New vs old Isuzu mu-X: What are the top 3 differences?
Some buyers might experience mild confusion when looking at the Isuzu mu-X for the first time. It looks very familiar yet unusual at the same time. It's almost like they’ve seen it before, but it gained a different name and went for some plastic surgery since then. That’s understandable, because the mu-X used to carry a bow tie before it re-invented itself...
Familiarity breeds contentment?
To be honest, the Chevy Trailblazer never quite made the impact it should have on local soil. It’s difficult to pin down a reason for this, however, because it had almost all the required attributes to be a strong contender in a class that’s dominated by such stalwarts as the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest. With plenty of cabin space, good versatility, decent engines, and fair off-road ability, it checked all the boxes, yet didn’t make much of an impression in our market.
But then, back in 2017, General Motors announced their withdrawal from the South African market. This opened the door for Isuzu to reclaim their products, and market them under their own name. See, the Chevy Trailblazer was essentially a re-styled and re-engined derivative of the Isuzu mu-X, which has been available in other markets since 2013. But what are the real differences between the Isuzu mu-X and its Chevrolet Trailblazer cousin?
Related: After leaving GM behind, Isuzu went all-in with their South Africa operation.
1. Genuine Isuzu engines.
Carrying a Chevrolet badge gave the old Trailblazer the right to use General Motors engines and powertrains, in both petrol (3.6-litre V6) or turbodiesel flavours (2.5- and 2.8-litre “Duramax” 4-cylinders which were sourced from VM Motori, and available with either manual- or automatic gearboxes). With its return to the Isuzu stable, the drivetrain changed over to Isuzu’s own power unit – a 3.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel, exclusively paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The Isuzu engines are somewhat down on power and torque, especially compared to the old Duramax 2.8-litre, with only 130 kW and 380 Nm on tap (compared to the 147 kW and 500 Nm from the Duramax 2.8). However, the Isuzu mill’s torque is much more evenly spread through the rev range than that of the rather peaky VM unit, which makes it eminently more suitable to off-road use. The Isuzu 3.0-litre engine has also proven its durability, seeing as it’s been used in KB (now called the D-MAX) for many, many years.
2. Improved off-road abilities.
One of the points of criticism leveled at the Trailblazer was the absence of a rear diff lock (or even just a limited-slip differential), which hampered its abilities to scramble over rough obstacles off the beaten track – especially when compared to its opponents, which all boasted this feature. Upon its launch in 2018, the mu-X still suffered from the same affliction, but that was addressed at the end 2019, when an automatically-engaging rear diff lock became available as an optional extra for both 4x2 and 4x4 mu-X derivatives.
Combined with the mu-X’s impressive approach- and departure angles, plenty of ground clearance, and driver-selectable 4WD with a low-range transfer case, this new add-on finally gives the mu-X all the hardware and attributes to turn it into a serious off-roading machine. This should increase its appeal to bundu-bashing buyers, and gives armchair enthusiasts something new about which they can boast around the braai fire.
3. Refreshed styling.
Shaking off the Chevrolet bow-tie badge also allowed the mu-X’s styling to converge with that of its bakkie siblings. Up front, there’s the latest interpretation of the modern Isuzu “face”, with plenty of chrome and squinting full-LED headlights – exchanging its Chevrolet forebear’s rather putty-faced visage for something a whole lot more assertive.
Rear-end styling was similarly cleaned up, with a new bumper and tail lights to complement the new 18-inch alloy wheels and side steps which grace its flanks. It’s not a major departure from what went before, but it goes a long way towards revitalising this ageing SUV’s appeal.
The cabin’s design is much as it was before, though – it’s almost exactly the same as you’d find in a high-trim Isuzu D-Max. The main different between the mu-X and the Trailblazer’s cabin mainly revolves around the fitment of the current Isuzu colour touchscreen infotainment system instead of the IntelliLink display as used when it still carried a Chevy badge.
For the rest, the Isuzu mu-X is still the capable and rugged 7-seater SUV it’s always been. But, with the subtle enhancements applied when this vehicle re-joined its natural family, it’s also a real Isuzu again. Exchanging the bow tie for a khaki outfit certainly enhanced this old-stager’s appeal.
Isuzu mu-X model range and prices:
Isuzu mu-X 3.0: R 605 800
Isuzu mu-X 3.0 4WD R 671 000
Pricing was accurate at the time of writing, but may change without any prior notice.