U is priced from $53,900 for the 4x2 or $59,900 for the 4x4. It scores larger 18-inch wheels with highway terrain Bridgestone tyres, body-coloured door mirrors and handles, a silver grille treatment, a leather-trimmed wheel and gear selector, higher-grade cloth seat trim with lumbar adjust for the driver, driver and passenger vanity mirrors with LED lighting, piano black interior trim, cloth door inserts, higher-grade interior highlights, keyless entry with push-start ignition and auto door locking, a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with built-in sat-nav and digital radio, an eight-speaker audio system, and dual-zone climate control.

The LS-U also scores a set of LED fog lights, an upgraded wiper blade design, front parking sensors, a power tailgate roof rails and rear privacy glass. It is also available in two extra colours.

The mid-grade LS-U gets 18-inch wheels and is available in two extra colours ('Jasper Brown Mica' shown).

The top-spec LS-T wears MSRPs of $59,900 for the 4x2 or $65,900 for the 4x4. It upgrades the wheels to 20-inches clad in Bridgestone highway terrain tyres, adds synthetic leather seat trim with matching door cards and centre console, heated front seats with eight-way power adjust for the driver, an LED interior ambient lighting package, remote engine start, an auto-dimming rear vision mirror and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Standard across the whole MU-X range is Isuzu’s new ‘IDAS’ active safety suite which consists of a Hitachi 3D camera system. This grants all MU-X variants auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection as well as turn assist and forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, lane-keep assist with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention alert, traffic sign recognition (locally calibrated for Australian signage), auto high-beams, trailer sway control, and rollover mitigation.

Top-spec LS-T variants get their own set of 20-inch alloy wheels, as well as a host of interior upgrades.

On the more expected front, the MU-X scores eight airbags with full-three-row curtain, driver’s knee, and front centre airbags, as well as the standard array of electronic brake, accelerator and traction systems, plus the addition of hill descent control and start assist.

The upgraded 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine improves torque availability across the range, and has Euro-5b standard emissions control in the form of additional exhaust catalysers and filters. 4x2 models have an official/combined consumption rate of 7.8L/100km, while 4x4 models are said to consume 8.3L/100km.

All 4x4 variants are now also equipped with a rear differential lock as standard, and for enhanced off-road capability also have a new ‘rough terrain mode’ to go with the existing computer-selectable low-range transmission. The brand says the new suspension components used in the MU-X grant it both improved off-road ability, less rear suspension compression while towing, and better body control when cornering on-road.

Boot capacity is also larger than the outgoing model with either the third row up or stowed, although offers slightly less room with the third and second row stowed. Isuzu’s official numbers come in at 1119L with the third row folded or 311L with the third row up, although these numbers are measured to the SAE standard, not the VDA standard used by most other automakers.

The cabin of the new MU-X is enhanced with improved trims and features wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity for the first time.

The MU-X is available in a total of eight colours, with two colours exclusive to the LS-U and LS-M grades.

The new SUV requires servicing once every 12 months or 15,000km, with capped-price servicing coming in at a total of $3373 over the course of seven years or an average of $481.90 per year. Isuzu offers six years and 150,000km of warranty, with seven years of roadside assist if serviced through Isuzu dealers.

The new MU-X goes on sale in early August, with the brand confident initial stock levels will meet demand.

Isuzu MU-X 2022 pricing