Adventure Reviews

GWM will soon finally offer a diesel powertrain in its Tank 500 SUV in Australia, more than two years after it originally launched.Diesel engines are still preferred by buyers of these large, body-on-frame SUVs in Australia. It’s with this in mind that GWM is aiming squarely at the top-selling Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and Toyota Prado with this new version of the Tank 500.Ahead of the launch in September, CarsGuide had the opportunity to test a pre-production version of the Tank 500 with the new 3.0-litre diesel at a private proving ground.This new 3.0-litre diesel produces 170kW and 620Nm, which is astounding for a four-cylinder engine. It produces more torque than the Everest’s V6 turbo-diesel, while power is only slightly down.This is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a part-time four-wheel drive system. GWM unfortunately hasn’t packaged a full-time four-wheel drive system – which allows for all-wheel grip on sealed surfaces and was fitted to all versions of the Tank 500 to date – but claims this was done to reduce weight and fuel consumption.Despite the healthy power and torque figures, the claimed fuel consumption isn’t as high as you’d expect. GWM claims it consumes 7.1L/100km, beating the Everest V6 (8.5L/100km), MU-X 3.0-litre (7.6L/100km) and Prado (7.6L/100km).The entry-level Lux version has a 78L fuel tank and this allows for a theoretical total range of 1098km. The top-spec Vanta version, on the other hand, adds a 53L long-range tank for total fuel capacity of 131L, allowing for a theoretical total range of 1845km.The latter is a game-changer for those who tackle long distances in the outback if the claim is reflective of real-world fuel consumption.The Tank 500 Vanta 3.0-litre diesel's larger fuel tank makes it heavier. It has a hefty kerb weight of 2705kg, which is 70kg more than the Tank 500 Lux 3.0-litre diesel with the standard fuel tank and almost 200kg more than the Everest Platinum.This extra weight eats into the payload. The Lux version offers 760kg while the Vanta version offers 690kg. All Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel variants house seven seats and this amount of payload may mean you need to choose whether you load up passengers or cargo.It’s worth noting the Tank 500 Ultra PHEV has a payload of 610kg, despite having only five seats.Thankfully, all versions of the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel retain a 3500kg braked trailer towing capacity. There are also locking front and rear differentials.One of the things you notice when taking off in the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel is the lack of lag. The initial throttle response is snappier and more linear than hybrid and PHEV versions of this car, which at points could feel like nothing and then everything happened from standstill.This added refinement is even more prominent on the move as there’s so much oomph available. Peak torque, which again is a healthy 620Nm, is available from 1400-2400rpm and this allows the transmission to switch up gears quickly, keeping the revs low.Rolling acceleration is great and if required the transmission will happily dive back through the gears. On many occasions, though, only a small increase in throttle application is needed to get things moving quicker, even at higher speeds.As expected, there is a plethora of drive modes to select from, but there is now a ‘Towing’ mode that alters the engine and transmission calibrations. Annoyingly, it cannot be selected using the rotary dial on the centre console and requires you to dig into sub-menus on the touchscreen.An element of the driving experience that stands out is how refined the engine is, even when pushed harder. The noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) inside the cabin is subdued, arguably even more so than the related Cannon Alpha.Although we drove a pre-production vehicle on proving ground roads, the new local suspension and steering tune feels a lot more controlled, balanced and direct than previous versions of this SUV. GWM hasn’t fully detailed pricing and specifications for the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel line-up yet. However, two variants will be offered: an entry-level Lux and a blacked-out Vanta.The Chinese carmaker said the line-up will start from mid-$60K, drive-away. For reference, the Ultra PHEV, which is the only other variant offered locally now, is priced from $79,990, drive-away.This pricing undercuts its key rivals by a considerable margin. They are priced as follows:Ford Everest Platinum: $82,917, before on-road costsIsuzu MU-X X-Terrain: $77,100, before on-road costsToyota Prado Kakadu: $100,620, before on-road costsIt’s worth noting GWM uses drive-away pricing, rather than before on-road costs. This makes the relative pricing of the aforementioned rivals even higher.Although full specifications haven’t been announced yet, available features include the following:Continental tyres (NEW, Vanta only)Panoramic sunroof12.3-inch digital instrument cluster14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system50W wireless phone chargerBuilt-in trailer brake controller (NEW)Heated steering wheelNappa leather-accented upholsteryMassaging front seatsFront and rear diff locksGWM hasn’t detailed the standard safety suite in the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel yet, but it’s expected to mirror the Ultra PHEV.A number of the active safety systems, including the adaptive cruise control, have been tweaked thanks to local tuning. The surround-view camera system has also been adjusted to better suit towing.Hybrid and PHEV versions of the Tank 500 currently have a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024.All GWM vehicles are currently covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km and the capped-price servicing details haven’t been announced yet.GWM currently has 124 dealers in Australia and they’re spread across urban, regional and rural areas.

