Isuzu MUX sees a drop in price by INR 1.5 lakhs

Isuzu MUX was launched at INR 23.99 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi) and now it has seen a drop in its pricing by INR 1.5 lakhs as the SUV now costs about INR 22.4 lakhs for the 4×2 model. This is the price for this new SUV, which will compete with the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour. The Isuzu brand has been doing well with the XV-Cross pick-up and hence it has now got the MUX, which is the replacement for the MU7. This is an all new SUV for the Indian car market. Isuzu MUX comes with a 3.0-litre diesel engine and five-speed automatic transmission. There are two drivetrains on offer, one is the 4×2 and the other 4×4. It is a bit disappointing to see that Isuzu is offering a five-speed automatic, when the competition has moved on to six-speed. At the same time, competition has been downsizing their engines for better efficiency without any compromise on power and Isuzu is still offering the older 3.0-litre engine for India, as it is offering the new more powerful and efficient 1.9-litre diesel engine in other markets.

Isuzu MUX Price in India

The Isuzu MUX is priced at INR 22.4 lakhs to INR 24.5 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).  It is quite attractive in pricing. Where the MUX works well is the product, technology and reliability. However, the brand needs some more time to prove its worth as many aren’t aware about Isuzu’s quality. This is the new price for this SUV, once GST will be levied. This will mean a complete change in the pricing structure for many more cars also.

Isuzu MUX Exterior

The Isuzu MUX is a stylish looking SUV. It also looks quite intimidating. The MU-7 looked more like the Force One, and that is what many assumed the front to be. The Isuzu MUX on the other hand has a more stylish looking front. It has been well chiselled with a sleek front grille and melding headlamp design. This time there are even daytime running LEDs as well. It does look a lot different from the Chevy and even its predecessor as well. The fascia does somehow have some resemblance to the Force One SUV, which had failed miserably in the Indian car market.

The side profile looks a lot similar to the Chevrolet Trailblazer, and the duo even share the same platform as well. For an SUV at this price, it is certainly isn’t a great idea to have two SUVs that look exactly the same. The side and the rear both have similarities to the Trailblazer. There could be a possibility that the same design team might have made the two vehicles. There are large 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels and huge wheel-wells too that makes the SUV look bigger. There aren’t many design aspects that will make it look similar to other Isuzu SUVs. This one does seem more like the Chevy Trailblazer.

Also Read: Toyota Fortuner 2017 Price and Review | 

Isuzu MUX Interior

The Isuzu -Chevrolet family bond continues on the inside as well. The MUX has the same interior just like the Trailblazer. The centre console is dominated by a large touchscreen system that occupies the central slot. This is followed by air-con controls that arranged in a circular manner. The 10-inch screen has DVD, maps, reverse parking camera, bluetooth, USB and aux connections. The interior styling is basic and it doesn’t get too many brownies. There are a lot more features that competition offers like keyless entry, multiple airbags and several other aspects for safety that go missing on the MUX.

The Isuzu MUX is a seven seater SUV with three rows of seats. The second row has roof mounted AC vents, while the third row uses the second row’s AC blower to manage the heat at the back. The interior styling is very much similar to the Chevrolet Trailblazer as both same the same platform and a lot of elements too.  

Also Read: Skoda Kodiaq | Toyota Fortuner 2017 | Ford Endeavour

Also Read: Mahindra XUV700 in the making. Fortuner competition SUV

Isuzu MUX Specifications

The Isuzu MUX gets a 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine. This churns about 175bhp at 3,600rpm and the peak torque is 380Nm at 1,800rpm. This engine comes with a five-speed automatic transmission.

There is a 4X2 as well as 4X4 version available.

The engine isn’t as powerful as the competition. For India, there will only be the 3.0-litre diesel engine, and this is the same one that comes on the Trailblazer.

The engine capacity is large but that doesn’t mean better performance. As the power it churns is fairly less and so is the torque. Today a Safari Storme’s 400Nm engine produces more torque at 400Nm, when compared to the Isuzu’s 3.0-litre engine. The engine is torquey but it isn’t that quick. There isn’t a major difference in the engine tuning of the Isuzu MUX and the Chevy Trailblazer. As Chevy is shutting shop in India, MUX will be the sole SUV in this segment of the two, Trailblazer bids goodbye to India. The engine is noisy and the NVH levels are poor, atleast for a vehicle at this price. Where refinement and quality matters. 

Isuzu MUX Mileage

The fuel mileage as per the ARAI cycle is 13.8km/l for the 4×2 engine. So we expect the efficiency to be about 8km/l in the city and about 10km/l on the highway. It won’t be any better than this as the SUV is heavy and the engine capacity is large also. 

Also Read: Ford Endeavour Price and Review

Isuzu MUX – Should you buy it?

If you are short on cash for a Toyota Fortuner or an Endeavour, that is when you need to consider the Isuzu MUX. It is a capable off-roader and it has decent performance too. But what it has is undermatched road presence when compared to the competition.