Isuzu MU-7 - A Great SUV

What is it? Tough as nails, big, brawny, old-school SUV

Price from: $48,340 (ex-showroom, Hyderabad)

Isuzu is famous around the world for its built-to-last light trucks. It’s MU-7 SUV, priced U at $48, 340 (ex-showroom, Hyderabad), has the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Toyota Fortuner And Ford Endeavour firmly in its sights. To find out whether it is a worthy contender, we got behind the wheel.

Big is beautiful

What you can tell right away is that the MU-7 is huge. It stretches the tape to almost five meters, making it a proper, full-size SUV. U It’s also 1.8-metres tall and equally wide. At the front, a big toothy A chrome grille dominates the design and is complemented by vertically-aligned headlamps and a neatly sculpted bumper. A big functional air scoop A on the bonnet adds to its aggressive appearance.

What you can tell right away is that the MU-7 is huge.

The bumper meets the flared wheel arches, which actually make the hefty 16-inch tires look tiny in comparison. Running along the bottom of the doors are big, practical footboards. However, its three-meter-long wheelbase, long rear overhang and big windows give it a slightly odd profile.

Isuzu has also added hints of chrome in various places to liven up the MU-7, including the door handles, rear-view mirrors, exhaust tip and around the rear number plate.

The rear, on the other hand, is simpler looking in comparison. The black cladding is neatly integrated but the small rear windows really do make it look odd.

Inside story

Naturally, you'd expect this car to be spacious on the inside, and it is. The middle row has loads of legroom and the well-cushioned seats are comfortable, but they could do with more thigh support. There’s a roof-mounted DVD player screen as well. There are separate AC vents for rear passengers, both in the middle and last row of seats, which should appeal to the chauffeur-driven. The middle-row seats also slide with plenty of travel, improving space in the third row.

You get to the last row by simply pulling a strap on the middle row to flip the seat forward. The last row isn’t as comfortable as the middle row. You sit knees-up and despite the knee-room, it's not a comfortable place to be in, especially on a long drive.

The middle row has loads of legroom and the well cushioned seats are comfortable, but they could do with more thigh support.

Up front, the seating is similar to the Ford Endeavour low and slightly feet-forward, but the view up front is clear thanks to the slim pillars and the large windows. The seats themselves are well padded and there is good thigh support. The seats are covered in leather and have red stitching.

The dashboard is simplistic in its design and has a mix of good and not-so-good quality materials. The faux wood treatment on the dashboard, door handles and armrest, and the leather wrapped bits, like the gear knob and steering wheel, look and feel expensive. But at the same time, there are plastic KY bits, which feel cheap. That said, the control stalks, AC vents and dials work well and have a quality feel to them.

Equipment on offer is a mixed bag. There is a touchscreen multimedia system with USB connectivity. This screen doubles up as a reversing camera, and GPS navigation is also on the options list. As we mentioned before, there is a roof-mounted screen in the middle row. ABS and EBD, two airbags, electric mirrors, projector headlamps, and trip computer make up the standard equipment list. However, things like steering-mounted controls, climate control and powered seats are some of the equipment which buyers expect to have at this price, but are missing. Boot space is decently useful even with the last row up and is more than generous with it folded down.

Equipment on offer is a mixed bag. There is a touchscreen multimedia system with USB connectivity. This screen doubles up as a reversing camera, and GPS navigation is also on the options list.

On the go

Powering the MU-7 is a 3.0-liter diesel engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. From a standstill, the nearly two-tone SUV gathers speed quickly and reaches three-figure speeds in a quick 11.72 sec. There is none of that typical low engine speed hesitation as in some diesel engines and the engine makes its pulling power from as low as 1000rpm. This pull is smooth all the way to 4000rpm.

It traffic, you may need to shift up a gear quite often thanks to the short gearing. Shift quality however, is mushy and the clutch pedal too is a tad heavy, which mars the driving experience a bit. In fact, you're always aware that there's a diesel engine under the hood, as the engine gets quite vocal at times, especially when you rev it.

What's impressive however, is the way the MU-7 handles the rough stuff. It absorbs bumps and potholes well and even the sharp-edged ones don't filter through to the cabin. Isuzu has done a good job of tuning the archaic leaf spring suspension and this lets you confidently take on bad roads and count on the MU-7 to act like nothing happened.

What's impressive however, is the way the MU-7 handles the rough stuff.

On flat roads, at higher speeds, the long wheelbase gives it good stability and even when the roads begin to twist, the MU-7 behaves quite well. Given its size, there is a prodigious amount of body roll, but it never feels unstable. The hydraulic steering, which is weighty and direct in its feel, also helps here. But the brakes aren't up to the task. They feel soggy and could do with more bite. Its size also makes it a bit of a handful in the city and a turning circle of 12.2-metres means that one has to be careful negotiating tight turns.

Final word

The MU-7 does a lot of things well. Its sheer size will appeal to a lot of SUV buyers and its absorbent ride quality and comfortable seats will win it brownie points from those who prefer the back seat. Of course, there are some trade-offs. It isn't as well equipped as some of its rivals and so far there are only two dealerships in Hyderabad and Coimbatore, which limits its reach. That Isuzu isn't as well known a name doesn't help either. The other downer is its price, which should come down once Isuzu starts manufacturing this car locally.

The MU-7 does a lot of things well. Its sheer size will appeal to a lot of SUV buyers and its absorbent ride quality and comfortable seats will win it brownie points from those who prefer the back seat.