About Isuzu MU-7
Isuzu made a seven-seat SUV for the Asian market based on the same platform as the D-Max/Rodeo lineup launched in 2002 and produced in Thailand.
Using the same underpinnings to create SUVs and pickups was one of the strategies used by many automakers such as Ford, GM, or Chrysler. Furthermore, Mitsubishi and Toyota followed the same recipe and were successful. As a result, Isuzu took the same path and used the chassis from the D-Max/Rodeo to create the MU-7. Thanks to this approach, the automaker could use most of the parts used for the utility vehicle when it created the passenger one. That solution lowered manufacturing costs and increased profitability, which wasn’t that great for the Japanese automaker partly owned by GM.
At the front, the 2004 Isuzu MU-7 had the same angular-shaped vertical headlights as the ones installed on the D-Max/Rodeo, which made the vehicle look taller. They flanked a chromed grille where the brand’s badge took center stage. Lower, the bumper was slightly different, sporting a silver-finished lower air intake. Customers could option the car with a pair of fog lamps integrated into round clusters featuring silver trims.
From its profile, the enlarged front and rear wheel arches followed the same design language as those from the D-Max/Rodeo, and a set of side steps was available. To make the 2004 Isuzu MU-7 look upscale, the automaker added chromed details on the door mirror caps and handles. In addition, a shiny horizontal slat decorated the lower side of the doors. Unlike its utilitarian stablemate, the seven-seat SUV had new rear doors that reached the rear wheel arches. Behind the rear seats, the tilted-forward C-posts marked the border between the main cabin and the trunk area. At the back, the automaker installed a tailgate adorned by a roof spoiler on its upper side. Unlike the D-Max, the MU-7 had large triangular LED taillights instead of the small rectangular ones from its pickup brother.
Inside, the dashboard’s industrial design resembled the one installed in the D-Max, albeit finished with higher-quality materials and trims. Customers could get the 2004 Isuzu MU-7 with wood grains on the center stack that housed the touchscreen infotainment system and the HVAC control panel. The round vents were unique to this seven-seat SUV. The large dial of the speedometer took center stage in the rounded-shaped instrument cluster and was flanked by the tachometer on the left and by the fuel level and temperature gauges on the right. In addition, an LCD showed the odometer. Isuzu offered the vehicle leather seating for all seven places. The 60/40 split-folding second row of seats provided room for three adults and access to the rearmost seats that were placed in the trunk area.
Under the hood, Isuzu installed a three-liter inline-four turbodiesel powerhouse paired with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual gearbox. The part-time 4WD system could be engaged via a button installed on the dashboard, featuring shift-on-the-fly, that allowed customers to quickly switch between 2WD and 4WD without stopping. However, the MU-7 had to be stopped when engaging the low-gear ratio.