Articles by Bruce McMahon

There is a bold but stylish rendition of the familiar Mitsubishi family nose, strong profile lines and a tapered rear roof line that helps distinguish the Outlander from me-too rivals.It remains one of the more handsome offerings in this class. And, for a time, the Outlander with its optional V6 was one of those with an advantage over the likes of Toyota's RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.That has changed since Toyota added a V6 to the RAV4 range, but the Outlander may still lay claim to being one of the first in this soft-road business of confusing those lines between compact and medium SUV segments.To further its case as a “big compact” the Outlander is now available with seven seats, even if that third row is suitable only for the smallest of passengers.This second generation machine is a little bigger than the first. It is 4.6 metres long and 1800mm high, enough for decent accommodation for four adults in the first two rows and room for luggage (packed tight) sitting above a space saver tyre.The four-cylinder Outlander has been quite capable in its own right, providing an easy drive around town or down the track.But the three-litre V6 with its 24 valves and variable valve timing is the one for a sporting blast down an old dirt road.The V6; mated here to a Continuously Variable Transmission; runs out to 162kW at 6250rpm. The shift to maximum power and highway (or back road) speeds can be helped along by flicking through the six-step transmission; with the help of paddle shifters placed behind the steering wheel or the traditional transmission shift lever.The only downside to taking full advantage of this willing, and fun, engine-transmission combination is a little extra fuel. Mitsubishi say the V6 Outlander should deliver 10.9 litres per 100km, but spirited driving will see that blow out to more like 13 litres per 100km.The VRX version is the smartest, most expensive of the Outlander mob.It misses out on little, from nine-speaker stereo with sub-woofer to 18-inch wheels, automatic airconditioning plus side and curtain airbags.That comes on top of the Outlander's standard gear including keyless entry and engine start, cruise control, roof rails, ABS and Mitsubishi's Active Select all-wheel-drive system. This system allows for two-wheel drive from the front, automatic all-wheel drive with sensors telling the electronics to send drive to the rear if traction is found wanting, and all-wheel drive locked with torque shared around the four wheels.As in most systems these days, this is a pretty painless, unobtrusive business.The auto-mode is a useful piece of work for running along a bush track where surfaces may vary instantly and constantly.It is also handy for pulling back out of washaways or away from slow and loose corners.The VRX also arrives with stability control, another piece of technology, which allows a driver to make the most of the V6's willingness to have a go.The Outlander has a MacPherson front strut and trailing arm, multilink set-up on the rear. The front track is a fair 45mm wider than before, while the rear end scores mono-tube shock absorbers similar to that found in Mitsubishi's hotter Lancers.The result of all this mechanical and electronic business is a compact wagon, which can be hustled along with confidence, for the Outlander's on and off-road manners are among the best in this business.While lighter than its predecessor, the Outlander's body is stronger and more rigid. All this helps the suspension and the electronics make the most of their jobs.The cabin stands up to the rest of the pack with good fit and finish, a comfortable front cabin, plenty of storage spots and good driving position. There is now a handbrake lever, unlike the previous wagon's foot-operated parking brake.Speedometer and tachometer are big and clear, sitting either side of digital read-outs for other functions, including average fuel consumption and average speed.It is all very sporting in style, even if there may be debate about that red-tinged illumination to the instruments.Aside from the questionable (even if ubiquitous) use of a temporary spare wheel for an SUV, today's ZG Mitsubishi Outlander has some decent attributes over the original ZF model and some current, if sometimes cheaper, rivals.It is not a tough off-roader, but it is a very capable soft roader with presence and, in V6 guise, a decent amount of performance well handled by its chassis engineering.Mitsubishi Outlander VRXPrice: $43,190-$47,990Body: 4-door wagonEngine: 3 litre V6Power: 162kW @ 6250rpmTorque: 276Nm @ 4000rpmTransmission: 6-speed autoWheels: 18-inchDimensions (MM): 4640 (l), 1800 (w), 1720 (h), 210 (clearance)Weight: 1640kgTowing: 1600kgPrice: $43,190 to $47,990 for seven-seater 

BMW'S second-generation X5 wagon is a rework of a successful format, a combination of soft-road abilities and good on-road dynamics wrapped up in a prestige package.

