Isuzu Philippines introduced the Boondock special edition of their Mu-X mid-size SUV at their Grand Family Event held at the Filinvest Tent in Alabang last Saturday. The event was organized to commemorate the fifth year of their popular SUV and it brought together members of Team Isuzu Pilipinas, Team Isuzu Car Enthusiasts, and mu-X Owners Philippines car clubs and their 300 Isuzu vehicles. The day’s festivities featured a car show competition, games and prizes, a parts and accessories display, a historic Isuzu vehicles exhibit, and an evening concert.
Isuzu Philippines president Hajime Koso said: “Introduced in 2014, the Isuzu mu-X became an instant hit to Filipino families nationwide, mainly due to its excellent performance, elegant styling and outstanding comfort– factors that are very important for a family vehicle.”
The car show competition at the Isuzu Grand Family Event
A westernization of the Tagalog word bundok, the term boondock dates back to the early 20th century when U.S. military men in the Philippines spoke of putting on their boondockers (field boots) to go hiking in the boondocks (mountains). Originally used to brand an off-roading special edition of the first generation D-Max pickup a decade ago, the Boondock badge returned first on the top-spec D-Max 3.0 LS 4×2 variants last May, then now as a special edition rendering of the Mu-X 3.0 LS-A 4×2 AT.
The new Mu-X 3.0 LS-A 4×2 AT Boondock edition clads sensible rough-roading capability in strong off-road styling. It’s a look and feel that was proven popular, and relevant, on the top-spec Sportivo and XUV variants of Isuzu’s classic and popular but now discontinued Crosswind line.
The special edition Mu-X Boondock features large, knobby and high-walled 265/70 R17 Yokohama G015 all-terrain tires that add 3cm to wheel diameters (compared to stock 255/60 R18 tires) and give the Boondock just about the largest tires among the top mid-size SUVs in the market.
Handling is improved for the heavier balloon tires with monotube nitrogen-filled shock absorbers where the neutral gas allows for higher pressurization, and stronger damping control, without foaming up the hydraulic oil. Also, the raw 20mm height increase caused by the large tires was damped down by the enhanced suspension to just 17mm, raising the Mu-X Boondock from a stock 230 up to its new 247mm ground clearance.
Available in Havana Brown, the Mu-X Boondock has a redesigned front grille complimented with grey front bumper extenders that blend backwards into over fenders joined front to back by a honeycomb-surfaced step board. On top, adding to the Boondock’s utility, is a functioning rails and cross-bars roof-grid, also in grey.
The Mu-X 3.0 LS-A 4×2 AT Boondock is now offered at an introductory price of P1.845M. This price reportedly after a P160k discount that notches it beside the Mu-X 3.0 4×2 LS-A AT Luxe that they debuted in February 2018 with its signature tailgate opener servo.
