Ute Reviews

Big and unashamedly bold in its shape, the new Holden VF Commodore Ute is arguably the most sophisticated of its type ever sold in Australia.

Foton, a division of China's giant Beijing Automotive, gets a lot of it right with a dual-cab ute that is priced between the entry-level Great Wall and more established models

The new-age work-and-play dual cabs have become family cars with benefits and that’s a big reason why the Toyota HiLux has been Australia’s favourite

With a new distributor in Ateco Automotive, this year saw a model rationalisation and a reprice for the SsangYong Actyon ute. It now represents better value given the level of standard equipment and what you actually get for your money.We've tested the Actyon Sports model and have positive thoughts about the tough Korean workhorse. You'd certainly shop it against any of the other one tonne Japanese (Thai-built) utes because it stacks up against any of them. In fact, the Actyon is better than some of the more favoured offerings in the segment on a number of scores and not just price. Build quality for one.PRACTICAL DESIGNThe standard load tray liner springs  to mind, a 600kg payload is also worth keeping in mind and the tray shape lends itself to different applications because of its depth and width. They also include the tray lock into the remote central locking system. All good sensible stuff.The truck's front that looks as good as anything else on the market and is a decided improvement on the first hideous face on Actyon. The rear looks the same and is purely functional rather than a style setter.FEATURESKit inside the cabin is generous including aircon, cruise, a decent audio system, trip computer, leather wheel, power ancillaries, auto folding wing mirrors, Bluetooth phone and audio and a multi function wheel.UNDERNEATHBut it's under the skin where the Actyon really shines. Those in the know will only need to get down on their knees for a look under the rear to appreciate the level of engineering in this light commercial.For a start it has a robust ladder chassis complete with coil spring suspension all round. The rear axle is located by a multi-link system and feels robust enough to take 600kgs easily. It has a familiar look mechanically - possibly due to the influence of Mercedes-Benz years ago when it owned a share in Ssangyong.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONThe four cylinder engine is a 2.0-litre VM Motori unit with 114kW/360Nm outputs. There's a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed auto available (we had the auto) and it offers selectable 4WD by a dash mounted dial. Combined fuel consumption in this 2.0 tonne vehicle rates 7.9-litres/100km.DRIVINGWe clocked about 1000km in the Actyon and it served to verify our favourable impression of the vehicle. The cabin is large and easily takes five with plenty of rear seat legroom and large rear doors. We think the three star crash rating listed on ANCAP's website from 2010 may be out of date. It has much more safety kit than it did back then.The drive experience is good with better comfort than most of the competition thanks to the coil spring suspension. But the load height might be an issue for some. Engine performance is strong even when fully laden and there's minimal noise or vibration from anywhere.It sits on the road well limited by the height and suspension calibration and remember, this is a working truck, not a sports sedan. The interior is comfortable particularly the seats and we like the style of the fully soft feel dash (other manufacturers take note).VERDICTWould we put down our hard earned on the Actyon? Yes, and pocket the difference between it and the 'Japanese' one tonners which are no better at best. SsangYong Actyon TradiePrice: from $26,990Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, 114kW/360NmTranmission: 6 speed manualThirst: 7.3L/100 km (RWD), 7.4L/100km (4x4) 

