Off road

There’s something very Australian about the Toyota LandCruiser. Ever since 1949 when the first ever ‘Cruiser was privately imported to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme this big rugged off-roader has been the yardstick against which all other serious 4WDs have been measured.Our distinctive local conditions make it an ideal market for the big 4WD and a considerable amount of development work and testing is carried out here. Rather than rest on its laurels as the perennial best seller in its category, Toyota gave the LC200 an upgrade in March 2012 with a facelift, extra equipment, improved off-road technology and a new more powerful V8 engine.VALUELandCruiser buyers get plenty of choices. Apart from the two engines there are four equipment levels, in ascending order GX, GXL, VX and Sahara with prices ranging from $77,990 for the diesel-only GX to $118,990 for a diesel Sahara. The new petrol V8 is available in the three higher-specced models and is priced at $5000 below the diesel.As well, Sahara has Multi-Terrain Monitor that uses four wide-angle cameras to display hidden terrain hazards on a 7.1-inch multi-function display. Standard features in all Toyota LandCruiser models include front, side and curtain airbags, stability and traction control, multi-terrain ABS brakes and luggage tie-down hooks. VX and Sahara get the added safety of driver and front passenger knee airbags.Also standard are cruise control, enhanced with the Toyota CRAWL system for heavy terrain driving, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, and Bluetooth/USB/Auxiliary inputs.LandCruiser GXL adds a rear spoiler, satellite navigation with a new 6.1-inch touch-screen audio system that includes a single CD and USB input and reversing camera. In addition to these features the VX model has the Multi-Terrain System mentioned previously, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, auto-retracting side mirrors and front and rear parking sensors.Standard in the flagship LandCruiser Sahara are rear seat entertainment with a 9-inch LCD display and three wireless headphones, power back door, larger (7.1-inch) LCD screen incorporating an Electro Multi Vision (EMV) system that controls a numbers of features including air conditioning, audio, Bluetooth and satellite navigationToyota LandCruiser is a big vehicle with all the advantages and disadvantages that entail. On the plus side there’s plenty of interior space (head, leg and shoulder room) for up to eight occupants. Six adults and two children can travel in comfort, a pair of adults in the third row seats would not enjoy the trip.DESIGNThe visual changes to the 2012 LandCruiser include new grille treatments that vary according to model levels and include new chrome surrounds, revised bumpers, new colour and interior trim choices.Even with all seats in place there’s a reasonable amount of storage space. This can be expanded by folding the third row seats up against the side of the luggage area.There’s plenty of in-cabin stowage space including a large, practical centre-console box, large door pockets that can take large drinks bottles and a number of other apertures for smaller items.TECHNOLOGYThe new V8 petrol engine drops from 4.7 to 4.6 litres, but as we’ve come to expect from the new generation of engines across the automotive industry, not only does it generate more power (up by 12.9 per cent to 228 kW) and torque (increased by 7.1 per cent to 439 Nm at 3500rpm), but there’s also a reduction in fuel consumption (by 6.2 per cent to 13.6 litres per 100km) and CO2 emissions (down by 8.2 per cent to 313 grams per kilometre).Adding to the attraction of the new V8 engine it now gets the impressive six-speed automatic gearbox that so impressed us when we drove the 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel LandCruiser. The previous V8 petrol was mated to an older five-speed ‘box.Although Toyota has its LandCruiser 70 Series for serious off-road conditions the more urbane 200 Series still ventures off road more often than anything else in its class, so off-road technology in the upgraded model sees the introduction of a multi-terrain anti-skid braking system that detects and automatically adapts to off-road conditions. The existing vehicle stability control and active traction control are assisted by this new ABS system.Adding to the LC200’s already excellent off-road credentials the VX and Sahara now both have Multi-Terrain Select that regulates wheel-spin in tough off-road conditions with five driver-selectable modes: Rock, Rock and Dirt, Mogul, Loose Rock, Mud and Sand.DRIVINGIts handling is softer than the driving enthusiast would prefer but it’s a ‘Cruiser by name and a cruiser by nature and it does what it was designed to do extremely well. That includes NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) suppression and towing, where it has a braked trailer capacity of 3500 kilograms.Long distance cruising is further enhanced by the inclusion of twin fuel tanks with a capacity of 138 litres (93 litres in the main tank and 45 litres in the back up tank).The downside to such a large vehicle is that it can be difficult to get into and out of for the less agile and it can be a handful to manoeuvre around the city and suburbs.

