Adventure

Australian four-wheel drive fans rejoice, a new Mitsubishi Pajero is on the way.

Could a van be your next adventure vehicle? Ford thinks so, and to that end has introduced an adventure-focussed van, the Trail, to its Transit Custom line-up. The Trail is based on the long-wheelbase Transit Custom Trend and it’s equipped with all-wheel drive, raised suspension, and a Trail drive mode, 16-inch matt black alloy wheels, black wheel arches as well as yellow exterior decals.

Ahead of the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, Japanese modification outfit Kuhl has revealed a rugged new take on a Toyota icon.The 2026 Toyota LandCruiser Prado has been given a lift and bodykit by Kuhl, with the company dubbing the show car the ‘Iron Build’.Complete with a mix of visual modifications and genuine mechanical changes, including a new set of wheels and off-road tyres, the Iron Build is set to be shown off at Tokyo Auto Salon between January 9 and 11.The Prado’s standard wheel-and-tyre package has been replaced by a set of dishy 22-inch wheels called ‘Verz DR03’ from Kuhl’s own catalogue, and wrapped in a set of 37-inch Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 mud tyres.The result is a ground clearance that looks to be just about doubled, reportedly sitting at 399mm.It’s not just the lift, the Prado has also been bestowed with some body kit like the wing above the rear window, plus some protective ‘pipe’-style protection around the side steps, front and rear bumpers, and over the wheel arches.It also scores a roof rack and a 40-inch-wide LED light bar, completing the ‘weekend warrior’ look.Kuhl sells and installs the parts shown off on the Iron Build, offering its customers the choice of buying a full predetermined set of parts or choosing their own specific custom components.The company has built wicked wide-body and lowered versions of cars from most Japanese manufacturers, from slammed HiAce vans to WRXs that would look at home in Need For Speed.The Prado Iron Build closely follows the reveal of a pair of cars set to be shown off at Auto Salon, the Outroad versions of the Toyota GR86 which come either with or without a lift for the purposes of gravel driving in the rear-drive Toyota sports car.

The Dacia Duster is finally here! Well, it's actually here as the Renault Duster, but who cares when this well-liked small SUV has a reputation for off-road adventuring? And the Duster arrives as a family- and budget-friendly small 4x4 that is easy on the eye, very practical for day-to-day life and is reportedly capable off-road. Could the Duster be a legitimate rival for the Suzuki Jimny?

Ram has confirmed the return of its most powerful variant in the Ram 1500 range, the SRT TRX.

Ford Australia has a popularity problem. By that I mean, the Ranger is so popular it is Australia’s best-selling new vehicle any given month, but at a time when the government is looking to crack down on emissions. The New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) have been designed to motivate both car makers and customers alike to choose a new vehicle with lower emissions.This is part of the reason why Ford has invested so much time and effort into adding the Ranger plug-in hybrid to its range. But, unfortunately for Ford Australia, buyers so far seem pretty happy to stick with good old fashioned turbo-diesel power. So, as we look at the missing pieces across several of Australia’s leading car brands, there is a very obvious gap in the Ford line-up - a small or mid-size SUV powered by either a plug-in hybrid or all-electric powertrain to help offset all those diesel Ranger emissions under NVES.Under the Federal Government’s policy it will penalise car makers for not getting their vehicles below a mandated CO2 emissions target. The good news is a car maker can effectively offset those vehicles over the limit by claiming ‘credits’ for its vehicles that are below the threshold. Obviously electric cars are rated with zero CO2 emissions, so enjoy the most credits.The problem for Ford is that its biggest selling models are the diesel-powered Ranger and Everest and the V8-powered Mustang. That trio accounts for more than 90 per cent of Ford Australia’s total volume. The all-electric Mustang Mach-E is less than one per cent of the company’s local sales.So, what Ford would likely love is for a more popular SUV, that could help both with NVES but also grow sales. Ford simply gave up on the SUV market, dropping the Escape, despite it being the biggest single segment of the market. It also dropped the Puma and Endura, leaving the Everest to fight on alone.It’s believed Ford will add the Chinese-built Bronco sometime in the not-too-distant future, and the range-extender mid-size SUV could be just what the brand needs at this moment in time. It’s powered by a 110kW 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and electric motor, which is powered by a BYD battery to provide over 200km of range.What’s more, it’s a Bronco. The Escape was a perfectly fine mid-size SUV, but it was very easy to overlook in a crowded and highly competitive market, which is not something you can say about the Bronco.This is arguably Ford’s best chance of reestablishing itself into the mid-size SUV market. Hopefully being built in China allows it to be price competitive and Ford Australia can stop being so reliant on the Ranger for its success.

The GWM Tank 500 Ultra Hi4-T Plug-in Hybrid is big news for Australia: this is a body-on-ladder-frame chassis large 4WD with five seats, high- and low-range gearing, and a front, centre and rear diff lock. It has combined power and torque outputs of 300kW/750Nm, offers about 120km electric-only driving range, and it can be used as a 6.0kW mobile power station (V2L) - all for under $80 grand. 

It’s no secret now that Audi is looking to have its own rival to the likes of the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Toyota put a lot of effort into developing the current wide-track version of its top-selling HiLux ute and for now it’s a notable absence in the new-generation model line-up.

Isuzu’s 1.9-litre MU-X is no more. And a 2.2L 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – with an eight-speed automatic transmission and idle stop-start technology – is now the brand's entry-level offering in its 4WD wagon line-up. This new MU-X has the same 3.5 tonne towing capacity as its 3.0-litre stablemate and it offers better claimed fuel consumption than the 3.0L.