Off road

Mitsubishi has just revealed a new, flagship version of its Triton dual-cab ute that has been tested and developed in Australia. The Japanese carmaker partnered with Australian engineering and manufacturing firm, Premcar, to develop the Triton Raider. The Triton Raider is a version of this dual-cab ute that’s claimed to bring confidence to every drive, whether that be on- or off-road. First examples are due to arrive at dealers by the end of May. Think of it as a rival to the Ford Ranger Tremor, Isuzu D-Max Blade and Volkswagen Amarok W600, among others, as it picks up tougher looks and suspension tweaks, but no extra power. Using the model year 2026 (MY26) version of the Triton GSR as a base, which gains Yamaha horizontally mounted dampers to further reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Premcar completes the second-stage manufacturing process at a facility in Epping, Victoria. There’s a unique front and rear suspension damper package with the front damper gaining an internal rebound spring to create more wheel control on a variety of surfaces. The related Nissan Navara also received a range of very similar suspension tweaks by Premcar, this Triton Raider program is unrelated. Other tweaks the Triton Raider picks up include 18-inch ROH ‘Assault’ alloy wheels finished in a unique brushed bronze finish that are wrapped in Bridgestone AT002 all-terrain tyres. As a result of the suspension and tyre package, there is a 25mm ride height increase at the front, 10mm ride height increase at the rear and 20mm wider track width. Matching the brushed bronze alloy wheels, there are a range of exterior highlights and decals finished in the same car. Additionally there are upgraded side protection bars, underbody protection and a sports bar with unique red highlights. Inside the Triton Raider receives black leather upholstery with orange stitching and Raider branding embroidered into the front headrests. There’s also a Raider badge fitted on the centre console. At this stage Mitsubishi hasn’t detailed pricing for the Triton Raider, though it is likely to be more than the current flagship GSR trim, which is priced at $65,590 before on-road costs. This means the Triton Raider could be closer to $70,000 before on-road costs and potentially the most expensive Triton ever offered locally. This crown currently goes to the Walkinshaw co-developed Triton Xtreme which was sold during 2023 and based on the previous-generation ute. As noted above, neither Mitsubishi nor Premcar made any tweaks to the Triton’s 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine with the Raider. It still produces 150kW and 470Nm and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel type and engine set-up are becoming increasingly important factors in people's new car buying thinking, exclusive data reveals, with rising fuel prices making buyers even more vigilant. Diversity of engine set-up choices have increased substantially in the past few years. Buyers can pick from internal combustion, hybrid or electric. It appears this choice is encouraging buyers question what is best for them when they enter the showroom. The data is part of Gumtree Group's The Next Gear: Australia in Motion report and was gathered from 4,400 people who used Gumtree, CarsGuide and AutoTrader in 2025.  According to exclusive data, fuel type is the primary consideration for 40 per cent of prospective buyers. This is an increase of 33 per cent year-on-year demonstrating how fuel type has become more important.  Among the biggest considerations for prospective buyers is that 52 per cent of those surveyed said they would consider hybrid, while 39 per cent said they consider plug-in hybrid. This represents substantial year-on-year increases.  It lines up with sales boosts to hybrid and plug-in hybrid models over the past 12 months at the expense of internal combustion alternatives. Another choice increasingly peaking the interests of buyers in Australia is fully-electric vehicles, which have seen a substantial boost in sales.  According to Gumtree’s data, one-in-three prospective buyers said they would consider an electric car for their next purchase, which is an increase of 57 per cent compared to 2024. Expect these figures to increase further in the coming months as fuel prices rise further. This is despite hybrid and electric cars often incurring an initial purchase premium on internal combustion, which is paid off over time courtesy of less fuel use. Many of the top-selling brands are pivoting to hybrids in light of NVES, such as Toyota, Kia and Hyundai. As well as Chinese brands such as BYD which only offer electrified powertrains. Even utes are starting to offer hybrid options, like the popular BYD Shark 6, while the Ford Ranger has a PHEV variant. Chery will bring across a diesel PHEV showing the diversity of hybrid options. 

