Just weeks after Wheels Magazine awarded the Isuzu D-MAX Australia's 'Best Value 4X4 Ute' title, the Australian automotive publication crowned the Isuzu MU-X the winner of its 'Best Value 4X4 SUV' award, as part of the inaugural Wheels 'Best Large SUV' awards.
In recent years, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have grown to become the top selling vehicle type in Australia and, in 2023, accounted for more than half (58.3 per cent) of all new vehicles sold. With more than 150 different SUV nameplates from close to 50 manufacturers to choose from, consumers are spending more time than ever before researching their next vehicle purchase; weighing up suitability, versatility, and affordability before signing on the dotted line.
Guiding readers and new SUV buyers through the myriad of options in showrooms, Wheels' Best Value awards plays a pivotal role in sifting the best from the rest. As part of the Wheels 'Best Value 4X4 SUV' awards, judges evaluated eight large off-road (4X4) SUVs on sale and critiqued each contender against a set of market-relevant criteria to aid consumers in making informed purchasing decisions.
Giving potential owners a holistic indication of true ownership costs, Wheels went beyond the sticker price, analysing real-world costs such as insurance premiums, servicing costs, fuel bills and depreciation to determine which of the eight Large 4X4 SUVs on test would be the best value to own and operate over a three-year period.
The Isuzu MU-X LS-M emerged on top by a considerable margin.
Presenting the win to the Isuzu MU-X, Wheels Editor Andy Enright said: "The Isuzu MU-X beat everything else out of sight."
"We crunched the numbers on insurance premiums, fuel bills, cost of servicing, and depreciation, and the results were pretty conclusive; the Isuzu MU-X represents the best value over a three-year ownership period."
"The clincher, its resale value, was by far the best in class, and that's because Aussies know this vehicle and trust it to last."
Benchmarking resale values (residual values) published by Redbook—and determined that depreciation was the largest real-world ownership cost—Wheels highlighted that the MU-X had the best resale value out of all eight nameplates on test, outperforming the competition by up to $9,924 over three years. Insurance premiums were another component where there MU-X took top marks, ranking as the most affordable to insure.
Reflecting on the MU-X winning Wheels' Best Value 4X4 SUV award, Isuzu UTE Australia Managing Director Junta Matsui said: "This comparison is incredibly relevant to the here and now; with many Australian families under financial pressure from cost-of-living increases, ensuring that their hard-earned money is spent wisely on the right four-wheel investment is more important than ever before."
"With many families choosing 4X4 utes and SUVs for their unmatched versatility, capability and towing prowess, it's clear that after winning their respective 'Best Value 4X4' awards, both the Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X are the pick of the bunch."
To read about the full 'Best Value 4X4 SUV' comparison, visit Wheels' website: https://www.whichcar.com.au/suv/best-large-suvs/best-value-off-road-large-suv
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About Isuzu UTE
Based in Brisbane, Queensland, Isuzu UTE Australia was founded in 2008, introducing the award-winning Isuzu D-MAX to the Australian market. In 2013, we expanded our product range to include the versatile Isuzu MU-X 7-seat SUV. Despite our relatively recent arrival in Australia, our global network boasts strong foundations.?
A subsidiary of Japan's largest trading and investment company, Mitsubishi Corporation, with which Isuzu Motors Limited (Japan) maintains extensive business collaborations. Isuzu Motors, with a rich history dating back to 1916, now stands as one of the world's largest manufacturers of trucks and diesel engines. The company's product portfolio encompasses heavy, medium, and light-duty trucks, buses, passenger vehicles, and industrial-use diesel engines, placing Isuzu Motors at the forefront of vehicle chassis and diesel engine technology.?
At Isuzu UTE Australia, we specialise in utes and SUVs; two of the largest segments in Australia. Our award-winning Isuzu D-MAX ute and MU-X 7-seat SUV are available in either 4x4 or 4x2, offering motorists choice and capability to match the terrain and conditions. Both the D-MAX and MU-X are powered by Isuzu's fuel-efficient, 3.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, generating 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque. Additionally, we've introduced the frugal 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine to our D-MAX line-up, providing more options to our customers.?
Our resources and automotive expertise are extensive, reflecting in the exceptional quality of our products and the level of service we provide. With a network of over 160 authorised Isuzu UTE outlets across every state and territory in Australia, we take pride in delivering the highest level of service and support nationwide.?