Articles by Marcus Craft

The Kia Tasman has made its mark.In the slow-burn lead-up to the launch of Kia’s new ute there were doubters, haters and those who were simply nonplussed about the whole thing.It didn’t help that Kia’s ad campaign – which tapped into Australia’s love of sporting icons and starred the likes of Ash Barty, Dylan Alcott, Steve Waugh and numerous others – left a lot of Aussies feeling decidedly unexcited about the launch of the new ute.But surely UFC world featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski, who featured in the ad, didn’t back a dud, did he? Of course, he didn’t.The Kia Tasman is a body-on-frame 4WD with a ladder chassis, rear diff lock (mechanical in all 4WD Tasmans, except the top-spec which has an electronic rear diff lock) and off-road drive modes. It has the latest-generation all-aluminium Smartstream 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – producing 154kW at 3800rpm and 440Nm from 1750-2750rpm – and that’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s not a hardcore 4WD as is, but the Tasman has ample appeal as a daily driver and that’s ultimately far more important than its 4WD capabilities.In terms of engine and transmission, useable power and torque output, effective driver-assist technology and overall off-road performance, the Tasman is very impressive.Kia may have experienced a slower-than-hoped start to sales of its ute but the Tasman is an intriguing entry in the dual-cab ute market: it’s a premium utility vehicle and at the very top of the class in terms of refinement, comfort and all-around driveability. Attention to detail is impressive, build quality is great, and everything inside and outside of the cabin looks and feels premium.Sure, it could do with more power and torque but it performs ably with what it has. This is an impressive all-round package – functional, comfortable and capable – and it’s a decent 4WD for light-to-moderate off-road touring straight out of the dealership.It can actually tackle reasonable-use off-road scenarios without compromising any of its day-to-day useability and, as such, it’s a strong indication of just what future 4x4s should be like.But to enhance its off-road potential even more, you’ll either opt for some of Kia’s genuine accessories or you’ll tap into the lively Australian off-road aftermarket industry.Kia’s genuine accessories range from tailored rubber floor mats, roadside assist kit and matt black bonnet protector through to a roof rack packing kit, towball-mounted three-bike carrier and electric roller shutter cover.So, why is the Tasman so well suited to an ongoing positive collaboration with our 4WD aftermarket industry? Well, it’s ripe for enhancement, that’s why.For one, Tasman owners can cover up the front end that so many naysayers and style masters have been complaining about – apparently they’re not at all keen on the Tasman’s wide-set headlights. According to those same people, the Tasman either has a ‘face’ only a mother could love, or a ‘face’ that is inherently punchable.Easily fixed. Throw on a bullbar (maybe a Summit MKII from ARB, which doesn’t affect the driver-assist safety systems), a UHF antenna mount, front recovery points and an LED light bar to disguise the nose, as well as, a bit further back, a snorkel (for those pesky creek crossings).And the good news there’s a whole lot more where that came from as top-notch Aussie aftermarket companies such as ARB have led the charge here with a full range of accessories for the Tasman, designed and engineered to make the Kia ute even better off-road than it is as standard.Start off with essential gear such as that aforementioned snorkel and a set of aggressive all-terrain tyres.The Taman’s standard suspension – double wishbone and coil springs upfront, live axle and leaf springs at the rear – is a traditional ute set-up made for heavy loads, but it’s better tuned for a softer, more compliant ride, even unladen, on all surfaces.But it can always be improved: get some aftermarket suspension, a new leaf pack tuned to suit your load-carrying requirements wouldn’t go astray, and a GVM (gross vehicle mass) upgrade while you’re at it.In terms of off-road angles the Tasman does well, especially the X-Pro with approach (32.2 ), ramp-over (25.8), and departure (26.2) angles that are better than standard, especially for a ute with a long wheelbase. It has 252mm of ground clearance and a listed wading depth of 800mm, which is plenty on both counts. However, under-vehicle protection is crucial to shield the vehicle’s vital components (think control arms, sump, transfer case and more) from damaging rock strikes while you steer your Tasman through challenging terrain on your way to Adventure Town! … or at least Bundaberg.For touring and storage, the aftermarket can provide the Tasman with an alloy canopy over the tub to keep your camping gear or work tools secure from thieves and protected from the elements if the weather turns ugly.That same canopy may have a spare wheel carrier at the rear if you so desire and a foldaway ladder so you can access your roof-top tent or whatever camping gear you have stowed away up top on the cargo platform atop the canopy.If your Tasman doesn’t come out of the factory equipped with side steps – as is the case with the top-shelf X-Pro variant – you can treat yourself to some of those (replete with anti-slip tread plates) and also get a set of sturdy side rails to protect the ute’s wheel arches and panels from damage while rock-crawling.Don’t forget to include all-important vehicle-recovery gear onboard, including soft shackles, snatch strap, vehicle recovery tracks and more.There’s plenty of work you can do on – and accessories you can add to – the Tasman (or any 4WD for the matter) via Australia’s aftermarket industry, so crack open your wallet and go for it.

