GWM Tank 500 vs Isuzu MU-X

It depends on your budget. The MU-X is the cheaper car to buy and own, opening at $49,900 before on-road costs, thousands below the Tank 500's roughly $66,490 entry, and its diesel uses noticeably less fuel than the hybrid. Nothing in the Tank 500 range goes as low. But at around $66,000 to $74,000, the Tank 500 hands you far more power, heated seats, bigger screens and a fresher safety rating than a similarly priced MU-X. So the MU-X wins on the lowest price and running costs, while the Tank 500 wins on features and grunt for the money once you are spending in the mid-$60,000s. Note the MU-X price is before on-road costs.

The Tank 500 wins power decisively. Its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol hybrid makes a combined 255kW and 648Nm, and the plug-in Ultra lifts that to 342kW, where the MU-X's turbo-diesel makes 120kW in 1.9-litre form or 140kW and 450Nm as the 3.0-litre. That is more than double the outputs, and the Tank 500 pulls much harder for it. The MU-X's diesel answers with low-down torque suited to towing and touring, and it does the job on far less fuel. But for outright power and pace, the Tank 500 is well clear of the Isuzu, and the plug-in Ultra widens the gap further.

Both hold five-star ANCAP ratings, so neither is a weak link, but they get there differently. The Tank 500's rating is the newer, tested in 2024, and it scores higher for child occupant protection at 93 per cent to the MU-X's 85, and for vulnerable road users at 81 to 69. The MU-X's rating dates to 2022 but it carries eight airbags to the Tank 500's six, and edges the adult occupant score. Both run autonomous emergency braking and the expected driver aids as standard. So the Tank 500 has the fresher, higher-scoring result on most pillars, while the MU-X counters with more airbags.

The MU-X is the cheaper to run despite the Tank 500 being a hybrid. Its turbo-diesel claims 6.7L/100km against the Tank 500's 8.4, a meaningful saving over a big annual mileage, and being 700kg lighter it is easier on tyres and brakes. The plug-in Ultra Tank 500 can cut fuel use on short trips if you charge it, but the standard hybrid drinks more than the diesel. The Tank 500 answers with a longer seven-year warranty to the MU-X's six, which offsets some ownership cost. On fuel, though, the diesel MU-X is clearly the cheaper of the two to feed.

The MU-X is the stronger tow vehicle. It is rated to tow 3500kg braked to the Tank 500's 3000kg, the full large-4WD benchmark, and its diesel torque is well suited to pulling heavy loads over distance on modest fuel. The Tank 500's petrol-hybrid makes more peak power but its 3000kg limit rules out the heaviest vans, and it is the thirstier tow car. Both will handle a typical camper or boat, but for a big caravan and long-distance towing, the MU-X's higher rating and diesel economy make it the better tool, and it does the job on noticeably less fuel.

Both seat seven and both make sensible family cars, so it comes down to priorities. The Tank 500 brings more standard equipment, with heated seats and bigger screens. The MU-X answers with the roomier boot in every configuration, 311 litres behind the third row to the Tank 500's 98 and 2,138 folded flat to its 1,459, plus eight airbags to the Tank 500's six, a lower price and cheaper running costs. Note the plug-in Ultra Tank 500 drops to five seats, its battery taking the third row. For families the Tank 500 is the better-equipped choice; the MU-X the cheaper, more frugal one.

The MU-X is the safer ownership bet on track record. Isuzu has a strong reputation in Australia for hard-wearing diesel utes and SUVs, with reliable resale, where the Tank 500 is a new nameplate from a brand still building its local history and used-value data. The Tank 500 counters with a longer seven-year warranty to the MU-X's six, which cushions some early-adopter risk, and GWM's ownership offering is improving. But for proven reliability and predictable resale, the established MU-X is the lower-risk choice, while the Tank 500 is the bet on more car now for an unknown ownership future.

It comes down to what you want from a value seven-seater. Take the MU-X if you want the lowest price, the diesel efficiency, the 3500kg towing and the proven reliability, and you can accept less power and a plainer cabin. Take the Tank 500 if you want far more power, a loaded cabin with heated seats and big screens, the fresher 2024 safety rating and the seven-year warranty, and the higher running costs and unproven badge do not put you off. One is the proven, frugal diesel; the other the powerful, feature-packed newcomer. Match it to whether efficiency or equipment leads your list.