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 determining 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 the 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 .
For more information on our award-winning SUV, discover the Isuzu MU-X here.
For information on our award-winning ute, discover the Isuzu D-MAX here.