Ute News

Chinese giant GAC might be new to Australia, but its ambitious plans to be a top-ten automaker here in just five years will be led by a brand-new dual-cab ute.This incoming model, which GAC Australia CEO Kevin Shu says will be on the market in 2027, will be a brand-new ground-up model built with Australia in mind from the beginning.“As you know, our promise to the market is 10 new models in five years, so up until now, with the Aion UT [hatchback] we have four models, and for next year we will have three models, including a larger SUV and a pick-up truck,” Shu said.Shu wasn’t forthcoming on more details on the under-development ute model, he did confirm to CarsGuide that it would be developed under the main GAC brand, which predominantly specialises in combustion and hybrid models, rather than the EV-focused Aion or Hyptec sub brands.This opens the door to a more conventional combustion-led effort for the upcoming new ute challenger. Tightening emissions laws in Australia and globally, plus rising fuel prices, there is a strong chance for a hybrid, too.As GAC’s director of aftersales, Andrew Ratajczak says: “At GAC we have everything."“We’re not just stuck with PHEV, we’re not just stuck with BEV, we have such a wide spread of variation for our drivelines and our power supplier source for drivelines. It gives us such versatility to the market.“If the data comes back that this is where the demand is, we can do it. We don’t have to develop something unique - we can put something together out of the box from what we already have in our portfolio.”As for styling, we’ve had our digital artist Thanos Pappas come up with a ute based on the tough-looking design aesthetic of the brand’s GS8 large SUV, which seems the obvious fit for the “large SUV’ product Shu is suggesting for a 2027 launch.The main thing Shu confirmed is the new ute will break cover imminently at least in concept form at the Beijing motor show in late April.GAC has the advantage of seeing the different levels of impact its rivals are having on the extremely competitive landscape in Australia, which one Kia executive described as “the Olympic Games of utes”.BYD’s Shark 6 plug-in hybrid was the runaway success of 2025, shifting an impressive 18,073 deliveries despite its less-than-industry-standard towing capacity and payload.In comparison GWM’s Cannon Alpha managed a lesser number for the year, with just 2524 sales including the PHEV.These two ground-breaking hybrid utes differ in offering the two prevailing kinds of hybridisation, with the Shark 6 focusing on a bigger battery between the frame rails, driving the axles primarily via electric motors, while the GWM Cannon Alpha maintains a traditional gearbox, low-range transfer case, and solid linkages to each axle, with the electric motor inside the transmission.Chery will be the next to mix-up the space later in 2026 with its unique diesel plug-in hybrid system, which will also focus on mechanical ability rather than sheer battery size, in a similar vein to the GWM ute.Meanwhile other rivals provide an idea of what not to do. The middling success of Ford’s PHEV Ranger suggests buyers are looking for the longer range the Shark 6 offers, while Kia’s Tasman is a cautionary tale giving buyers what they want on the design front.One advantage for GAC, which the brands executives are keen to remind us, is the company’s deep ties with Toyota. It says this will help set it apart from other Chinese automakers when it comes to build quality, reliability and after-sales support, with the brand’s planned 100-strong dealer network and parts supply arrangements being modelled off shared experience with Toyota in China.The hybrid ute space looks to intensify massively by 2027, with JAC introducing its plug-in imminently, and Nissan’s China-built Frontier Pro being strongly hinted at by the Japanese brand as part of a dual-prong ute offering in Australia.Needless to say, GAC’s ute effort will have to be headline-grabbing if it wants to break into the market with such tough competition.

