Ute News

GWM’s top-spec ute, the Cannon XSR, is impressive.It’s packed with standard features for the price ($50,990 drive-away nationwide, at time of writing), is very capable off-road (it’s armed with a front and rear diff lock) and is not atrocious on-road.But, with new-age rivals like the BYD Shark 6 and the Ford Ranger PHEV variants setting the gold standard for refinement and performance in the ute market, does the Cannon represent the future of 4WDing – cheap(er) but not nasty – or is it spearheading a worrying trend of people falling for vehicles that initially seem pretty good but ultimately deliver a less-than-ideal driving experience?As hinted at above, there’s a lot to like about the Cannon, especially in XSR guise.For one, the line-up’s new 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – 135kW and 480Nm – is tractable and well suited to the demands of 4WDing. That’s not to say the previous-gen Cannon’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – 120kW and 400Nm – was no good, it’s just that bigger and more powerful is better this time around.It’s nowhere near as refined as the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV, but it’s not terrible either.And then there’s its off-road capability. It seemingly can’t go wrong armed with high and low-range 4WD, twin lockers, off-road drive modes, a snorkel, underbody protection and all-terrain tyres (Cooper Discoverer AT3 265/65 R18).Ground clearance of 228mm (reasonable), wading depth of 700mm, and off-road angles of 30 degrees (approach), and 26 degrees (departure; rampover is not listed) don’t hurt its capabilities either.Off-roading is the one area in which the Cannon eclipses something like the Shark 6 and matches, if not bests, the Ford Ranger PHEV.There’s no doubting this ute’s efficacy as a 4WD – it is very good – however, there are some trade-offs (more about that soon).This Cannon ute is also packed with features including 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome sports bar, automatic LED headlights, spray-in tubliner, keyless entry, leather-accented upholstery, 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), six-way power-adjustable driver seat, four-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat, ambient lighting, black sports bar, and matt black exterior trim.With a drive-away price of $50,990, the Cannon XSR is a new ute that represents solid value for money.But there are quirky aspects about the overall driving experience in the Cannon that leave questions lingering about the prospect of actually living with it over the long term.Concerns and criticisms have been raised over the years about driver-assist tech in Chinese-built vehicles. To the company’s credit, GWM seems to have addressed those issues, at least to some extent.The worst example of this: we were leaving a stretch of highway and driving down an off ramp when the auto emergency braking (AEB) fully engaged for no apparent reason. We went from 100km/h to a full stop in what felt like only a few metres but, of course, was about 40m or so. AEB was impressive in its application but there was no obstacle or hazard on or near the off ramp that required it. Nothing. We were supremely lucky no one had been tailgating us. The fact that this incident had even happened was far from ideal.Adaptive cruise control is haphazard in its application as it’s overly sensitive in gauging the distance between your vehicle and the one travelling in front, cutting speed when it doesn't have to.And changes in your vehicle’s speed – in response to vehicles in front, road signs (on or off the road on which you’re travelling), or other perceived threats (cyclists, parked cars, roadside shrubbery etc) – are abrupt and jarring (sometimes downright dangerous), rather than smooth and intuitive.Speaking of road signs, traffic sign recognition in the Cannon, as alluded to in the above paragraph, is regularly ‘off’ – suddenly cutting your speed in a school zone outside of school zone hours or reacting to a side street road sign, rather than the street on which you’re driving.While 4WDing, swapping between high and low-range, changing off-road modes, or switching diff locks on or off has been at times a clunky process, with the transition taking on a feeling not unlike shunting trains.Also, on one particularly hot day, the Cannon’s multimedia screen did not function at all for about five minutes after I started driving the ute. Mild inconvenience, sure, but more than annoying when a lot of the functions are operated via the screen.All of these driver-assist tech issues combine to deliver an off-kilter driving experience overall, one in which you’re never quite sure how the tech will be applied or react to real or perceived hazards.I’ve never had any such problems in the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV.That’s not to say I don’t like the Cannon because I do. I think it’s a very capable off-roader, is a decent ute to live with day to day and, at face value at least, it seems like solid value for money (with plenty of standard features onboard), but the lingering tech issues threaten to ruin the whole Cannon experience for me.

