Diesel

Toyota's flagship HiLux is only weeks away from launch, with the bigger, better Rogue model to hit showrooms in October.And in good news for this interested in Toyota's answer to the Ford Ranger, the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior and the incoming Mitsubish

Variety might be the spice of life, but too much choice can lead to confusion.If it wasn’t bad enough trying to work out what you want in your burrito (chicken, beef, shredded pork, beans, fish, plant-based protein, tofu, etc), well, you also have a decision between three powertrains with the Hyundai Tucson.As we’ve stated in previous reviews, the base engine is a 2.0-litre petrol with 115kW/192Nm, the mid-spec version is a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with 132kW/265Nm, and our top-spec car comes with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel delivering 137kW/416Nm.But aside from varying outputs, what are the tangible differences between the engines?Luckily, I’ve spent some time in a base 2.0-litre car recently to see if the seat-of-the-pants feel is any different from the diesel, and whether you should stump up the extra cash for the oil burner.The first thing you have to consider is that the 2.0-litre engine is available in front-wheel drive guise only, while the diesel offers up all-wheel drive traction. So, if the driven wheels are a deal-breaker for you, you can stop reading now (but you should probably keep going!)However, the benefit of being front-drive is less kerb weight, with the petrol nearly 250kg lighter than the diesel.This affords the Tucson with the 2.0-litre engine a similar power-to-weight ratio as the more potent and turbocharged diesel, at 75.3kW per tonne versus 77.3kW/T.What’s all this mean in the real world? Well, the two engines perform much closer off-the-line than you might expect.Both engines need to be worked at a bit to get them into their sweet spot, with the 2.0-litre working hard to make its peak power at 6200rpm, and the diesel needing to overcome its low-end gruffness and laggy turbo before providing you with a good shove.This means both engines are a little gruff and unrefined when trying to come away from a set of traffic lights at speed, so keep that in mind. But when travelling at speeds below 60km/h in the inner-city during childcare drop off, the differences between both engines are negligible.What is noticeable, however, is when you get out onto the freeway. And that’s because the petrol engine is fitted with a six-speed automatic, while the diesel has eight ratios to play with.That means at 100km/h, the diesel is at a much lower RPM, and the cabin is quieter and more civilised.That isn’t to say the petrol engine isn’t comfortable at freeway speeds, but the 2.0-litre definitely feels like it’s working harder.This also has an effect on fuel economy, with the diesel returning a 6.3L/100km figure compared with the petrol’s 8.1L/100km stated claim for the combined cycle.In the real world we achieved figures of 8.6 and 10.1L/100km for the diesel and petrol respectively.And these numbers are definitely felt at the bowser, with diesel prices at the time of writing surpassing petrol.In fact, this skews the cost equation of spending more up-front on a diesel to save more at the bowser.Quick back of the envelope maths reveals that to recoup the $6000 price premium on the diesel engine, you would have to travel over 500,000km before the fuel savings in the oil-burner start to make sense.And if it’s a factor of equipment level, well, the petrol can be had in base, unnamed Tucson form, Elite and Highlander, while the diesel is offered in Elite and Highlander variants only.The sporty N Line upgrade pack is also available to all Tucsons, so gear will be comparable across both engines, as will aesthetics.One final thing to consider is that diesels are quickly falling out of favour as the world transitions to an electric future.It makes buying a new diesel-powered SUV in 2022 a bit of a hard recommendation, as the current (or soon to be current) crop of vehicles that are available now are likely to the last generation of vehicles offered with oil-burning power.We’ve already seen the likes of the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and Subaru Forester abandon diesel engines in recent years, so how much longer before the Hyundai Tucson joins their ranks?If Hyundai serves up a hybrid version of the Tucson locally – whether that is with a series-parallel like Toyota’s RAV4 or a plug-in hybrid like the Mitsubishi Outlander – that would easily be the go-to for the 2023 Tucson range.But as it stands, we reckon the figures don’t quite stack up for the diesel-powered Tucson, and you should opt for petrol. Either the base 2.0-litre, if FWD will do you, or the 1.6-litre turbo if you absolutely must have AWD.The only advantage the diesel engine affords is the prodigious driving range, superior torque figure and a better braked towing capacity. But in everyday scenarios, we’d pick a petrol Tucson.Acquired: March 2022Distance travelled this month: 764kmOdometer: 5937kmAverage fuel consumption for July: 8.6L/100 (measured at the pump)

Is it a coincidence that General Motors timed the global announcement of the all-new Chevrolet Colorado between the Australian launches of the Ford Ranger and its Raptor flagship? Probably. 