The Toyota HiLux topped Australia's official sales charts for the third straight month, powering ahead of the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Holden Cruze from the popular small-car class.

Think off-road, think Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep Wrangler is steeped in history and has been synonymous with off-roading since 1941.  The original prototype was designed in 1940 and hand built in just 49 days for the US Army. During World War II, more than 700,000 were built, making them instantly recognisable by soldiers and civilians alike.  It has since become a legend in its own right with a massive global following. And with good reason, for those who want to venture off sealed surfaces.The Wrangler is unique on the road, barely changed in 70 years, and with a bright yellow Dozer paint job it stands out in traffic even more. The approach and departure angles are steeply raked, giving great off-road clearance and the cab sits high for excellent visibility.The design still allows the doors to be removed and the windshield to be folded down for open-air driving freedom – and untrumped hipster style.Although is well-equipped compared with its ancestors, the Wrangler is still spartan by modern standards.  It sports a leather steering wheel, clear instrument cluster, a modern stereo with Bluetooth connectivity and the usual comforts of air conditioning and electric windows, although I found the location of the electric window switches particularly awkward in the centre of the dashboard. The ‘U-connect’ stereo system is awful, requiring double confirmations on some basic actions such as dialling a number.  The voice recognition is hit-and-miss, and the audio streaming crackled and distorted.  I would have the system replaced with a quality third-party option before even taking delivery.Nowadays it almost goes without saying that all new cars should come with an ANCAP 5-star safety rating.  Not so the Wrangler.  There's not much in the way of crash test ratings for this car - but other Jeep vehicles have fallen well short of five stars in European NCAP tests.  It comes with front driver and passenger airbags as expected, however very little else. Not even pre-tensioners for the seatbelts which felt pretty slack when braking in heavy traffic.  It does have Electronic Stability, Traction Control and ABS and you have to pay more for optional side airbags for front occupants only.As an on-road vehicle, the short wheel base Wrangler is dire.  It drives like a diesel truck.  The steering is light and loose, the nose pitches up and down during acceleration and braking, and the body wallows and rolls from side to side every time the engine is blipped. It feels like sitting in the rear of a light aircraft experiencing “dutch roll” and is guaranteed to make your passengers sick.  Ironically, I was expecting the ride to be soft and comfortable due to its off-road design, but the suspension setup and solid axles make every bump felt.After a couple of days of road driving, I avoided driving it if I could, finally deciding to take it off-road before losing all interest. I felt the Wrangler release a quiet jump of joy - back to its roots and over terrain for which it was originally designed.Within 100m of entering a rocky and sandy trail, it was immediately obvious the Wrangler relaxed and opened up.  The steep rocky inclines, soft dunes and sandy beaches were devoured with ease and in fantastic comfort.  What a turnaround, the Wrangler suddenly came alive!Even on relatively rough ground, with four wheel drive high gear engaged, the Wrangler didn’t miss a beat.  The low gear set is only really required when driving over steep dunes and soft sand, with the short wheel base and high clearance giving it a huge advantage.  Our afternoon was filled with fun and laughter, but I began to dread the prospect of the two hour drive back home.Under light commuting and general urban driving, the Wrangler struggled to better 13 L/100km, no matter how light footed, significantly higher than the quoted 11.2 L/100km combined cycle for the manual transmission.  On the freeway, we managed 12.4 L/100km using cruise control, but you should plan for 16 L/100km when off-roading.There is probably no more capable off-roader for the price.  The Wrangler represents fantastic value with prices starting a tad over $36,000 on the road. But - let’s be clear - the Wrangler is not a daily driver or a commuter.  This vehicle is a toy car, a weekender, for throwing the surfboard in the back, with a couple of mates and heading to those hard to reach locations normal cars envy.  It’s great fun off-road and simply awful on-road.Take it off-road and keep it there.

