Ute Reviews

Put a tonne in the back and it's plain sailing.We were interested to drive the new Kia K2900 CRDi, which replaces the underpowered K2700.The earlier model struggled with a full load aboard and used more fuel than it should have.With the DOHC, turbo, four-cylinder diesel engine from Hyundai's Terracan 4x4, K2900 has plenty of power and torque to run with the pack.Good for 92kW/245Nm, the K2900 easily maintains a fast highway clip loaded or unloaded and consumes less fuel doing it.The average on test wasn't as good as Kia's claimed 10.2 litres/100km but the truck had only 200km on the clock.With the factory steel tray, the K2900 retails at $30,490 a tempting price for a tradie on a tight budget.The tray is bigger than other vehicles in this class and lower making it easier to load. That's partly down to the 12-inch rear dual wheels but also the low slung ladder chassis.Obviously, the K2900 can be configured into several variants based on the cab/chassis. We have seen a pantech and a flatbed tray back as well as the test vehicle with folding sides.We reckon you could even get one made up as a tipper.It carries a maximum 1.5 tonnes with the long factory steel tray back.We had a good crack at the K2900 and, apart from a few gripes, think it's a good worker.Access is easy through large doors and the seats have plenty of adjustment, although a bit hard.The wheel is fairly flat but can be rake adjusted and the pedals are well positioned.Tight manoeuvres are easy thanks to the tight turning circle. It scores a couple of airbags and three seats but the centre fold down pew only has a lap belt.We like the rubber floor mats and power windows and remote central locking, but would probably prefer electric mirror adjust.The five-speed manual transmission has a good action but a six-speeder would take better advantage of the extra torque.Kia backs the K2900 with a five-year/130,000km warranty.

Mitsubishi Triton has a pretty good reputation for being a tough ute and in its current shape a bit of a style leader, too. Its latest variant could be a sales winner. The 4x2 Tritons now can be had with a new 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine and with an automatic transmission.Mitsubishi found that when it introduced a 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder engine to Triton last year, its two-wheel-drive ute sales soared.The fuel-frugal, torquey diesel engine, and with the option of an automatic transmission, should add to that.It's 2008 and not everyone wants to, or can, drive a manual vehicle. Manufacturers used to have diesel engines mated only to manuals - devices that can be laborious to use.The four-speed automatic on the Triton diesel makes life a breeze - as easy as driving a medium-size automatic sedan.I drove the single-cab version, excellent value at $22,990 for a five-speed manual and $24,990 for the automatic.It includes airconditioning, power windows, cruise control, central locking and remote keyless entry.The two bucket seats are fairly comfortable and appear to be covered in hard-wearing fabric.There's not much cabin stowage space behind the seats, especially for taller people.The cabin is minimalist but well finished. The 2.5-litre turbodiesel generates 100kW of power at 3800rpm and a healthy 314Nm of torque at 2000rpm. Mated to the automatic transmission, acceleration from traffic lights is smooth and at a respectable rate.The auto shift lever has an overdrive button.Exterior mirrors are manually adjusted but are a good shape and size.The 4x2 sits high, with good ground clearance, like its 4x4 Triton brothers and has beefy suspension (coil springs front, leaf springs rear).It was purpose-built as a ute, not a passenger car derivative.The 2.5-litre diesel, and the optional automatic transmission, also are available in the Triton dual-cab ute as a 4x2. Small torqueCustomise The Mitsubishi Triton 4x2 with 2.5-litre diesel comes in one trim level, the GXL, with 16 inch, six-stud steel wheels. Option packs are available to customise the vehicle.Good sizeThe single-cab on test has good load area. Even with a tray liner, it offers 2150mm of load length and is 98cm wide between wheel arches. The tailgate has an adjustable angle or drops down. The ute has six chrome tie hooks.Automatic choiceTriton 4X2 ute with 2.5-litre turbodiesel and four-speed automatic sits at 2200rpm at 110km/h.Other choicesThe Triton range includes single and dual-cab, ute style or cab-chassis, 4x2 and 4x4. The 2.5-litre diesel joins the 2.4-litre and 3.5-litre V6 petrol engines for 4x2 Tritons. The 4x4 Tritons have the 3.5-litre V6 petrol or 3.2-litre CDI diesel. “Customer feedback suggests the two-wheel-drive diesel - especially with the automatic transmission - is a variant that will find great popularity,” says Mitsubishi boss Rob McEniry.