Last week Hyundai revealed a boxy, new SUV concept that gives us a glimpse of what to expect from its next dual-cab ute. Multiple digital artists have now taken the Hyundai Boulder concept and given it the ute treatment, giving us a better look at what this ute might look like. Imagery from Russian outlet Kolesa shows this new Hyundai ute will have the bold and upright front-end treatment of the Boulder SUV concept, but have other design elements that are reminiscent of the Kia Tasman dual-cab ute. Alternatively, imagery from Brazilian digital artist KDesign AG show this ute being a slightly upsized version of the Tasman and more of a rival to US mid-size pickups like the Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. Hyundai has confirmed that it plans to launch a mid-size pick-up in the US in 2030. It will also be built in the US which indicates it’s focused at North America and makes an Australian launch unclear in the short term. While the Boulder-based ute is confirmed to be built on a ladder-frame architecture, it’s unclear whether it will be related to the South Korean-built Kia Tasman, which also has a ladder-frame chassis. A range-extender (REEV) hybrid powertrain has been floated by overseas reports. At this stage it’s unclear how much of the Boulder SUV concept’s other design features will carry over to the production ute version. It has 37-inch mud-terrain tyres and a roof-mounted light bar. Previous patent imagery has shown the Boulder-based ute could feature detachable doors, much like the Jeep Gladiator. It’s understood a different Hyundai ute is set to launch in Australia before 2030. Hyundai Australia CEO Don Romano told CarsGuide late last year the brand would have a ute ready by the end of 2028. "My work permit goes for another two and a half years. I'm not leaving until it's coming,” Romano said in November 2025. “If they produce what we're talking about at this stage and what we're working on, it's gonna be mind blowing, it's gonna be great. And I really mean that, I'm not just blowing smoke.”

Haval has revealed its upcoming flagship SUV, which has been frequently spotted in China in previous months. The new Haval SUV will top-out GWM’s Haval SUV range, sharing its boxy traditional 4x4 design with the Haval H9, which sits below it. Riding on the brand’s new premier GWM One platform, which also underpins the more luxurious Wey V9X that was revealed last month. The Haval flagship SUV will serve as a more rugged alternative to the V9X. The brand is also expected to show off a Tank 900 flagship built on this platform, which should be the most hardcore of the three models. GWM’s Haval division is yet to name this LandCruiser rival, opening up an online naming petition in China, similarly to the upcoming Chery diesel ute in Australia. There are few official details, but it is expected to share its Super Hi4 plug-in hybrid system with the Wey V9X, which consists of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a large battery with an 800-volt architecture and electric motors on each axle with a new four-speed hybrid transmission. Styling details make it look like an enlarged and more contemporary version of the smaller Haval H9, which is not sold in Australia. It offers an upright stance, long flat roofline, high profile tyres, and a squared-off Land Rover Defender-style side-opening tailgate with a rear-mounted spare wheel. Both the front and rear feature new LED lighting signatures, with quad headlight clusters at the front, and more Tank-style upright LED clusters at the rear. Its nearly filled-in grille wears ‘Haval’ badging across the front, much like the current Toyota Prado, while ‘GWM’ appears on its colour-matching rear tyre cover. The interior is yet to be shown by the brand but should debut new elements for the Haval brand to go with its new platform and flagship aspirations. Dimensions are also yet to be revealed, but expect this new Haval to span over five meters long. It will serve as a rival to the LandCruiser 300 Series and the upcoming Nissan Y63 Patrol and Mitsubishi Pajero, but will more likely go head-to-head on spec and price with fellow plug-in rivals from China like the Denza B8 and upcoming offerings from Geely, GAC and Chery. Despite being Haval’s flagship offering though, GWM may not choose to offer it in Australia, as the local division looks to maintain the unique market position of its Tank off-road brand. This has previously been offered as one reason it doesn’t sell the Haval H9, as it is too close in pricing and specification to the Tank 300 or Tank 500 to make sense as part of the more road-going Haval marque's line-up. It would be unsurprising to see the yet-to-be-revealed Tank 900 to be offered as a flagship instead. GWM has also thus far ruled out the V6 twin-turbo Tank 700 plug-in hybrid for the Australian market, saying we might get it in next-generation form at some point down the track. In the shorter term, expect to see more from GWM on the EV and hybrid front as it looks to capitalise on an increasingly tight emissions environment and sky-high fuel prices. The GWM Ora 5 in hybrid and electric form is expected to make its debut in Australia imminently, and a new punchier 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine will give Isuzu a run for its money in the off-road segment, with the larger engine plotted to be placed in the Tank 500 SUV and Cannon Alpha ute. The company’s Wey luxury arm is also plotted to land later in 2026 with the Wey G9 hybrid people mover, opening the door to a range of luxury PHEV SUVs and the Range Rover-rivalling V9X in the future.