The epic trip is intended to set a world driving record and raise money for children in Laos.The Melbourne-to-St Petersburg journey is the latest challenge for Rainer Zeitlow, who already holds a series of Guiness World Records.He intends to make the trip in 18 days during August on a roller-coaster ride that will take him from the outback through Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Khazakstan and Russia.Zietlow will be driving a near-stock Volkswagen Tourag TDI, only modified with a larger fuel tank to take the SUVs range to 2500 kilometres, special tyres and Monroe shock absorbers.The 'hook' for the trip is to drive from the southernmost city with more than 1 million inhabitants - Melbourne - to the northernmost city with more than 1 million people - St Petersburg.Zietlow and his team will leave Melbourne on July 27 and they will donate 10 Euro cents for each kilometre travelled, to be donated to a Pan International children's project in Laos. You can follow the trip and Zietlow's adventures at www.touareg-russtralia.com from July 27 until the middle of August. 

The market for dual-cab light-commercials is no longer just the realm of mining company fleets, the user-chooser tradie brigade is leading the charge to get something that tows the tools and the toys.Finding a dual-cab that can do that without alienating the family is also a plus, something that Ford’s Ranger is aimed at doing. We’re in the XLT six-speed automatic 4WD, which is knocking on the door of $55,000 but has a broad breadth of abilityThe XLT with six-speed automatic (a $2000 impost) has plenty of standard gear, USB and Bluetooth equipped six-speaker sound system, as well as Bluetooth phone connection, cruise control, an auto-dimming centre rear vision mirror, power windows, an alarm, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, tilt-only (where’s the reach?) steering wheel with cruise, audio and phone controls, 17in alloys, a cooled centre console, several 12-volt outlets (including one on the rear tray), rear parking sensors, side steps, dual-zone climate control and carpeted floors.While not absolute cutting edge technology, the 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel engine pinched from the UK’s Transit van is reasonably civilized in developing 147kW and 470Nm.The peak torque is on offer from 1500 through to 2750rpm - 90 per cent of that between 1700 and 3500 rpm so there’s no shortage of pulling power.The six-speed auto in the Ranger has plenty of smarts and works well with all the torque on offer, removing some of the snatchiness found when swapping cogs with the manual. What will also be useful is the low sipping rate from the 80 litre fuel tank that Ford claims 9.2l/100km and 246g/km. We finished up with a trip computer that read 10.8 despite it being worked hard during our time in it.There’s no doubting this vehicle’s intentions, with a broad, squared off snout that says ‘I’m a truck and proud of it,’ and its no surprise it’s not being sold in the US, as it would take plenty of sales from the F-Series. The big front-end isn’t pretty but it has presence and purpose, the latter being carried through its 5.3m of overall length to the high-sided and lined rear tray, which has tie-down points.The cabin is roomy enough for four adults, and the engineering teams efforts to keep it well-insulated and quiet paid dividends. While the seats are a little flat there is good storage in the doors, centre console and beneath the rear seats.The Ranger boasts a five-star ANCAP rating and that’s no doubt due to the well-engineered structure and the inclusion of stability and traction control and six airbags.Having access to selectable 4WD on the go, as well as a rear diff lock, is also useful, as is the trailer sway control function within the stability control system, which is a reassuring back-up when you have a 3350kg braked towing capacity, which is top-notch in this segment. There’s also hill descent and hill start control systems.The big Ford was engineered for the globe by the boffins at Broadmeadows and it shows as soon as you go for a drive. It has a decent ride quality, good body control and steering that doesn’t leave you wondering anywhere near as much as its predecessor, or some of its competition.Only severe bumps unsettle an unladen rump and send a judder through the frame, but it all feels tighter and stronger. Twisting country roads (sealed or unsealed) are not beyond it either, although the Mazda twin has been set up more for that.A drive at the launch in both the six-speed manual and automatic transmissions showed the six-speed automatic is the preferred driveline - the poor cousin to the Falcons ZF six-speed has a manual shift option but it was rarely required as the Sports mode acquitted itself well, removing much of the snatch in the driveline that sometimes marred the manual.For towing or off-roading (or even pulling trees down, which it did with ease) there’s masses of grunt, with the rear diff lock equipped 4WD system making short work of most terrain. With 237mm of ground clearance, it’s only the compromised tyres that let it down in on some slipperier surfaces. More purposeful rubber would be a good replacement for the Jack of All Trades tyres that come standard.Ford's new Ranger will give the HiLux some genuine competition, with passenger car safety and connectivity, as well as genuine off-road ability and muscular towing capacities some tough decisions to make.