This is the modern incarnation of the Land Rover.It boasts 50 per cent better ventilation and a new integrated dash with an upgraded sound system and new, more comfortable seating. Ergonomics is not a strong point - the Defender's cabin design has little that falls into the category, with an average driving position, oddly placed switchgear - the horn is on the end of the indicator stalk - and the door is too close. But much of that matters little if you're looking to head way off the beaten track, as this machine has all the skills without resorting to electronics.Low-range, wheel travel and a centre diff lock allows it to climb just about any terrain at which you point its bumpy, square nose.It all but stops on steep, tricky descents, allowing the driver to pick a perfect path downhill with ample grip from the off-road tyres.The Defender is powered by a 2.4-litre 16-valve turbodiesel four-cylinder engine that works well with the low gearing off-road, but offers leisurely sealed-road performance. Filling the tank is also something of a low-speed thrill - the near-horizontal filler neck makes pump blow back a regular occurrence - don't even bother with a high-speed “trucker” diesel pump.You have to admire the courage of convictions in sticking with the Defender in a form that flies in the face of modern design. While it works beautifully in serious off-road environs, many will never experience its rough-terrain abilities; they've been spoiled with modern SUVs and won't put up with the idiosyncrasies. SnapshotLand Rover Defender 130 cab-chassisPrice: $50,990.Engine: 2.4-litre 16-valve common-rail turbodiesel four-cylinder.Transmission: Six-speed manual.Power: 90kW at 3500rpm.Torque: 360Nm at 2000rpm.Performance: 0-100km/h 15.8 seconds. Top speed 132km/h.Fuel consumption: 11.1 litres/100km, tank capacity 75 litres.Emissions: 295g/km.Suspension: Live beam axle, coil springs, dampers, Panhard rod (front). Live beam axle, coil springs, dampers, A-frame, co-axial helper springs (rear).Brakes: Front and rear discs.Dimensions: Length 5170mm, width 1790mm, height 2021mm, wheelbase 3225mm, track fr/rr 1486/1511mm, approach/departure angles 49/35deg, ground clearance 314mm, weight 2120kg.Wheels: 16in steel. In its class:Toyota HiLux SR 4x4 dual-cab chassis, from $40,890.Mitsubishi Triton 4x4 GLS cab-chassis, from $51,990.Nissan Navara D40 dual-cab ST-X, from $45,990.Ford Ranger 4x4 XL turbodiesel crew-cab chassis, from $36,990.Holden Rodeo 4x4 LX crew-cab chassis turbodiesel, $41,290. 

Now that it is forced to build cars for the world rather than just the nation, GM Holden has declared it will not turn its hand to workhorse utes like it did earlier this decade. It's under stricter financial constraints, so no more One Tonners or Crewmans.The $105 million sunk into the new VE Ute may not sound like fiscal conservatism — especially after $1 billion was directed into the Commodore donor car. But the more favourable economic climate which allowed Holden to engineer workhorse variants of the previous generation ute has gone.Those models are considered failures, as they were unable to stop buyers flocking to budget commercial vehicles imported from Thailand.For maximum return on investment this time around, GMH has stuck with its core two-seater ute roots and fashioned a vehicle that, like never before, serves more as a weekend sports and recreation tool than a light commercial vehicle.While its street cred is as strong as ever at the construction site, the VE extends the successful formula it began with the 2000 VU series, which switched the emphasis from LCV to practical performance car.And nowhere is this more obvious than with the beautiful, menacing, series-leading SS V Ute. Whether blue, white or a shade in between, the colour of a customer's collar counts for nought in 2008. Holden is catering to the desires of its core constituents — Australian men across all spheres of life — who want a freedom machine with macho looks, a powerful V8 and plenty of mod cons.An incredible 90 per cent of VE Ute sales are V8 models — and we can understand why. Belting down a stretch of the M1 road that follows our continent's coastline, we soon discovered that the SS V encourages its driver to just keep on driving, so intoxicating is the sound and strength of the engine.Transplanted from the VE sedan, and producing 270kW at 5700rpm and 530Nm at 4400rpm, the 6.0-litre Gen IV V8 is a familiar beast and even better here, with the primeval note from four exhaust outlets flowing readily through the load area to the cabin.The engine rocks in its cradle at idle like a restless infant, then turns on an irresistible tantrum under full acceleration, catapulting car and driver to the legal limit in about five-and-a-half seconds. This