Articles by Marcus Craft

Marcus Craft

Contributing Journalist

Raised by dingoes and, later, nuns, Marcus (aka ‘Crafty’) had his first taste of adventure as a cheeky toddler on family 4WD trips to secret fishing spots near Bundaberg, Queensland. He has since worked as a journalist for more than 20 years in Australia, London and Cape Town and has been an automotive journalist for 18 years.

This bloke has driven and camped throughout much of Australia – for work and play – and has written yarns for pretty much every mag you can think of.

The former editor of 4X4 Australia magazine, Marcus is one of the country’s most respected vehicle reviewers and off-road adventure travel writers.

Ford Transit Custom 2021 review: Sport 320S SWB GVM test

By Marcus Craft · 26 Aug 2021

The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320S is part of a line-up of light commercial vehicles that have a rock-solid reputation as work vans.This short-wheelbase van is designed and engineered to perform effectively as a mobile office, carry a load onboard, and still offer enhanced drivability.So, does it succeed?

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Book review: Fire to Fork

By Marcus Craft · 18 Aug 2021

My reluctance (inability?) to cook anything other than a bloody good feed of bacon and eggs while on camping trips is the stuff of bush legend. “Can’t cook, won’t cook” my mates whisper about me. While so many four-wheel drivers have embraced their inner Gordon Ramsay and now relish the task of whipping up a gourmet campfire feast for the wildly sophisticated palates of their family, friends and f

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Bolt-on extras to boost Isuzu MU-X bush cred

By Marcus Craft · 30 Jul 2021

It’s time for anyone interested in a new Isuzu MU-X to get ready for adventure – and perhaps sell a kidney to help pay for it – because the new-generation seven-seat SUV is about to receive the full-blown treatment from Australia’s aftermarket industry giants.

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Ford Transit Custom 2021 review: Sport 320L LWB DCiV GVM test

By Marcus Craft · 26 Jul 2021

Light commercial vans are designed to carry a load during multiple trips as part of busy work days that include plenty of kilometres.The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320L double cab in van (DCiV) has a load space, but also a total of five seats inside (two upfront and three in the second row), so it has cargo- and passenger-carrying capability.How does it actually perform with a decent load onboard?

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Ram 1500 2021 review: DT Limited

By Marcus Craft · 09 Jul 2021

The new-generation Ram 1500, the DT Series, has arrived. This modern utility vehicle has a 5.7-litre Hemi V8, a very versatile load space, plenty of safety tech and it's able to tow 4.5 tonnes – all of that in a premium package. This is a prestige ute if ever you've seen one, but does a luxurious full-size pick-up truck deserve your attention?

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Ford Transit Custom 2021 review: Sport 320S SWB tow test

By Marcus Craft · 30 Jun 2021

The Ford Transit light commercial range is well-known and -regarded for its work-day functionality - and the Custom Sport variant adds to that rep. In 320S panel van guise this van may be engineered to carry loads onboard sans stress, but is it any good at towing a load? A 1765kg cherry picker should be enough of a burden to test this popular van's performance under pressure.

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Isuzu D-Max 2021 review: X-Terrain long-term

By Marcus Craft · 28 Jun 2021

In the last month or so of its stint as part of the CarsGuide test fleet, the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain, the top spec variant in the range, has further proven itself on and off the road.It's had a busy final few weeks with us, and has impressed with its comfort and refinement, and also its capability as a 4WD.So it is with much reluctance we return the X-Terrain to Isuzu HQ.

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Subaru Outback 2021 review: AWD Touring off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 21 Jun 2021

The new Outback continues a grand Subaru tradition of giving drivers the opportunity to explore a little bit further afield, even if they spend the lion's share of their time on city and suburban streets.But this time the Outback is even more SUV than wagon - or so Subaru reckons.The fact is the Outback now has more onboard equipment and driver-assist safety technology than ever before.

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Mercedes-Benz Vito 2021 review: 116 Panel Van GVM test

By Marcus Craft · 09 Jun 2021

The Mercedes-Benz Vito van range has benefited from safety and multi-media upgrades, as well as design alterations, which are aimed at making these work vehicles even more appealing to buyers in what is a hotly contested work vehicle market.But those improvements have brought a price increase across the range.

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Nissan Navara 2021 review: Pro-4X off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 17 May 2021

The Nissan Navara Pro-4X is the ute line-up's new top dog. With the Navara range's new driver-assist technology, as well as a a raft of styling tweaks to set it apart from the standard Navaras, the Pro-4X is aimed at appealing to those who are keen to fully embrace the adventure lifestyle.

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