Articles by Marcus Craft
15 July 2024 by Marcus Craft
If you’re waiting for the first Toyota HiLux hybrid to arrive in Australia get ready to wait a bit longer because this is not it. This is the new HiLux Rogue with 'V-Active Technology', which is a combination of a motor generator, 48-volt battery and DC/DC converter aimed at improving performance...Read more
10 July 2024 by Marcus Craft
The Volkswagen Amarok has been around since 2011 and has attracted its fair share of awards and fans through the years. It long ago set the gold standard for refinement in utes, but the rest of the pack eventually caught up. In fact, some of them surpassed it. But the new-generation Amarok is here...Read more
4 July 2024 by Marcus Craft
The biggest news about this new Chinese-built ute – the GWM Cannon Alpha – is that there’s a petrol-hybrid version available – check out Byron Mathioudakis' review of it . The other big news about the Alpha is that our test vehicle has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine , which is new...Read more
30 June 2024 by Marcus Craft
With its new-generation LandCruiser Prado, Toyota may have this time...Read more
15 June 2024 by Marcus Craft
The Ford Ranger remains the top-selling model in Australia’s ute market. The mid-spec Sport variant offers an appealing value-for-money pick in a busy Ranger line-up, but should you opt for the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel or the more expensive 3.0-litre V6? I’ve driven Ranger and Everest variants...Read more
14 June 2024 by Marcus Craft
How many cars can you buy in a year?
At time of writing, an...Read more
14 June 2024 by Marcus Craft
Utes have become the Swiss Army knives of the vehicle world. People...Read more
11 June 2024 by Marcus Craft
Chinese vehicles are improving all the time and the latest to hit our shores is a first for Australia’s off-roading community. It’s a petrol-hybrid 4WD with seven seats, high- and low-range gearing and a rear diff lock. It’s also a body-on-frame ladder chassis design with a packed standard features...Read more
8 June 2024 by Marcus Craft
We all want to prevent the world from turning into a natural disaster...Read more
30 May 2024 by Marcus Craft
The Lexus LX line-up has a solid reputation as off-road vehicles and towing platforms. And there’s plenty of excitement about the new-generation Lexus LX500d because it’s essentially a tarted-up version of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series – it’s built on the same platform as the 300 and even has...Read more
30 May 2024 by Marcus Craft
So, how many cars in Australia? More than 21 million, according to the...Read more
22 May 2024 by Marcus Craft
Should you turn on your headlights when it's raining?
The answer...Read more
10 May 2024 by Marcus Craft
What is overdrive on a car?
Overdrive in a vehicle is "an...Read more
6 May 2024 by Marcus Craft
What is a heavy vehicle?
A heavy vehicle, as defined in the Heavy...Read more
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series 2024 review: 79 Series Single Cab Chassis Workmate auto - off-road test
5 May 2024 by Marcus Craft
The new Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series is a modern-ish update of the immensely popular ute workhorse because you can choose one with a 2.8L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission. Don’t worry, the 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 and five-speed manual gearbox combination is...Read more
19 April 2024 by Marcus Craft
The Kia Sorento S diesel AWD is in the lower spec ranks of the Sorento line-up but it still seems like it would be, on paper at least, an easy vehicle to live with. It’s a seven-seater with updated technology and a boosted features list and while it may not have the plush appeal of those in the...Read more
8 April 2024 by Marcus Craft
The Calligraphy is in the upper ranks of the Hyundai Palisade line-up. It’s a big classy-looking SUV inside and out, it’s packed full of features, it has eight seats, and it’s even all-wheel drive , but with a price tag that’s more than $80,000. Is it worth your consideration? Read on. Read more...Read more
31 March 2024 by Marcus Craft
The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series holds a very special place in the...Read more
30 March 2024 by Marcus Craft
It’s an exciting year for those of us who prefer a healthy chunk of our...Read more