is around the mark of the SS V sedan — or even a touch quicker.There is no need to couple this engine with the Tremec T56 six-speed manual gearbox on offer. In outright acceleration terms, there is nothing in it between the manual and the six-speed auto tested here. As well as taking the effort out of the process, the self-shifter delivers smooth and clean shifts — and the right gear at the right time. It also offers a sequential-manual mode which hands full control to the driver, although the shift action with the T-bar does lack refinement.Minor letdowns like this are few and far between. The brake feel could be better and the V-series could feel more exclusive, with more distance between it and the standard SS. Then there's the consternation even recreational owners could face with the 500kg payload restriction.On the other hand, accomplishments come to the fore with each changing scene. These range from admiring glances in town to burbling along Highway One with consummate comfort and ease. From surefooted, intimate handling on winding roads to the consumption of 14.2 litres per 100km across our test — a figure even lower than the maker's claim.Notwithstanding some tonneau thrum in the unladen ute, too much dust entering the tub after a dirt-road stretch, and complications with manoeuvres on multi-lane roads and in parking lots, our drive in the SS V was nothing short of sensational.Holden has increased the level of sophistication in its high-performance ute, but not applied an anaesthetic.The electronic stability control, for example, can be switched off for the driver to gain a full appreciation of the vehicle's power and traction at the rear end but, when left on, the precisely tuned ESC works like a watchful parent — unobtrusive for the most part, lenient enough to allow the rear wheels to break traction, intervening at a sensible point.This might be another global car from GM Holden, one destined to be the next pick-up truck for Pontiac in the US, but it's a ute which feels right at home in our world.We expected no less with its use of the proven new Commodore architecture, the extra strength embedded into this version, new work carried out on the all-independent suspension and, not least of all, its development in Australian conditions.Translate that to the road and the SS V feels solid, taut, well balanced and well controlled. Grip from the 19-inch 245/40 Bridgestone Potenzas is outstanding. The steering is an instrument of fine precision. The ride is firm but not unforgiving. General refinement levels are high for a ute. Even without the desired level of feel and some squeal toward the end of our test, the brakes never failed to offer strong performance.Considering all that we've written, and the SS V Ute's $44,990 sticker price, it would be difficult for us to imagine an owner feeling short-changed. Standard features include climate control, leather-faced sports seats, aluminium pedal inserts, a Bluetooth phone connection and sports steering wheel.However, there are some obvious omissions and disappointing details in the cabin — some of which could be fixed at a moment's notice, others that could not.Side-impact or head-protecting airbags have not been engineered into the VE Ute. Electric seat adjustment is limited to height/tilt. There are no overhead grab-handles or map-lights. The speedo graphics are too small. The battery voltage and oil pressure gauges look completely out of place. The dash and centre console are screaming for elegant trim. Rear parking sensors are optional. And there is no slide function for the front seats to facilitate access to the storage space now available behind them.The load area is about the same size as the previous generation — 193cm in length from tailgate to cab, 47cm in height from the permanent plastic liner to the tonneau, and 122cm in width between the wheel housings.The flush-fitting soft tonneau cover is simple enough to remove and replace, although parts of the cord used for securing odd-sized loads had corroded on our test car. There are six tie-down points in the tub and, on the folded tailgate, four recesses for cans, thermoses and the like. A full-size alloy spare wheel is located underneath the vehicle.When it comes right down to it, there is little need to lament the loss of the cramped Crewman or the ultra-niche One Tonner.Holden can't be all things to all people, but in directing its energies into the sports ute market, it has turned out one of the best examples Australia, and the world for that matter, has ever seen.  