Off road

Like it or loathe it, the new Mazda BT-50 ute is here to do business offering tradie and "lifestyle" punters a choice of body styles, three equipment grades, two turbodiesel engines and two transmissions.The prices for the Thai-made truck range from $32,590 for the XT Freestyle cab-chassis 4x2 manual up to, gulp, $52,710 for the dual cab GT auto. Cheaper single cab-chassis arrives further down the track. Most current BT-50 sales were in base spec' single cab-chassis to tradies but Mazda wants a larger slice of the lifestyle pie this time putting greater focus on dual cab 4x4.A new one tonner is a rarity, they only go through generational change once in a blue moon. The new BT-50 marks a decided shift in styling direction away from a utilitarian and boxy workhorse look to a more rounded wedge shape. It's big (200mm longer than before) and bold and polarising especially around the rear with almond shaped tail lights that leave nobody in doubt it's a BT-50.Turbodiesel only in 2.2-litre four pot and 3.2-litre five pot, just like twin under the skin Ford Ranger.The 2.2 is good for 110kW/375Nm while the five is good for 147kW/470Nm. The smaller donk uses as little as 7.6-litres/100km in base manual spec' while the larger unit goes through 8.4. With an 80 litre tank, both engines will give an impressive driving range. This is the first five cylinder engine from Mazda and goes pretty well.Six speeds in both manual (rubbery) and auto yield benefits in performance and fuel efficiency for BT-50. But you can't get the 2.2 in auto, for some reason it's only on the 3.2.The auto is adaptive and offers sequential change mode while the manual has an upshift indicator to help economical driving. The 4x4 system offers three modes 2H, 4H and 4L selected by turning a knob on the console. The auto gets hill launch assist and hill descent control and a locking rear diff'.It's on a ladder chassis featuring double wishbones and coil springs up front, live axle and leaf springs at the rear. Turning circle radius is reduced by more front wheel steering angle. The body rides on liquid filled bushes to reduce noise and vibration.BT-50 offers passenger car levels of safety and was built to comply with a five star crash rating. The base single cab models get four air bags while the larger models get six. Stability control and other dynamic modulators are fitted. Trailer sway control, flashing tail lights under panic stops and roll stability control are featured on new BT-50.Hectares of cheap, hard, grey plastic greet passengers inside, a glamour inside it certainly isn't. But there's adequate kit and it's easy to use but no reach adjust on the steering. Seats for five in the dual cab model are relatively comfy and there's plenty of room and easy access. The audio is acceptable and though small, the info/satnav screen is handy. Multi-media connectivity is excellent offering Bluetooth phone and audio streaming as well as other plugs and wheel mounted control buttons.The cargo box is larger than before and all models are rated higher for towing and load capacity, all capable of taking a tonne or more. It's a dual skin cargo box but a tray liner is optional.

A TOUGH little SUV with distinctive styling is just what Skoda needs to expand its Australian audience. Skoda Australia boss Matthew Wiesner says the Yeti - officially launched this week - will overtake the Octavia models to become the brand’s volume seller here. The company is confident about success.This week, getting dusty and dirty in territory that  would bring sweat to the bonnet brow of a Prado, Skoda’s hopeful shows it has promise as an adventurous off-road wagon and even more potential as a very versatile, well built and comprehensively kitted out family wagon.Features such as the Varioflex seating - which at the flick of a few levers reconfigures the roomy cabin from a five-seater to a van and everything in between - holds appeal with Mums and surfers, cyclists and advanced shoppers. But the Volkswagen Tiguan-based wagon from VW’s subsidiary in the Czech Republic possibly isn’t the discount buy for which Skoda has been renown.VALUEThere are two models at launch - a $26,290 two-wheel drive petrol version that will find happy homes in the suburbs and the $35,690 all-wheel drive that takes on the Korean SUVs, the Subaru Forester and a couple of others. The AWD costs only $1000 less than the Volkswagen Tiguan and though it has more features, may become second choice given VW’s name and the Tiguan’s less arresting styling.But there are no doubts about the 2WD model that - for its price - has a hell of a lot of appeal and is likely to even take big sales from conventional hatchbacks and sedans. A 1.8-litre turbo-petrol joins the Yeti range early in 2012.DESIGNThe guy who penned the awkward Roomster - off the market now but back early next year - obviously had some input into styling the Yeti but was clearly told to tone it down. The Yeti is distinctive - a good thing given the cookie-cutter parade of many SUVs today - but functional. Its vertical tail promises loads of cabin space - true - and the short bonnet aims at improving driver visibility and making parking easier. Also true. The seating is excellent and the ability to rearrange the cabin so quickly and easily makes it very flexible for different motoring tasks. The dashboard is heavily influenced by Volkswagen - notably Golf and Polo - which is a good thing. Options include a different colour paint for the roof (add $390).TECHNOLOGYMost components are borrowed from Volkswagen, including the 77kW 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine in the 2WD. The 103kW/320Nm 2-litre turbo-diesel is common to most Audi and VW models and has a strong reputation for durability. The DSG auto is a $2300 option, with the 2WD getting a seven-speed unit and the 4WD gets the six-speed version. The Haldex drivetrain system on the AWD is a fourth generation unit and is a top-notch device that quickly moves torque to the required wheel. The system goes under the name of 4Motion by Volkswagen. The Yeti is a simple car with no radical engineering and so should be easy and hopefully inexpensive to service and repair.SAFETYSkoda announces a five-star crash rating. The Yeti comes standard with loads of safety it as standard, including seven airbags, electronic stability control, brake assist and hill start assist. The AWD gets an “off road package’’ with specially tuned ABS brakes and ESC for dirt roads, plus hill descent and a refined hill holder system.DRIVINGSkoda launched the Yeti rage AWD version with a brisk bitumen run followed by a difficult 30km drive along the Northern Territory’s Finke River which, fortunately, was mostly dry. This is a mix of riverstones and soft white sand and not the place for an AWD with no low-range gearing, low-profile road tyres and a measly 180mm of ground clearance. A few became bogged due to a loss of momentum but most kindled respect for the compact wagon for its strength during the pounding over the rocks and the ability of the 2-litre turbo-diesel engine to keep the torque on stream. The uneven terrain also proved the rigidity of the body.There’s more respect for its on-road manners. The car is impressively quiet on the open road - despite the coarse bitumen - and is devoid of any wind noise that normally is the bugbear of SUVs. The compliant ride was also a surprise, as was the road handling and the pep of the engine when mated to the six-speed DSG auto (a $2300 option). Though borrowing a lot of gear from the VW Tiguan, the Yeti has a less firm ride and may better suit seekers of comfort rather than performance handling.VERDICTIt’s an excellent effort from Skoda and one worth a solid look. More dealers means better choices and deals. The 2WD version was unavailable this week but will be tested soon.

MAZDA zooms toward the top of the ute class with the all-new, bigger and bolder BT50. While there will be discussion about the move toward a more SUV-like style - inside and out - there will be few questions about the on and off-road ability of the new machines as lifestyle dual cabs.The BT50, as with its Ford Ranger counterpart, moves into this growing segment with confidence. The business is still dominated by Toyota's Hilux and the Nissan Navara; now there is fresh competition at this top end of the ute market from Mazda, Ford, Volkswagen's Amarok and the forthcoming Holden Colorado. People-carrying utes are a very healthy, steadily-growing segment of the local market and Mazda is prepared to forget some of the cheap-and-cheerful tradies workhorses to move in for a bigger slice of the top end. There are three BT50 cab styles, two and four-wheel drives, two engines, two transmissions and three spec grades. First up are the dual cabs driven at launch and available from November 1, followed by the Freestyle cabs later that month with single cabs due in early 2012.Final pricing for the 2011 class of BT50s is still under discussion but Mazda Australia promises 'competitive' deals to line up with rivals; prices are expected to rise between $1500 and $5000 across the range.Expect then the volume-selling XT four-wheel drive dual cab around $45,000, running through to close on $60,000 for the top-spec GT version. Few miss out on a pile of gear from air conditioning and Bluetooth to traction control, stability control and roll control.The BT50 sits on the chassis developed with Ford but Mazda, with 50 engineers in Australia for four years, have gone their own way with exterior and interior style (along with damper settings).The result is a ute infused with Mazda's current DNA - the front end carries the CX-7 wagon's big grin, the rear