GWM is soon rolling out its new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to its Cannon Alpha dual-cab ute and Tank 500 SUV in Australia. In fact, Australia is leading the roll-out of this new, larger diesel engine.Ahead of the launch in September, CarsGuide had the opportunity to test these vehicles in pre-production guise on a private proving ground. This time around we’ll specifically be focusing on the Cannon Alpha.The Chinese carmaker claims it is gunning for the top-selling Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max with the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel.Replacing the outgoing 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, the larger and all-new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces 170kW and 620Nm, which is astounding for a four-cylinder engine. It produces more torque than the Ranger’s V6 turbo-diesel, while power is only slightly down.This is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a part-time four-wheel drive system. It’s unfortunate GWM hasn’t been able to package a full-time four-wheel drive system which allows for all-wheel grip on sealed surfaces, like it had in all versions of the Cannon Alpha to date, but it claims it did so to reduce weight and fuel consumption.Even though this 3.0-litre diesel engine produces more power and torque than the outgoing 2.4-litre unit, it’s claimed to consume less fuel.GWM claims the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel consumes an average of 7.3L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 testing. For context, the same ute with the 2.4-litre diesel was claimed to consume 8.9L/100km.This claimed fuel consumption figure is better than all its main competitors, including the Ranger V6 (8.4L/100km), HiLux 48V V-Active Technology (7.6L/100km) and the D-Max 3.0-litre (7.8L/100km).There is a 78L fuel tank and this allows for a theoretical total range of 1068km. Surprisingly AdBlue isn’t required, unlike a growing number of the Cannon Alpha’s rivals.One of the first things you notice when taking off in the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel is the lack of lag. The initial throttle response is a lot snappier and linear than GWM vehicles with the 2.4-litre diesel, which at points could feel like a slingshot from standstill.This added refinement is even more prominent on the move as there’s so much oomph available. Peak torque, which again is a healthy 620Nm, is available at 1400-2400rpm and this allows the transmission to switch up gears quickly, keeping the revs low.Rolling acceleration is great and if required the transmission will happily dive back through the gears. On many occasions though only a small increase of throttle application is needed to get things moving quicker, even at higher speeds.As expected there is a plethora of drive modes to select from, but there is now a ‘Towing’ mode that alters the engine and transmission calibrations. Annoyingly it cannot be selected using the rotary dial on the centre console and requires you to dig into sub-menus on the touchscreen.An element of the driving experience that surprised me is how refined the engine is, even when pushed harder. The noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) inside the cabin is subdued, further cementing the premium feel the Cannon Alpha has become known for.Although we drove a pre-production vehicle on proving ground roads, the new local suspension and steering tune feels a lot more controlled and balanced than previous versions of this ute. It’s helped by the fact this ute has a long 3350mm wheelbase, though the 19-degree breakover angle is still a limiting factor if you plan to go hardcore off-roading without suspension mods.GWM hasn’t fully detailed pricing and specifications for the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel line-up yet. However, two variants will be offered: an entry-level Lux and a blacked-out Vanta.The Chinese carmaker said the line-up will start under $60,000, drive-away. For reference, the Lux PHEV is $57,490, D/A and the Ultra PHEV is $64,490, D/A.This pricing undercuts its key rivals by a considerable margin. They are priced as follows:Ford Ranger Platinum: $80,890, before on-road costsIsuzu D-Max Blade: $80,900, before on-road costsToyota HiLux Rogue: $71,990, before on-road costsIt’s worth noting GWM uses drive-away pricing, rather than before on-road costs. This makes the pricing of the aforementioned rivals even higher.Although full specifications haven’t been announced yet, available features include the following:Continental tyres (NEW, Vanta only)Panoramic sunroof12.3-inch digital instrument cluster14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system50W wireless phone chargerBuilt-in trailer brake controller (NEW)Massaging front seatsReclining second-row seatsFront and rear diff locksThere is still a 3500kg braked towing capacity, while payload has been increased to 945kg. It was previously up to 821kg, depending on the trim level.GWM hasn’t detailed the standard safety suite in the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel, but it’s expected to mirror the PHEV variants.All versions also currently have a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024.All GWM vehicles are currently covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km and the capped-price servicing details haven’t been announced yet.GWM currently has 124 dealers in Australia and they are spread across urban, regional and rural areas. Every state and territory has coverage.