SECOND OPINIONDaniel Brooker, 26Occupation: Banking executiveLocation: Penrith, NSWCurrent car: Holden SS V UtePrevious car: Nissan R33 SkylineOther cars considered: NoneWe have talked to car owners from all walks of life about their chosen vehicle in this column, but few have been as archetypical as Daniel Brooker. Indeed, when Holden's marketing executives talk about their target audience for the SS Ute, Daniel is the person they describe — a young man who has a passion for performance cars and rides dirt bikes on the weekend.“I'm very impressed with how the car runs,” he says. “Utes tend to be a rougher ride than a normal sedan, but the new SS V is very, very smooth.“My Skyline got written off and I'd always wanted a ute — I'd driven an VZ SS ute, and really liked it, and when I saw that a new one (the VE) was coming out, I got really rapt about the way it looked. It's a very sexy car. I didn't even take one for a test drive — I bought it straight off the bat. But Holden makes great cars ...“I find the 6.0-litre is a lot more responsive (than the previous 5.7-litre V8), especially in the high gears — it has just that bit more pull. You can be sitting in fifth gear at around 1500rpm and it still pulls as if it's in third gear. Whereas in the VZ, it does tend to lag in high gears.“It handles well, with or without a load. Utes have always tended be very light in the back, so it's not hard to lose control of the rear end. But with this one, when coming into corners at a little bit higher than normal speed, I don't know whether it's the stability control or not, but it handles just as good as the SS sedan.“It steers very well, pulls up on a dime — the ABS brakes are unreal — and it's the quietest ute I've driven. I'm contemplating getting a sports exhaust so I can hear the engine more!“Behind the seats you've got phenomenal room to put gear. I'm a pretty tall fellow, but even behind my seat there is still enough room to put a bag.”  Verdict * * * *FOR: Potent V8 engine. Brilliant ute handling. Long-overdue behind-seat storage.AGAINST: No side airbags. Various cabin shortfalls. Insufficient dust sealing.  HOW IT MEASURES UPHolden SS V UteThe sports and prestige leader in the new VE Ute stable is a class act, offering a chest-thumping mix of V8 performance and solid handling. That said, the V-series cabin needs more cache. Price ................ $44,990Warranty ........... 3 years/100,000kmEngine .............. 6.0-litre V8Power/Torque .... 270kW/530NmTransmission ..... Rear-wheel drive, six-speed manual (six-speed auto $2000)Seats/Weight .... Two/1786kgFuel tank/type ... 73 litres/normal unleadedLitres/100km ..... 14.5 city/highway combined0-100km/h ......... N/ATurning circle ..... 11.7mAirbags/ESC ..... Two/YesValue ................ * * * 1/2Performance ...... * * * *Overall .............. * * * *  Ford Falcon XR8 UteIn the blue corner, Ford is gearing up for the launch of its new generation ute. The next XR8 will be a great rival to the SS V, but will it turn the tables? Current model has traction control, but not ESC. Price ................ $41,595Warranty ........... 3 years/100,000kmEngine .............. 5.4-litre V8Power/Torque .... 260kW/500NmTransmission ..... Rear-wheel drive, six-speed manual (six-speed auto $1500)Seats/Weight .... Two/1830kgFuel tank/type ... 75 litres/premium unleadedLitres/100km ..... 13.8 city/highway combined0-100km/h ......... N/ATurning circle ..... 11.5mAirbags/ESC ..... Two/NoValue ................ * * * 1/2Performance ...... * * * 1/2Overall .............. * * * 1/2 

The queue for a new Maloo is out to May. The five-month wait reflects the instant success of Holden Special Vehicles' new load carrier.Not that anyone who buys a Maloo R8 is likely to be carrying much beyond their toys and a big, big smile.It is all about sports truck performance and enjoyment, with a 307kW V8 engine and the sort of brakes and suspension you expect to find on a top-drawer car.Holden has been pushing the two-door sportscar line for the ute since it unveiled the VE earlier this year and its sales figures reflect the popularity of the new pickup.More than 60 per cent of utes going out the door at Holden dealerships are V8-powered SS models, and when you add the hottie SV6 the figure rises to more than 70 per cent.So you are unlikely to see any bricks, barrows, glass or plumbing pipes in the back of a HSV ute.But you are also unlikely to see a Maloo because demand for regular utes has choked supplies from GM Holden's factory in Elizabeth to the HSV production line at Clayton.Things should ease sometime next year, but the waiting time is unlikely to shrink to anything less than three months.The Maloo goes all the way for Holden and, like other E-Series Commodore models, it is further away from the regular ute than previous models.The tail-end treatment is unique — even if some of the lamps look stuck-on — the nose is all new, the cabin is more upmarket and even the lift-up load cover has