New Isuzu MU-X 2020 to get one more update? Onyx edition revealed overseas with new look, extra features

Isuzu has released an update to its popular MU-X off-road seven-seat SUV in its home-market of Thailand.

The new variant is dubbed the Onyx and has overhauled exterior styling as well as a tweaked interior treatment.

From the outside, the Onyx edition has a new front and rear bumper, overhauled piano-black grille treatment, and matching pumped piano-black wheelarch guards.

The Onyx shares the same wheels as the current Australian-market top-spec MU-X LS-T, and on the inside has matching piano black interior trim pieces to overhaul the dashboard.

The interior receives a piano-black trim overhaul, with new seats.

There’s still no up-to-date active safety features, but the Onyx adds an auto-dimming rear vision mirror with built-in forward facing dash camera, auto-dimming LED headlights, an ambient interior lighting package, and “cool max cushion” seats said to improve airflow around passengers.

The Onyx edition could preview one last facelift before the new-generation MU-X, based on the upcoming D-Max ute, is inevitably revealed.

Isuzu Ute Australia’s representatives said they were aware of the Thai-spec variant, but there was no indication for now that it was headed for Australian shores. However, they also wouldn’t rule out the possibility of further editions before the arrival of the next-generation SUV.

Built-in dash cams are yet to make an impact on the Australian market.

The new D-Max ute has been entirely overhauled to match its main competitors like-for-like in terms of specification, and is targeting a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating across the entire range.

While there are rumors that the next-gen D-Max could be arriving sooner than 2021, the introduction of more sensors and features to meet stringent ANCAP requirements introduced in 2019 are understood by CarsGuide to be responsible for the delay.

While the D-Max was revealed months ago and is even on sale in Thailand, there is no word on its new-generation MU-X companion for now. CarsGuide understands the arrival of the new SUV could be as far out as 2021.

The current MU-X range recently received a mild price-hike for the 2020 model year.