Jeep has announced it remains committed to the Australian market despite posting some of the worst sales results in its modern history. Forced to address rumours that parent Stellantis was considering pulling the plug on the 4x4 brand's local operation, Jeep's Senior Vice President for Global Product Planning, Matt Nyquist, said the US SUV brand is staying and will invest in its future in Australia. Jeep has sold just 184 cars through the first three months of this year, a drop of more than 65 per cent. 2025's sales data showed Jeep only managed to sell 1682 cars – its lowest annual sales total since sales data was first compiled back in 1997, and a considerable 31.5 per cent drop compared to what it shifted in 2024. If that doesn't sound bad enough, the most recent decline follows a 48.7 per cent fall in 2024, a 30.4 per cent drop in 2023 and a 14.2 per cent reduction in volumes in 2022, which is shocking from a brand that back in 2014 was selling more than 30,000 vehicles annually. It now has to deal with affordable Chinese models such as the Denza B5 and B8, and GWM's Tank 4WD range, muscling in on its territory. Dealers were reportedly spooked when the Grand Cherokee was axed from the line-up, despite being Jeep's best-seller, Nyquist was unequivocal when questioned on whether Jeep was about to up sticks and leave the region. "There are no plans to withdraw Jeep from the market, we are committed to Australia," he told Carsguide at a recent Jeep event in the US. "Australia is a great market for Jeep, it’s had its ups and downs, for sure, but the environments and landscapes that require 4x4 and capability means a good synergy between Jeep and the market." Nyquist was cautious about commenting about how Jeep will reboot the SUV maker locally, but acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the Australian region. Worryingly, for those hoping the brand in Australia would be bolstered (and saved) by a raft of new products, Nyquist refused to confirm that both the rugged all-electric Recon 4x4 and sporty road-biased Wagoneer S SUV were still on track to land in Australia later this year. Both were locked in for a local introduction back in 2022 by then-CEO, Christian Meunier, but now face a more uncertain fate Down Under, said the senior Jeep exec. "We are always studying the evolution of the market. The industry has changed dramatically around those products (Recon, Wagoneer S), particularly in the US, but we’re always studying to ensure we have all the right products in the right place at the right price". When probed over whether or not both the most capable trail-rated EV and American Porsche Cayenne Electric rival might now be off the menu for right-hand drive markets, Nyquist was quick to correct us. "We are committed to right-hand drive. Once you engineer a vehicle for right-hand drive, the rest – like regulations – are relatively straightforward. "For all of our key products we want them to be available for right-hand drive." That suggests, instead of a lack of right-hand drive, it is the general slowing of EV sales that might curb the Stellantis-owned brand's appetite for exporting its two latest and shiniest models to markets like Australia. Meanwhile, Down Under, despite being one of the cheapest all-electric SUVs money can buy, before generous discounts, the Jeep Avenger struggles to make a dent on the sales charts. Other calamitous local decisions include a lack of V6 turbo-diesel availability on the once cheap but now ever more expensive Wrangler and Gladiator, sky-high pricing for the six-figure Grand Cherokee followed by massive $33,000 price cuts. Without the two flagship EVs imminently inbound, Jeep will have to bank on the success of the new-generation Compass and Cherokee to turn around the iconic 4x4 brand and make it sustainable again Down Under.

Subaru has revealed a new version of the off-road-ready Forester Wilderness over in the US. The Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid is the first time a Wilderness model has been equipped with a hybrid powertrain. To date they’ve only been offered with purely petrol power. Using the same hybrid powertrain as the regular Forester Hybrid, it marries together a 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine running the Atkinson/Miller cycle with electric motors to produce a total system output of 145kW. Subaru claims this powertrain provides up to 25 per cent better fuel economy than the regular Forester Wilderness, which is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine producing 134kW in US-spec guise. Although it has a different powertrain, the Forester Wilderness Hybrid retains all the upgrades the regular model receives. These include upgraded suspension giving an increased ground clearance of 246mm, as well as improved approach, breakover and departure angles. Additionally there are raised, ladder-type roof rails with a static load rating of 360kg, as well as 17-inch matte black wheels wrapped in Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tyres. Other standard equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 11.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, grey synthetic leather upholstery, as well as all-weather floor mats and a boot mat. At this stage the Forester Wilderness Hybrid is set to launch in North America in late 2026. It’s unclear if it will be offered in other markets at this stage. "The latest Subaru global unveilings are exciting, and while they’ve generated plenty of interest, we’re unable to comment on future product," said a Subaru Australia spokesperson. Subaru only recently introduced the Wilderness moniker in Australia with the larger, new-generation Outback. Unlike the regular Australian-specification model, it receives a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine which is more powerful than the 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine. Like all Wilderness models it picks up unique looks and off-road upgrades, however, the Australian-specification model retains highway tyres, not all-terrain tyres like the US-spec model receives.