has its own special treatment with horizontal taillights that not only scream around onto the ute's side but also carry on to the tail gate.Mazda reckons this gives the BT50 a 'dynamic, futuristic' look; some are uncertain whether Australia's ute buyers are ready for the future.Mazda has stacked these utes, in particular these upmarket four-wheel drive versions, with a host of electronic driver aids. While there remains a full (and well-tuned) chassis below, an array of gear from stability and roll control to hill assist and hill descent control bring car-like driving and safety dynamics to the BT-50. The 3.2 litre diesel is Mazda's first five-cylinder engine.The aforementioned secondary safety aids - including Load Adaptive Control to plot the electronics' reactions dependent on load and Trailer Sway Control - are complemented by driver and passenger front and side airbags plus curtain airbags. Mazda engineers are confident of a five-star ANCAP rating.This new BT50 is a fair way removed from its predecessor. It is bigger inside and out, quieter and better-mannered on tar and dirt. Engineers have given it taut, passenger car-like dynamics with excellent turn-in to corners (with rack and pinion steering) and top grip on good and bad roads; it is particularly competent on fast dirt roads. The 3.2 litre engine is stacked with torque, handy on and off the road although the six-speed manual shift could be slicker; here the six-speed auto shines. But with either transmission the BT-50 is a quiet, always willing, machine at cruise or crawling speeds. This is yet another of these new generation utes that drive more like a capable SUV than load carrier.Some may find Mazda have zoomed a tad too far toward SUV with the style inside and out (the centre console and its buttons for instance feel a bit dinky) but there is no doubting the new BT50's ability to cruise the highway in a fair degree of comfort or climb a rutted scrub track with confidence.

Don't laugh... plenty of people accidentally put petrol in their diesel at the servo and it creates an absolute calamity.This can't happen in the Land Rover Freelander because there's a diesel only nozzle hole on the fuel inlet. It's a simple fix and underlines just how much thought has gone into this impressive compact SUV from Britain.Well, the Britain bit is not totally correct because new Freelander II TD4's engine is from PSA — Peugeot in France and is a 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 110kW/420Nm output. A similar engine is used in the new Peugeot 508 and other vehicles.A water-cooled variable geometry turbo (VGT) is used to optimise efficiency and contributes to the Freelander's impressive 6.6-litres/100km fuel economy.Of course, being a Land Rover means the Freelander will go almost anywhere — and get back and to this end, is fitted with L-R-s clever Terrain Response system. This offers a range of modes to suit various driving environments. It's selected simply by turning a dial on the centre console.It's a full time four wheel drive and is equipped with decent dual purpose tyres that neither hum too loudly on sealed roads nor lose grip too easily on slippery surfaces.As version two of the current shape the new model benefits from evolutionary changes and upgrades not the least to its appearance and standard equipment.The outside has been tweaked to give a family Land Rover look to the front with grille and headlight changes, revised body hardware and similar minor changes to the rear end. It is a positive step because this new Freelander is the best looker so far.They have grown a green conscience at the factory and equip Freelander with an array of technology to cut emissions and reduce fuel consumption such as the smart charging battery that only draws power when the engine is decelerating. It will happily ingest biodiesel and the manual TD4 has engine stop/start.Freelander is impressively quiet inside and the engine has plenty of pull across a wide engine speed range.The test vehicle was a mid-range XS priced at $52,790 but features plenty of luxury kit including leather and a decent locally fitted Garmin satnav system. It has a six-speed auto transmission with adaptive shift and sequential change mode which seem superfluous because it's best left in D.Ride quality is excellent offering a high level of comfort and a degree of sportiness. We took the TD4 off road and it simply toyed with what we threw at it in terms of sand and beach driving, slippery, muddy dirt roads, water crossings and rough rock hopping.On the highway and around town is a similar story — no complaints at all really. It's comfortable, goes extremely well, has all manner of luxuries and looks great.It even got the big thumbs up from "The Boss," who was reluctant to hand over the keys. And you can't get a better recommendation than that....   