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Nostalgia can be a wonderful thing and may bring on a deep-seated hankering, if you will, for paisley shirts, disco balls, and, later, grunge music.This bitter-sweet sentimental longing can also be a terribly misleading mindset that leads to disappointment because nothing is ever actually as great as you remember it.The same applies to vehicles. What you recall to be such an awesome car is actually ordinary at best and mediocre at worst.But there’s a big market for nostalgia in the car realm and a chosen few new-ish vehicles, such as the Ineos Grenadier, Suzuki Jimny and Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, all hark back to a bygone era, with their unabashed retro styling conjuring strong images of a supposedly better time.However, you’d best exercise caution if buying into any nostalgia-based product because it’s often not everything you’d imagined it to be — sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Read on.While not technically an ‘old’ 4WD, the Ineos Grenadier and its ute stablemate the Quartermaster are part of a new wave of old-school-style 4WDs that mix a chunky traditional-style appearance with plenty of substance, namely in the form of a ladder frame chassis, live axles front and rear, permanent four-wheel drive, and the option of front, centre and rear locking differentials.It’s powered by either a BMW 3.0L turbo petrol, straight-six engine or BMW 3.0L twin-turbo diesel, straight-six engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.The Grenadier shares the upright squared-off look of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, Land Rover Defender and Suzuki Jimny, but it’s exactly that simple straight-forward appeal to our sense of yesteryear that draws us in, whether we’re viewing the past through rose-coloured glasses or not. The Grenadier's design is a clear homage to the Land Rover Defenders of old — and it’s arguably the Defender Landie lovers actually wanted the new-gen Defender to be.The Grenadier’s looks also encompass strong nods to the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, the Land Rover Discovery and even a sly tip of the hat to the Suzuki Jimny and Mitsubishi Pajero. But that appearance can be polarising so prepare yourself for numerous admiring glances but steel yourself for just as many disapproving glares.The cabin continues that no-nonsense work-and-play theme by way of a nicely laid-out interior with retro styling, myriad quirky touches and comfortable seats.But beyond its charming exterior and spartan but welcoming interior, this new, old-school (in spirit, at least) off-roader is also surprisingly pleasant to drive on sealed surfaces — for such a heavy, blocky 4WD anyway. It’s planted, somewhat comfortable (on heavy-duty coil-spring suspension), and refined (again, for a 4WD).There are trade-offs, though.It’s not dynamic (no surprise for a long and heavy solid-axle four-wheel-drive). If you haven't spent a lot of time or any time in vehicles like this, such as the Toyota LandCruiser 70 series or of that ilk – big heavy old-school 4WDs – then many of the Grenadier’s driving characteristics will likely rattle you.It’s not particularly quick off the mark either, unless you stomp your right foot to the floor. Again, no surprise for a big 4WD.Steering is slow, and there is a lot of play to it, especially off-centre. It feels floaty and it takes a lot of effort and constant micro-corrections when you're driving to keep it on track, whether that’s on a sealed surface or on a dirt track.These are big, heavy vehicles so they take considered driving to steer around – it has a turning circle ranging from 13.5 metres to 14.5 metres, depending on whether you’re driving the wagon or ute – but that's not to say those dimensions and those characteristics ruin it on- or off-road because they don't. These vehicles simply require more thought when you're driving it.That steering and concentrated driving style can be exhausting for some people. Keep that in mind.I can forgive the Grenadier for those characteristics because I reckon four-wheel driving should be a fully immersive experience, you should always be directly involved in the process and in the Grenadier you really are.And, of course, it’s handy off-road.The Grenadier has a dual-range transfer case, electronic traction control, and up to three diff locks (front, centre and rear as standard in Trialmaster and are able to be optioned up in other variants), and it's an effective mix of traditional mechanicals and driver-assist tech. The 3.0-litre petrol or diesel engines and eight-speed automatic transmission work well in on-road situations and it's also a cleverly smooth pairing for off-roading.But I think a lot of people, swept up in a nostalgia fever dream, buy vehicles like the Grenadier without realising what they’re getting into.As I’ve warned people about the ute version of the Grenadier, the Quartermaster, it’s a very capable four-wheel-drive ute and there's a lot to like about it, but the issue with a vehicle like this is that people may come into it not understanding exactly how it rides, how it drives and how involved you actually have to be. And also they don’t acknowledge the fact that there are lots of compromises to make, indeed some sacrifices.You're not getting as much driver-assist technology as you get in other contemporary vehicles, and it doesn't drive as precisely or perhaps as comfortably as some other modern 4WDs.Driving the Grenadier is an all-encompassing experience, good and bad. And if you get in one of these vehicles, you have to be ready for the bumps and the discomfort and the effort it requires, but all of those things add to the appeal of these vehicles, rather than detract from it.In being faithful to the spirit of old-school 4WDing, Ineos has shown its willingness to forgo those very things that people have come to arbitrarily expect. As a result it may attract not only urban explorers and dirt-track explorers, but also those who have little experience of how 4WDs ride and handle on bitumen, how they perform daily-driving duties and how to actually drive a 4WD off-road. I reckon some will get a rude shock.