Hyundai has lifted the lid on its product and manufacturing plans for the next five years at its annual general shareholders meeting held in Seoul overnight.Under the headline ‘36 by 30’ the Korean giant’s President and CEO José Muñoz detailed a strong commitment to manufacturing in North America, as well as the introduction of 36 “all-new or significantly enhanced models” (including passenger cars, SUVs, trucks and commercial vehicles) by 2030.Muñoz confirmed the new vehicle blitz would be “supported by a broad mix of ICE, HEV, EV, and extended‑range electric (EREV) powertrains to meet evolving customer demands”.Although new model specifics weren’t shared, Muñoz gave a broad brush description of what’s coming down the product pipeline, which will include “new vehicles in new segments”.Key arrivals are an affordable entry-level hybrid, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol compact car and SUV (think i30/Kona), 2.0-litre mid-size car and SUV (think Sonata/Tucson) as well as a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol mid to large SUV (think Santa Fe/Palisade) and pick-up (the latter a likely replacement for the out-going Santa Cruz monocoque ute).For the first time, upcoming high-performance luxury models from Genesis will feature hybrid powertrains, including the upcoming GV80 Hybrid, scheduled to begin production later this year.  “The new vehicles will include core models and expanded trims, including XRT and N Performance derivatives,” said Muñoz.A potential sign of the brand’s new model intent is the unashamedly Ford Bronco-rivalling Hyundai Crater Concept shown at last year’s NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) convention in Las Vegas. Pitched as the automotive answer to the question, “What does freedom look like?”, it’s a tough, high-riding, dual-motor, off-road electric SUV.And 2025’s Ioniq 3 Concept is a clear preview of a new, more affordable compact EV, likely to land in 2027.Hyundai's North American focus is clearly driven in part by the current US administration’s import tariff regime, the company confirmed its US$26 billion (~A$38B) investment in the United States, including a new, “state-of-the-art” steel mill in Louisiana and an AI robotics hub, anchored by Boston Dynamics in Massachusetts and a new Robot Metaplant Application Centre (RMAC) in Georgia.Hyundai is targeting more than 80 per cent of the vehicles it sells in the USA to be assembled there by 2030, simultaneously increasing US supply‑chain content from approximately 60 per cent to 80 per cent.

Details for the Isuzu Ute D-Max electric ute in Thailand have just been revealed, and it could be a timely inclusion in Australia for the brand.The car starts from the equivalent of roughly $70,000 in Thailand, which is a massive reduction on the more than $115,000 equivalent price in the UK. This bodes well for Australia, which has a free trade agreement and close proximity to Thailand where the D-Max EV is built.It is powered by front- and rear-mounted electric motors, producing 140kW, with front motor torque at 108Nm and rear motor torque at 217Nm for a maximum 325Nm.The ute comes with a full-time four-wheel drive system.Its 67kWh battery offers a driving range of 263km (WLTP), which is comparable to the HiLux EVs 240km. Fast charging on the D-Max EV from 20-80 per cent takes around an hour, due to a maximum of 50kW charging on the Thai version. It will also have a 3500kg towing capacity, offering the same lugging capacity as many of its diesel competitors. The D-Max EV also has a payload exceeding 1000kg. The D-Max EV is nearing sale in many countries, including the United Kingdom, but its Thailand launch could be the final step before it lands Down Under.Sky high diesel fuel prices could speed up any potential EV ute launches in Australia, as they offer a cheaper-to-run and cleaner alternative in a segment potentially phasing out diesel in the coming years. The D-Max EV is likely to launch in Australia some time this year, but local timing has yet to be confirmed by the brand. A spokesperson for Isuzu Australia said there was no news confirmed.It will join a growing EV ute segment, with the electric variant of the KGM Musso already on sale, while MG’s U9 EV and the Toyota HiLux BEV will launch in the coming months. 