unique HSV power bulges and a different but not as effective locking system.The result is a ute that turns heads with a supercar-style 0-100km/h sprint time, and a relative bargain at $59,990.It costs more than the turbo six from Ford Performance Vehicles and is above the basic 5.4 V8 ute, but matches the Super Pursuit on the bottom line.The HSV machine gets its edge with a full 6.0-litre LS2 V8 that does big kilowatt numbers but, more importantly, makes 550Nm.It is a little hidden up beyond 4000 revs, but dominates the character for the car.HSV is doing plenty of Maloos with the six-speed automatic gearbox, a surprising but effective choice, and the rest of the package includes monster brakes with 365 millimetre discs on the nose, electronic stability control, fully independent suspension, giant wheels and tyres and the same red-lit instrument cluster used in HSV's R8 and GTS sedans.The seats and wheel in the cabin are the same, with smooth leather trimming, and the safety gear includes front and side airbags, and anti-skid brakes with brake assist.It is an impressive package and one HSV is proud to tout.“It's a hot sexy product. We think we've absolutely nailed it,” the new HSV managing director, Scott Grant, says.“Maloo is our newest model and so the waiting time is the longest. But the Clubsport is about two months at the moment and the Grange is still selling at more than 20 cars a month, against our forecast of 10 a month.”He says HSV will easily set a sales record at the end of the month, up more than 1000 cars over its previous mark in 2005, with Maloo contributing about 600 sales a year. On the roadThe Maloo is a terrific drive. It is sharp, responsive and very, very quick.Most people would find it impossible to pick it from a HSV sedan, without looking over their shoulder, which is about as good as it gets in uteland.FPV does a similar job in upgrading Falcon utes, but even theirs are not as refined or car-like as the new Maloo.If you try a similar comparison with any of the imported Japanese one-tonners, even the benchmark Toyota HiLux, you come up with working-class vehicles that are much more work than play.I have already run the regular SS ute through the test program and it came out with classy marks, but the Maloo goes a significant step further. And it's not just a hot-rod.It is smoother and more refined than the SS, thanks to a compliant suspension that is surprisingly good.I did not try the Maloo with much of a load, but most owners want them as sports cars and they will get a winner.It turns like a sedan, rides like a sedan and grips like a sedan, even when you push hard. That's when most utes turn into sliding, wheel-spinning monsters.The Maloo tester had an automatic gearbox and it would be our choice. That's partly because it smooths the engine response and partly because it has the excellent manual shift system, but mostly because it damps out the violence of gearshifts, which can often be a problem in utes. (Holden does not have paddles on the steering column).So the Maloo is quick and responsive, and only a little dull against the R8 sedan. As well, it has a classy and comfortable cabin.There is plenty of legroom, with reasonable storage space behind the seats, which can be tricky to tilt, and the sound system is good.But parking and lane changing are awful. The shape of the cabin restricts over-the-shoulder vision and the lumpy luggage cover takes a huge chunk out of the rear view. Thank goodness for parking radar. But vision is the only niggle and the HSV Maloo is one of my favourite drives of the year.  The bottom lineAn all-Aussie success, and a genuine sports truck. 81/100  Snapshot HSV Maloo Price: $61,990 as testedEngine: 6.0-litre V8Power: 307kW at 6000 revsTorque: 550Nm at 5100 revsTransmission: six-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive.Body: Two-door utilityDimensions: Length 5040mm, width 1899mm, height 1481mm, wheelbase 3009mm, tracks 1952/1590mm front/rearSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionFuel tank: 73 litresFuel consumption: 14.9 litres/100km (claimed, combined)Weight: 1852kgSpare tyre: Full-sizeBrakes: Anti-skid four-wheel disc with brake assistWheels: 19x8 front, 19x8.5 rearTyres: 245/40 R19 front, 275/35 R19 rearSafety gear: Front airbags, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes, traction control, brake assist with brake-force distribution.Warranty: Three years/100,000km FeaturesAirconditioning 4Cruise control 4Alloy wheels 4Climate control 4Leather seats 4Heated seats 8Parking sensors 4Automatic wipers 44 standard equipment8 nonstandard equipmentHow it comparesHolden Commodore Ute SS: 80/100 (from $39,990)FPV F6 Tornado: 78/100 (from $54,670) Fast factMaloo is an Aboriginal word meaning thunder. 

