Ute Reviews

Toyota HiLux 2023 review: Rogue - GVM test

By Mark Oastler · 25 Oct 2022

In 2018 Toyota Australia launched three 'halo' variants of its HiLux dual cab 4x4 ute comprising Rugged, Rogue and top-shelf Rugged X. Although the Rugged had an early departure due to slow sales, the 'urban adventurer' Rogue and 'hardcore off-road' Rugged X have proven popular with premium-grade HiLux buyers, finding more than 17,000 homes.

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GWM Ute 2023 review: Cannon-X

By Mark Oastler · 19 Oct 2022

The badgework for Great Wall Motors' Cannon range is a confusing mix of the GWM acronym used in export markets and the letter 'P' displayed on the grille and other places which symbolises its domestic brand name Poer.

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Ford Ranger 2023 review: Sport Bi-Turbo

By Emily Agar · 15 Oct 2022

The new Ford Ranger has launched! And with it comes a new look and cabin experience. Slightly longer than its predecessor, the new Ranger Sport seems much larger with its robustly squared shape. It's not boxy or ugly, far from it, but it's more purposeful than the previous gen. It seems like the perfect all-rounder. But does it have heart as well as size?

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Nissan Navara 2023 review: SL Warrior - off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 05 Oct 2022

Cheap and nasty? No! At least that's what Nissan is hoping you think when you consider its entry-level SL Warrior, a budget-friendly alternative to its top-shelf, $70,000-and-up, off-road performance ute, the Pro-4X Warrior.The SL Warrior has a greater payload than the Pro-4X Warrior, but has the same towing capacity, off-road suspension and measurements.But is it missing too much safety tech?

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Ford Ranger 2023 review: XLT V6 - GVM test

By Mark Oastler · 04 Oct 2022

When the all-new T6 Ford Ranger was released in 2011, Ford made sure its big bruiser was never short of grunt. The premium engine choice at launch was a punchy 3.2-litre inline five-cylinder turbo-diesel with 147kW/470Nm, soon followed by a new Bi-Turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder which literally 'boosted' power output to 157kW/500Nm.

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Caravan Towing Comparison Between the Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6 & Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain

By Matt Campbell · 01 Oct 2022

Say you've got about $70,000 and you want a new ute to tow a caravan. Which is best? Well, we've put two impressive offerings up against each other in this comparison review - the Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6 and the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain.

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Ford F-150 Lightning 2023 review

By Stephen Ottley · 30 Sep 2022

The F-150 EcoBoost is coming to Australia in 2023 - but the electric version is the one we should really be hoping for.

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Off-Road Ute Comparison between the Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6, Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain & Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior

By Marcus Craft · 23 Sep 2022

There's a lot of hype about the new Ford Ranger line-up and especially on the top-shelf Wildtrak V6. New engine, market-leading driver-assist tech and more make this an appealing prospect.So, how does the new top-spec Ford ute fare against the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain and Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior on a 4WD loop aimed at highlighting strengths and exposing weaknesses.

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Isuzu D-Max 2023 review: LS-U cab chassis - off-road test

By Marcus Craft · 21 Sep 2022

The D-Max LS-U crew-cab-chassis 4x4 automatic is a new mid-spec variant in Isuzu's ute range. Cab-chassis utes offer owners a different level of flexibility in terms of load-carrying and this ute has an automatic transmission, a part-time 4WD system, and it certainly looks built for purpose - so, does it tick all of your boxes for a work-and-play ute?

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Mazda BT-50 2023 review: XTR long-term | Part 1

By Mark Oastler · 14 Sep 2022

The Australian launch of the latest generation BT-50 in June 2020 heralded a significant change for Mazda's ute, as it was the first to 'platform share' with Japanese commercial vehicle giant Isuzu after previous pairings with Ford's Ranger.

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