The Ineos Grenadier range has undergone some substantial changes. The steering has been tweaked and the driver-assist tech upgraded as has the air-con system. This body-on-frame 4WD has live axles, a dual-range transfer case and a stack of other features aimed at turning any driver into an off-road expert. The Grenadier in Trialmaster spec even has front, centre and rear diff locks.

Ford's new base-spec Everest Active has replaced the Ambiente and Trend variants. The Active has a newly offered 2.0-litre four-cylinder single-turbo diesel engine, which produces less power and torque than the twin-turbo engine it replaces, but has been promised to improve fuel economy. So, has the new engine made the Everest any better or worse on- and off-road?

The Ford F-150 Platinum is the new top-grade variant in the company’s F Series truck range. This full-sized dual-cab ute has a refreshed exterior, a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, and 4500kg towing capacity and is taking on the likes of the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and Toyota Tundra.  But at $164,000 (excluding on-road costs) does this big rig justify its price-tag?

Want to know a secret? It's possible to buy a big US-style ute without spending big US-style ute cash. The 2026 Foton Tunland is under six metres long and costs under $50,000. The top-grade Tunland has a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, a 48V mild-hybrid system, front and rear diff locks and a stack of standard features. But is this budget-friendly workhorse too good to be true?

The Triton Raider is now the most expensive version of Mitsubishi’s popular ute range, featuring an array of modifications from local tuning outfit Premcar.With these locally-tuned utes becoming more commonplace, though, what sets this one apart? And can it live up to the hype Mitsubishi hopes to generate for it?We’ve driven it at its local launch on and off the road to find out.At $74,990, drive-away (at the time of launch), the Raider is by far the most expensive Triton yet. To even get in the door of this thing you’ll be spending nearly $10,000 over the previously-top-spec GSR grade which sits below it in the usually value-focused ute range.It pushes the Triton up into territory usually dominated by high-spec versions of more expensive rivals, like the (notably also locally-developed) Ford Ranger Tremor ($75,090) and Kia Tasman X-Pro ($74,990), both prices before on-road costs.In terms of its intentions, though, to build the Triton into something more than would normally come from the factory, it competes more closely with the likes of the Isuzu D-Max Blade ($80,900, BOC) or upcoming Volkswagen Amarok W600 (price TBC).To that end, the Triton Raider’s standard equipment includes a larger wheel and tyre package, consisting of 18-inch ROH ‘Assault’ wheels in an exclusive bronze hue clad in Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tyres. This increases the track by 20mm in total (10mm each side) and it also features a 25mm suspension raise in the front and 15mm raise in the rear to better balance the body out.The star of the show is the Premcar-tuned suspension package, which consists of a set of customized Monroe shocks front and rear and new jounce bumpers (bump stops) which both help to smooth out the flaws in the factory ute’s ride.Mitsubishi has adorned the ute with some Ralliart-inspired decals on the lower parts of the doors and added gloss black overfenders to account for the wider track. It has also added Mitsubishi-branded matt black side-steps, a sports bar over the tray and a Raider-badged bash plate for underbody protection.Inside may come as