Ute News

Some cars just seem to inspire such blind loyalty – such frothing, furious devotion – that they can get away with anything. And sometimes that 'anything' becomes very clear once a rival product launches.

A mid-week press release from Ford citing in-house research that showed "sixty percent of Australian drivers would be more likely to buy an electrified vehicle if it offered greater towing capability" – before highlighting the Ranger PHEV's 3.5-tonne towing capacity – didn't go unnoticed at BYD's Australian offices, with one executive suggesting the move proved the Shark 6 has the Blue Oval rattle

GMSV has announced details of its genuine accessories range for the Silverado 1500 pick-up. Comprising two bespoke packs along with standalone options, the genuine accessories will help owners and future buyers toughen up and customise their big utes. The Chevrolet Silverado is available in three trims in Australia, where it is locally converted to right-hand drive. The LTZ Premium ($130,500, before on-road costs) is focused on towing and carrying big cargo while the ZR2 ($138,500) has an off-road bent. Reflecting each trim’s target audience, GMSV has put together a pair of genuine accessory packs. The ZR2’s Terrain Pack costs $4192 (plus GST and installation) and features a soft tonneau cover, sports bar, weathershields, black exterior bashing, heavy-duty side steps and sill protectors.Meanwhile the LTZ Premium Black Pack is a $3032 (plus GST and installation) indulgence featuring black  20-inch alloy wheels and black badging all around, right down to the Z71 emblems and Chevy ‘bow-tie’ badge."We know that so many of our customers personalise their Silverado, and the launch of these dealer-fitted accessory packs will give them even more choice, while at the same time simplifying the process,” said GM Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Jess Bala.Aside from the packs, there’s now a massive catalogue of stand-alone accessories. You can get soft, hard roll-up, lockable tri-fold or a key fob-controlled electric rolling tonneau covers, a swing-out toolbox, cargo nets, cross rails, tailgate gap cover and cross rails, on the practicality side of things. Visual enhancements include weathershields, your choice of silver or black script, sill guards, black or chrome side steps, a sports bar and black wheel nuts. The Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium can be optioned with a bonnet deflector, black badges and emblems, different mudguards and high-gloss black 20-inch alloy wheels.Inside, goodies like a centre console organiser, all-weather floormats and lockable rear-seat storage container are available from dealers. On the towing side of things, GMSV dealers offer 50mm tow balls for up to 3500kg braked towing or a larger 70mm ball that covers you for 4500kg. Compatible trailers can have a camera that aids visibility by ‘seeing through’ the load. As the accessories are genuine GM products, GMSV Australia and New Zealand warranties the parts with the balance of the new vehicle warranty, or 24 months/50,000km from the date of fitment, whichever is greater. The Silverado 1500 was one of the earlier arrivals in Australia’s burgeoning American pick-up ute market along with the RAM 1500. Ford has arrived with its F-150, and Toyota’s Tundra is in dealerships now as well. Chevrolet’s Silverado has a 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine which develops 313kW and 624Nm in 1500 guise. A Silverado 2500 HD is also available packing a 350kW/1322Nm ‘Cummins’ 6.6-litre turbo-diesel. 

GWM has cleared the way for a beefed up version of its dual-cab ute.An updated version of the Ute Cannon has been approved for sale by the Federal Government with a new 2.4-litre turbocharged diesel engine and nine-speed automatic combination.Details lodged with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts showed the new engine ups power to 135kW, but torque hasn’t been revealed.Overseas this engine pumps out 135kW and 480Nm, which is likely to carry over to Australia.The extra grunt elevates the Ute Cannon’s braked towing capacity from 3200kg to the benchmark 3500kg, matching rivals such as the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Kia Tasman and Isuzu D-Max.This new engine will only be available on top-end variants with four-wheel drive and a nine speed auto transmission.Cheaper variants maintain the current 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel motor that is fitted with either an eight-speed auto or six-speed manual transmission.The new engine is expected to be paired with a range of interior upgrades, too.This includes a 7.0-inch digital driver display, a 12.3-inch multimedia screen, in-built dash cam, redesigned centre console and wireless device charger.GWM has reportedly improved the cabin experience by vastly improving the sound insulation.It also has slightly revised styling with big GWM embossed lettering on the tailgate in place of the GWM badge.Expect to see the updated GWM Ute in dealerships early next year.The Ute’s 2.4-litre is one of the smaller capacity engines in the local ute market, but this is expected to become the norm as the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) takes effect next year. Car makers will be fined for every vehicle they sell that produces CO2 over a certain level. This CO2 threshold will get lower every year.Isuzu has just revealed a new 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that is likely to replace the 3.0-litre unit currently powering top-end D-Max utes and MU-X 4WDs.Ford is rumoured to be dropping the bi-turbo diesel engine in favour of a single turbo unit found in the current entry-level Ranger.These moves are expected to help those vehicles avoid penalties for a few years and prolong their life in Australia.