KGM, formerly known as SsangYong, has fully detailed its next-gen ‘Q300’ Musso ute in its Korean home market, ahead of its expected mid-2026 Australian launch.

Chery has unveiled its Rely R08 ute in the United Arab Emirates, with diesel and petrol set-up options. The car will start from around 63,000 dirham, which is roughly A$24,000, but there are significantly more expensive options in the range.The R08 was recently unveiled in China under Chery's Rely commercial vehicle marque, where it is already on sale.It is unlikely that Australia will get this ute from Chery, with the brand’s Australian Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris confirming to CarsGuide last year a diesel plug-in hybrid is planned for Australian on a completely different platform.We can expect this ute to arrive in the second half of this year, and it likely to be based on the Rely P3X, which has the desired diesel PHEV set-up.The petrol variant of the R08 is fitted with a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, which produces 118kW and 230Nm, and comes with a five-speed manual transmission. The more expensive diesel variant has a 2.3-litre turbocharged engine, producing 120kW and 420Nm and is available with six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions.Like many of its ute rivals, it will be built on a ladder-frame chassis, with up to a 1000kg payload. It measures up similarly to other dual-cab models at 5370mm in length, 1960mm in width and 18800mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3230mm. More premium trim levels of the Rely R08 are equipped with four-wheel drive, but the ute starts with 4x2 rear-wheel drive variants. Even an electric variant is available, but only in its Chinese home market.As standard, the Rely R08 comes with a four-speaker audio system, manual seat adjustment and rear parking sensors. The top-of-the-range ute has a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, wireless phone charger and a 360-degree camera.Stay tuned for more news on Chery's soon-to-arrive completely separate ute for the Australian market as it doubles down on its progress in 2025.

Ford has shared early details of the first product to be underpinned by the global giant’s ‘Universal Electric Vehicle platform’, “a US$30,000 mid-size pick-up” at the same time reiterating the project team’s goal of making “vehicles assembled on this platform affordable for the average family”.Inspired by Henry Ford’s vision for mass availability of the original Model T, the new ute targeted to cost the equivalent of around A$42,500 is likely to be revealed this year with production following in 2027.It’s the first output from the Blue Oval’s ‘skunkworks’ engineering team in California and according to Ford’s Executive Director of Advanced Electric Vehicle Development Alan Clarke, his team has set design and engineering ‘bounties’ or goals aimed at “democratizing electric vehicles” (and it’s fair to assume, compete more effectively against emerging Chinese brands).“The introduction of these bounties is a key element to how the team has been able to really tangibly show every engineer, every product designer, how they impact the customer and cost of the vehicle on a daily basis as they do their work,” Clarke said.A fundamental cost-saving move is adoption of large alloy ‘unicast’ sections in the style of Tesla’s ‘Gigacasting’ process, an approach also used on a variety of EV models from BYD, Volvo, XPeng, Zeekr and others. A non-linear ‘assembly tree’ manufacturing process is also inspired by Tesla’s ‘Unboxed’  tech introduced by the EV pioneer in 2023.It divides assembly into smaller, parallel, modular sub-pieces rather than a single, continuous manufacturing line.Ford said sub-assemblies will include a front and rear module, as well as a battery that serves as the vehicle’s floor, the combination replacing 146 structural components used on the similarly-size Maverick ute.At the same time, the ute’s ‘zonal architecture’ groups multiple functions into five electric control units (ECUs), compared with 30 or more in prior systems, while other key functions are managed via a single ‘Energy Management Unit’.Ford said the UEV ute’s wiring harness will be more than 1200 metres shorter and 10kg lighter than the one currently used in its Mach-E electric SUV.In fact, Ford CEO Jim Farley has publicly voiced his disappointment with the Mach-E’s  teardown performance relative to the Tesla Model Y where the Mach-E proved to be less efficient, significantly heavier and more complex in its construction.“We have all lived through far too many ‘good college tries’ by Detroit automakers to make affordable vehicles that end up with idled plants, layoffs and uncertainty. So, this had to be a strong, sustainable and profitable business. From Day 1, we knew there was no incremental path to success. “We empowered a tiny skunkworks team three time zones away from Detroit. We tore up the moving assembly line concept and designed a better one. And we found a path to be the first automaker to make prismatic LFP batteries in the U.S."The (UEV) platform reduces parts by 20 per cent versus a typical vehicle, with 25 per cent fewer fasteners, 40 per cent fewer workstations dock-to-dock in the plant and 15 per cent faster assembly time as well as lower cost of ownership over five years than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y,” he said.The new ute’s aero and powertrain efficiency have also been finely tuned to maximise driving range and reduce charging time. Examples cited include a flush underbody, compact exterior mirrors and careful profiling of the load bed.And Ford claims the ute’s in-house electrical architecture design will shorten charging time and improve battery management performance.Time will tell whether these production investments (including approximately US$2 billion to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant) deliver more affordable products while making Ford’s underperforming EV line-up (including the Mach-E and now discontinued F-150 Lightning) profitable.CarsGuide contacted Ford Australia for comment on the prospect of right-hand drive production and local sale of the new ute and was told it had “nothing to add from an Australian point-of-view”.