As siblings go, the middle member of the Holden Commodore Ute family looks to be in a tough spot; much dearer than its entry-level brother, much less charismatic than its other brother, the alpha male of the dynasty.This six-cylinder version shares the sporty look of the top-dog, V8-powered SS, but costs less, drinks less and can carry a heavier load.The SV6 also can move along very briskly, and like everything in Holden's newly released Ute range; rides and handles with car-like good manners.Yet it is the SS which all the petrolheads covet. Just shows that in matters of the heart, common sense comes second.In the real world, if you could leave emotion aside; easier said than done when it comes to shopping for a car; the SV6 would be a more logical choice.Holden has arranged the pecking order in this year's new Ute series to mirror last year's new Commodore sedans, so the SV6 is a step up in style, performance and price; from the entry-level Omega version, which is $5000-$6000 less; but a rung below the more powerful V8-engined SS, costing $4000 more. The SV6 is available with a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox, and its high-output six-cylinder engine is more potent than the basic unit powering the Omega automatic.You'd almost call the SV6 sensible. 'Almost' because none of the Ute family can handle real heavy-duty work as well as a less-fancy one-tonner utility does, nor does the Ute have the people-carrying convenience of a normal sedan.But in its way, you can see the appeal. Part work vehicle, part flash car. Wholly comfortable and well-behaved, with just a couple of annoying traits.From the Commodore sedan, the Ute has inherited windscreen pillars wide enough to hide a pedestrian or oncoming car at an intersection. Plus it has added another blind spot of its own, the steeply raked rear pillars, obstructing vision over the driver's right shoulder. You learn to take a long, careful look in the outside mirror and hope for the best.Trouble is, the SV6 name gives the impression they're proud of the powerplant but; whether in Commodore sedan or Ute; it sounds and feels slightly less refined that you rightly expect of a modern-design engine.Fortunately, you soon become attuned to its raspiness.No spine-tingling burble comes from the SV6's twin tailpipes, but then again, it doesn't have the V8's thirst.So it comes across as the sensible middle ground of the Ute bunch.

With over five and a half thousand entries, the inaugural carsguide Car of the Year Readers Choice Awards has been a rousing success.

After all, in today’s field of cosseting off-roaders and outright marshmallow soft-roaders, the rugged Defender still steps up to the plate with pretty the same slab sides, hard edges and very basic design the badge started with about 60 years ago.It’s so far removed from the rest of the Land Rover range it may as well be a separate marque, and as such, it’s a dinosaur squaring off against a modern world of complex technology.And that’s its unique charm. There are absolutely no pretensions about the Defender. What you get is a truck as tough as a stegosaurus, and just as capable of ploughing through the primordial landscape.Unfortunately the stegosaurus has a few problems with tight turning circles and cornering at full gallop on bitumen — but the kind of person who wants to go riding a steggie isn’t going to consider saddling up a Siamese cat simply because it’s a bit more acrobatic.The newly arrived Defender has made a few changes but you’ll have to be a fanatic to spot most of them. The most noticeable is that there’s bump on the bonnet to accommodate the new higher-positioned engine, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder common rail diesel engine sourced from the Ford Transit and given a lubrication and sealing system upgrade to help it deal with the extreme conditions the offroader gets into.The engine develops 90kW of power and 360Nm of torque (20 per cent more than the five-cylinder turbo diesel it replaces). It meets EU4 emissions standards, but there’s also a specially tuned version for countries with especially poor diesel fuel.The new engine gets and anti-stall system and a sixth slot on the manual gearbox that controls the full-time 4WD transfer cases, but there’s still no plan for an auto — although Land Rover Australia general manager Roger Jory says there has been discussion.“An automatic gets talked about a fair bit, but nothing is planned,” Jory says.The springs and dampers have been revised and the Defender name has been replaced on the bonnet by Land Rover badging, but otherwise it’s very much the same tall and narrow box that the company proudly admits has been 'fighting the wind tunnel for 60 years’.However the interior has been given more comfort and style - at least by Defender standards. There are a redesigned fascia and instruments, more comfortable seats, tweeters join the two speakers for the audio system - and extra noise damping gives it (and you) a better chance at being heard.True believers will miss the dashboard vents that used to open straight to the outside, and probably won’t be consoled by the fact that the airconditioning/heating is now much faster and stronger.There are non-skid mats on just about every horizontal surface in the hose-out cabin, and traction control and anti-skid brakes will help you get through the kind of spots that will require you using the hose when you get home.But don’t expect to see airbags, cruise control, buttons to adjust the mirrors, any adjustment at all on the steering column or anything as luxurious as a vanity mirror.The new Defender is offered in the 130 Crew Cab Chassis version for $50,990 and the 110 Station Wagon for $48,990, with the only options being metallic paint for $900 or two comfortable forward-facing extra seats for the cargo area of the 110 for $2000. The company isn’t giving any sales predictions, but is confident of improving the slide that has seen this year’s figures so far down by almost half at 65.It’s a lot less noisy in the new Defender cabin. Land Rover says it’s 30 per cent quieter than the previous model, and while it’s not whisper-hushed at least you no longer