Ford's diesel-powered Focus is a sweet machine, feels solid and true with the goods and right price to be a considered rival to Holden's Astra and Volkswagen Golf diesels.The compact Ford is screwed together in a tidy, economical package, which should find favour with quite a few commuters. It has some European style with decent road dynamics and a certain amount of personality.Circumstances dictated this particular five-door Focus was only belted around the town, hardly saw fifth gear let alone sixth.Yet it impressed straight up with its tidy interior, ride quality and the willingness of that 100kW diesel engine. It impressed with its road manners and ability to slice through spaces in city traffic.Cabin ergonomics are good, controls and instruments all logical and legible with smart finishes.It has the European approach to dark and sensible colours for interior trim, the stereo quality is top class for a sub-$30,000 car and there's a useful trip computer.Little touches such as the fold-away key add to the Euro-design feel.Some may find those front seats a little narrow and the back seats, while having decent legroom, may not suit taller passengers.There is a not a lot of oddment space in the centre console but the rear cargo area is a good size with easy loading access.The four-cylinder Duratorq engine; the largest common-rail turbo diesel in the Ford passenger car range; starts with a little shudder and then settles into a comforting, sporting grumble. (Indeed the Focus engine noise is more akin to a warmed-over petrol engine than anything much else).It runs through the gears with a certain sweetness though best to keep engine revs north of 1800rpm to make best use of the power and torque, the first few hill starts may see a little clutch slip until the best clutch-revs balance is struck.This short run didn't see the hatchback fall much below 10 litres per 100 kilometres, that should be much improved with less stop-start, short-haul traffic; indeed Ford reckons it should get down to 5.6 litres per 100km and that sounds reasonable.The steering and front end are good but favour understeer in fast, tight turns.The other surprise was the suspension on city streets, over big bumps and little, It rode the city streets with the type of confidence normally reserved for more expensive machines.So this five-door Ford Focus has good road manners to go along with handsome style, excellent fuel economy and a reasonable price. Well worth a look if chasing a compact machine for general duties.

Land Rover's baby Freelander is all grown-up now, much more a younger brother to the Discovery and Range Rover than a try-hard orphan.The first Freelander had its moments, a good-looking and compact SUV. Later versions had better engines and transmissions.Yet there were some build issues, cabin ergonomics were not always great and that first Freelander, for the price, was uncompetitive against any number of rivals.This time around the Freelander has moved on and up. It is now quite an endearing, comfortable and capable machine in both diesel and petrol forms. It is now worth being seen as a mini-Range Rover, a rival for the likes of BMW's X3.Prices start at a respectable $49,990 for a petrol-engined SE, moving through four models to $57,990 for a diesel-engined HSE Freelander.There are many parts of the package that impress; both engines are quick and keen, the six-speed automatic transmission a little gem and the ride belies the size of the machine.Downsides include solid fuel consumption from the 3.2 litre petrol engine when pushed and, in some areas, a little too much fussiness.Appreciated is the dial-up terrain response button on the centre console. While the Freelander has no low range, this system does change engine and transmission responses plus adjust, where necessary, some of the electronic traction controls.Unlike the same system in the Discovery and Range Rover (both with low range plus more power and torque) this does not allow for foolproof four-wheel-driving.But it does help, switching from the road setting to say, mid and ruts, for better (if limited) creeping ability.Now if only this dial went a little further and automatically switched off all the Freelanders' buzzers and bells, seat belt warning, parking distance control warnings, key in ignition warnings.For there will be times when crossing paddocks, opening gates or shifting tree limbs from overgrown forest tracks where a driver may be in and out of the vehicle a bit, may be moving forward five metres without a seatbelt.And while on the little gripes (and Land Rover's not on its Pat Malone here) can we please have a remote-controlled key fob where it doesn't take a high-powered torch to work out in the dark which is unlock, which is lock and which is tailgate release.Having said that, Freelander does this cute business of folding in its mirrors when its locked up and lighting up the doors when reopened.And there are quite a few little gadgets to like, a reasonable amount of creature comforts and conveniences. Interior space is not huge but the driver and front passenger are well accommodated, armrests for both. This time tall drivers can see below the top of the windscreen.Despite a little extra length, the rear cargo space needs careful packing and the rear seat may not suit bigger adults over a long distance.There is more to Freelander 2 than a luxury interior, one now has more hints of the bigger Land Rover's interior design.There is now a better ride, better handling and more refinement to help distinguish the British product from the rest of the class.Maybe the initial steering feel could have more meat but once turned in the Freelander is an agile machine, pushed along easy over a mountain road or down a dirt track.Most torque is fed to the front wheels in normal driving but the torque balance is adujsted continuously to ensure traction when the tar runs out or turns slippery.And so the baby Land Rover can be pushed along with confidence, helped by the eagerness of both engines and that slick six-speed automatic.The four-cylinder diesel is smart and, with 118kW and maximum torque of 400Nm at 2000rpm, very handy when attacking hills; the six-cylinder petrol runs out like a rally engine.The Freelander 2 rides with authority, it is well damped for roads through the back-blocks and able to tackle big lumps without upsetting handling or grip. It rides like a bigger machine, more like a Range Rover than some compact rivals.At the end of the track the Land Rover Freelander 2 may not get that much further through rough-and-tumble four-wheel-drive country but it is a nicer machine than most for getting to that track.It is also has a full-sized spare and would appear to be better bolted together than its predecessor.This is a fine, grown-up compact with the only question still to be answered is who will own Land Rover if Ford decides to sell? And will that harm Land Rover's recent progress? 

