What else can you buy at the price of an Isuzu MU-X?

Isuzu has been a silent player in the Indian market for a number of years. They’ve rolled out a few products like the D-Max series for commercial usage, along with the MU-7 SUV and the V-Cross that’s positioned as a lifestyle pick-up. Now the carmaker has just launched the MU-X SUV at a price of Rs 23.99 lakh for the 4x2 A/T, while the 4x4 A/T version has a price tag of Rs 25.99 lakh (all prices henceforth are ex-showroom Delhi). At these prices we have a few others too, so let’s give you the low-down on what your options are.

Let’s first have a look at what the Rs 23.99 lakh price tag of an Isuzu 4x2 A/T can fetch you in our market. And we shall begin with the petrol versions. For this kind of money, Skoda enthusiasts, you could take a look at the petrol Superb that is available for Rs 24.9 lakh in the Style M/T trim. This spacious and punchy sedan packs a 177bhp motor which makes 320Nm of torque. You could also turn your attention to Honda’s long standing CR-V. And in the 2.0-litre 2WD A/T variant, it is priced at Rs 24.4 lakh. Other than the fact that this petrol crossover comes with Honda’s badge of reliability, it is powered by a refined 2.0-litre motor that makes 154bhp and 190Nm of torque.

That pretty much covers the petrol models. Now, what about your options in diesel eh? For the badge conscious, Skoda is back, and this time it is the Octavia in the diesel avatar. The variant that qualifies in this space is the top of the line 2.0 TDI Style Plus A/T which gets all the bells and whistles. For those who prefer the SUV look and want something that’s has been introduced more recently, one could also opt for the diesel iteration of Hyundai’s Tucson. The variant we’re talking about here is the 2WD GL A/T that comes at a sticker price of Rs 23.54 lakh. It belts out all of 182bhp coupled with a healthy 400Nm of torque. The last car that we have here is the SsangYong Rexton, and quite frankly, it is long in the tooth which makes it difficult for us to recommend. Nevertheless, in RX6 M/T form, it offers torque-on-demand with a maximum output of 162bhp and 340Nm of torque, and retails for Rs 23.7 lakh.

This brings us to what the Rs 25.99 lakh Isuzu 4x4 A/T can fetch you. And just for variation-sake, we’ll stack the diesel models here first. Let’s start with Volvo’s V40 which undeniably has the sportiest looks in this list, but could also turn out to be the most impractical of the lot, especially if you’re looking out for some mud plugging capabilities. Nevertheless, this diesel Volvo V40 in its D3 Kinetic version comes to you for Rs 26.54 lakhs. With a 2.0-litre motor under the hood, it is capable of making a reasonable 150bhp of power and 350Nm of torque. Now, we shall move over to some true SUVs. Mitsubishi offers its Pajero Sport with a price tag of Rs 27.6 lakh and for this money, you only get 4x2 capability but it does come equipped with an automatic gearbox. The variant we’re talking about here is the 2.5L A/T 4x2 and the motor is good for 176bhp and 350Nm of torque. 

Then we also have Ford’s mud-plugger, the Endeavour, which is powered by a 2.2-litre motor that makes 158bhp and 385Nm of torque. You could either opt for the 4x2 or 4x4 versions and both come in the Trend trim. The main differentiator here though is that the 4x2 gets an automatic transmission, and the 4x4 comes with a manual gearbox. While the 4x2 costs Rs 26.63 lakhs, the 4x4 manual retails for Rs 26.86 lakhs. Now, let’s look at the Hyundai Tucson which only comes in the 4x2 setup. While the GLS A/T is priced at Rs 25 lakhs, its 2.0-litre diesel engine produces 182bhp and 400Nm of torque. Once again, the SsangYong Rexton shows up on the grid with its RX7 variant that has AWD capability. It gets an automatic gearbox, has an output of 184bhp and 402Nm of torque (higher than the RX6 manual version), and a price tag of Rs 25 lakhs.

This finally brings us to the petrol options and we shall start with the sedan body style first. Skoda’s Superb is available for Rs 26.65 lakh in the Style trim and it also happens to get an automatic transmission. Under the hood is a power-plant that makes 177bhp and 250Nm of torque which makes the Superb drive quite spiritedly. If you thought those power figures weren’t attractive, take a look at the Toyota Fortuner petrol variant that makes 164bhp and 245Nm of torque. Not to mention that it needs to lug all that extra weight too. But the Fortuner sure feels more spacious on the whole. You can get the 2.7-litre 4x2 M/T version for Rs 26.66 lakhs. We finally have the refined Honda CR-V with its 4WD capability and a 2.4-litre petrol motor that displaces 187bhp and 226Nm of torque. The variant in question is the 2.4L 4WD and retails for Rs 26.79 lakh. With this comparison, I’m sure you now have a clear idea of where the Isuzu MU-X stands with its pricing, and what are your options for the same amount of money.