Tradies Reviews

The 4x2 ute market is typically favoured by trade and fleet buyers who prioritise workhorse practicality and sharp pricing over upmarket luxuries, but does the new 2026 Foton Tunland succeed in providing all three?

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500/2500 HD range leads the sales race for full-size US pick-ups in Australia but is a recent warranty upgrade enough to keep it at the head of the pack?

The Toyota HiAce has long reigned as the king of mid-sized commercial vans, but are recent upgrades enough to ensure it remains on the throne?

Ford's new Super Duty is born from the demands of its buyers, but can the brand capture that Raptor magic in creating an entirely new dual-cab niche?

Nissan tried but failed with its previous (and maybe last-ever) in-house-developed diesel one-tonne ute, the D23 Navara. For 2026, the "all-new" D27 Navara is a mildly-restyled Mitsubishi (MV) Triton, and might only be Australia/New Zealand-only, for now. But there is one massive difference, and that is the retuned suspension, courtesy of Melbourne's Premcar, that is behind the Warrior series.

Finally, a new HiLux! A vehicle Toyota has been plotting and planning for a decade. And I know what you must be thinking: what the hell were they doing with the other nine-and-a-half years?

Volkswagen has a long history of success in the commercial van market, but in recent years it has slipped well-behind the competition. A radically different new Transporter (built with the help of Ford) has now arrived to try and turn that around. We drive the new Volkswagen Transporter to find out if it has what it takes to beat the Toyota HiAce, Ford Transit Custom and the rest.

Right now in Australia, if you need to tow more than the 3.5-tonnes the better utes and SUVs can offer, the Heavy Duty (HD) models from Ram and Chevrolet are your only choice. Chevy's Silverado 2500 HD has dominated in recent times, but Ram has now hit back with the 2500 HD and even heavier-duty 3500 options, with unheard-of torque and other upgrades to float your boat.

The single cab-chassis 4x2 is typically the lowest-priced utilitarian workhorse, with a standard equipment list that usually offers little more than steel wheels, unpainted plastic in high-wear areas, fabric seats and wipe-clean vinyl floors. And you pay extra for a tray.

The Foton Tunland V9-S 4x4 is the flagship version of the Chinese ute range, starting from $49,990 before on-road costs.With the S standing for ‘Supreme’, it keeps the Ram 1500-aping styling, but scores extra features like vented and heated as well as powered front seats with driver’s side memory, heated outboard seats, a panoramic sunroof, rear privacy glass, a front diff lock, roof rails and more.These build on the V9-L’s dual-zone climate control, heated/folding mirrors, extra USB ports, wireless charger, premium audio, wheel-arch extension cladding, side steps, sports bar, vehicle-to-load power socket, high-and-low ratio gearing, a rear differential lock, all-terrain tyres, off-road driving modes and lockable tray, as well as the entry-level V7-C’s 12.3-inch electronic instrumentation display, 14.6-inch centre touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, a 360-degree camera with transparent-road-below views, a dash cam, front/rear parking sensors and advanced driver-assist systems including auto emergency braking (AEB).But still no digital radio at this stage.Still, the Tunland V9-S has extra size on its side compared to mid-size utes like the Isuzu D-Max, with considerably more space inside as well as a larger tray. And, like the V9-L, the V9-S swaps out the V7-C’s leaf spring rear suspension for a coil-sprung multi-link design. Payload is 995kg.Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, just like the other Tunland grades. It delivers 120kW of power at 3600rpm and 450Nm of torque between 1500-2400rpm, and features a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. About 11 seconds is required in the 0-100km/h sprint, while maximum speed is 160km/h.Finally, the official combined-cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.0 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide rating of 211g/km. Expect nearly 940km from the 75-litre diesel tank.