have to yell a conversation between the seats.The diesel engine sounds agricultural - music to some ears - and while it seems on paper to be short on the numbers it doesn’t have any trouble doing the job. You get that extra torque across a wide rev range, and hit both torque and power peaks around a reasonably low 2000rpm.You have to reach for the gear change, and the shift action is extremely long throw, but the new top gear is tall and allows you to calm things down a bit for highway cruising, while first gear has been given a lower ratio for even more impressive crawl ability.The suspension improvements give it slightly more composure on the road, but it still bounces around like a Jack Russell on amphetamines. There’s also a lack of steering response, noticeable body roll in cornering and the narrow body means that the interior is cramped.But most Defenders only want to see bitumen in between getting from one gnarly spot to another, and it’s in the dirt that you really see what the stegosaurus can do – clawing its way up and down hillsides, though washouts and (with a 314mm ground clearance and 500mm wading depth) water that would stop most of its rivals.Offroading is helped with short overhangs and the ability to easily judge where your corners are, coupled with some impressive geometry. Maximum gradient is 45°, approach angle is 49° and traverse is 35°, while the 110 has breakover and departure angles of 30.3° and 34.6°, and the 130’s 27.5° and 35.2°.The second hand will sweep a quarter dial before you get to 100km/h, and then some time after that you’ll get to the top speed of 132km/h – with a bit of patience. But this is not a vehicle you buy because you want a drag car, it’s the one you buy because you have a job to do and the Defender can do it.But there’s a price to be paid in comfort, with the ground clearance making it a chore to climb into, and the narrowness that gives it access to virtual goat tracks also meaning it’s cramped for shoulder room, while leg room for the driver is challengingly tight.Jory describes the Defender as "an involving drive". What it involves is as much physical effort as a solid hour in the gym, coupled with having to keep your brain engaged at all times. This is not an idiot-proof offroader that will do all the work and thinking for you. If you don’t know what you’re doing out there, you could get into real trouble. If you do know what you’re doing, there’s probably nowhere on earth you couldn’t tackle in the Defender.Close to 1.9 million of them have been sold, and Land Rover says about 1.2 million of those are still on the road _ and some very rough road at that _ all over the world, many in various defence and emergency services or aid missions that have to deal with remote regions.The factory at Solihull in Britain builds only 25,000 each year, and since a lot of the vehicle is hand-built, it’s unlikely Landy will try to increase production.But the question is whether they’ll keep producing them beyond the current model’s sunset in 2010, when the EU changes emissions regulations for the commercial vehicle classification that has allowed Defender to ignore the passenger vehicle levels other offroaders must meet.That makes this tough and honest dinosaur an endangered species, but we hope Land Rover manages to save it — because its extinction would be a huge loss.Is there really anything tougher than a Landie? Have you owned one? What beats it? Tell us your story in the feedback area below...

The holidays are looming and if getting off the beaten track for a camping trip is your idea of fun, there's a sharp deal on offer from Nissan. Nissan has released a limited-edition Patrol DX Walkabout which features more than $7000 in free extras. The $49,990 (a standard DX retails for $50,290) Walkabout adds alloy wheels, a six-CD stacker, bullbar and $2000 of camping equipment to the DX, but just 275 vehicles are available.Meanwhile Nissan has also given its heavy-duty ute, the Patrol cab-chassis a new-look exterior and an updated three-litre diesel engine.The ZD30 turbocharged diesel engine with intercooler is also used in the Patrol wagon range and has been recently upgraded with a common-rail fuel injection system.One more apparent benefit of the engine, which replaces the previous older-technology 4.2-litre diesel, is the rated towing-capacity increase from 2500kg to an impressive 3200kg. Another plus for Patrol utes is that they are four-wheel-drive, complete with dual-range option. Patrol has serious off-bitumen credentials. The cab-chassis comes in two spec levels, the DX and the better-equipped ST. The DX can be ordered with coil or leaf rear suspension. The rear leaf springs are claimed to give optimum load-carrying ability and durability in rough conditions. All versions have a coil-sprung front end and an anti-sway bar.All have the five-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential. Standard equipment includes double door seals (to help keep out dust and noise), wide-opening doors, CD player and airconditioning. The ST gets carpet, power windows, central locking, side steps, map lights and large centre console. The DX has a driver's bucket seat and a two-person passenger bench seat, while the ST has two bucket seats. All DX leaf-spring and ST models have standard dual front airbags. The DX coil-sprung models have airbags as an option. Coil-sprung DX and ST models are fitted with four-wheel disc brakes, while the DX leaf spring model has large rear drum brakes and front discs.Pricing on the updated models remains unchanged: from $49,790 for the DX with leaf springs, $50,180 for the DX with coils and from $52,890 for the ST.The ZD30 engine standard in all Patrol cab-chassis utes is a 2953cc job with double overhead camshafts, turbocharged and intercooled — giving 118kW power at 3200rpm-3400rpm and 380Nm of torque at 2000rpm-24000rpm.The 95-litre diesel tank is backed up by an 80-litre sub tank, which promises good range for rural and bush use.Patrol cab-chassis tare without a tray fitted is 1997kg for the DX with coil springs, 2123kg for the DX with leaf springs and 2009kg for the ST with coils. GVM is 3150kg, 3400kg and 3150kg.