The Toyota Camry Hybrid is easy enough to spot in the Cow Hollow Motor Inn downstairs car park. But then that car park becomes a bit tricky when starting up, manoeuvring and moving off into the streets of San Francisco without the familiar accompanying sounds of a petrol engine.The driver's OK, he's expecting this lack of noise once the start-stop button has been given a jab, there's a ready sign on the instrument cluster and the park brake warning sounds, indicating the sedan is ready to move.No, here the problem is with pedestrians, travellers blithely wandering through the parking lot, people who do not understand the Camry (which looks like any other Camry apart from a couple of neat Hybrid badges) is on the move.This happens with most hybrids of course, the silent travel around sprawling car parks, but it's brought into sharper focus when sitting on the left-hand side of the sedan and trying to figure out the quickest, least intricate route out of downtown San Francisco. There are grid systems here, it's just that at some stage a pair of grids intersect at far less than a 90 degree angle.Then there are the trams and cable cars and a series of one-way streets. And don't forget the hills, steep and tough when the next intersection with a Stop sign is half way up Sacramento to Nob Hill. (For the Americans do have a sensible and polite method of controlling four-way, sometimes five-way intersections with Stop signs rather than traffic lights.) Setting off from one of these stops the Camry has a little judder, the electric motor maybe deciding if it needs help to get away.This hesitation is sometimes felt at freeway speeds, where the Camry's been cruising quietly at 75mph (120km/h) and running electric before the need for more power to overtake yet another Prius. (On the West Coast, the Toyota Prius is everywhere, in May there were 24,009 Prius hybrids sold across the US compared with 21,780 Mercedes-Benz models.) The bigger brother Camry Hybrid comes with a 33kW electric motor, 110kW, 2.4 litre petrol engine and Constantly Variable Transmission. And for the most part, aside from those occasional judders under heavy load, it is a quiet and comfortable sedan, if not one for car chases through San Fran's streets.The front end on this one was a touch doughy, and not as responsive at the steering wheel as Australian petrol Camrys. (Toyota Australia says there are no plans at present to bring the hybrid Camry Down Under.)Whether the different feel was down to the Hybrids' steering and suspension or North American specifications, we're not sure.Yet the electric-petrol-CVT powertrain and a soft front end did not stop this Camry Hybrid from a couple of free-spirited runs, one behind a pack of bikers on the twisting, turning Highway One north of San Francisco. And through all of this, climbing steep city streets, running with the pack down freeways and mixing it on country roads, the car returned just under nine litres per 100km. That's not bad for a fair-sized family sedan.Luggage space is more limited than in a conventional Camry, but the car is a usable sedan not lacking any traditional attributes.In the US, Toyota Motor Sales' advanced technologies manager Bill Reinert says changes in modern-day motoring, effectively to reduce the “footprint of mobility”, are coming. Los Angeles has slowed, almost stopped, and building freeways and the car culture among many young Americans is weakening.“The emotional aspect is falling away. Cars are being treated more like an appliance,” he says.Reinert says development of the current hybrid crop, and of electric vehicles, is being driven by a number of factors from long-term supply of oil to emissions and congestion.“Eventually, we may want to rethink the whole concept of the personal car and how it fits in tomorrow's cities,” he says. “Cars using electric propulsion provided from batteries or fuel cells offer more than zero emissions, they also promise complete by-wire operation. With these advances, we could design a car that can drive sideways and automatically park in a parking space exactly the same size as the car.“Eventually, we could double the parking capacity that currently exists in major cities.” (As long as we can hear those cars coming.)Reinert says sustainable mobility needs a holistic approach; he understands a Prius Hybrid may not be the car for rural Texas, and that urban planning and mass transit systems have a part to play. But for now, cars such as Camry Hybrid are helping point the way. 

