Adventure Reviews

KGM Rexton 2026 review: Advance

By Marcus Craft · 18 Oct 2025

KGM – formerly SsangYong – has revised its seven-seat Rexton large SUV range for 2026, with some minor changes throughout the Australian line-up. The mid-spec Advance (formerly the Adventure) is equipped with high and low-range 4WD, an auto-locking rear diff and 3.5-tonne towing capacity. Is it set to challenge the likes of GWM Tank 500, Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90? Or even the Ford Everest?

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Kia Tasman 2026 review: X-Pro - Off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 12 Oct 2025

Excitement about the finally-here Kia Tasman hit fever-pitch a long time ago and that hasn't abated. And for good reasons: The Tasman is a body-on-frame 4WD with a ladder chassis, off-road drive modes, rear diff lock and an exterior that draws admiring glances or annoyed glares. Is its top-spec X-Pro a serious competitor for the likes of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak or the Toyota HiLux GR Sport?

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Jeep Gladiator 2026 review: Rubicon

By Tom White · 10 Oct 2025

Are you not entertained by Jeep's updated brute of a ute?

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Ford Ranger 2026 review: Sport PHEV - off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 01 Oct 2025

The 2026 Ford Ranger PHEV adds an EV-adjacent variant to the popular Ranger line-up. Ford's hybrid workhorse is one of the latest vehicles to arrive here as part of an ongoing plug-in ute invasion of Australia. The Ranger PHEV shares an impressive list of standard features and off-road capability with its stablemate but this hybrid also doubles as a power source for your work-site or campsite.

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Ram 1500 2026 review: Rebel - Australian first drive

By Byron Mathioudakis · 04 Sep 2025

Australia's big-ute best-seller, the Ram 1500, evolves with the Rebel, as a Ford Ranger Wildtrak-style sporty off-road value proposition. Based on the Laramie Sport and aimed directly at the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2, the Rebel gains a suspension lift and other 4x4-focused gear, yet retains the sophistication that's made today's 1500 a segment favourite. And its twin-turbo six is a gem.

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Ineos Grenadier 2026 review: Quartermaster Trialmaster - off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 24 Aug 2025

The Ineos Grenadier wagon arrived a few years ago to much fanfare. Now the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster, the dual-cab ute version of the Grenadier wagon, is here to take on the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series. The purpose-built Quartermaster is a body-on-frame / ladder-frame 4WD with live axles, a dual-range transfer case, and front, centre and rear diff locks.

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Land Rover Defender 90 D250 S 2026 vs Land Rover Defender 90 2016 review: Off-road test

By Tom White · 17 Aug 2025

We pit the old Land Rover Defender 90 against the new one in an off-road battle! Has Land Rover 'ruined it' by going monocoque, or is the old 4x4 looked at with rose-tinted glasses?

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Lexus LX 2026 review: 500d Overtrail - off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 08 Aug 2025

An off-road-focused Lexus, the Overtrail, has been introduced to the Aussie market as part of significant updates to the LX line-up. The LX500d Overtrail is seemingly well-suited to hardcore four-wheel driving as it has been kitted out with front and rear diff locks, Toyo Open Country all-terrain tyres and a comprehensive suite of off-road driving modes.

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GWM Cannon Alpha 2026 review: Ultra PHEV - off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 05 Aug 2025

The GWM Cannon Alpha plug-in hybrid EV is part of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle revolution in Australia. This feature-packed Chinese-made ute has plenty going for it – it’s well-priced and, on paper at least, it's frugal on fuel and cheap to run – but the Alpha faces tough competition in the form of plug-in hybrids like the BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger.

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BYD Shark 6 2026 review: off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 27 Jul 2025

The BYD Shark 6, the first plug-in hybrid electric ute to hit Australia's shores, is leading the charge of plug-in hybrid electric utes, followed closely by PHEV versions of the Ford Ranger and GWM Cannon Alpha.It's an innovative approach and has generated plenty of excitement, but is the Shark 6 - with no 4WD, no low-range gearing and no diff-locks - a novelty or a sign of things to come?

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