Long sections of the road between Mumbai and Tata's impressive plant at Pune, about 160km away, are more brutal than any track likely to be found in Australia. But the purpose-built Indian vehicles cope without trouble, indicating that the Tata Xenon utes soon to arrive in Oz could be among the toughest of their kind.PRICEThe one-tonners are robust machines, built for India's comparatively awful roads, but they're also stylish, well-finished and the Fusion Automotive distributors say they will be priced below their Japanese rivals and slightly above the new breeds from China. Prices will be announced when they land in October, but think $20 to 30K, depending on cab choice and 4x2 or 4x4 configuration.EQUIPMENTThe Xenon is one of the better-looking utes and comes with a fair bit of kit, including ABS with EBD, Bluetooth, air con, power windows and mirrors, an adjustable steering and a neat, uncluttered dash. But there's no cruise control or option of automatic transmission.Extra stuff, from late this year, will include a hill holder, traction control and electronic stability control. And prettying it up will be easy, probably via dealer-fitted alloys, decals, spotties and the like. The five-speed gearbox is a goodie, the power steering is typical ute and seating and visibility were fine, as were the paint and fit and finish.What Australia needs to realise is that Tata is no johnny-come-lately outfit. It is an up to date company that has been building vehicles for decades and Oz has somehow managed to become the last place on the planet to become aware of the brand.THE DRIVE A few runs on the test track at Pune, which has a surface like Australia's highways, showed the 110kW/320Nm turbo-diesel had lots of pace, stability and was commendably quiet. Tata has state-of-the-art facilities at its vast Pune plant, among them a division specialising in noise reduction.VERDICTThe Xenon has the looks, the muscle and the reputation. Final price will be the deciding factor.Tata Xenon utePrice: $20 to 30KEngine: 2.2-litre 4-cylinder, 110kW/320NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4x2 and 4x4

Ford deserves kudos for announcing 11 all-new “global” models -- including the return of the iconic Mustang -- over the next three years. After seven straight years of sales decline Down Under the fresh metal will provide a much needed boost as Ford fans brace for the passing of the Falcon in 2016.But there is just one thing the four most senior executives from Ford in Detroit neglected to mention during their surprise visit to Sydney this week. The most iconic Ford of all -- the F-Series pick-up -- will sadly stay behind.F-Series pick-ups have been sold here intermittently since 1970; the last time was in 2007 when they cost $63,000 new. Demand is still so strong that used examples fetch the same money, if not more.But, tragically, we don’t buy them in large enough numbers for Ford to justify the investment to build them in right-hand-drive. At its peak, Australians bought 2000 F-Series “trucks” in 2005 -- compared to more than 640,000 in the US last year. It’s North America’s top-selling vehicle full stop. It has led the pick-up market for the better part of four decades in the US.Thankfully there are companies that convert them to right-hand-drive so that we don’t miss out. The only problem is they have become a symbol of wealth in Australia. The basic F-150 can be bought for $25,000 in the US -- not much more than a bargain-basement Toyota HiLux -- but they cost well in excess of $100,000 here by the time shipping, import duties, luxury car tax and the conversion are covered.DRIVINGTo get acquainted with what we’re missing out on I slipped behind the wheel (well, climbed aboard) the pinnacle of the F-Series range, a vehicle which is even better than the famed Harley-Davidson limited edition and the timber-clad King Ranch.It is the F-150 Raptor, and powered by a 6.2-litre V8 it is the Ferrari of pick-up trucks. In fact, on our brief drive in Sydney this week it turned more heads than Italy’s finest. With its oversized guards and jacked-up suspension it looks like a beast from a desert race -- but this is how it rolls off the production line (except, of course, for the RHD conversion).VERDICTThis machine costs $120,000 in Australia even though prices start at $45,000 in the US. And you know what? It’s worth every cent. No wonder they’re being sold as quickly as they’re being converted.Ford F-150 RaptorPrice: $120,000 (Australia) $45,000 (US)Engine: 6.2-litre V8Thanks to: Shogunconversions 