Australia is ute country. Our top-selling vehicle in May was a ute, the morning commute is packed with utes, the weekend beach run is dominated by them and we are the second-biggest market in the world for Isuzu's D-Max ute, after Thailand where it's made.We were led to believe the new D-Max would be a totally separate platform to the Holden Colorado (and previously Rodeo). However, the two still share chassis, body panels and much of the interior, except for instruments and some features. That's not a bad thing; the new Colorado is a bolder, bigger, safer, more powerful and frugal machine and so is the D-Max.VALUEIsuzu Ute Australia spokesman Dave Harding says prices are up "slightly" even though it has much more safety and creature features. The new D-Max starts at $27,200 for the manual single cab chassis model which previously cost $25,100."But you get a lot more car for your money," Harding says.Prices now range up to $51,700 for the new five-speed auto LS-Terrain, almost $10,000 more than the previous flagship model. The top-spec car not only has a reversing camera, but also leather upholstery and a satnav system with 10,000 off-road destinations and live traffic updates. Colorado doesn't have satnav available.Value is further increased by a doubling of the service intervals to 20,000km and one year. Isuzu does not have fixed-price servicing like some of its competitors such as Holden, although they are "considering it".TECHNOLOGYThe biggest difference between the Isuzu and Holden is in the powertrain. While the Colorado has two diesel engines: a 2.5-litre (110kW/350Nm) and a 2.8-litre (132kW/470Nm), Isuzu has refined its 3.0-litre diesel engine for more power (130kW up from 120kW) and torque (380Nm up from 333Nm).Meanwhile, fuel consumption is down from 9L/100km to 8.1-8.3, which is better than Holden's more powerful unit. It still has a five-speed manual transmission, but it has developed a super-smooth and responsive five-speed auto to replace its somewhat outdated four-speed box. While Holden has a six-speed auto, the extra gear really isn't missed in the Isuzu. Tradies will welcome iPod and Bluetooth connectivity throughout the range.DESIGNIt is longer, wider, bigger inside, with a larger tray and more muscular, flared guards, just like the Holden. But with that bold chrome grille and big door handles - all the better for tradies wearing gloves to operate - somehow it seems more purposeful. "A tool, not a toy," says Harding.Aerodynamics were tested in the same wind tunnel used for the Japanese Bullet train and have been improved for a quieter ride and better economy. Beach anglers and off-roaders will welcome the increased clearance and better approach, departure and breakover angles.SAFETYIsuzu has joined Holden in hoping their new utes will join the Ford Ranger, Mazda BT50 and Volkswagen Amarok with a maximum five stars in the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).While there is no schedule yet for ANCAP testing, Isuzu believes its new model will record maximum safety stars. Harding says the D-Max will have "the same safety features or better than its competitors"."We're aiming for the highest possible score," he says."But we're not speculating on scores and there is no schedule yet for testing."The superseded D-Max has a poor three-star rating against much of the competition which has four stars. However, with the federal government and BHP Billiton recently announcing their fleets will be all five-star vehicles, Isuzu needs to score maximum points. Harding says the improvements are largely in the area of pedestrian safety which held its current scores down.The new model features recessed headlamps, impact absorbing bonnet and front design that will lift a pedestrian rather than run over them. It also comes with six airbags across the range, stability control and advanced brakes in all models and a reversing camera in the new top-of-the-line LS-Terrain model.DRIVINGIsuzu launched the D-Max with a comprehensive and varied drive from Port Douglas in North Queensland. It included straight highway, twisting tarmac, rainforest gravel roads, sandy creek banks and some radical clay and loam hills. On the highway, the new aerodynamics and extra sound dampening in the cabin made for a quiet drive while the longer wheelbase makes it more composed and stable.The twisty tar revealed a settled vehicle with slightly less "squishy" suspension than before. It's still a small truck, but it behaves with more car-like handling thanks to its independent front suspension, stiffer rear leaf springs and more rigid chassis. Up these mountain passes, the extra torque of the diesel engine is perfectly matched to the spread of gears in both the manual and auto.Hitting the gravel road didn't increase the cabin noise greatly although we are concerned about the life of some of the flimsy wheelarch plastics. Here the ute was fun in rear-wheel drive, but safe and predictable in high-range four-wheel drive which can be selected on the fly up to 100km/h. Even with tyre pressures at normal road levels, the ute churned effortlessly through deep sand in low-range 4WD.It also tackled some of the steepest ascents and descents thanks to its traction aid system which brakes free-spinning wheels and delivers traction where needed. The Clarion satnav and