When you think about it, using a car or four-wheel drive to tow a trailer much bigger than a standard box trailer is really asking a lot of the car’s design and engineering. 

When it comes to tow-vehicles in Australia, the default setting has always been the humble ute. That began with the sedan-based utes from the local carmakers and evolved into the not-so-humble dual-cab ute that is currently taking every other type of car to the cleaners in the new car sales race.

What is AdBlue?In simple terms, AdBlue is a liquid designed to reduce the amount of emissions generated from modern diesel engines. Technically-speaking, AdBlue is a solution made from 32.5 per cent urea and 67.5 per cent deionized water.What it does, is it works to help reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) in a diesel engine through a process called selective catalytic reduction (SCR).AdBlue is the generic marketing name for the product more technically known as diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). The term AdBlue is actually trademarked by the German Association of the Automotive Industry.It can sometimes also be referred to as AUS 32, which stands for Aqueous Urea Solution 32 per cent.As explained above, it consists of a combination of 32.5 per cent urea and 67.5 per cent deionized water. Urea, also known as carbamide, is a nitrogen rich compound that can be either produced organically or manufactured.It can be found in urine most commonly, but is also produced by some moulds and fungi. The human body produces urea from the liver, when it breaks down proteins and amino acids.However, the urea used for AdBlue is typically synthetic and not commonly made from urine, as is often claimed. The purpose of AdBlue is to break down the harmful gases in the exhaust system. While many diesel cars don't use AdBlue, the Euro6 emissions standard made it very difficult for carmakers to meet the standard without it. That has meant the system has become increasingly common, particularly amongst modern European diesel vehicles.It isn't injected into the engine or mixed with the diesel, as you may think given the AdBlue filler is typically located next to the fuel filler in your vehicle.Instead it gets injected into the exhaust system under pressure to create a chemical reaction that reduces the amount of NOx the car produces at the tailpipe. This is the selective catalytic reduction process (SCR).The SCR is when the AdBlue is injected into the hot exhaust gases, the water in the solution evaporates and the urea thermally decomposes which forms ammonia and isocyanic acid. The isocyanic acid then reacts with the water vapour and hydrolyses to carbon dioxide and ammonia. Once this happens the ammonia reacts with the oxygen and reduces the amount of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust.That will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of vehicle you drive, the size of the AdBlue tank and how much driving you do. On average though, most cars are fitted with a 10-litre AdBlue tank and use around one litre of solution every 900-1000km.While that should mean a tank will last approximately 10,000km, it’s recommended that you fill up your AdBlue tank every 8000km to avoid running out. Most cars will display a warning light that the tank is getting low, so you should have plenty of warning.Your vehicle’s performance will diminish with many modern cars designed to enter a ‘limp-mode’ if there is no AdBlue available. In many instances modern diesel cars will simply not start if the AdBlue tank is empty.AdBlue is typically widely available to buy at a variety of locations, including service stations and automotive parts stores. You’d also find it at car dealers (assuming they sell models that use the system). It’s worth noting, you cannot buy it at hardware stores, such as Bunnings and Mitre 10, or department stores such as Kmart and Target - unless your local store has a specific motoring department. Like many products during the global pandemic, urea was in short supply as China is a world leader in producing the compound. That has meant AdBlue has also become harder to find at times in Australia. Given heavy vehicles, such as trucks, often require AdBlue, this has put a strain on the transport industry as well as private diesel vehicle owners. At the time of publication, AdBlue was selling at Australia’s popular automotive parts stores for between $60-$65 for a 10-litre container, with a one-litre bottle selling for between $12-$16.

SsangYong has been on a rocky road since its Australian relaunch in 2018, but that doesn't necessarily mean its products are subpar or not worthy of consideration. As more brand's move upmarket, this makes SsangYong - and its Korando mid-size SUV - even more appealing, so should you consider one?

Kia would be aiming for the title of one of Australia's best-selling utes with a diesel dual cab, with the brand expected to benchmark the all-new Ford Ranger and reigning sales champ the Toyota HiLux to ensure its workhorse is perfectly fit for duty.Toyo

The D-Max is well established as a decent all-rounder and a solid touring and towing platform, but Isuzu has now boosted its ute line-up with some new variants, one of which is the LS-U+.The LS-U+ slots in at second-from-the-top-shelf and is equipped as standard with a tow bar receiver, and an extra 100kg of GVM (gross vehicle mass) over the 21MY D-Max LS-U.

The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok is set to shake things up in its bit to stand apart from its codeveloped cousin, the 2023 Ford Ranger.As such, the new-generation VW Amarok ute range is set to give buyers a few different choices when compared to the Ranger that