The new COO of BYD premium brand Denza says Holden could have pioneered the sale of Chinese vehicles in Australia, but executives were convinced Australians would never buy Chinese vehicles.

Ford Australia has recalled some of its Ranger and Everest units, according to a Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication, Sports and the Arts filing. It concerns 244 units affected in the 2022 model year relating to a low battery level causing the transmission to shift into the Park setting at low speeds. “Due to a software issue, under certain circumstances if the battery level drops below a critical threshold, the transmission may shift into Park when the vehicle is travelling at speeds below 6 km/h,” the notice reads. “This may cause a sudden stop without the rear brake lamps illuminating as intended."A sudden stop whilst driving at low speed and the rear brake lamps not illuminating as intended, could increase the potential risk of an accident, causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.”This recall notice related to an issue that affected nearly 5000 Ranger and Everest models from the 2021-2023 model year back in 2023. Units affected by this latest recall must still be fixed even if works were performed under this previous recall notice. Ford Australia said it is conducting a sweep to identify any vehicles that were not confirmed as addressed in the initial recall.The brand will contact owners affected by the issue in writing requesting for an appointment at their preferred dealership to have the work carried out free of charge. Nearly 3000 Everest and Ranger units were also recalled in late 2025 due at ARB Solis light wiring harness manufacturing defect leading a potential vehicle fire.

Ford has adjusted the prices of its Ranger and Everest models in Australia as it phases out the popular twin-turbo 2.0-litre diesel engines, and introduces more V6 variants.The pair were two of the best-selling cars in Australia in 2025. The Ranger was the overall best seller last year, while the related Everest just pipped the Toyota Prado as Australia's favourite large SUV.It means that the single-turbo variants come in cheaper than the outgoing twin-turbo units.The 2.0-litre Sport grade has had a sizeable increase of $2200, now starting from $71,190. The V6 variants on the more premium Everest models have gone down in price. The Sport is now $1000 cheaper at $75,990, while the Tremor and Platinum are roughly $1500 cheaper, starting from $78,440 and $82,990, respectively. Ford has also introduced an Active variant, replacing the previous range-opening Ambiente, and it gets the V6 engine, starting from $66,990, before on-road costs. This makes it the cheapest V6 Everest available.  2026 Ford Everest pricing Australia The Ranger has also undergone an extensive price shuffle across most of its variants. Among the bigger increases for the ute is the single-cab cab-chassis 2.0-litre variant, which is now $2630 more expensive than it was. The 2.0-litre Black Edition pick-up is now $2500 more.Some V6 variants have also received a hike in price, such as the XLT double-cab now starting from $69,090. The double-cab cab-chassis 2.0-litre is now $770 cheaper, with a starting price of $49,230. All other high-end and plug-in hybrid variants of the Ranger have stayed the same. Comparing the pick-up variants of other major ute brands, the Ranger’s cheapest V6 model at $57,900 is only a few thousand more expensive than the four-cylinder base Nissan Navara.2026 Ford Ranger pricing Australia 