The Korean Actyon and the Actyon Sports — the differences are largely confined to the chassis length and the bodystyles — arrive at a reasonable price into two market segments that continue to grow.Both are offered with petrol or diesel engines, manual or automatic transmissions; both have two trim levels and the Actyon Sports ute is also available in two-wheel drive.Both have fabulous noses, shark-like character lines from the windscreen forward. Until the B-pillar (the one behind the front seats) the shorter Actyon hatchback and the Actyon Sports share exterior style and cabin detail.Then the Actyon turns into a bob-tailed, four-door hatchback and the other into a useful four-door ute.Most mechanicals are shared, apart from a 320mm shorter driveline on the Actyon, which sits at 4455mm in body length compared with the Actyon Sports' 4965mm.And for much of the driving experience the pair are quite similar, in particular here with diesel-automatic versions of the Ssangyong siblings driven back-to-back.Maybe the hatchback rides a touch tauter and quieter, maybe it sits a bit taller on the road yet otherwise the results are much the same. Here is a pair of Koreans with a fresh (some think too fresh) approach to style, reasonable build quality and sturdiness plus decent pricing. The style polarises opinion.The Actyon, up against the likes of Toyota's RAV4, Nissan X-Trail and Honda CR-V, looks like a Dakar racer. It sits tall and squat with a little bit of crouch on 18-inch alloy wheels. The hatchback style is unusual in this part of the market and indeed that falling-away roof line at the rear cuts into luggage space (especially when the Actyon's rear floor sits so high). So perhaps it loses a little here against the rivals which generally arrive in conventional wagon styles, albeit with a few curves and swoops.But before the tyrekickers start taking aim at the Actyon's unusual style, take a quick look at the Audi concept coupe (possibly pointing to a forthcoming Q3 or Q5?) shown at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year. If it's OK for Audi to play with this school of thought the Ssangyong crew may just be running ahead of the pack.The Actyon Sports ute of course shares the same frontal treatment as the hatchback, apart from the material filling in the grille opening. The ute's looks are welcomed in this segment where there's been little adventure in style for some time (though the current Mitsubishi Triton has lifted the bar.)Unlike the Actyon, the Actyon Sports has a very useful tray area out back. It is not overlong at 1275mm but there is decent width at 1610mm and depth of 540mm.Some of the cabin details in this pair lack a bit of fit and finish but layout and design work well.Again, the front cabin of both Actyon and Actyon Sports are the same. There are the three big instruments — speedometer, tachometer plus the collected fuel and temperature gauges — in front of a steering wheel with audio controls. The rest of the controls, including a dashboard knob to shift into four-high and four-low, are all logical and easy to find, even if the tactile experience isn't always up there with Japanese rivals.Strange too that the shift-gate for the auto transmission can be a little awkward when the design is lifted from older Mercedes-Benz.There is, even in standard models, the usual array of comfort and convenience features including air conditioning and CD/stereo. ABS is standard on Limited models, driver and passenger airbags are standard across the range, but only the Limited version of the Actyon scores electronic stability program, brake assists and traction control.Back seat space is better in the Actyon than the Actyon Sports. Here the ute loses out a bit over the competition from the Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton. But remember the price savings over comparable Japanese rivals.The Actyon Sports is the follow-up to the Ssangyong Musso Sports, a reliable hauler. There are improvements in ride, steering and general handling dynamic and the new machine remains a reasonable off-roader for light to medium duties.There wasn't a chance this time round to give the stubbier Actyon a serious off-road workout, but the general specifications and those good approach and departure angles, suggest the little Musso will outdo compact rivals in this area.The standard four-wheel-drive Actyon Sports is let down to some extent by the 16-inch, 225/75 Kuhmo tyres. These may lose traction at small provocations, detracting from what's not a bad chassis.The smaller Actyon, riding on more rubber, is that much quieter and more confident when the road surface becomes trickier.But both diesel-powered Ssangyongs have one annoying trait — that's the turbocharged, four-cylinder engine finding its get-up-and-go somewhere the other side of 2000rpm.In the Actyon