The latest details on Chinese brand JAC's Hunter PHEV (plug-in hybrid) have been revealed – along with some bold suggestions about its price.First revealed at the Melbourne Motor Show in April 2025, the plug-in hybrid powerhouse is now targeting June deliveries ahead of a July on-sale date in Australia.Powered by a new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine which combines with twin electric motors — one on each axle — the Hunter PHEV produces an approximate 385kW and 1000Nm in total output.Joining the engine and motors is a 31.2kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery, which JAC suggests should deliver an all-electric driving range ofaround 100kms.The brand today confirmed the NEDC efficiency figures for the Hunter PHEV, with the plug-in hybrid ute to use a claimed 1.6L/100km combined, and deliver a total 1005km in total driving range.There will clearly be an off-road focus, too, with the Hunter grade to spawn a small family of utes, including cheaper entry-level models to diff-lock equipped off-road models.While the brand won't be drawn directly on price, JAC is promising "the right ute at the right time, and it will be at the right price", with its local Managing Director, Ahmed Mahmoud, suggesting it could be the most affordable plug-in hybrid ute in the country."Suffice it to say, (the price) is going to be very, very strong," he told CarsGuide.Asked directly whether the Hunter would be cheaper than the $57,900 (drive-away) BYD Shark 6, Mr Mahmoud replied: "It could be".JAC is also yet to confirm the official zero to 100km/h time of the Hunter PHEV, but international reports from is Chinese reveal claim the run takes just 5.9 seconds – about the same as the 5.8-ish seconds the Ford Ranger Raptor has been tested at. "We’re launching the right ute at the right time, and it will be at the right price,” Mr Mahmoud says.“The Hunter PHEV is arriving in Australia mid this year, and we believe it is going to get the attention of Australians looking to move into a plug-in hybrid without compromising on the capability, practicality and toughness they need from a ute.”

Ford has had many teething issues with its locally converted F-150 pick-up in Australia, which it is hoping to address with a long-awaited update.Ever since the Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra rival launched in Australia in 2023, there have been numerous recalls and stop-sales on the Ford F-150 in order to rectify issues.Examples included defective rear wheel hub bolts, a potentially defective rear-view camera system, non-compliant lighting, among other engine-related issues.Ford International Markets Group Program Director Iain Jones said the Blue Oval, plus its remanufacturing partner RMA Automotive, have added some extra quality control checks to ensure the conversion from left- to right-hand drive is seamless.“To handle this truck is a massive operation and the remanufacturing process is highly complex, and we acknowledge that there have been some teething problems in the first few years of this program,” said Jones.“Quality and safety are non-negotiable at Ford and that’s why we took voluntary actions last year to look after our customers.“Ford Australia and global product development engineers have collaborated with RMA to ensure Ford standards of quality are at the centre of every process that we’ve gone through.“We’ve left no stone unturned to address any issues identified and we’ve added some additional quality control gates and checks into the conversion process to deliver the best product for our customers.”When asked what exact quality control checks have been added, Jones didn’t note anything in particular, apart from saying every process has been checked and tuned.“We’ve gone through every process and really gone into minute details to protect our customers, and obviously some of those issues have also come from the left-hand drive vehicle,” said Jones.“It’s no secret, there’s been issues in the US as well, and … we’re not releasing that to our customers until they’ve got everything from both the US side and our side addressed.“So we’ve … tuned processes, we’ve tuned quality gates in the process and sign-off criteria, and gone through every process.”When asked about how Ford plans to regain trust from potential F-150 customers following the recalls and stop-sales, Ford Australia Product Communications Manager Ben Nightingale said since the last stop-sale lifted in November 2025, sales have been strong.“I would also say the trust is we stopped it,” added Jones.“We deliberately stopped it to protect our customers. And so when we found out there were issues, we stopped the vehicle and stopped the protection of that vehicle.“And so to me, that’s equally the trust. We made the tough call and stopped, and we spent a long time going through this truck and the remanufacturing process to validate everything and get it back to what our customers expect from our quality.”Compared to the pre-update model, this latest F-150 has received some slight changes to the remanufacturing process.One of the largest is the F-150 now operates on a newer electrical architecture. This also means there’s an updated steering rack that’s no longer a Ranger unit.There’s also a new steering calibration that’s been localled tuned, along with the advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).Additionally the headlights are now made as Australian-specification units from the factory and no longer require modifications locally to comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs).Other tweaks include a new pre-wired high-beam loom, constant 12V power for a trailer plug, locally added fog lights on the XLT, preserved manual headlight adjustment, plus the addition of underbody protection.It still takes around 500 parts and components to remanufacture an F-150 from left- to right-hand drive, including parts for the steering, climate and lighting, among other recalibrations.Ford notes that it takes RMA 22-23 working hours to completely remanufacture an F-150 and currently has the capacity to remanufacture 22 F-150s each business day.There are now three trim levels in the F-150 line-up – XLT, Lariat and Platinum. Pricing starts at $114,950 before on-road costs and extends to $163,950 before on-road costs. Short- and long-wheelbase variants are now priced the same.All F-150s are powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine which produces 298kW and 678Nm. This is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a four-wheel drive system.Braked towing capacity is 4500kg across the line-up, whereas payload is between 704kg and 878kg, depending on the trim level and wheelbase length.

