Quote:
Originally Posted by binum Dislikes:
-Outdated Infotainment
-A/C was weak
-Dashboard looked plain and plastics didn't feel premium
-Worried about the sales and service, just one in whole of Karnataka |
I spent time with the 4x4 variant yesterday in the showroom and had a nice test drive with it today here in Hyderabad. I felt the infotainment is excellent! I don't see any shortfalls. It has enough steering mounted controls and connectivity options, USB, Bluetooth with phone sync etc. The screen is very responsive and the audio quality was really really good when I played through my paired iPhone. The car lacks navigation which was a bit annoying, but apart from that it's pretty good I feel.
The car isn't overpriced! For the quality of interiors, suspension, comfort, engine, the Isuzu experience of diesel and SUV's, this car is fantastic at under 30L. The Hexa, which I test drove yesterday is priced so low but it still is selling about 1/6th to 1/7th of the Innova's sales. Even if the car is priced at 20L, we Indians will not buy it. Why, you ask? Because that age old myth of "Maruti's are easiest to maintain" and "any mechanic can fix a maruti" still holds good here. There are sentiments which are more rumor driven than technically informed. If someone knows about Isuzu, the Japanese build quality and work ethic, or simply spends a little time with the vehicle, they will understand it's value and buy it.
I think I'm going to book this 4x4 over the Hexa XTA (the top automatic) simply because the Isuzu felt GREAT.
The endeavor automatic and fortuner automatic are closer to 40 lakhs on road so that's a completely different price bracket. This car feels just as imposing, muscular, strong, and powerful on the road as the fortuner. The great part is, Isuzu has pumped in infrastructure into India in manufacturing and service and it's a great company to go for. The car won't be seen dime a dozen like Fortuners or Innovas on the road but will be a niche target audience of people who appreciate good engineering and peace of mind rather than little electronic buttons that change the mood lighting in the car or rain sensing wipers. Be practical is what I say, and the Isuzu MU-X reeks of practicality. The company will give greater attention to a smaller clientele.
All three rows of seats are comfy for sure. The plastics and stitching and the entire way the thing is put together is top notch with no inconsistent panel gaps anywhere (which I found in the much cheaper Hexa). The grunt of the engine is so captivating and powerful on the road but peaceful at highway speeds and well insulated inside. The AC was pretty damn cold even at 23 degrees (but it's monsoon now, so will have to see again in summer for effectiveness). The roof AC's at the back were very effective and the amount of space in the car is endless.
The service intervals are at 20,000 km and the company has informed me that paid services don't cost more than 8 to 10k. That's value for money AND practical.
The car flew to 100 kmph quite effortlessly on an open stretch and the grunt of power is very accessible across the bands. The steering felt slightly heavy but I'd prefer good feedback with such a heavy car as compared to a very light steering. Will probably book this tomorrow or day after over the Hexa, though I'm extremely fond of the Hexa as well. It's just sad that Tata is seeing such poor sales with the Hexa because the people judge them based on the Indica, the Aria, and the Safari.
Watch this well articulated review. It's the same spec MU-X as what we get but without some of the infotainment options like navigation. Read the comments in that review as well to understand what people see in an Isuzu over a feature rich SUV.