Report: Joshua David Luther; Photography: Mohd. Nasir
If you close your eyes and imagine a lion with a pink ribbon around its neck, clipped claws, and a trimmed mane it would look nothing more than an oversized pussycat. Most of the offerings in the luxury SUV segment are like the oversized pussycat you just imagined. It would be pointless to own an SUV which you are afraid of taking off-road. The SUVs today have back massagers, GPS navigation, multi-media entertainment and other features which are found on high-end saloons. The whole point of an SUV is defeated if it is not capable of going off-road and that is exactly what is happening in today’s market. If your SUV gives you a sense of confidence when you are on the road less travelled, then it is worthy of that tag. You don’t call it an SUV just because it can seat 7 people. When I took the MU-7 for an off-road test it just reminded me of how much fun you could have behind the wheel of a real SUV. For those five hours I forgot I was working, I forgot what office looked like, I forgot about the burdens of life and simply lost my senses to the explorer in me. I felt like I was on a jungle safari minus the annoying tour guides and drivers, this was the real deal.
Yes, Isuzu entered late into the market but I have fallen in love with their MU-7 because of the freedom it gave me. We took the MU-7 through a jungle on the outskirts of Delhi. Now if this was any other vehicle I would be sweating like a fat man sprinting through the Sahara desert. The terrain was unforgiving and the slightest mistake would mean being stuck in the middle of a jungle with no help whatsoever. Lucky for me I was behind the wheel of an MU-7 because this monster is practically unstoppable. The MU-7 has a ground clearance of 210mm which is oh so handy when you have rocks to climb over. In terms of length the MU-7 sits right under the 5 metre mark and the cabin space rivals that of a yacht. When you pop the hood you will find Hercules sitting there.
Well I’ve taken to calling the 2999cc 4-cylinder Intercooled VGS Turbo Diesel as Isuzu’s Hercules. The engine produces 161bhp @ 3600rpm and churns out a blistering 360Nm of torque @ 1800-2800rpm. The MU-7 has the biggest engine amongst its competitors and produces the highest level of torque in its category. The vehicle sits on an independent double wishbone suspension in the front and a rigid leaf spring with gas-sealed, twin tube shocks in the rear. When you are off-road in this SUV you will get thrown around quite a bit but that comes with the territory. The suspension really complements the drive and handling of the MU-7. Bumps and potholes on city roads are virtually non-existent thanks to the well engineered shock absorbers. Even at speeds exceeding 80kmph on dirt tracks the vehicle holds its own. The MU-7 has wide 245/ 70 R16 tyres which provide some phenomenal grip and traction while giving the SUV a very imposing stance. It is quite clear from the room provided under the flared wheel arches that this SUV has been designed and engineered keeping off-road conditions in mind. The MU-7 has a turning radius of 6.2 meters which is slightly more than some of the other contestants in this segment. Another delight on the vehicle is the hydraulic power assisted steering. As most of the industry is moving towards electric power steering its predecessor the hydraulic power steering system has seen some decades of innovation and change. The advantage a hydraulic power steering has over the electric counterpart is feedback. It is quite essential especially while off-roading that the driver has a constant line of communication with the vehicle and that is where the hydraulic power steer beats the electric version. This feedback is essential for gauging maneuvers and resistance from the terrain. The down side is that the steering becomes partially heavier but if you are an off-road enthusiast this is the way to go.
The interiors resemble business class travel in an airplane with leather upholstery, chrome trims and wooden finish. The MU-7 has a dual air conditioning unit with the second and third rows getting ceiling vents which can be controlled from the second row. The SUV gets ample of storage space for luggage and an easy to fold third row. The SUV has some smartly tucked cubby holes like a sunglasses holder on the roof above the centre console, a card holder on the centre console, cup holders in the front centre console, a coin holder on the centre floor panel among other smartly packaged cubby holes and bottle holders. The backlit instrument cluster has an odometer and a dual trip meter apart from instant and average fuel consumption. The infotainment system is a 7” touch screen DVD player by Kenwood. It has functions like Bluetooth streaming, AUX and USB. The audio system also works as the screen for the rear view camera but I feel the display can be improved in terms of ergonomics and visibility. In the second row you have a roof mounted 9” LCD screen with a remote control and game joystick for entertainment on the go. It is USB and SD card enabled with AV in options. The MU-7 has been packed with some really handy features as well as the capability to conquer the worst of terrains. The price on the BS-IV version of the MU-7 is Rs. 21.95 (ex-showroom Delhi) and it’s not a bargain it’s a steal.
Isuzu MU-7 4X2 SPECIFICATIONS
Engine
Transmission
Max Power
Max Torque
Fuel Efficiency
2999cc, 4 cylinder, Intercooled VGS Turbo Diesel
5-speed
Manual RWD 4X2
161bhp @3600rpm
360Nm@1800-2800rpm
12.08 kmpl
Suspension Front/Rear
Brakes Front/ Rear
Fuel tank capacity
Tyres: Front/ Rear
Price
Independent double wishbone with torsion bar springs / Leaf spring suspension with gas-sealed twin tube shock absorbers
Disc/ Drum
76 litres
245/70 R16, Radial Tubeless
Rs 21.95 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
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