this can lead to a great gob of torque locking up the rear wheels as the machine moves off; in the Actyon Sports it's more a little bunny-hop.Now the engine — traced back to a Benz design, is a good worker, putting out 104kW at 4000 rpm and a claimed 310Nm of torque at 1800rpm. It is just that tad sluggish off the mark, convincing a driver the best method of dealing with the cut and thrust of traffic is to bury the right foot. This tardiness (compared with rivals) may also raise its head on the highway though the engine is far more flexible once running beyond 2000rpm.For both diesels Ssangyong suggests fuel consumption should be just under 9l/100km and that would appear a fair call.And that diesel option is one advantage the Actyon hatch has over some rivals in the compact herd. Other diesel options here include the Jeep Compass, Hyundai's Santa Fe and the forthcoming Land Rover Freelander II.Ssangyong Australia reckon customers for the Actyon will be females between 25 and 39 years old with good incomes or young couples with maybe one child. These are people who want to make a statement, says Ssangyong Australia's marketing manager Brad Larkham.The Actyon Sports should appeal across a wider spectrum, from traditional tradespeople to “white-collar” tradesmen, the likes of engineers and surveyors.There is no doubt there's been some effort put into both these machines. Where they may not always match Japanese rivals, the prices are right for the Ssangyong Actyon duo to find their own little niches. Ssangyong Actyon Sports$34,990Body: four-door utilityEngine: 2-litre, turbocharged dieselPower: 104kW @ 4000rpmTorque: 310Nm @ 1800rpmTransmission: part-time 4WD/four-speed autoDimensions (MM): 4965 (l) 1900 (w) 1755 (h) 3060 (w'base)Weight: from 1803kgTOWING: 2300kg (braked) Ssangyong Actyon$35,990Body: five-door hatchbackEngine: 2-litre turbocharged dieselPower: 104kW @ 4000rpmTorque: 310Nm @ 1800rpmTransmission: part-time 4WD/ four-speed autoDimensions (MM): 4455 (L) 1880 (W) 1745 (H) 2740 (w'base)Weight: from 1870kgTowing: 2300kg (braked) 

Hired straight from graduating by Toyota's Calty Design Research studios near Los Angeles, Ian Cartabiano's path was laid out early. His mother was a sculptor, his father an industrial designer and the family were car nuts.He toyed with the idea of becoming a film director, but the cars won out when Toyota signed him on in 1997. So now Cartabiano drives a Toyota-engined Lotus Elise and a bunch of Toyota cars he helps design.Calty senior executive Erwin Lui says the design studio is a “conduit for American tastes and the American market”.Toyota's sales volume, and direct involvement, in the US auto industry has grown considerably since the mid-1990s. Toyota in Japan recognises the worldwide influence of the Californian culture.This is a young, diverse and faddish place with a huge appetite for the latest in style and technology. Equally, California has long been a car place, a hot-rodders' and imports paradise.Among Calty's recent design includes; the wild Toyota FJ Cruiser from 2006 creating a modern spin on the original Landcruiser, then there's the latest Tundra which is a full-sized American pickup and finally the 2007 Kluger known as Highlander in the US.For Cartabiano, the Kluger did not come easy. “It was one of the hardest projects I've been involved with,” he says.“The Highlander (Kluger) is our most mainstream SUV, it's like the Camry of SUVs.”So Cartabiano's early grille for instance the strong horizontal bars, which was abandoned and deemed a little too tough.“This car had to look strong and tough but also intelligent,” he says. “It had to have an intelligent silhouette and be proud of what it is. The previous Kluger had a kind of waddly look and the wheels looked like they had been sucked in.”The new philosophy for Toyota design, still being analysed and understood, is “vibrant clarity”. Automotive design has become more a marketing tool in recent years, manufacturers chasing individual expressions to define the “face” of each car family, he says.Cartabiano gave the Kluger a new wheel focus, a stronger face with more style muscle to the bonnet and more shoulder to the rear. There is the hint of flare over the mudguards and both 17-inch or 19-inch wheels fill out the guards.There is a more athletic look to this next Kluger, without disguising the cabin length and the fact that this is a seven-seater SUV.“There had to be a balance between form and function,” Cartabiano says.He is happy with the production version although, while understanding the need to tone it down, he does miss that original design for the Kluger grille. The end result is a more sophisticated style than the original wagon, inside and out.The new Toyota Kluger is smarter all round, with some similarities to its little brother the RAV4 and Hyundai's Santa Fe. 

