Tradies Reviews

The Fiat Scudo has returned to Australian showrooms after a long absence but does the latest third generation of this European workhorse have the credentials to be a major player in the mid-size commercial van segment?

If you were considering a new American ute from one of the brands doing factory-backed conversions here in Australia, you might be about to save yourself some money.This is the new Ram 1500 Express Black Edition, and the brand reckons it’s so affordable people might even consider it over a top-end mid-size ute.If you’re in the market for a proper big ute and you want to spend less than $110,000 before on-roads, this is your only factory-backed option. But not by much, in fact it sneaks in by just $50.The Ford F-150 XLT is $5000 more expensive before you jump twenty grand to the Chevy Silverado.But there is a decent list of features given you’re still paying six-figures for what would be a work ute in the US.There’s LED headlights and fog lights, 20-inch wheels, spray-in bed liner for the tub, and the ‘Power Bulge’ sports bonnet.Inside, an 8.4-inch touchscreen is smaller than you get in the rest of the line-up, as is the 7.0-inch driver display. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a six-speaker sound system keep entertainment covered, and there’s cloth seats, unlike other variants.An electric rear window, damped tailgate, remote start, and a decent set of safety kit including collision alert, auto emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep aid ensure the 1500 Express feels current decade.No prizes for guessing what colour a lot of the trim on the Black Edition is. The grille, the badges, the exhaust tips, the wheel covers, even the body paint.You can get the Express Black Edition in red, white, or blue - very American - as well as grey, silver, and of course black.It doesn’t look much like a base model from the outside, especially with the aforementioned ‘Power Bulge’ bonnet. But a little giveaway is the plastic covers on the 20-inch alloys, which are actually alloy wheels but the covers are there for the looks.Another giveaway is the cloth trim inside. That and the smaller screens are pretty noticeable compared to other variants of the Ram 1500.That’s not to say it looks ‘cheap’, especially when I couldn’t reach the passenger door from the driver’s seat even if I wanted to.The central storage bin and additional trays for storage means it's less cupholder and more ‘mealholder’. It really is an interior so spacious the European mind could not comprehend.Even if the screens aren’t as big as other variants, the tech is straightforward and phone mirroring means not having to mess around if you prefer your own apps and settings. The more basic driver display is probably preferable for people who don't want big screens everywhere.Also, the more old-school, manually adjustable seats are comfortable and finding a seating position is easy. The cloth itself is also preferable to leather when it gets hot.The rear seats are similarly very comfortable and there’s no shortage of space, plus if you need more room than the tub will afford you there’s the option of folding up the rear seats for some interior space.At the back, there’s even a little kick-down step for easier access to the tub if you need to reach the tie-down points or grab something out without climbing in.The Ram 1500 also retains its 4.5-tonne towing capacity with the Hurricane engine as long as you use a 70mm towball, and the engine itself feels like it’s certainly up to the task.It’s a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six unit that makes 313kW and 635Nm, sent through its eight-speed torque converter auto to the rears, or all four wheels if you engage the part-time 4WD.It comes with a fuel consumption claim of 10.7L/100km from Ram, and on our short test loop we averaged 12L according to the computer.The new engine is also more powerful and torquier than the 5.7-litre V8 it replaces (291kW/556Nm) and, while there is just something ‘correct’ about the sound of the Hemi V8 as you put your foot down in previous 1500s, the six is no slouch.There's little lag from its turbochargers and the eight-speed gets to work quickly making the most of its ratios, while the power and torque on tap is enough to grant 100km/h in what feels like about six seconds.In terms of steering and cornering, the Ram 1500 doesn't quite feel its size and weight, and holds relatively flat around bends for something at 2.5 tonnes.There's no massive dead spot in its steering, and while it's relatively light it doesn't entirely lack feel or accuracy.Even its brakes do a pretty good job of pulling the giant ute up if you find yourself needing to avoid disaster.On that, it’s got six airbags for passengers but it’s also worth noting that, as a light-commercial vehicle, the 1500’s ANCAP rating is ‘gold’ rather than a star rating, denoting 70 per cent performance. When it comes to safety, ANCAP ranks it higher than the Toyota Tundra and Chevrolet Silverado.There’s a three-year, 100,000km warranty but no capped-price servicing, with intervals every 12 months or 12,000km. It’s not only a bit behind the industry standard there, but also rivals like the Ford F-150 and the Tundra that beat it with five-year warranties.

Nissan's fifth-generation Navara is essentially a thinly disguised Mitsubishi Triton but does it have enough differentiation from its donor to stand alone as a genuine rival?