a bit of a disappointment, with the brand playing it very safe by only adding Raider stitching to the front headrests and a Raider badge on the transmission cladding.In the pictures, it doesn’t look all that different from a regular Triton GSR, but once you see it next to a standard version of the ute, it’s evident how much tougher this package looks. Some may think it hasn’t gone far enough, but I think others will appreciate the subtlety on offer here, too.There are also an array of minor MY26 upgrades which shouldn’t be forgotten, particularly the new Yamaha performance dampers fixed horizontally to the front and rear frame rails which help to iron out some of the existing ladder frame jiggle. More on how it drives later.Buyers will be happy to know this new Raider variant maintains the ute’s 3500kg towing capacity, and this one also maintains a payload of 990kg, which is pretty solid for a dual-cab in this class.Again, some may be disappointed to see the brand hasn’t provided a boost in power to go with the Raider’s tough looks, it carries over the same 2.4-litre twin-turbo diesel engine from the rest of the Triton range.It provides 150kW/470Nm, which is fine, but maybe not particularly impressive when measured against Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel (184kW/600Nm). Mitsubishi is banking on its track record for dependability, which it says, along with the cost of upgrading, is the main reason it stays the same under the bonnet.It also carries across the usual six-speed traditional torque converter automatic, paired to the brand’s signature 'Super Select II' system which is capable of running in permanent '4H' (4WD high-range) mode while including a 2H (2WD high-range) setting for fuel efficiency and a 4L (4WD low-range) mode for more challenging terrain, alongside a rear differential lock.Is the Triton Raider any good to drive? In short, yes.This is the definitive edition of the Triton for now. It’s rare for a car to live up to everything the brand wants to shout about, but this one is impressive to steer, with so much of the potential of this Triton’s platform explored.It feels far more confident on the tarmac, with very linear steering and excellent on-road manners, while on the rough stuff, where it’s really meant to shine, it excels.The Raider ate up the trails we had the chance to sample at an off-road test facility, whether it was articulation, loose surfaces, steep declines, or mogulled-hills, with seemingly plenty of breadth of ability left over.The already-good traction systems no doubt helped the ute along, with the only eyebrow-raiser I found being the square and upright bonnet with the extra lift making it tricky to see the terrain in front of you at times when descending.The engine, too, could potentially be a weak point if you were to venture into particularly muddy or sandy conditions, with it needing a proper push of momentum on the steeper climbs. Hopefully the topic of a test for another time.Overall though this is an impressive, well thought-out and properly tested halo variant, with Premcar working its magic to elevate the Triton further than expected.Mitsubishi says to expect 7.7L/100km of diesel consumption, but don’t be surprised to see at least 8.0L+ as we saw in our test cars.Importantly, Mitsubishi backs the ute and all of these additions with its conditional 10 year/200,000km warranty promise (provided you keep servicing at an authorised Mitsubishi dealer after the five year mark).It has a matching 10 years of capped price servicing and 10 years of roadside assist. Workshop visits will set you back an average of $675.30 per year for the life of the warranty.