It weighs in around the same as the Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara, it gives the others a little edge in the power stakes and there's less torque than the Navara. Yet the Mitsubishi is that touch more eager to get going.Maybe it's the in-your-face style, maybe it's the very 21st-century interior which contribute to this sporting edge. Whatever, this is a most encouraging ute and no slouch down the tracks or through the traffic.So fair warning to that marauding Mini — the Triton is not slow and traffic gaps are filled just as quick (if not quicker) than an over-driven, redline-screaming little compact may manage.There are a number of motorists out there who do not appreciate how far this type of machine has come. The new dual cabs are quick, quiet, comfortable and very versatile.And for vehicles with load-carrying leaf springs out the back, these handle quite well.The Mitsubishi Triton is the most striking of the all-new trio. Style is an objective business but the Triton is unashamed new age, inside and out, taking cues from the company's all-conquering Dakar machines.How that Cinderella coach-style looks in 10 years will be another matter and, like the other pair of all-new dual cab styles with HiLux and Navara, the Triton looks a little undertyred in profile. It also look quite gawky in base model trim without all the flash bits.The dashboard style is likewise sharp and new, plenty of blue backing for instruments. In the top-of-the-tree GLX-R and GLS there is also trip computer and information centre with altitude and temperature numbers, compass and barometer.Both top trucks score an electrically operated rear cabin window; both have hard tonneau covers so it's a bit hard to make full use of the facility.The Triton GLS has leather upholstery which accentuates the flatness of the seats; there are power adjustments for the driver's seat and there's a Bluetooth phone connection.It is a comfortable, easy-to-use interior with dual airbags, airconditioning and electric windows and mirrors. Missing from the GLS Triton cabin, over say the rival Navara ST-X, are cruise control, interior light over the rear seat and a six-stack CD player.While the three back seats all have lap-sash belts there isn't the fold-back facility of the Nissan, the centre headrest obstructs rear vision and there are not as many grab handles.Comparisons with the Navara are natural enough — these two arguably are the main contenders for family-workhorse ute honours right now.The diesel Triton wins out with a bigger payload, loses out with smaller tray and less towing capacity to the Nissan. The GLS and GLX-R arrive with the lockable lid over the tray. This is a bit fiddly at times and may restrict carrying capacity if there's a bargain antique found on a country run; on the flipside a lockable lid stops thieves and dust getting into the tray.On this run with the Triton, it was just behind the Nissan on fuel consumption, returning 10.4 litres/100km compared with the Navara's 9.8 litres/100km.A deal of that comes from throwing the Triton around. It may not steer and grip any better than the Nissan (like the Navara, the Triton runs on road-biased tyres) and maybe there's a bit more fore-aft pitch to the ride but that keen 118kW engine encourages the Triton driver to press on that little bit harder.The Triton also holds maybe a couple of extra revs at cruising speeds where the Navara's extra (sixth) transmission ratio, plus cruise control, may save a little more fuel.On the highways and byways the Triton is a handy tourer.It settles into a nice, quiet and comfortable gait yet, with help from 347Nm of torque, the Mitsi is already ready to go again and go hard.The steering's turn-in is quick and positive, the front end rarely gets flustered and the back well-behaved until it hits corrugations on a dirt track. In the main the Triton, with slightly shorter wheelbase and narrower track, feels that bit more nimble, easier to throw around, than the Navara. In turn, the Nissan offers a modicum more grip and balance on the bitumen.On these top Mitsubishi models there's ABS brakes (discs up front, drums at the rear) plus electronic brake distribution. This does help pull the ute up quick and sure.The turning circle, once the bane of all Tritons, is much reduced, helpful in both suburbs and scrub. The diesel engine also lugs quite well and that's also handy in town or country.This time around there was little chance to do any semi-serious off-road work; Mitsubishi has a fair track record in this department and so there is little reason to doubt the Triton will get as far as a family of adventurers would want.The Triton is a welcome entry in the four-wheel-drive dual cab market. It offers sporting style and substance and is a real alternative to the D40 Nissan Navara as the pick of this new breed that offer wagon comforts up front and workhorse ability out back.Bruce McMahon owns a diesel Nissan NavaraMITSUBISHI TRITON DUAL CAB GLS$49,990ENGINE, TRANSMISSION ****Excellent dieselHANDLING ***ConfidentECONOMY ****10.4 litres per 100kmSAFETY ***Dual airbagsTech SpecsSTYLE: 5-seat, 4-door uteENGINE: 3.2 litre, turbocharged dieselPOWER: 118kW @ 3200rpmTORQUE: 347Nm @ 2000rpmTRANSMISSION: five-speed manualDIMENSIONS (MM): 5174 L, 1800 W,1780 H, 3000 Wheelbase, track:1520 front, 1515 rearGROUND CLEARANCE: 205 (unladen)KERB WEIGHT: 1920kgTURNING CIRCLE: 11.8mTYRES: 245/70 R16FUEL TANK: 75 litresECONOMY: 10.4 litres per 100kmTOWING: 2300kgVerdict FOR: sporting style and dynamicsAGAINST: hard seats, no cruise control