Chinese brand GAC has shown official camouflage pictures of a brand new plug-in hybrid off-roader, which will debut a new platform and direction for the Toyota-allied brand. Codenamed T75, the new off-roader will debut at the Beijing Motor Show in late April. The brand confirms it will be a plug-in hybrid as evidenced by two flaps on both sides above the rear wheel arch. The overall appearance confirms the new GAC off-roader will follow in the footsteps of the Denza B5 from BYD’s premium arm, leaning into the traditional boxy off-road appeal, complete with a tailgate-mounted spare wheel and high-profile tyres. The new images also show real door handles (as opposed to the kinds of previously-popular flush door handles currently being targeted by Chinese regulators), and a grille-free face. The brand is yet to reveal the new SUV’s light profile, although unlike some concept vehicles, the images show the T75 with real wing mirrors. It is a stark new design direction for GAC, leaving behind the large-grille design of its hybrid GS8 large SUV. Chinese media is reporting the T75 has been in the works at GAC since at least 2024, and the company has invested over the equivalent of $100 million in the project. This new GAC off-roader could also be our first hint at the brand’s recently confirmed upcoming dual-cab ute. The ute is due in 2027 and the company’s local CEO Kevin Shu said it was likely we’d learn more about it at Beijing in late April. If the new ute does share its underpinnings with this new plug-in hybrid off-roader, it will pit GAC’s dual-pronged off-road offering head-to-head with the BYD Shark 6 and the related Denza B5, which both use a petrol plug-in hybrid set-up. This space is becoming increasingly heated, with many Chinese brands moving into the off-road space, using Australia as a trial-by-fire for their range of new products. Not only is the Denza B5 and Tank 500 already in this plug-in off-road space, but Geely is also set to enter the fray before long with its Galaxy Cruiser 700.

The question over whether Toyota will build a hybrid version of its popular HiLux ute looks to be settled, for now. There’s been talk of a hybrid workhorse ute for years, especially given Toyota’s position as the world’s leading hybrid vehicle specialist and its rollout across the rest of its model range. Beyond popular models like the Corolla, Corolla Cross, Camry, RAV4, Kluger and Yaris, Toyota is about to launch a hybrid LandCruiser 300 Series later this year, and it already offers its Tundra pick-up with hybrid power. In the US you can even get a hybrid Prado! The runaway success of the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute and ongoing interest in GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV suggests a hybrid HiLux would be a no-brainer for Toyota. But according to Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas, even though he could ask HQ for a hybrid HiLux, it would have to be able to do what a regular HiLux can do. “We're always talking to TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation) about the various powertrains for every single model. But what's most important for us is that, we can ask for any car, but the problem is going to be making sure that it's fit for purpose for that customer type. And that's what we're going to make sure we're doing,” he told CarsGuide. “It's no good saying, ‘Oh, we've got a hybrid HiLux, tick the box’, and then it doesn't meet the requirements of the customer. “So for us, it's got to be fit for purpose, needs to leave no one behind. And if it can do all those things for us, then for sure, we'll be rallying for a hybrid HiLux. But until that point, we got nothing to confirm.” Pappas was speaking at the local reveal of Toyota’s first fully electric commercial vehicle, the HiLux BEV. With pricing starting at $74,990 before on-road costs, Toyota is targeting mining and construction, big fleets and government with the HiLux BEV, rather than private buyers and sole traders. Despite the massive interest in hybrids and the proliferation of hybrid utes - including an upcoming as-yet unnamed diesel plug-in hybrid ute from Chery to launch later this year - Pappas said the next evolution of the HiLux’s electrification will be hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) tech. “We've obviously got, through our model mix, 50 per cent of our sales are electrified, mainly through hybrids. And our demand on hybrids globally at the moment is doing very well. So the fact that we've been piloting a BEV HiLux for the last 12 months, the next step for us is then to start to pilot the FCEV HiLux. “So we want to really look at what we can learn and pilot through a targeted customer program again, on the FCEV HiLux, because the infrastructure for hydrogen is very, very limited, as we know. So the more we can learn with these things, the quicker we can respond to scale. “So when the time comes we think for that user need that we've got scale, we're ready. And that's really why we're trying to go BEV and then FCEV. And like I said, our hybrid demand on the rest of our vehicles, which we've got, is doing very well. And, you know, we're very happy with how that's going.” Pappas’ predecessor, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide in February that, currently, only diesel-powered engines can achieve the level of towing and Gross Vehicle Mass in a specific price point for light-commercial vehicles. “Developing these kinds of vehicles in a light commercial vehicle (LCV) cost a lot of money. “So, is the timing right for it? Now, I agree. We've been doing it a long time. It's proven technology; but in an LCV right now, for what, where we'd position it, where it would be positioned, is that really right for the Australian market… or other global markets? Maybe it is, but our assessment is not right now, but at some point (yes).”