The federal government’s emergency fuel plan could devastate ute and 4WD owners.Documents acquired by former crossbench senator Rex Patrick reveal the government’s emergency fuel response plan, which could include fuel rationing.The documents, which paint a worst case scenario, show a $40 limit on fuel would be enforced. This would limit workhorse utes to extremely short daily driving ranges.Average diesel fuel price in NSW on Thursday 25th of March is $2.957, which buys you about 13.5 litres of diesel.Most dual-cab utes have 80-litre fuel tanks, which means $40 fills up about 16 per cent of a tank.More concerning is that drivers could be restricted to a little more than 100km of driving.Most dual-cabs use somewhere in the vicinity of 8.0 litres of fuel per 100km driven, according to lab tests.In the real world those figures are much higher. CarsGuide’s GVM road tests — which includes significant driving time at the vehicle’s maximum payload — paints a far worse picture.In those tests fuel usage on popular utes such as the new Toyota HiLux and the Volkswagen Amarok jumped to 10 litres per 100km.So, if you use a ute to haul a load or equipment or if you tow, you could be sweating if fuel rationing is enforced in Australia.Factor in a lot of tradies living in major city urban fringes and regional areas and any measure could slam the brakes on those industries.Energy Minister Chris Bowen has currently ruled out implementing the $40 fuel limit, and told Sky News the proposal is out of date.“This plan has existed since 2006. It’s got various ways things might roll out, which governments can work with. It’s sort of a suite of options.“I’ve pointed to this plan in the past and been saying, look there are preparations in place for the very worst case... in that sense, it’s a bit of an out of date document in terms of that $40 approach,” he said.

The MG U9 all-electric ute has just been approved for sale in Australia, according to federal government filings, adding a new rival to the developing segment.There are limited alternatives in the electric ute segment, making the MGU9 one of the first to hit Australian showrooms. The dual-cab pick-up will take on the KGM Musso EV, which has a starting price of $60,000, drive-away, as well as the incoming Toyota HiLux BEV, launching in the first half of this year. The MG U9 comes with a dual-motor set-up, with the front motor producing 200kW, while the rear motor produces 125kW for a total system output of 325kW. It is also expected to have ample torque to match its power. Documents show it will be an all-wheel drive exclusive model. Battery size is yet to be revealed, but we know it will be based on the LDV E-Terron 9 sold in China, which has a 102kWh battery offering a driving range of 430km (WLTP) - appreciably more than the HiLux BEV's 240km.It has a braked trailer towing capacity of 3500kg, keeping it in line with many of its diesel rivals, and bettering that of the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6. It can also tow more than the HiLux BEV, which is only capable of lugging 2000kg. It measures up at 5500mm in length, 1997mm wide and 1860mm high with a wheelbase of 3300mm so it is also a size up on the HiLux BEV.We will likely learn more about MG’s new electric ute at next month's Melbourne Motor Show. 