Road rage is such an ugly part of driving, but the type of car you own could be a magnet for bullies. Having driven thousands of cars over 15 years of testing, here are three of the best cars I think will help you avoid the wrath of other drivers and three that might attract more hate when on the road.Your guess is as good as mine as to why whenever I drive a D-Max ute I get treated with so much respect despite probably doing things that’d get me honked at in other cars. Honestly, all utes command respect, patience and better treatment from other motorists, but maybe it’s the less glitzy and more down to earth rural appeal of the D-Max that makes it one of the best cars to drive if you want others to cut you a bit more slack.On the flip side its ute drivers I find to be the most aggressive out there — this is all anecdotal of course, but I’m sure there are many out there who will back me up. So perhaps a wariness of utes drivers and not a respect for hardworking tradies is why they’re treated better.Perhaps it's because police forces all over Australia use the Kia Sorento to chase baddies or it could be that this large SUV just looks tough. Whatever the reason, if you want other drivers to let you merge into their lane this is your car.The Sorento is large and pretty menacing looking from the front and back. But then so too are lots of SUVs, but what I think what wins over other drivers is the Kia badge. It's a brand that’s established itself at a grass roots level in Australian sport and community. It’s more aspirational than Toyota, but still not pretentious.I should point out that Toyota Klugers also command respect, so too do other large SUVs, like the Mazda CX-90 and the Ford Everest.  The Volkswagen Multivan looks like a toaster, only five metres long and two metres tall. And while the sheer size of it makes other road users think twice about cutting one off in traffic, it's more than that. I think it's actually connected to the iconic Kombi van and the good feelings that van conjures. You know we grow up excited to see Kombis as kids, which still hits us with a sense of “awww” even now as adults when we see a van with a VW badge. The good treatment isn’t restricted to Volkswagen Multivans, all vans are treated incredibly well despite many of them carrying out manoeuvres that defy logic, like double parking, spontaneous U-turns and driving slow while searching for an address. And that’s because we know most vans are delivery trucks on a mission and the bad driving is not down to incompetence … most of the time.I’ve picked the Porsche 911 mainly because it’s one of the cars I’ve received the worst treatment in continually but I’ve found this goes for any high-end sports car.Perhaps it’s the sight of an expensive sports car that brings out some jealousy in other drivers but I’ve never been tailgated more by other drivers than when in an expensive sports car. As for being let into traffic — that’s also a problem.This behaviour, like all road rage, is dangerous and does nothing more than reduce safety and cause stress, unnecessarily.The Suzuki Swift is great in many ways — just not how some people treat you when you’re driving it. This seems to be a problem with most small cars and I can’t help but think that there are some drivers who assume the person in the Swift is young and inexperienced. Yep there is definitely some kind of automotive pecking order out there on the road and I can be in a ute I’m testing and then move into a small car and suddenly be honked for not moving the instant a traffic light turns green.If other motorists are ‘punching down’ on young drivers then this is a huge concern that could put the inexperienced under too much pressure and lead to a life-threatening mistake.Car reviewers joke that the answer to, “what car should I buy?”, is always “Toyota Camry’ because the value for money, reliability and comfort equation is almost impossible to match. But when behind the wheel of a Camry I’ve found I’m treated in much the same way as a small car, with other drivers seemingly becoming impatient and wanting to overtake rather than sit behind me.I can only speculate as to the reason but perhaps other drivers might think Camry drivers are older and in less of a hurry, or maybe that the person behind the wheel is a rideshare driver that could stop suddenly to let a fare out.Whatever the reason, road ragers should beware that  Australia’s police forces use unmarked Camrys and so the next one you bully, could land you a ticket.   

