18 June 2024 by Byron Mathioudakis
Everybody knows the bestselling vehicles in Australia are utes. It’s been like that since the middle of last decade when the Toyota HiLux and more latterly, the Ford Ranger steamrolled their way to the top of the pops. But did you know in the UK in 2021 and 2022 the number-one vehicle was the...Read more
28 May 2024 by Mark Oastler
Platform-sharing to amortise vehicle development and production costs is common in the automotive industry, from the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX-5/Fiat 124 Spider and Toyota Supra/BMW Z4 sports car pairings to light-commercial vehicle tie-ups like the Ford Ranger/Mazda BT-50, Renault Trafic/...Read more
23 May 2024 by Mark Oastler
The Mitsubishi Triton has been a solid seller in Australia since the first generation L200 was launched in the late 1970s. The Triton has since evolved through five generations and achieved global sales of 5.6 million units. Although sold in 150 countries, Australia remains one of its most...Read more
14 May 2024 by Mark Oastler
The rough stuff The GWM Ute Cannon XSR is aimed at buyers wanting a more hardcore off-road specification than other models in the range, as can be seen by the generous terrain-taming standard equipment that’s unique to this model. That includes sturdy steel bumpers front and rear, extra underbody...Read more
1 May 2024 by Andrew Chesterton
For some strange reason, the Isuzu D-Max isn't often mentioned on the list of Australia's most popular vehicles. You hear all about the Ford Ranger and the Toyota HiLux , of course. And you hear about the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid , the Tesla Model Y and a handful of others, too. But let's give the D-Max...Read more
3 April 2024 by Mark Oastler
The XSR may not be a class-leader in payloads or tow ratings, yet it still offers a set of numbers that for many owners (including hard-working tradies, of course) are more than adequate for many load-carrying and towing tasks. With its 2220kg kerb weight, the off-road-armoured XSR is not...Read more
22 March 2024 by Mark Oastler
The iconic 70 Series LandCruiser was introduced in 1985 and, during almost four decades of continuous production, has been the vehicle of choice for the farming, mining and agricultural sectors as well as a favourite of off-road enthusiasts. During that long evolution, Toyota has been careful not...Read more
14 March 2024 by David Morley
Maybe you've seen the TV and magazine adverts suggesting that only an American-made, full-size pick-up is the real deal, and that the rest of the dual-cab ute offerings are mere toys. Well, maybe this is the vehicle that makes even those other US pick-ups look a bit, um, underdone; a bit light on,...Read more
11 March 2024 by Mark Oastler
Value for money Australia’s 4x4 dual cab ute market is arguably the most diverse and competitive in the world, with a dozen rivals competing for buyers in the up-to- 3.5-tonne towing division, plus another three (soon to be four) in the full-size US pick-up class with its 4.5-tonne tow ratings. As...Read more
1 March 2024 by Andrew Chesterton
Mitsubishi reckons the Triton deserves to be the third best-selling ute in the Australian market. In fact, it thinks it deserves to be challenging the Ranger and HiLux for out-and-out dual-cab supremacy, but how about we start with third place and see where we go from there, hey? Third place, of...Read more
26 February 2024 by Mark Oastler
A foreign visitor could be excused for thinking Australia was on its way to becoming the 51st state of the USA, judging by our national carpark. Not only have Aussies adopted one-tonne dual-cab utes like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in ever-increasing numbers, but full-size American pick-ups,...Read more
9 February 2024 by Mark Oastler
Numerous commercial van manufacturers are adding battery-electric vehicle (BEV) variants to their model line-ups. Anecdotal evidence suggests these vehicles are best suited to city and suburban fleet duties, in which they cover short-loop daily driving distances that are comfortably within a...Read more
15 January 2024 by Mark Oastler
The 4x2 segment of Australia’s light commercial vehicle market is where you’ll find utes primarily designed for hard yakka. These base-model workhorses come in a variety of body types including single cab, extra cab, dual cab, ute or cab chassis. Buyers are typically government and commercial...Read more
15 December 2023 by Mark Oastler
If Oscar Wilde was correct in claiming that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Ford should be blushing. Its audacious decision to create the Ranger Raptor, an extreme performance version of the local hero, with unique body, chassis, suspension and engine enhancements inspired by...Read more
5 December 2023 by Mark Oastler
Towing with the D-Max SX 1.9 4x2 Given its robust performance during last month's GVM test, with more than one tonne of payload, we were keen to see if our D-Max was equally proficient with a trailer in tow during our third and final month of ownership. Towing is an essential requirement for any...Read more
1 November 2023 by Mark Oastler
Ford has identified a gap in its local line-up it needed to fill, by offering a more off-road-focused version of the Ranger Wildtrak called the Wildtrak X. This model name was used in the original T6 Ranger generation so it's been dusted off for a second run. The X is designed for customers who...Read more
26 October 2023 by Mark Oastler
Our 4x2 D-Max dual cab-chassis, with 1.9-litre turbo-diesel, has a payload rating that’s 80kg higher than its 3.0-litre equivalent. That may seem illogical, given that the 3.0-litre engine has 30kW more power and 100Nm more torque. However, it all comes down to tare weights, or what these vehicles...Read more
13 October 2023 by Mark Oastler
In 2023 Peugeot commands around 50 per cent of sales in Australia’s small (under 2.5-tonne GVM) commercial van segment with its Partner range, which offers a choice of wheelbase lengths and model grades. The French marque has recently introduced its first fully electric variant to the Australian...Read more
10 October 2023 by David Morley
Economists must be wide-eyed watching the American-made, full-sized pick-up market in Australia. Against a backdrop of the highest interest rates we’ve seen for years, a pitiful exchange rate with the US-dollar, the most expensive fuel prices we’ve ever seen, the environment claiming a front seat...Read more
27 September 2023 by Mark Oastler
For many tradies a one tonne cab-chassis ute will do the job. However, if you need much greater load space and much higher GVM and GCM ratings, the obvious solution is to upgrade to a cab-chassis that competes in the Light Duty (3501-8000kg GVM) segment of the Heavy Commercial vehicle market. One...Read more