entertainment system is a delight to use in the new top-spec LS-Terrain, but it means it loses the audio controls from the steering wheel.Cabin comfort is fine for five adults in the crew cab, which will be the most popular variant, and there is added practicality in the space cab now with "suicide" (front-opening) rear doors that include the structural B pillar. The interior is very similar to the Colorado, even down to the hard and cheap-looking plastics. The only real difference is the satnav and some of the instruments.VERDICTIsuzu has refined the product, added more features and most importantly increased safety making this ute a must-consider for families and fleets.Isuzu D-Max Crew, Single & Space CabPrices: from $27,200-$51,700Warranty: 3 years/100,000 kmResale: 52%Service interval: 20,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 4 or 5 starsSpare: full-sizeEngine: 3.0-litre turbo-diesel 4-cyl, 130kW/380NmTransmission: 5-speed auto and manual; RWD/4WDBody: 5-5.3m (L); 1.7-1.9m (w); 1.7-1.8m (h)Weight: 1527-1935kgTowing: 3 tonneThirst: 8-8.3L/100km; 212-220g/km CO2

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee and Liberty have been targeted by the country's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in an investigation into their fuel tank locations.An engineering analysis could lead to a recall, although the exact implications in the USA - and a potential knock-on effect in Australia - are not clear."The Fiat Chrysler group is currently awaiting confirmation from the head office in Detroit regarding whether or not any Australian-owned vehicles are affected and, if so, how many," says Australian spokesperson, Lenore Fletcher. She stresses that there is no recall in the USA yet and a full update is unlikely before the end of this week.In America, safety advocates are pressing the NHTSA over the location of the fuel tank, behind the rear axle, and the potential for fire in a rear-end impact. Initially, the NHTSA only studied the fuel tank on the Grand Cherokee in response to 26 complaints, before deciding to expand the list of vehicles.The investigation covers Jeep Grand Cherokees built between 1993 and 2004, Jeep Cherokees built between 1993 and 2001, and Jeep Liberty SUVs built between 2002 and 2007. The total number of vehicles involved is around 5.1 million.Chrysler says it is co-operating with the investigation and says available information shows no greater fire risk in its vehicles than other similar SUVs.The NHTSA investigation compares the Grand Cherokee's fuel system with that of three similar vehicles: the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Explorer and Toyota 4Runner and its preliminary findings indicate that fuel-tank failures and fires in rear-end collisions are more prevalent in the Grand Cherokee than in the comparison vehicles. 

Holden has given its Colorado a Brazilian for 2013, with the vehicle emerging bigger, tougher and more sophisticated than before - and a lot better-looking too.Carefully designed to tread the fine balance between weekday workhorse and weekend warrior, it  claims class-leading towing and serious 4WD capabilities with spacious cabins and lots of safety and comfort features.The new macho-faced Colorado was designed in Brazil, is built in Thailand and has undergone 2.5million km of development in five continents.Colorado comes in three body styles: singe cab, space cab and crew cab, four spec levels in DX, LX, LT and LTZ, two and four-wheel drive and power  is by a new Duramax 2.5-litre turbo-diesel in the base DX single cab and a 2.8-litre turbodiesel in the rest.The 2.5-litre unit delivers 110kW and 350Nm while the 2.8-litre produces a lusty 132kW and 470nm. The motor is built at GM's new facility in Thailand and has the sophistication of common-rail injection and a variable geometry turbo. All Colorados are diesel-powered, all can handle a one-tonne payload and the 2.8-litre models have a towing capacity of 3.5tonnes. Transmission is a five-speed manual or an optional six-speed auto.Fuel economy is pretty impressive too: the 4x2 DX 2.5 returns 7.9litres/100km and we had no trouble bettering the claimed 9.0 in a top-of-the-Wozza LTZ 4x2 auto on a 200km run in country Queensland, with the computer indicating 8.5litres/100km.All models get ABS with EBD and stability control, twin front and full-length curtain airbags, aircon, aux power outlets, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity. LTZ has projector headlights, fog lights, an alloy sports bar, power seats, an eight-speaker audio system, 17inch alloys and leather and chrome highlights.The dash has twin glove boxes in its vast black plastic surface, with instruments in a neat binnacle. Seating and visibility are plus factors.These vehicles are frequently a family's one and only, and GM has opted to retain the basic leaf spring set-up at the back to handle loads. The front has an independent suspension with double wishbones and coils, and the compromise made our stint in a DX pretty firm compared to the luxurious LTZ, but the difference appears due to the extra weight of the LTZ.The 2.8-litre motor puts out 10 per cent more power and 40per cent more torque than the earlier 3.0-litre and it gives the vehicle good, smooth performance. The auto gearbox is a honey. Best too for offroad work.