If there’s one thing we should have learned from COVID-19 lockdowns is that it’s important to take your fun seriously, and take it when you can. And perhaps that explains why sales of Isuzu’s N-Series 4X4 light trucks exploded during and just after the pandemic and continue to be strong performers right now.While the N-Series generally is this country’s best selling light truck (by a country mile) the 4X4 versions have a special appeal to the emergency services and mining and other industries in situations where a 4X4 dual-cab ute just won’t cut it. But if you venture into the Aussie outback right now, you’ll also see a swarm of 4X4 light trucks with specialist camper bodies bolted on to form a genuine go-anywhere alternative to a dual-cab ute or conventional four-wheel-drive and caravan combination. It seems the adventure travellers, grey nomads and plenty of other civilians have figured out the magic of the 4X4 light truck.But there’s still a bit of mystery around these vehicles. Questions like how hard are they to park, what do they cost, are they a chore to drive and, what ones can I drive on a car licence? So let’s dive in and tackle the three most popular N-Series 4X4s to get some answers.The simplest form of the N-Series all-wheel drive is the NMS which has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 4500kg and, therefore, can be driven on a normal car licence. With a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel and a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, it runs part-time 4WD.Fundamentally, this is a derivative of the sort of trucks many countries (notably Japan where Isuzu is based) use commercially as snow-ploughs and similar. While the 4WD grip is necessary, extra ground clearance and super-low gear ratios are not, so the NMS has neither of those things.As a result, it’s a bit limited off road where the sump will eventually bottom out and it will run out of gearing on really steep stuff. That said, the nine-speed dual-clutch has a very low first gear, so it’s better at climbing hills than you might imagine.A much better alternative, however, is either the NPS or NQS which also get a two-speed transfer-case for those low ratios, as well as bigger wheels and tyres and a higher ride height for – frankly – brutal off-road ability. The engine is broadly the same as the NMS’ including the 3.0-litre engine.The catch is, however, that the standard 6500kg GVM means you need an endorsed licence to legally drive them. But Isuzu has a solution for that. With what amounts to a stroke of the pen, Isuzu can sell you an NPS or NQS with an official GVM of 4500kg, and suddenly, anybody with a car licence can join in the fun.The flip-side is that your payload falls by that same 2000kg difference, but if you specify the truck carefully with regard to what you add and leave off, you can squeak in under the GVM limit. And if you need more payload in the future for a bigger camper or more water tanks or whatever, Isuzu can re-rate the vehicle to the full 6500kg GVM while you get your licence endorsed.Of those two vehicles, the NQS probably represents the best choice for recreational users thanks to its nine-speed dual-clutch transmission that just makes life simpler in a big vehicle like this one. The NPS has a conventional six-speed manual with a very low first gear, but it’s another thing to deal with off-road and the shift is far from the slickest passenger car version of the same thing.You also miss out on a lot of safety kit in the manual variant. Things like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, electronic brake force distribution and adaptive cruise control (all standard on the dual-clutch NQS) are missing from the NPS.As it stands, The NPS gets anti-lock brakes and stability and traction controls, but that’s about it for electronic help. And in other aspects, all N-Series trucks fall short of passenger-car expectations. While you get a pair of front airbags and side intrusion bars in the front doors, the seat-belt for the centre-front passenger is a lap-only deal and pretensioners are only fitted to the two outside (three-point) belts.You can improve this situation by checking the 'Technology Pack' option box which adds a camera system, and tyre pressure monitoring and an alarm, but overall, the truck world has some catching up to do here. Perhaps the industry is relying on the truck’s inherent mass and height advantage over passenger vehicles to take care of crash safety. Either way, the Isuzu in any of its forms has not been independently crash tested, so there’s no star-rating available.The N-Series trucks we’re dealing with here all have a crew-cab option which ups the seating layout to six (four across the back seat). The cabins themselves feature a fair bit of hard plastic surfacing but the bigger touchscreens and more modern instrument layouts have helped make the interior feel more contemporary and less like a rent-a-truck.There’s a single 24-volt power outlet (the N-Series runs on 24 volts, not 12) and a single USB charge-port, but the real genius is in the storage options that include overhead spaces, door pockets, cupholder and extra cubbies you’ll still be finding weeks into the future.The switchgear is logically laid out, but a steering column that prevents left-foot braking further hinders familiarity at the wheel.The driving experience is pretty alien with your backside perched over the front axle and hectares of glass giving an amazing forward view (critical when off-roading). The ride is a bit sharp thanks to the load-carrying spring rates, but with a load on board, it’ll be much better. It’s not terrible as it is, but you will feel the bumps.That said, it’s the N-Series’ ability to handle those bumps that makes it a bit special. It climbs hills with ease and the dual rear tyres offer plenty of grip. Add some more off-road oriented rubber and it’d be even more formidable.The big question comes down to whether the Isuzu fits two things - your budget and the average bush track. The former is down to your bank account and at $75,814 for the NMS, $103,206 for the NPS and $111,315 for the NQS (all single-cab, tray-backs) these are not expensive compared with a brand-new LandCruiser 300 Series and a $150,000 of-road caravan (that won’t go where the Isuzu with a camper body will) but still not cheap vehicles.Then there’s the operating environment. Australia’s bush tracks have been shaped for the last five or six decades by old-school Land Rovers and LandCruisers. As such, they can be a bit narrow in places for an Isuzu N-Series and that may limit things in some situations. It’s not the end of the world, but something to keep in mind. Ditto underground parking stations.Isuzu’s warranty on the N-Series is three years or 150,000km which is off the pace compared with cars, but mainstream for the truck industry. Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km and there’s three years of roadside assistance. Servicing plans are available with a range of inclusions from basic maintenance to full packages that cover everything from wheel bearings to tail-light globes.