Utes have been affected substantially by increasing fuel prices, thanks to their large fuel tanks and often thirsty turbo-diesel engines. Diesel fuel prices have jumped to more than $3 per litre, making filling up a diesel ute more expensive than ever. CarsGuide has compiled a list of all the diesel dual-cab pick-up utes on sale, calculating the yearly cost of each at $3.07 per litre (the average price in NSW on 31/3/26) over 15,000km. Isuzu Ute’s D-Max and Mazda BT-50 2.2-litre turbo-diesel variants are the efficiency leaders. The mechanically identical pair of utes cost $3038.02 in fuel in a year, averaging 6.6L/100km. The Ford Ranger’s single turbo-diesel 2.0-litre is next on the list, averaging 6.9L/100km, which equates to $3177.45 over 15,000km.  The new mild hybrid Toyota HiLux also has a competitive efficiency figure of 7.1L/100km, which is a little cheaper in fuel than the standard turbo-diesel variants.  Three-litre variants of the BT-50 and D-Max vary in cost, given fuel consumption fluctuates between 7.1L/100km and 7.8L/100km depending on the variant. The KGM Musso is one of the thirstiest of the utes, with its up to 9.0L/100km, costing more than $4000 over the course of a year.  The GWM Cannon Alpha diesel was the other ute to exceed the $4000 mark.  Concluding the list are the gas guzzling full-size American pick-ups, in Ram’s 2500 and the Chevrolet Silverado HD. Both have V8 diesel engines with a capacity of more than 6.0-litres, meaning they cost more than $7000 over the course of a year. 2026 ute fuel figures Australia    *Dependent on variant **Ram does not provide official figures for fuel consumption. This figure is sourced from CarsGuide's real world testing. ***Chevrolet does not provide official figures for fuel consumption. This figure is sourced from CarsGuide's real world testing.

Is Chery about to out-name the BYD Shark 6 ute? It's possible, given a mystery trademark has now appeared that would give the brand a literal shark-eating dual-cab. Chery has trademarked the name "Orca" in Australia, and the trademark specifically references "SUVs; sport utility vehicles ; sports utility vehicles ; pick-up trucks; pick-up truck caps; trucks; commercial vehicles". The orca, or killer whale, is also the only known predator of the great white shark, suggesting some naming gamesmanship could be at play here, given BYD has named its sales-storming ute the Shark 6. But there is one complicating factor – Chery has asked the Australian public to help name its first ute, with more than 20,000 entries received and a shortlist soon to be announced. “We knew Aussies would have a strong view on what makes a great ute, and the response to this competition has absolutely reflected that," said Lucas Harris, Chery Australia's COO. "To receive this many entries is a tremendous result, but just as importantly, entrants took the brief seriously and explained why their name belonged on the ute, making the shortlisting process both exciting and difficult." The catch is that while the Orca name has been accepted as of March 18, 2026, the application was first lodged in June 2025, which suggests it was an early name option for the ute, before the public competition was opened. Still, if Orca has been suggested, and it makes the shortlist, Chery could have a Shark-hunting diesel dual-cab ute on the cards. When it arrives in Q4 this year, Chery's ute promises to be a game-changer in terms of powertrain, given it pairs a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine paired with an electric motor or two and a battery to deliver the country's first diesel plug-in hybrid ute. The brand is promising a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, a 1000kg payload, and proper off-road kit like diff locks. “I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute,” Mr Harris has told CarsGuide. “And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things.”