Articles by Mark Oastler

Mark Oastler

Contributing Journalist

Mark Oastler has been a prominent motoring journalist in print and electronic media for more than three decades.

Now based in Melbourne, his diverse roles have included more than a decade of motor sport TV commentary for both the Seven and Ten networks, editor of Street Machine magazine, founding editor of Australian Muscle Car magazine and freelance contributor to Wheels, Motor, Auto Action, Unique Cars, V8X, AMC, Suncorp and many more.

In addition to his regular LCV reviews and advice pieces for CarsGuide, he is also a feature writer and online TV host for the popular Shannons Club website.

Ford Ranger 2023 review: XLS Bi-Turbo long-term | Part 1

By Mark Oastler · 12 Apr 2023

It's built to work hard, but what about family life? We're spending three months with the Ford Ranger XLS Bi-Turbo to see how it measures up in terms of comfort, practicality, driving dynamics, fuel economy, and more. First impressions for the settling in phase are encouraging.

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Mazda BT-50 2023 review: XTR LE

By Mark Oastler · 03 Apr 2023

Mazda's BT-50 ute competes in one of the Australian new car market's hottest segments against the all-conquering Ford Ranger, evergreen Toyota HiLux, and many more. Can a new premium XTR LE grade zoom zoom a few more 4x4 ute buyers Mazda's way?

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Nissan Navara 2023 review: SL Warrior - GVM test

By Mark Oastler · 20 Mar 2023

Nissan Australia scored a hit with its locally enhanced Navara Warrior PRO-4X. Now it's offering a more affordable version that keeps all the hardcore stuff and trims away some of the fancy bits around the edges - the Navara SL Warrior.

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Mazda BT-50 2023 review: XTR long-term | Part 6

By Mark Oastler · 15 Mar 2023

A six month stint behind the wheel of Mazda's BT-50 XTR comes to an end, with this dual cab ute now sporting a raft of genuine accessories to enhance its flexibility and capabilities. So... what's the verdict?

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Ford Transit Custom 2023 review: Sport 320S SWB - GVM test

By Mark Oastler · 07 Mar 2023

The current version of Ford's Transit Custom may be coming to the end of its life, with a new generation model due late this year, but the Blue Oval hasn't been sitting on its hands. The Sport version has been on the receiving end of ongoing upgrades to safety and standard specification. So, how does it stack up against the light commercial van competition?

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Toyota HiAce 2023 review: LWB turbo-diesel

By Mark Oastler · 21 Feb 2023

Despite the emergence of new competitors in recent years, Toyota's HiAce van remains the go-to workhorse for thousands of Aussie businesses. After a long gestation period rear barn doors are now offered as part of the package. Do they make a big difference?

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Mazda BT-50 2023 review: XTR long-term | Part 5

By Mark Oastler · 10 Feb 2023

We're big fans of the annual Bathurst 12 Hour race for GT3 cars on Mount Panorama. So, having watched it on TV for years, we decided the 2023 event would be a great excuse for a long overdue road trip from Melbourne to the NSW central west to experience this great event trackside for the first time.

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Mazda BT-50 2023 review: XTR long-term | Part 4

By Mark Oastler · 23 Dec 2022

A 4x4 dual cab ute like our BT-50 XTR, which can tackle the harshest terrain and venture deep into remote areas, obviously runs a much higher risk of being damaged than a family sedan or soft-roader that rarely (if ever) leaves the bitumen.

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Mazda BT-50 2023 review: XTR long-term | Part 3

By Mark Oastler · 05 Dec 2022

As mentioned in last month's report, we wanted to see how the BT-50 performs as a heavy-duty tow vehicle, so as part of our Mazda Genuine Accessories (MGA) installation program we returned to Ringwood Mazda to get the BT-50 kitted out for towing.

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Mitsubishi Triton 2023 review: GLS - GVM test

By Mark Oastler · 23 Nov 2022

For many years the Mitsubishi Triton has maintained a solid foothold in the local 4x4 dual cab ute market as Australia's third-highest seller behind the dominant Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.

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