Isuzu MU-X Review, For Sale, Colours, Models, Specs & Interior

Isuzu MU-X Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Isuzu MU-X here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• Why is the fuel consumption high on my 2019 Isuzu MU-X?

  A lot of people buying this type of vehicle are horrified the first time they work out their real-world fuel consumption and compare it with the official sticker on the windscreen. Frankly, very very few cars can get anywhere near that official figure. It’s the result of a standard test that bears little relationship with real driving and it’s really only for comparisons with other vehicles, not a realistic idea of what to expect.

  Even so, 14 litres per 100km at highway speeds does seem high. Being a 2019 model, it won’t be that the engine is still brand-new and tight, so we can rule that out. But, there are many other factors that affect fuel consumption more than you might imagine. Does the car have a roof rack fitted, for instance? If it does, you can easily use an extra litre per 100km at freeway speeds thanks to the extra drag. And that’s if there’s nothing on the rack (it will be worse loaded).

  Is the car carrying a lot of accessories such as a bull-bar, rear step, extra fuel tanks and maybe even a winch? All these add weight and weight kills fuel economy. What tyres are you running? Big mud tyres with an aggressive tread can drastically ruin fuel economy, so can taller tyres than standard which mess up the gearing and force you to use more accelerator pedal than a car on standard tyres. Also, the road from Melbourne to Wagga is mostly freeway with a 110km/h limit. Experience has shown that most cars will give their best fuel economy around the 80 to 90km/h mark, and every kilometre over that sees fuel economy go downhill. There could be a very big difference in your car between 100km/h and 110km/h. Even a stiff headwind in a big, bluff-fronted car like a MU-X can make a difference over the distance you’ve quoted.

  If none of those factors are at work, then you really should have the car scanned to see if there’s any problem with the mechanical or fuel systems. Even a dirty air filter can cause a big hike in fuel use, so a once over at the workshop might reveal the answer.

  Show more Show less
• Losing Bluetooth connection in a 2022 Isuzu MU-X Onyx

  This is not an uncommon complaint with MU-X owners nor the owners of many other makes and models. It seems as though some Bluetooth systems prefer an Apple phone to an Android and vice-versa. The solution for some owners has been to change their brand of phone, but that seems pretty extreme. Others have resorted to aftermarket Bluetooth systems, but since your car is still brand-new, it doesn't make sense to be changing the head unit.

  The first thing to do is contact Isuzu to see if there's been a new download to reflash the head unit and improve the Bluetooth performance. Car makers constantly chase this stuff, and a reflash might suddenly make the thing play the game properly.

  You can check whether the problem is phone incompatibility by trying to pair somebody else's phone (of a different type) to see if it works properly with the MU-X's system.

  Show more Show less
•  I have a 2015 Isuzu MU-X. I have heard a whistling noise which was intermittent. It sounded like chains dragging on the ground when towing a trailer...

  Blown turbochargers are hardly an unknown problem on the MU-X or many of the other popular modern turbo-diesel engines that work pretty hard and make lots of horsepower and torque for their capacity.

  Some owners report a rattling, metallic noise such as yours; others reckon the sound of a dying turbocharger is more like an air-raid siren. Either way, the turbo needs to be changed sooner rather than later, to avoid the chance of bits of broken turbo being sucked through the rest of the engine with catastrophic results.

  Show more Show less
• I have a Izuzu MU-X with which I tow a full-sized caravan. Isuzu does not recommend or advise the use of a Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH). Do you have any advice?

  I presume your MU-X is a first-generation model, not the second-generation that launched in mid-2021? The latter is engineered for a WDH, but the former is not.

  Many people think a Weight Distribution Hitch (and also known as load levelling bars) will alter a caravan’s level or otherwise. But the truth is that these are really only designed to transfer some of the tow-ball loading to the tow vehicle’s front axle. `Level riders’ as they are known are more of the same. Many car-makers do not recommend or even permit the use of these hitches, so Isuzu is hardly alone there.

  The problem you face in using them in direct contravention of Isuzu’s own advice is that, if there is a problem on the road, you might find your insurance company will attempt to disown you on the basis of having ignored that official advice.

  Show more Show less