Australians love off-road-ready four-wheel drives, but Ford has kept its biggest and baddest examples off limits Down Under.This could change if there’s enough local customer demand for the Ford F-150 Tremor and Raptor, the Blue Oval will consider launching them in Australia.“It’s one of those things … with the program because of the complexity … you’ve got to re-engineer that whole series again,” said Ford Australia Product Communications Manager Ben Nightingale.“So it’s all customer led. If we get enough demand from the customer saying, ‘Hey, we want this,’ then you realise that we’ve got to look at it but it’s got to make sense.”Noting specifically the F-150 Raptor, Nightingale added it’s a “challenging product to bring in at a price point that’s acceptable”.As it currently stands the F-150 Tremor and F-150 Raptor start at US$64,195 (~A$91,600) and US$79,005 (~A$111,500), respectively. There’s also the fire-breathing F-150 Raptor R with its 5.2-litre supercharged V8 engine, which is priced from US$110,930 (~A$156,500).It’s worth noting that if the F-150 Tremor, Raptor or Raptor R did eventually come to Australia, they would likely be much more expensive as they’re shipped over from the US and converted from left- to right-hand drive in Australia by RMA Automotive.They would also have to be engineered to comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs).The entry-level, Australian-specification F-150 XLT currently starts at $114,950 before on-road costs.The fire-breathing Ram 1500 TRX, when it was last offered locally, was priced from $249,950 before on-road costs.This discourse regarding the local potential of the F-150 Tremor and Raptor follows Ford’s decision to introduce the luxurious Platinum flagship trim level to the Australian F-150 line-up with the latest update.It’s priced from $163,950 before on-road costs, which is $20,000 more than the now mid-spec Lariat trim and $49,000 more than the entry-level XLT trim.When asked about why Ford went down this route of bringing the F-150 Platinum Down Under instead of the likes of the Tremor or Raptor, Ford Australia Product Marketing Manager Peter Zikas said Australia is a “high series market” for F-150 and even Ranger.“We’ve also had a lot of background feedback from our dealer network that’s consistently from the get go requested more of a high series spec.“So from that perspective, it was a no-brainer that was the way to go.“In a market where it can’t be all things you can’t have multiple series that’s afforded from the US, it was about being pretty granular about it and effectively Platinum is the one that delivers on all those key points.”While Ford could potentially bring the F-150 Tremor and Raptor if there’s enough local demand, the Blue Oval seemingly poured cold water on the larger F-250 or F-350 Super Duty coming to Australia to rival the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD and Ram 2500/3500.“The whole remanufacturing process would have to be looked at, but it’s like the Raptor conversation … whatever the business case is to do that,” said Ford Program Director International Markets Group Iain Jones.“When you start getting into 250s and 350s, then it really starts the big trucks.”“I can honestly say we haven’t had much of that approach around ,” added Zikas.“So for us at the moment, it’s 150 and … Super Duty, essentially … to carry the big load in terms of capability.”

Fuel prices are soaring across the board whether it is petrol or diesel. Some drivers are being more affected than others as lower fuel efficiency contributes to higher refuelling costs. Here are the most expensive cars to run currently in Australia based on fuel efficiency. Other contributing factors to the high fuel costs on this list include the fact many of the cars have big fuel tanks and require premium fuel.Fuel prices have been calculated using the average prices for fuel in New South Wales and at an average of 15,000km driven per year. Among the heaviest guzzlers is the Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive, with its 5.6-litre V8 drinking fuel at a rate of 14.4L/100km. Its 140-litre fuel tank and requirement for premium unleaded petrol means it costs $364 per fill-up and a total yearly cost of $5617.28. The Patrol will move to a more efficient 3.5-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol, which is expected to reduce fuel costs. The Ford Mustang sports car is another V8 on this list, with its 5.0-litre unit registering average fuel efficiency at 13.6L/100km and a yearly cost of $5310.27.Ford’s other representative is the Ranger Raptor high-end ute, powered by a twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine costing $4482.76 per year. The Ineos Grenadier off-roader is the most expensive model to run and costs $5618.50 a year to run, in part due to it being diesel, which has been the fuel type that has increased the most. The Lexus GX550 has refuelling costs of $208 per fill-up currently, costing $4800 for the year, along with nearly $3000 for the Jeep Gladiator, which unlike many on this list can run off E10 fuel.The 6.2-litre petrol V8 found in the Chevrolet Silverado full-size pick-up has an economy of more than 12 litres per 100km, costing $4,356.30 over the year.  Genesis’ GV70 luxury SUV costs more $4400 per year in fuel, a similar figure to the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 variants of the Land Rover Defender. Highest fuel efficiency new vehicles on sale under $150,000 