Two seats, two doors, red paintwork and a very big boot -- welcome to the latest Holden sports car, the VF Ute. Not quite -- but sort of -- the load-lugger of the VF range comes in a few sports versions that are short on payload but long on image.In fact there's an extra bit of swagger in the driver's step when alighting from one of these machines. But such is the skill of the VF Ute, you can forget there's no back seat when driving, apart from the absence of superfluous instruction.VALUEChief among the changes to VF from VE was pricing, and in the case of the SV6 the beancounters have sliced $5500 from the tag, putting the SV6 manual at $32,990, with the six-speed auto adding $2200 to that asking price.But for that you get a plentiful features list, including the full 8-inch MyLink touchscreen voice control infotainment system (but no satnav -- that's a $750 option) with four speakers and Bluetooth links for music and phone calls, an auto-release electric park brake, dual-zone climate control, sports (not leather, that's $1000 extra) trim, a leather-wrapped reach'n'rake adjustable steering, automatic headlights (but not rain-sensing wipers), 18-inch alloy wheels, and the remote engine start system (only on automatic models).TECHNOLOGYThere's not been much done to the drivetrain but the ute gets the same upgraded dash package and some of the lighter-weight body bits such as the bonnet, plus there's no bootlid on the ute.The 3.6-litre direct-injection V6 is claiming an 8.2 per cent reduction on thirst to now hit 9 litres per 100km -- although we saw 11.7 on test -- while producing 210kW and 350Nm, which are outputs at which no one should sneeze.The V6 has been muted somewhat thanks to engine bay changes and firewall insulation, as well as wheelarch insulation that knocks some of the road noise on the head nicely too. The six-speed auto has also been on the brain food, as it's no longer as Jekyyl-and-Hyde in sport and normal modes.DESIGNDon't look for much in the way of change to the workhorse part of the ute. From your shoulder-line back it's the same as the VE, with the snout all VF, with neat creases and curves in the sports bodykit bits around the front -- bound to make any building site entry a journey of trepidation, but it looks the goods.It sits on the same wheelbase as the luxo Caprice and has between 100 and 137mm of ground clearance, depending on which information you look at, but either way it's low-slung.In-cabin storage behind the seats is deceptive, and the tray -- depending on how much the occupants weigh -- has a payload of around 700kg. The sad story for tradies is the one-tonner option remains a thing of the past, as does rear-three-quarter "head-check" vision. The A-pillars are still too thick and the side mirrors are still too small, but that's offset somewhat by the electronic blind spot system.SAFETYThe load-lugger carries the same suite of safety gear that is present on the sedan and wagon models, as well as the five-star sticker from the crash-testing brigade. Among the long list of backups is a reversing camera, stability and traction control (which has a trailer sway control function), anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and electronic brake assist, automatic park assist using the front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, the blind spot and rear traffic alert systems.If all that doesn't work there are dual-stage dual front airbags, side seat and curtain airbags, seatbelts with load limiters and pyrotechnic pretensioners.DRIVINGLet's cut to the chase. If you really want a workhorse, there are hordes getting into LCV utes, but for something nicer to drive day-to-day with a tray then you can do a lot worse than the SV6. The MyLink system takes care of entertainment, information and communication easily and is easy for a phone hook-up, offering sound quality that's above par as well.It's got ride quality and handling prowess in shovel-loads, so hustling on a back road isn't beyond it, even without a load in the tray. Holden once had a habit of loading up its launch utes with sandbags to “replicate the typical tradie's load” but this one doesn't need it.It's not a tail-happy B& ball wannabe, although I'm sure in controlled conditions it would happily oblige, but wet roads don't mean the stability control is overworked. The tray payload might be short of the magic one-tonne mark but it offers 1600kg braked towing capacity. I'm also a fan of the soft tonneau cover for the tray, just in case you want to use it for its intended workhorse purpose. Hard covers are great for security, but don't allow you the flexibility to cover an awkward load.VERDICTIf you're not carting kids on a daily basis and have other toys to transport, the SV6 is a sharp-looking load-lugger.Holden VF Commodore SV6 UtePrice: from $35,190Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmCapped servicing: first four standard scheduled log book services for the first three years or 60,000kmResale: 53%Service interval: 9 months/15,000kmSafety: 5 starsEngine: 3.6-litre DOHC 24-valve direct-injection V6, 210kW/350NmTransmission: 6-speed automatic; RWDThirst: 91/100km, on test 11.7, tank 71 litres; 216g/km CO2Dimensions: 5m (L); 1.9m (w); 1.5m (h)Weight: 1681kgSpare: Tyre sealant and air compressor kit

My first drive of the new VF and it's everyone's favourite: the Maloo ute. And not just any Maloo, but the top of the whiz R8 SV Enhanced version with 340kW underfoot --  more than the old GTS. From the outset it was apparent this was a much more refined, sophisticated beast. It's not just about cranking it over, revving it up and listening to the roar from the V8.