Ute News

Ram and LDV, two brand’s under the umbrella of Australian vehicle distributor Ateco Group, have each been hit with recall notices, affecting the Ram 1500 and LDV Deliver 9 models.

Fresh reports point to worrying signs for the Toyota HiLux, with the latest coverage suggesting a new model won't arrive until 2026 – and that when it does, that it will be a revised, rather than all-new, model.

An all-new brand, nimble and contemporary, designed specifically to take-on the emerging markets and beat competition from more established brands.Volkswagen’s idea to revive the Scout brand as a primarily electric offering with an SUV and pickup seemed like a great idea when it was announced more than two years ago.But times have changed, dramatically.When the idea for Scout was revealed to the public, hopes were high the electric pickup truck market was about to boom in the USA, with the arrival of the Ford F-150 Lightning, Tesla Cybertruck and the Rivian R1T.The Scout Terra ute and Traveler SUV concepts the brand revealed in the US recently look promising, both stylish and with good on-paper specifications.The problem is, the EV market has not evolved as expected. The F-150 Lightning has failed to spark with customers, the Cybertruck is an oddity and Rivian is still struggling to make a profit. Launching a new brand into these conditions looks like a far worse idea than it did two years ago, but Volkswagen is committed now and must carry on.Scout Motors president and CEO Scott Keogh tried to put a positive spin on the situation.“The original core idea — rugged, versatile vehicles capable of off-road adventure and family duty — is more relevant than ever,” he said. What Keogh failed to mention was the electric powertrains, originally a key selling point for Scout. Along with battery only. the brand will offer a range-extender option for those who don’t want to commit all the way to battery power. Scout is not going to offer petrol or diesel combustion engines.Whether this will be a gamble that jackpots or goes bust remains to be seen, but it does highlight the shifting fortunes in the EV market. After a slow start there was a boom for EV demand as models like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y became more mainstream, even in markets like Australia. It saw multiple brands commit to an all-electric future within the next decade, but the EV sales growth has cooled. Electric car sales are still up year-to-date in Australia, but account for about 7.4 per cent of the total market. Australians continue to prefer petrol and hybrid powered vehicles — and that doesn’t look like changing dramatically anytime soon.The good news for Volkswagen Australia is there are no plans to offer the Scout models locally, they’ll be made in the US for the US market only. But the story of Scout and its early decision to nail its colours to the mast of electrification is a cautionary one for many car makers.Toyota has been criticised for its slow introduction of EVs, offering only the bZ4X SUV alongside a fleet of hybrid options. And yet, Toyota remains Australia’s favourite brand by some margin thanks to its ‘multi-pathway’ strategy of offering different options for different buyers.Not that EVs won’t become more popular in Australia, especially if the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) helps to drive more investment in the segment and push down prices as hoped, but there is no guarantee it will.As the team at Volkswagen and Scout can no doubt tell you, a lot can change in two years…

Despite stiff competition from cut-price Chinese rivals, Ford Australia has high hopes for the Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV), insisting it will deliver on the many attributes that have put the Ranger on track to be Australia’s best-selling vehicle for two years running.

I get it. The Chevy Silverado, Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and soon to arrive Toyota Tundra are eff off big trucks. In many situations, arguably too big for Aussie conditions.

Kia says those doubting the Tasman’s boundary-pushing exterior design need to see the model in the metal before making up their minds, as the brand said the “controversy” surrounding the vehicle’s unveiling will subside as Australians “get used to it”.

The first hybrid ute sold in Australia – the 2025 GWM Cannon Alpha – has passed the ANCAP safety crash test with a maximum five-star rating.

This generation of the Kia Tasman will go green, with an all-new 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid that should shame the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max firming as the favourite to propel the brand’s new dual-cab ute.

Toyota is making a run to have its hybrid hero crowned Australia’s favourite vehicle.

The Australian Government has issued a recall notice affecting 2872 units of the GWM Ute Cannon sold from 2023 over concerns a manufacturing defect could lead to fuel leaks.A statement from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts said: “During the installation of the diesel fuel filter assembly, the incorrect lubricant type was used on the fuel filter sealing rubber ‘O-ring’.“As a result, the sealing may reduce over time, allowing fuel to leak from the filter housing. Fuel leak in the presence of an external ignition source could result in a vehicle fire.”The Department said vehicle fires can increase the risk of severe injury, death and property damage for vehicle occupants and bystanders.Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by GWM in writing requesting they schedule an appointment at their nearest GWM dealer to have their vehicle's O-ring replaced, free of charge.Owners can see whether their vehicle is impacted by checking their VIN number here.