Led by an engineering and design team based in Brazil (made up of representatives from GM's empire, including Australia) and built in Thailand, the all-new Holden Colorado will be sold in more than 60 markets.Already the third best-selling model in the Holden portfolio, the Colorado has racked up 1500 orders before going on-sale this week. With pricing from $26,990 to $51,990 covering three body styles, four trim levels and 14 different models there's a Colorado to suit just about everyone. And while many of its competitors offer the choice of both a petrol and diesel engine, Holden has opted to offer the choice of two diesels.Against the established players, the all-new Holden Colorado represents decent value. It will extend its capped price servicing to Colorado - that is: $295 per service for the first three years. At the launch, we spent the bulk of our time in the range-topping dual-cab LTZ ($49,990) which looks properly tough.It gets, as standard, things like 17-inch alloys (and a full-size spare), alloy sports bar and side steps, eight-way adjustable driver's seat, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity (as does every model), alarm, air-con and a multi-function steering wheel. No sat-nav to be had though.With more than 90 per cent of all four-wheel drive LCVs sold with a diesel engine, the petrol option won't be missed. Instead, there's the choice of either a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel making 110kW/350Nm at 2000rpm or a 2.8-litre four good for 132kW/440-470Nm.Bolted onto the back is the choice of either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel consumption ranges from 7.8-9.0L/100km for the 4x2 range and 8.1-9.1L/100km for the 4x4 range, and that's average rather than class-leading.What is class-leading, though, is the 3500kg braked towing capacity across the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel range. The 2.5-litre turbo-diesel-toting Colorado has a 3000kg braked towing capacity. And, impressively, every model in the line-up has a one-tonne payload. The four-wheel drive system is an electronic shift-on the fly arrangement (you can shift from 4x2 to 4x4 high-range at up to 112km/h) with a two-speed transfer case.The first vehicle to be designed at GM's design studio in Sao Paulo, the high-riding dual-cab looks every bit as attractive, nay, tough and muscular in the metal as it does in pictures. Climb inside and you're met with a stylish looking interior that's dominated by the cool-looking HVAC dial, it's just a shame that, even in the top-spec LTZ, the plastics are cheap looking and both hard and scratchy to the touch.There's plenty of room in the front and, despite the absence of reach adjustment on the steering it's a cinch to get comfortable behind the wheel. In the back, there's decent head, shoulder and legroom (which has been increased over its predecessor). As far as the tray's concerned, in the pick-up, it measures 1.48m x1.53m (wise) which is pretty good, but the four tie-down points don't seem to have been particularly well located and there's no lip on the tray.Holden is confident of good crash safety score. There are airbags for the driver and passenger as well as full-length curtain airbags for front and back seat passengers, stability and traction controls are standard, as is ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, there are three child-seat anchor points across the back, as well as remote keyless entry, engine immobiliser and an alarm.Despite a healthy 470Nm from just off idle at 2000rpm, the Colorado doesn't feel particularly sharp off the line. This is probably due to the six-speed automatic (from the same family as the Commodore's transmission) which seems clumsy. Indeed, on part throttle, or in slow corners, the Colorado lurches from all to nothing and back again. It's better through faster corners.It doesn't deliver on Holden's claims for SUV-like ride and handling. It's soft at the front and hard at the back (thanks to the cart-sprung bum) and so tends to skip on bumps and have the traction control working over time in tighter corners, or on dirt. And this skittishness, in two-wheel drive mode at least, is exacerbated by the ponderous steering and the spongy brake pedal.Take the Colorado off-road and you won't be disappointed. If anything, it feels better in the rough stuff than around town. The ride settles down, and there's plenty of engine braking when you manually select a gear. But, we'll have a better handle on the Colorado once we've had it in the office and put it across our own test roads.