We’ve been waiting a few years for Volkswagen and Walkinshaw to fully reveal its latest creation and now it won’t be long until it's on public roads.Following the success of the original Volkswagen Amarok W-Series of flagship utes, there has been a lot of hype surrounding what the German carmaker is planning for its current-generation model which shares its platform with the Ford Ranger.Dubbed the Amarok W600, Volkswagen revealed some initial details of this locally fettled ute late last year, but ahead of its launch in August, CarsGuide was given the opportunity to test out the ute at Holden’s former proving ground at Lang Lang, Victoria.Volkswagen and Walkinshaw claim the Amarok W600 is the ‘ultimate driver’s ute’ and it has been modelled as a more street-focused, performance model, like the previous Amarok W580S. This contrasts against key rivals like the Ford Ranger Raptor, Isuzu D-Max Blade, Mitsubishi Triton Raider and Nissan Navara Warrior which are off-road-focused.Highlight changes include new 20-inch alloy wheels that are 10 inches wide and wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres, a dual side-exit exhaust system, a bespoke Koni suspension set-up with a Walkinshaw tune and the fitment of a 22mm rear anti-roll bar.Other niceties include electric side steps, Walkinshaw embroidering on the leather-upholstered seats and aluminium sport pedal covers.The Amarok W600 has a tough and menacing stance. There are wider wheel arches to cover the fatter wheels, plus a unique front fascia with a W motif in the grille and a light bar connecting the headlights.One thing we don’t know yet is how much the tough looks and all of these performance additions will add to the price tag. For context, the current flagship Amarok Aventura caps out at $82,990, before on-road costs.The previous Amarok W580S was $7500 more than the Aventura at the time and if this price difference is carried over this could see the Amarok W600 be priced over $90,000.This is notable as the Ford Ranger Raptor is currently priced from $90,690, before on-road costs.Wherever VW lands will be interesting as the Amarok W600 has an unchanged 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine that’s available on other trim levels, as well as in the Ford Ranger.It produces 184kW and 600Nm which is 16kW less and 20Nm more than the previous W580S which also had a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel but it was sourced in-house.Also unchanged are the braked towing and load-carrying capacities. Volkswagen has confirmed the Amarok W600 retains a 3500kg braked towing capacity and will have a payload capacity close to 1000kg.Exact figures, including the kerb weight, haven’t been confirmed yet.Something Volkswagen has locked in though is a standard-fit 17-inch steel spare wheel even though Walkinshaw ensured there is enough space to fit a full 20x10-inch alloy. This means you’ll likely need to travel at reduced speeds when it’s fitted. That’s not ideal for this type of vehicle.We had the opportunity to sample the Amarok W600 back-to-back with the regular Amarok TDI600 Style across a series of scenarios at Lang Lang and the differences are pronounced.One of the most obvious changes behind the wheel is the tyres which offer fantastic grip. They were put to the test on a rather rainy day and held up very well.Also impressive is the improved braking performance. It’s noticeably better than the regular Amarok and goes to show how much braking can change with different tyres as the braking system itself hasn’t been altered.Additionally another major area of change with the Amarok W600 is how it rides and handles. The Koni-sourced suspension and damper package helps make this ute feel a lot more planted during hard acceleration and braking.Plus, the rear anti-roll bar helps keep the ute flatter through the bends. As a result it's more confidence-inspiring to drive spiritedly. You can focus more on the driving ahead than what the ute is doing.My only criticism of the package is that you can feel more pimply bumps and road imperfections in the Amarok W600 compared to the regular Amarok. It’s unclear if this is the suspension, larger wheels or a combination of both.Plus it’s worth noting that Volkswagen and Amarok may still fine tune the suspension in this ute ahead of its launch in August.

Ford's Everest off-road SUV has been a good performer for Ford, but sometimes not so good for its owners. Now, Ford has moved to address the biggest potential reliability issue by switching to a lower-tech, lower-output four-cylinder turbo-diesel for entry-level Everest variants. But is the new engine up to the job? And does the Everest keep pace with the competition with such a mild facelift?

Holidays at home have never looked better from a global crisis point of view. But increasing fuel prices threaten to put the brakes on that, as well, especially when diesel is up to a dollar a litre more than petrol. Enter the GWM Tank 300 plug-in hybrid. It promises a performance-to-running costs ratio that will really take some beating. And the sticker price is pretty sharp, too.