The incoming new-generation Nissan Navara is mechanically identical to the Mitsubishi Triton, but carries a sizeable price jump in comparison.It adds another rival to a compact ute market, so how does the more expensive Navara shape up to its cheaper Triton sibling? Nissan said money and time has been invested into its ute’s suspension, receiving assistance from Australian specialists Premcar.The brand said this local tuning offers improvement to driving and handling with and without load. The Navara has three different suspension set-ups across the range, with lower grades tuned for carrying loads, while SUV-like suspension is fitted to higher grades. Nissan’s ute also has a locking rear differential as standard on all grades, unlike on the Triton. Here is a breakdown of the difference between the Navara and the Triton.Pricing Australia (before on-road costs) Noting the Triton’s current drive-away offering, it comes in substantially cheaper than the Navara across the range. DimensionsBoth have the same braked towing capacity of 3500kg. Things start to change when we look at payload, with the Triton offers superior carrying capacity across the range. When it comes to cargo bed size, the pair share the same-sized space.  Engine and efficiencyThe Navara and Triton are nearly mechanically identical and use the same engine and transmission, so there is no difference between the two. Standard featuresNext grade adds or replaces: Next grade adds or replaces: Next grade adds The Navara does have more standard equipment than the Triton in a comparison between the pair.As standard, the Navara gets a digital driver display, unlike on the Triton, while it also gets a bigger central touchscreen. There is digital DAB+ radio, LED lighing front and back, tailgate assist and a rear diff lock as standard on the Navara, while that is only available on higher grade Tritons. There are areas where the Triton matches the Navara, including all-terrain tires and basic cloth trimmed manually adjustable seats.On the top-spec grades, the Triton has bigger alloy wheels, but they both have leather seats. The Navara’s top grade has a towbar fitted, but the Triton does not.Safety The Nissan Navara adopts the same five-star ANCAP safety rating awarded to the Mitsubishi Triton in 2024. Both get all the safety gear you would expect, such as eight airbags, lane keep assist and auto-emergency. As standard, both cars get a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. VerdictThe Mitsubishi Triton appears to be the value buy here as it gets most of the gear as on the Navara, but for a cheaper price. The Triton's special drive-away price makes it more compelling for now, but the price gap will close once that offer is removed.The Triton may be the budget pick, but the Navara’s benefits are not obvious from the spec sheet. Its Aussie-tuned suspension and rear-differential lock could give it the edge on the off-roading scene, while also aiding the on-road driving experience. 

Pricing for the incoming BYD Shark 6 cab-chassis ute has been revealed on the website RedBook.It will start from $55,900, before on-road costs, which is $2000 cheaper than the pick-up version of the popular ute already in Australia. BYD Australia when contacted for comment said that the company was not in a position to share an official launch date for the new variant. The cab-chassis Shark 6 does not have a direct rival in Australia with the Ford Ranger PHEV being a pick-up-exclusive variant. GWM is preparing a budget PHEV ute in China, which has good prospects for an Australian launch some time this year, but it looks like that will be a pick-up-only variant as well. BYD’s newest ute Down Under was first revealed in late November when it appeared in Department of Infrastructure filings confirming sale approval. These latest details reveal the car will miss out on some of the Shark 6 pick-up’s gear, such as a head-up display along with heated and ventilated front seats.It will still have a digital driver display and central touchscreen display, but the leather-wrapped steering wheel has been replaced by a synthetic one. It can also now be confirmed that the ute will have the same power set-up as found on the pick-up variant. A 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, producing 321kW and 650Nm. The ute has a 29.6kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, with an electric-only driving range of 100km, according to generous NEDC testing.The cab-chassis increases the payload to 900kg, but capacity will decrease with any tub or trailer installed. braked towing capacity remains at 2500kg.This news comes as BYD prepares to update the pick-up variant of the ute later in 2026. It is expected to be fitted with front and rear differential locks and a two-speed transfer-case, which would likely come with a price bump.