Well aware its elderly Escape SUV wasn’t doing well in the booming medium SUV market, Ford Australia has launched the European Kuga – which is almost in run-out mode overseas.An all-new Ford Kuga is scheduled to reach Australia early in 2013, this time only a matter of months after its debut in Europe.The Ford Kuga comes down under in two specification levels: the midrange Kuga Trend and topline Kuga Titanium. An entry level variant may be added to the range with the all-new model 2013 model, but Ford Australia executives won’t be drawn on discussing future plans.Starting at $38,990 the midrange model comes with your expected tech and design features. There’s Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, a Sony CD 8-speaker system, keyless start/stop, cruise control, leather wrapped steering wheel, front foglamps, roof rails, follow-me-home lighting and capless refuelling.Ford Kuga Titanium adds 18-inch alloys, a fixed panoramic glass sunroof, dual-zone climate control, leather trimmed seats (the fronts are heated), leather trimmed gear shift, six-way powered driver’s seat, rear privacy glass, rear parking sensors, automatic headlamps and wipers.As a special treat, the Australian Kugas are powered by Ford’s five-cylinder Duratec 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine. Though not a new powerplant it produces up to 147 kW of power, and 320 Nm of torque. The large capacity of the turbo engine means that top torque comes in at a mere 1600 rpm, and the graph shows it stays at that high level until the engine is revving at 4000 rpm.Fuel consumption during our test period was typically in the nine to eleven litres per hundred kilometres range in town driving, falling to seven to eight litres in the bush. Not a bad number for a big petrol engine in an SUV.Many owners will therefore enjoy the efficiency of full torque almost all of the time. Aussie drivers traditionally like grunt and this engine supplies it in spades. Better still, it can be left in high gears and still pulls willingly.The big five-cylinder engine sits beside a five-speed automatic transmission. It runs through an AWD (All Wheel Drive) system. The sophisticated Haldex clutch system in the transmission means you can take the Kuga on only reasonably serious unsealed surfaces. It isn’t really aimed at the serious 4WD buyer, but will work fine for weekend and holiday excursions in the Australian bush.The Ford Kuga Trend is well-equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels and a two-part rear tailgate that can be opened in its upper section only, or like a full conventional hatch.Kuga has been on sale in several countries for up to four years, but it received a major facelift in 2011 so the styling looks bang up to date. In particular it bears a strong resemblance to big brother Ford Territory, as well as to the Ford Focus and Mondeo, as part of Ford’s global styling strategy.Ford Kuga comes with a five-star NCAP safety rating and has six airbags. To avoid the need for the airbags there are ABS brakes with emergency brake assist, stability control and traction control with roll-over mitigation, the latter handy in a relatively high-riding SUV.Ride comfort is generally good and, again, the Kuga has a sophisticated feel. It’s way ahead of the somewhat outdated Ford Escape that it replaces in the overall stability and refinement stakes.Other than the tyre noise on coarse-chip surfaces, the Kuga is quiet and relaxing to ride in. And it’s certainly not alone in suffering from tyre noise when treated to a stretch of Australian backroad running. It’s a pity Ford Australia can’t lend some of its suspension engineers to the European design centre to show them what can be done. Just look (and hear) the way Ford’s Aussie Territory and Falcon deal with these surfaces to see what we mean.Ride and handling give Kuga a Euro feel that will appeal to keen drivers. The way it grips the road makes it feel a lot better than the typical Asian sourced SUV. No longer does the driving enthusiast have to sacrifice driving pleasure just because the family is at the stage where it needs a station wagon.Not only is it strong, we were also impressed by the smoothness of the engine. It really does feel as though it’s from an expensive upmarket Euro car, not an affordable Ford. Perhaps the fact that the engine is also used by Volvo explains this feeling.We anticipate that the next generation Kuga may come with other engine and transmission options, including a turbo-diesel engine and manual gearbox.Kuga Trend 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatch (automatic)Kuga Titanium 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatch (automatic)