Diesel utes have been the dominant forces in Australia for the past decade, but that could be about to change.The Ford Ranger and the Toyota HiLux have been the top two sellers in the past 10 years, and they combined for more than 100,000 sales in 2025.The pair have carried on this popularity into 2026, sitting at the top for January and February this year. Other diesel ute rivals such as the Isuzu Ute D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton are selling well. That could be all be about to change sooner than we thought. It could be the case that a perfect storm of external factors will wipe out the diesel in ute in Australia.There is a new factor is emerging that could accelerate the diesel ute’s seemingly inevitable decline. The price of diesel fuel has increased substantially more than petrol, approaching the $3 mark per litre.I went to fill up my diesel car the other day.As I pulled into the service station, a man had just finished filling up his V8 diesel LandCruiser 200 Series. $287 for 99L - he had not even brimmed the tank. You’d get a better rate when topping up your light aircraft with aviation fuel. He asked if I wanted to swap. I politely declined.No doubt big fleet buyers will be watching closely as the costs of purchasing and running these diesel utes shoots up, along with the potential increase in costs as NVES pressures creep in. Fleet sales are crucial to the success of the Ford Ranger and the Toyota HiLux, with them also contributing heavily to other ute brands.Fuel prices will also be an increasingly big head turner for private buyers. Alternatives such as the petrol plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6 offer superior fuel efficiency when charged as well as being cheaper to fill up.Toyota announced its all-electric HiLux ute recently, which has been met with a mixed reception due to concerns over driving range and towing capacity, but it at least shows brands are already looking away from diesel. Chery’s incoming KP31 ute will debut in Australia this year with a diesel plug-in hybrid set-up, which is expected to have the 3500kg towing capacity. Something the Shark 6 currently lacks.The popularity of diesel hybrid set-ups will be an indication of the survival chances for the diesel ute in Australia. It could be argued the longer diesel prices continue to rise, the shorter the diesel ute's lifespan will be.Compounding this is new emissions laws.The Federal Government's National Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES) delivered a rude awakening for some. The NVES sets emissions targets based on CO2 gram-per-kilometre limits. Vehicles sold that fall over the limit subsequently incur liabilities, which will attract hefty fines in the future for brands. Brands incur fines on vehicles sold, which have an interim emissions value of more than zero. Mazda, which sells its BT-50 ute in Australia among an internal combustion heavy lineup, accumulated a whopping more than 500,000 liabilities. Subsequently many brands, including Honda and Mazda have introduced priced increases across key internal combustion models this year.There appears to be two routes for brands. Either pass on the extra costs, or ditch diesel. Diesel utes could be about to skyrocket in price and brands scramble to account for fines on sales.In a more extreme example, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently threatened to axe the brand’s local engineering program responsible for the best-selling Ford Ranger.“Something your government, or any government, has to be very sensitive to around the CO2 glide path. We want to reduce our CO2 footprint, but there’s a level that the customer can’t afford, and not all duty cycles can be electrified,” Farley told CarsGuide.“It’s a completely open market and also pushing CO2 , arguably way beyond the customer requirements.“ needs to decide if they want to help us equalise the cost differential … because this is among the most expensive places to have engineers on the planet.”We have already seen somewhat of a winding back of Ford’s Ranger line-up Down Under, with the brand discontinuing sale of its bi-turbo diesel engine, in favour of a cleaner single turbo variant.