Isuzu mu-X Onyx review – Perfect for getting to a 5-star hotel on top of a mountain

The Isuzu mu-X Onyx is the vehicle you take when you need to get to a five-star hotel on top of a mountain with no roads.

How did they build a hotel up there if there are no roads? Well, my best guess is that they were using a mu-X.

I say this because, from the outside, this SUV appears fancy, modern, and at home in the concrete jungle.

From behind the wheel, though, it is much more than just a pavement hopper with handsome looks.

It has imposing dimensions that make other road users seem diminutive, it soaks up imperfections on and off-road, and it has a rugged cabin that speaks to its tough underpinnings.

Fancy on the outside

The Isuzu mu-X is an attractive SUV and there were many times I caught people turning their heads to get a better look when passing by.

It’s noticeably longer and wider than a Toyota Fortuner, and this is translated to the cabin – which offers seven spacious seats.

The standard 20-inch alloys and all-terrain tyres on this range-topping Onyx specification add to its visual allure, but somewhat detracted from its purpose – which is being a 4×4 expert with on-road know-how.

On the tar, these wheels were fine and the Isuzu floated smoothly over bumps and potholes, but off-road on a course with clay surfaces and ruts aplenty, they did not perform as well as a tyre with bigger sidewalls and a grippier track would have.

These off-road trails were by no means tough for the Isuzu to handle, though.

The suspension and long shock travel, coupled with a light but firm steering feel and pleasant seats, also made the mu-X one of the most comfortable vehicles I’ve driven in recent years – regardless of the surface it was on.

I was surprised by how small its turning circle was and how easy it was to manoeuvre, too, although due to its size, underground parking areas were not its friend.

Turning the dial to 4WD also made the steering perceptibly heavier, but did not hamper agility.

Power

With a 3.0-litre, turbo-diesel engine under the hood, the mu-X offers a decent 140kW and 450Nm.

The full torque is already felt from 1,600rpm, giving the SUV good low-end grunt for pull aways, towing, and 4×4 obstacles.

The six-speed automatic offers smooth shifts and long gears – and paddles allow manual intervention at any point, although it only stays in full manual mode for a handful of seconds before reverting back to working with its own brain.

While it may not eat up the tar as fast as a sports car, the setup is so enjoyable that after a 150km trip out of Pretoria, my passengers and I still wanted to go further.

Interior

Inside, the SUV offers a clean and simple design with flat surfaces and straight lines, and everything feels well put together.

There is a measured use of chrome and shiny plastics to give it a modern touch, but not so much that it’ll look ghastly in 10-15 years.

I also wasn’t immediately wowed by gadgets and features when getting into the mu-X, and I soon realized this Isuzu does not aim to offer high-end luxury, but rather quality.

You are met with solid analogue dials that are thick and well-lit, dual-zone climate control that could freeze your morning coffee, robust rubber floor mats, and a dual-level glove compartment with space for a two-way radio – one of those which 4×4 enthusiasts love to install.

It only has a small multi-information display (MID) for the most important info – trip, lane assist, fuel economy, and drive mode – and not a digital cluster that acts as a control hub for the driver.

The 9-inch infotainment system is responsive, but only displays a large clock, a radio, a compass, and vehicle settings – with any features beyond this relying on one of four smartphone mirroring applications – though the speakers aren’t of the highest standards.

Advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) like lane-keep assist, emergency braking, blind-spot detection, and adaptive cruise control are there, too, and so were a wireless charger, automatic LED lights with high-beam assist, a reverse camera, and heated leather seats.

With the rear seats down the boot also grows to a massive 1,119 litres, which is far above market average.

Verdict

As I went about my week, I realized that Isuzu has done something right in the mu-X.

To me, it looks like a vehicle that is made to last, and last long.

Isuzu wants you to still be driving your mu-X for the next decade, and it doesn’t want to bombard its drivers with gadgets that few owners will use on a regular basis – and that only put up the price.

It’s a purpose-built vehicle that has sensible features and enough power to do the job – and even though the sizeable engine only had 2,000km on it, I managed a relatively low combined fuel consumption of 9.8l/100km over roughly 600km.

It’s a tougher sell when you consider its competitors like the Ford Everest Limited and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed are a bit cheaper. However, after a recent price update, the Onyx is now more affordable than the Toyota Fortuner VX.

The top-of-the-line Isuzu mu-X Onyx sells for R860,500.

If you’re looking for a large SUV that’s very capable and has a ton of room, the mu-X is definitely worth considering.

Isuzu mu-X Onyx