The MY26 Renault Trafic range brings numerous upgrades with considerable appeal for tradies, but are they enough to tempt mid-size commercial van buyers away from the dominant Toyota HiAce?

Volkswagen has recently launched its first all-new Transporter in a decade, but does the full-electric variant of this light commercial icon appeal to long term loyalists and new customers alike?

A new entry-level engine is the big news in Ford's latest upgrade of the Ranger dual-cab. Gone is the old two-litre turbo-diesel with its twin turbochargers and 154kW, and in comes a simplified, unit with one less turbo and 29 fewer kiloWatts. But the pay off should be in long-term ownership cost. But what does that mean in the meantime? And does this make the V6 diesel even more attractive?

Ford's ground-breaking Ranger Super Duty brings unprecedented load-hauling and towing abilities to the medium-sized ute segment combined with tank-tough construction and advanced off-road smarts, so is this the ultimate workhorse for tradies?

The new 2026 Nissan Navara is based almost entirely on the Mitsubishi Triton, but with altered suspension from Australian firm Premcar.The top-of-the-range Nissan Navara (until the Warrior arrives) is the $68,418 Pro-4X with more design changes, all-terrain tyres, a black sports bar and roof rails, contrast stitching and specific seats with Pro-4X styling.It also includes basics like an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen across the range with digital radio as well as (wired) Android Auto and (wireless) Apple CarPlay, plus things like heated front seats and a power adjustable driver's seat, dual-zone climate and a wireless phone charger are all included, plus a centre limited-slip differential and drive modes more compatible with off-roading.There’s a 150kW/470Nm four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels or all four depending on 4WD settings.From the Navara’s 75L diesel tank, a claimed 7.7L/100km is used on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle. Hypothetically, if you manage to get close to Nissan’s claimed consumption, you should be able to get more than 900km out of a single tank. The Navara has a tub capable of easily fitting a Euro pallet, according to Nissan’s specs, but with its distance of 1135mm between wheel arches, it won’t fit an Aussie pallet. The tub is almost square, at 1555mm long and 1545mm wide, and 525mm tall. The new Navara inherits the Triton’s maximum five-star ANCAP rating, which was tested in 2024, thanks to eight airbags and a list of safety kit including a surround-view camera, forward collision warning and AEB, front and rear cross-traffic alert, driver monitoring and traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors and trailer sway control.Nissan’s 10-year/300,000km warranty is fantastic but applies only if you service with Nissan. It’s five years with no kilometre limit otherwise. There’s five years' of flat-price servicing at $499 per visit, every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Roadside assist is also free for a decade if you service with Nissan, or a year otherwise.

The 2026 Ford F-150 Platinum is a new, flagship trim in the locally converted pick-up line-up.Priced from $163,950 before on-road costs, irrespective of whether you opt for the short- (SWB) or long-wheelbase (LWB) body styles. This is the most expensive F-150 to date and is more expensive than the Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500, however the Toyota Tundra Platinum is still pricier.Power comes from a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 298kW and 678Nm. This is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a part-time four-wheel-drive system.Like all F-150 variants, the Lariat offers a 4500kg braked towing capacity with a 70mm tow ball. Payload is between 704kg and 724kg, depending on the body style.The F-150 Platinum comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, panoramic glass sunroof, spray-in bedliner, power tailgate with a swing-door section, power side steps, 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen, folding gear selector, fold-out centre console, leather upholstery, 12-way power-adjustable front seats that are heated, ventilated and have a massage function, plus heated outboard rear seats.The Ford F-150 received a 'Platinum' collision avoidance score from ANCAP in 2025. This only applies to Lariat and Platinum trims and not the base XLT.Standard safety highlights include six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera.The F-150 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is fairly average now for mainstream brands, however in the world of American pick-ups this is still generous.There’s also 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance which gets extended every time you service the car when required.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. You can purchase a five-year pre-paid service package for $1968, which averages out to just under $400 per service.