It has its fair share of old fashions — outside, inside and underneath.There's that square-jawed body style, a bit like a tourist jeepney bus to Penang. There's a most workmanlike, straight-lined interior. There's manual free-wheeling hubs up front and leaf springs out the back.But the LandCruiser's 70 Series wagon will sell on substantial substance.Anyhow, the style argument should be secondary for a go-anywhere, any-weather machine. Jeep's four-door Wrangler wagon has a no-nonsense body and the forthcoming Hummer H3 also harks back to the days when four-wheel drives were serious machines for (mostly) serious adventurers.This is the first wagon variant of the 70 Series for Australia; until now the range was limited to cab/chassis ute and Troop Carrier. As with that pair, this four-door version is a workhorse first, recreational machine second. Part of its job is to replace the discontinued base LandCruiser 100 Series wagon.This four-door 70 Series starts at $53,990 for the Workmate and there's a fancier GXL at $57,490. Utes start at $53,990 and the Troop Carrier at $59,990.(Airconditioning is a $2640 option, the only other option is differential locks.)The five-seater LC76 wagon sits on a 2730mm wheelbase, compared with 2980mm for the LC78 Troop Carrier and 3180mm for the LC79 cab/chassis. All run a standard four-wheel-drive system with two-speed transfer case working through the two rigid, live axles, a five-speed manual gearbox, recirculating ball and nut steering plus 16-inch wheels.Best of the deal is the engine used across the range — a 4.5-litre, turbocharged and intercooled diesel V8.Modern turbocharged diesels are great engines, quieter and more flexible than ever.The appeal is tripled with a V8. Not only is there that deep rumbling sound, there is extra torque for all sorts of jobs, city or country.Here this common rail diesel motor produces 430Nm of torque from 1200 to 3200rpm, enough to rattle recalcitrant stumps. Power is 151Kw at 3400rpm.Toyota reckon this engine allows for marginally better fuel consumption (and fewer emissions) than the two outgoing straight six-cylinder diesels, naturally aspirated or turbocharged.Fitting the V8 has helped dictate changes to the 70 Series machines' style, all-new from the windscreen forward. The LandCruisers' track is wider so there's a new bonnet, new front guards, headlights, grille and bumper plus a wide bonnet bulge for air to the intercooler.There is also a standard snorkel and on GXL models, along with some chrome touches, there's a little fancy guard flaring to accommodate the wider alloy wheels on GXL versions.Changes inside are limited to a CD player with MP3 capability for all models and repositioning of the airconditioner blower. Otherwise this is pretty much back-to-the-future with traditional dashboard, instruments and controls that date back a decade or so. It is old school but, as usual with Toyota, bolted down right and tight.There are no airbags but GXLs score carpet, remote locking and power windows. There is also decent accommodation with good headroom throughout and a full-size rear luggage compartment; the spare wheel sits on the outside of the bigger of two barn doors at the rear.So there are no real surprises climbing up into a GXL 70 Series wagon.Maybe the seat's a bit high for taller drivers and maybe the gearshift here on this one was a bit notchy, maybe the stereo speakers are a bit tinny but for the most this is all familiar Toyota territory.That V8 fires up with a polite throb, sounds like it means business from the outset with a mini-Kenworth attitude. With all that torque arriving pretty early (and peak power not far behind) a driver can run through the five gearbox ratios smartly, with care not to have the rear tyres protesting from a too-smart take-off.For the V8 does not need a big dose of revs to keep moving and can sound a little perturbed when run hard through to the 4500rpm redline.Better to short-shift and let all that torque do the work. This is handy around the town, down the highway and out in the scrub for once rolling, the diesel is quite flexible.Over a mixed week of work, from suburbs to scrub, the 70 Series wagon returned just over 12 litres for 100 kilometres.In the bush the Cruiser's engine and gearing gives the driver a tonne of confidence — whether facing a steep, scrabbling climb, walking over creek boulders or pointed down a steep descent. (This one had front and rear differential locks, a $2735 option, but given this wagon's innate off-road abilities those locks would be for real serious work.)This is a machine which inspires confidence, a go-anywhere machine that will tackle the worst of terrain without concerns about body panel or personal damage.Good ground clearance, excellent engine and transmission, square body corners and basic, easy-to-understand controls mean a driver can get on with the job of driving without wondering about the worth of fancy electronic aids.There are compromises. Back on the road the Toyota 70 Series wagon is not as sweet as fancier SUVs. The ride height accentuates a bit of body roll and understeer, the rear leaf springs are not as smooth riding as a 100 Series set-up.It is more trucklike than carlike. But that's the trade-off for a four-wheel-drive wagon that delivers no-nonsense four-wheel-drive ability — with the bonus of that smart V8 diesel.The 70 Series wagon will not appeal to many of the new crowd of SUV buyers. For the traditionalists and those really needing to get places, this LandCruiser has substantial appeal.

