2017 Isuzu MU-X vs Ford Endeavour comparison

Heave ho!

The MU-X, with its 177hp, 380Nm, 3.0-litre motor, is clearly outclassed by the Endeavour's 200hp, 470Nm 3.2, and worse still, when you're on the road, the performance feels really strained too. Surprisingly, however, up against our testing equipment, the performance gap is not nearly as wide as it feels. The MU-X is only 1.35sec slower to 100kph, and in rolling or kickdown acceleration, it's about a second slower than the Ford.

From behind the wheel, it's a whole different matter. Both SUVs have quite industrial-sounding, pick-up-truck-sourced engines, but the Isuzu is clearly noisier, most of the time. Ford's fancy noise-cancelling tech might have some part to play here. The Endeavour's motor is a lot more responsive and lets the SUV just leap off the line, whereas you get a lot of hesitation, followed by strain and noise, and then eventually progress from the Isuzu. The gearboxes have a huge part to play here, with the Ford's six-speeder being a lot more clever, and the MU-X's five-speeder almost never finding the right gear for the situation. Things are a lot better when you drive sedately and smoothly, but then, that's the case with the Ford too.

The Isuzu's hydraulic steering feels extremely heavy at parking speeds, making U-turns a challenge, but giving a bit of relief is the surprisingly good turning circle.

The Endeavour doesn't have a good turning circle, but what it does have is electric power steering, and this is an example all ladder-frame SUV makers should follow. It simply takes the bulk away from the car, shrinking it down in city confines, with not much loss in feel at higher speeds. In fact, the Isuzu has a huge dead zone at centre and suffers from a lot of steering shock, neither of which are problems in the Endeavour.

Also, the Ford corners with much better poise thanks to a better calibrated suspension – it feels firm enough to control body movements better, but not enough to corrupt the ride. Combine it with that superb steering and you could almost have a bit of on-tarmac fun with this thing. The MU-X's dynamics feel altogether more utilitarian. It rolls a lot and the steering, though well-weighted, has too much slack to give you confidence. And then there's the ride. You might think, in this sort of tough SUV, just hammering through everything would work fine, but in truth, if you drive the MU-X even slightly quickly over bumps it creates a bouncy ruckus in the cabin. However, if you drive carefully, slowing down for potholes and bad roads, you'll be treated to a seriously plush, pillow-like ride.