It speaks volumes for the HSV brand image and appeal that it can sell $125 million worth of merchandise — clothes and caps, not cars — in its 20 years of existence.The company also manages to retail around 4700 cars annually in recent years and is now riding a wave of 12 consecutive record sales months.HSV managing director Scott Grant said business was booming on the back of the VE/WM-based E-Series.“We've now had 12 very strong months with the sedan range and we think the Maloo will add yet another strong pillar to our sales potential,” he says.The Maloo R8's appeal is strong if the reaction from primary school kids at the fence is any indication — and that was just idling by.The VE-based range has the Clayton factory punching out 30 cars a day — it was around six a day when the company started 20 years ago — and the Maloo R8, pictured right, won't make life any less busy for the HSV staff.The ute product is the company's second-biggest seller behind the Clubsport sedan and the new model has the visual appeal to keep its numbers healthy.The new Maloo R8 gets a sleeker profile using a broader “HSV Performance sail plane” on the B-pillar which, when combined with the HSV hard tonneau, gives the ute a coupe-like look. The tonneau even now operates like a very big boot for a two-door sportscar — the new SMC tailgate now holds the locking mechanism that can be remotely operated from the key fob.The Maloo R8 gets a different tailgate to the VE Ute, with HSV claiming a 10-15 per cent weight saving from the new version — made from a sheet-moulded polyester resin compound.It also gets an extended tail-light motif that looks more like decals and a little underdone.The side-skirts get an extra vent that HSV says takes its inspiration from the Walkinshaw Commodore but also looks a little Lamborghini-esque as well.Apart from the odd tail-light set-up, the rear end gets quad exhausts within a diffuser.Under the skin the Maloo R8 now has stiffer spring rates over the R8 and GTS sedan models — the figures are 40 per cent at the front and 50 per cent at the rear — but it retains the same brake package.There's plenty of gear in this ute that rams home the message this is anything but a tradie's ute — a chunky leather-wrapped sports steering wheel with audio and cruise control switchgear, trip computer, Bluetooth phone connection, alloy faced pedals and a leather-wrapped gear shift.The rear vision is restricted by the hard tonneau, which has made the rear parking sensors a must-have for parallel parking and general safety.The Maloo R8 also gets automatic headlights, HSV sports instrument cluster, an upgraded Blaupunkt 6CD MP3-compatible five-speaker sound system, suede/cloth trimmed sports seats (with leather option), dual zone climate control and only dual front airbags, no side airbags.The engine is the now-familiar six-litre alloy V8, offering 307kW and 550Nm of torque with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission (a $2000 option).The automatic has been given a make-over by the electronic boffins to get rid of the awkward Sport button. The lever flicks to the left for Sport mode.The manual change function is also now accessed on the left but the new Sport mode complete, with downshift throttle blip, does a more-than adequate job.The rear wheels put those considerable outputs to ground via a limited-slip differential and stability control (which can be switched off).HSV says the ute offers 0-100km/h in 5sec and a top speed limited to 250km/h, but that's only half the story.The Holden VE Ute provides plenty of rear-end grip and HSV have built upon that excellent base.The HSV suspension tweaks don't include the sedan's Magnetic Ride Control. Chief engineer John Clark would have liked to put it on but says that the extra cost was a large chunk of money.“Some of the hardware would have carried over, the front would have but the rear dampers would have been different, then the calibration to do it all adds up to a significant cost,” he says.The tauter springs do detract from the ride quality a little, but body control and grip (thanks in part to a bigger rear tyre) in the corners puts many passenger cars to shame.One disappointment in the Maloo was the change from the VE Ute's easy-to-use seat-flip lever to a system that is more difficult to reach and harder to use.At a tickle under $60,000, the Maloo R8 is a couple of grand cheaper than its predecessor and offers serious performance.But only time will tell if the HSV badge, the extra gear and some extra grunt is worth the $13,000 jump from an SSV.