Smarter than ever, with more comfort and convenience, the new mob of dual cabs are finding ground as family wagon and family four-wheel drive substitutes. Today's four-door utes are just as handy for camping trips as for day-to-day load carrying and highway hauls.And without the garish 4 x 4 decal down the tail of this top-of-the-tree Mazda BT-50 SDX, not many would understand this handsome little bloke has decent four-wheel drive ability — along with that load carrying ability and passenger-carrying comforts.This latest crop, at least in the higher specs, look like a fancy (albeit practical) ute without attracting the attention of the anti-4WD brigade.This 2007 Mazda range is not all-new, unlike HiLux, Navara and Triton rivals. Rather the BT-50 is a big revamp of the B-Series range, using the same chassis and reworked body.All new this time around are engines, transmissions and styling which is good and not-so-good.The good includes the 3-litre turbo diesel engine, producing 115kW and 380Nm of torque from a low 1800rpm. Steering, ride and handling are better. Payloads are up. And the reworked cabin is brighter.But where the rivals have all-new, bigger and wider bodies, Mazda's revamp leaves a smaller, more confined cabin.There is not the shoulder room across the front, there is not the shoulder nor leg room in rear for five adults; compared with the HiLux, Triton or Navara. And the attempt to give the styleside tray a little more styling bulk looks a little tacked-on.Yet the Mazda is not out of the game. It has one of the biggest of dual cab styleside trays, the pricing is right, the build is good and the BT-50 a more refined machine than its predecessor. This Mazda is again an honest machine, this time with fresh appeal.The restyle cannot disguise the old cabin size but there is a fair job of making the BT-50 look bigger and bolder. There is some extra chrome touches for door handles, mirrors and across the bigger grille.The best of the rework is inside. Here the Mazda folk have given the ute a car-like interior, bright and usable, with a two-tone colour scheme and silver-finish accents the highlights.A modular audio unit, with all the bells and whistles on the SDX model, sits pretty in the centre of the dashboard. It adds to the more modern airs of the BT-50. There are dual airbags, more storage spots plus electrics for mirrors and windows.Front seats are comfortable, if perhaps a little high for some drivers.It is a quiet cabin, much more refined and, while there remains a deal of sensible plastic, much more car-like.But there remains that under-dash handbrake lever, awkward for many in town or country. Centre-mounted handbrake levers are that much easier to use when halfway up, or down, a steep slope — especially on a dirt track.The rest of it works very well, easy and firm controls, all very sensible. The new instrumentation panel is pretty flash.The new diesel is a charmer from the get-go, sounds straight up as if it wants to work until the cows come home.It is quiet and, once off the line, quite quick. Best of all is this motor's flexibility, whether heading up the highway or across the paddock.Slotted into fifth, it cruises at 100km/h for a lazy 2000rpm.From here the Mazda is happy to drop back to 80km/h without stress and then accelerate past the 110 km/h mark without a complaint or gear change.All this town and highway work, over 500km, for 8.5 litres per 100km which bettered the factory figures of 9.2 litres per 100km.And later, across the creeks and the paddocks, the BT-50 shows it is a fair farm truck. Here it crawls with the best of them and has decent clearance and visibility for four-wheel drive work.First-low is OK for the slow work; this manual version has the traditional stick for shifting from two to four-wheel drive.The Mazda handles the big off-road holes and bumps with comfort although dirt road ride can be a bit lumpy — and there's a little forward-aft pitch — when there's no load out back.While out back, there are just the four tie-down hooks in the tray and a decent load area coming in at 1530mm long and 1456mm wide.The Mazda dual cab handles, steers and brakes pretty well for a ute although those all-new rivals (HiLux, Triton and Navara) with wider tracks and long wheelbases may offer a touch more in driving dynamics.And others may offer more in bits and pieces — such as Nissan's six-speed manual or rear power window on the Triton.But the Mazda stands up for itself with keen pricing across the range.The Mazda BT-50 is an honest worker with enough charm and capability to suit family or farmer.