Hyundai has reportedly begun acting on a signed memorandum of understanding with GM, with the company's most senior executives meeting to explore a product partnership to launch a new ute.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has confirmed it’s collaborating with Melbourne-based Walkinshaw Group on a new generation version of a high-performance Amarok dual cab ute.

Isuzu has launched its D-Max ute and MU-X SUV in Thailand with a brand new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.It will go on sale in Thailand – where both models are built for Australia – on November 28. The new engine, dubbed the RZ4F, is an advancement on the 1.9-litre R4ZE-TC engine sold in Australia and a likely successor to the more powerful 3.0-litre 4JJ3-TCX.According to an international Isuzu media release, “the new powerful RZ4F engine combined with 8-speed automatic transmission brings significant improvements to start-up capability, acceleration, and fuel efficiency compared to existing models.”It also adds 10kW/50Nm over the 1.9-litre unit it is based on for a total power output of 120kW/400Nm. It is 20kW/50Nm less potent than the 3.0-litre unit it is poised to replace, though.Those outputs put the new motor bang on with the current output of the GWM Ute (120kW/400Nm) and in the ballpark of the Jac T9 (120kW/410Nm) and KGM Ssangyong Musso (133kW/400-420Nm).It also shares the same 2.2-litre displacement as the brand new Kia Tasman, though the Tasman is capable of a greater 154kW/440Nm.Isuzu is yet to report fuel economy figures or carbon dioxide emissions, but it has stated there will be a considerable improvement in both of these metrics over the 3.0-litre engine, which uses 8.0L/100km and produces 207 grams of carbon per kilometre.The current 1.9-litre unit uses 7.0L/100km and produces 186 grams of carbon per km on the entry-level SX variant, which already makes it one of the better performers in the diesel ute and ute-based SUV segment compared to its four-cylinder rivals.For comparison, the entry-level 2.0-litre turbo-diesel Ford Ranger Hi-Rider uses 7.6L/100km and produces 199 grams of carbon per km, while the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel Toyota HiLux turbo-diesel Workmate uses 7.4-litres and produces 188 grams of carbon.Improved fuel economy is expected thanks to the brand’s new eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, which will replace the current six-speed transmission.Isuzu said of the transmission: “The wider gear range, optimised torque, high performance lockup dampers, and gear shift map settings tailored to the RZ4F engine enables improved start-up capability, acceleration, fuel economy and overall performance.”At this stage it is unclear exactly when we will see the new engine option arrive in Australia, with an Isuzu spokesperson telling CarsGuide last week that it was “not in a position to comment on future product plans”.Isuzu Australia said that it was “monitoring reception to the news to ensure any product updates to our local range meet the unique requirements of our local market before introducing any change locally.”As Isuzu’s largest export market, the new 2.2-litre engine is expected to play an important role for the brand locally moving forward, particularly with impending National Vehicle Emission Standards (NVES) set to kick off from January 1 2025.That will see the level of carbon emissions per km capped at 210 grams from next year for light commercial vehicles – which both engines currently on sale fit under – before dropping to 180 grams in 2026.According to the NVES scheme, each gram exceeded on each vehicle over the limit can incur a $100 fine, but car manufacturers can avoid fines by accruing carbon credits for every zero emissions vehicle sold.Isuzu is currently without one in its local lineup, but an electric version of the D-Max has been confirmed for sale in Australia from late-2025 after a production-ready version made an appearance at the Bangkok International motor show earlier this year.Isuzu also employs the 1.9-litre engine with mild-hybrid technology in Thailand, which delivers improved fuel efficiency over the non-hybrid engine.The mild-hybrid version hasn’t been confirmed for Australia yet, but both electrified models could theoretically lower the brand’s fuel emissions average and allow it to continue selling a diesel-powered variant in the form of the new 2.2-litre diesel without passing higher costs onto consumers.

LDV has confirmed local testing is underway for electric and diesel versions of the brand-new Terron 9 ute ahead of their arrival in Australian showrooms mid next year.

Ford needs a less expensive model under the Ranger and Everest, that buyers want, preferably to operate in a segment that is not saturated with rivals, while offering a far-more economical powertrain than a diesel engine in order to meet increasingly stringent NVES regulations. To paraphrase one of the company’s most successful-ever advertising campaigns, the Ford Maverick is the answer.

Hyundai is putting the finishing touches to its breakthrough range of dual-cab utes, offering elevated levels of design, engineering, capacity, capabilities and choice against competition as diverse as the Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6, Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning.