21 August 2018 by Mark Oastler
There’s a seismic shift occurring in Australia’s mid-size (2.5-3.5-tonne GVM) van segment, and the cause of this disruption is Ford’s Transit Custom. For many years, Europe’s most popular commercial van struggled to make a dent in a local scene dominated by Toyota’s HiAce and Hyundai’s iLoad ,...Read more
1 August 2018 by Mark Oastler
If there was a feeling at Stuttgart that any vehicle displaying a three-pointed star could do no wrong, the X-Class should be a wake-up call. It's a vehicle that appears to have drawn a line in the sand in terms of what people are prepared to accept as an authentic Mercedes-Benz. Sure, the fastest...Read more
24 July 2018 by Mark Oastler
When VW added a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel to its Amarok range in late 2016, it raised the local performance benchmark for dual-cab hay-haulers. With a stonking 165kW and 550Nm, the Amarok V6 has cast a shadow over all rivals as the most powerful Aussie ute ever since. However, it will soon be...Read more
2 July 2018 by Mark Oastler
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then VW should be blushing bright-red following Ford’s recent decision to specify a twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine for its incoming Ranger Raptor ute. Let’s not forget that, back in 2010, VW chose the very same engine size...Read more
22 June 2018 by Matt Campbell
Most vans come in a few different shapes and sizes, but not the Volkswagen Transporter. It's one of the most versatile mid-sized models on the market in Australia. No other van in its class offers all-wheel drive as an option, and while many have different roof heights or body lengths, the...Read more
22 June 2018 by Mark Oastler
The Renault Kangoo range of small vans was launched in 1997, and with more than two decades of production across two model generations behind it, it has some serious runs on the board. In fact, Renault tells us the Kangoo has been Europe’s number-one van range for 18 years and counting. The...Read more
1 June 2018 by Mark Oastler
Beiqi Foton Motor Company Ltd (rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?), established in 1996, is one of China’s leading manufacturers of heavy-duty commercial vehicles. It also produces a light commercial range including the Tunland ute, which has ridden a rocky road in Australia with minimal sales...Read more
30 April 2018 by Mark Oastler
In a rapidly changing world, it's nice to know that some things stay the same. One of those is Toyota's iconic 70 Series Land Cruiser, which arrived in 1985 when most cars still had cigarette lighters, carburettors and cassette players. However, unlike those items and many others which have been...Read more
27 April 2018 by Mark Oastler
The Mitsubishi Triton is the quiet achiever in Australia’s 4x4 ute segment. While Ford’s Ranger and Toyota’s HiLux continue to slog it out for top sales honours, the clear number three in this fight is the trusty Triton which commands almost 14 per cent of the market. Its robust sales figures are...Read more
20 March 2018 by Mark Oastler
Clear evidence of the fierce competition in Australia’s booming 4x4 ute segment is that a well-built vehicle with the all-around competence of Mazda’s BT-50 attracts less than 6.0 per cent of total sales. It’s also currently outsold by its Ford Ranger birth-twin by more than four to one. While the...Read more
2 March 2018 by Mark Oastler
The Ford Ranger, in its work-focused 4x2 XL model grade, offers a choice of body, suspension and transmissions to suit different job requirements. These include Hi-Rider models, which offer the same raised suspension height as 4x4 variants along with a locking differential. This results in extra...Read more
28 February 2018 by Matt Campbell
There has been a lot of action in the ute segment since the start of 2018. But with all the fanfare around a certain ute (the one wearing the three-point star), as well as a range of rugged and sporty new additions to the dual cab segment, some of the biggest improvers have missed out on their...Read more
26 February 2018 by Mark Oastler
The Ford Ranger was Australia’s top-selling 4x4 in 2017. In the process it knocked off its arch rival for the first time, the Toyota Hilux, even though Toyota shifted more Hiluxes overall thanks to its long established strength in 4x2 sales, mainly to commercial fleets. Even so, the Ranger’s...Read more
26 February 2018 by Mark Oastler
The XLS is designed to bridge the gap between 4x4 XL and XLT models on price and features, offering a more appealing package for both fleet and private buyers without compromising the XL’s no-nonsense work-focused persona. Based on the XL dual cab ute , it shares all of its features including Ford’...Read more
26 February 2018 by Mark Oastler
The XL is the entry point for the 2018 Ford Ranger range. With its 16-inch steel wheels it’s the back-to-basics workhorse aimed more at those with muddy boots than sharp suits. The no-frills cabin has a tough vinyl hose-out floor but is a comfortable mobile office that includes useful features like...Read more
26 February 2018 by Mark Oastler
The Ford Ranger XL Plus has unique features designed to meet the specific requirements of mining companies, government departments and other organisations needing more functionality from their vehicle fleets in the field. The XL Plus could also appeal to some private buyers. On top of the vinyl...Read more
31 January 2018 by Mark Oastler
The Caddy is the undisputed king of the compact (that's under 2.5-tonne GVM) van class in Australia. The popular Volkswagen soaks up about 60 per cent of all sales in this small but important segment, meaning two out of every three compact vans sold are wearing a Caddy badge. At least part of that...Read more
19 January 2018 by Mark Oastler
Australia's increasingly competitive 4x4 dual cab ute market has prompted some manufacturers to offer additional models that fill gaps between entry-level, mid-range or top-shelf grades. These ‘in-betweeners' are usually created in response to feedback from customers for whom the traditional three-...Read more
9 January 2018 by Matt Campbell
To say that Toyota is really hitting its stride with HiLux sales is like suggesting that Steve Smith is in reasonable form, or that Lionel Messi is quite good at football. The Toyota HiLux has just wrapped up the title of best-selling vehicle in Australia for the second year running, and the good...Read more
19 December 2017 by Mark Oastler
When Holden launched the RG Colorado in 2012, it was obvious General Motors had seriously underestimated the benchmark in Australia’s booming 4x4 ute market. Holden was left with no choice but to pull the thing apart, identify all the problem areas (and there were plenty), engineer solutions to...Read more