If a car brand completely resists trends and change, there's every chance it won't live to regret the decision. Land Rover - like Jeep in many ways - resisted the soft-roader trend, preferring to keep things like dual range, ground clearance and off-road ability before indulging in metrosexual tendencies.Both hard-core 4WD brands succumbed and Land Rover's result was the Freelander, which is without a transfer case and sits lower than the rest of the Land Rover range - but don't mistake it for an overgrown shopping trolley built for the school run and nothing else.We're in the range-topping SD4 HSE - which has a lofty $65,854 asking price before any stickers are added or taxes paid. That's not cheap'n'cheerful, but patience - the contents list includes satellite navigation, steering wheel controls for audio, cruise and phone, dual zone climate control, manual reach and rake steering adjustment, power-adjustable front seats with armrests, automatic xenon headlights, parking sensors front and rear (but no rear camera), Bluetooth phone link, leather trim for the seats, steering wheel, gearshifter and console, trip computer, dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers.The test car was also packing gear from the HSE Premium Luxury package, which adds $6890 to the bottom line and among its inclusions are adaptive function for the headlights, 19in 10-spoke diamond cut alloy wheels (including a full-size spare), an auto-dimming rearvision mirror, heating for the front seats, a heated front windscreen (for the snow bunnies), upgraded leather trim and the Alpine 13-speaker surround sound system. The option box for the double sunroof (for $3300) and black metallic paint (a $1700 hit) were also ticked, taking the as-tested priced to a grand total of $78,144.The little Landie packs plenty of good stuff, although this particular engine misses out on the start-stop fuel saving system found elsewhere in the range, there's brake energy recovery to keep the battery charged up.The 2.2-litre turbodiesel is a common-rail unit that employs balance shafts to keep it smooth - Land Rover's own figures suggest it is one decibel quieter than the in-line six-cylinder petrol. The powerplant produces 140kW at 3500rpm, which is not too far short of the petrol engine's 171kW effort. The diesel has a peak torque figure of 420Nm and a combined fuel consumption claim of 7 litres per 100km, 103Nm more than the petrol engine and using 3.7 fewer litres per 100km. The Freelander sips from a 68-litre tank, suggesting an open-road touring range of 1000km would be possible.Where the Freelander has an advantage over much of its compact SUV competition is the Terrain Response drivetrain  system that tailors the car's electronic systems to the impending terrain.Although not as advanced as the Terrain Response in its larger brethren - in the case of the Range Rover Sport now has a dynamic driving mode for the active suspension - the Freelander has four modes - general driving, grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts and sand - for getting it a little bit dirty.The stability and traction control systems, as well as the Haldex four-wheel drive system, work together to endow the Freelander with a level of offroad ability well beyond the segment average. The drivetrain uses an electronically-controlled rear diff to put drive to the rear wheels as required, via a six-speed automatic transmission, as well as a hill-start and downhill assistance systems.It's not quite a mini Disco or Defender, nor is it a pint-sized Rangie (they've done that now anyway) but the Freelander has aspects of all three - the front grille in particular - within its fairly conventional exterior package. That's far from a bad thing as the Land Rover breed has always produced handsome machinery, from the rugged utilitarian 110 and Defender models through the to the regal and arrogant supremacy exuded by the Range Rover.The cabin follows suit, adopting (as you'd expect) switchgear and dash layouts from the rest of the family. The test car's burnt orange interior might not be the first choice in trim colour but the ergonomics of the interior are much-improved over earlier Land Rover product - the only way in many cases was up.Aside from the inherent active safety of all-wheel drive, the Freelander employs anti-lock brakes with emergency braking assistance (which the company says can reduce stopping distances by up to 15 per cent) and  brakeforce distribution systems. Some of the same hardware also deploys in the form of traction and stability control, as well as cornering braking and anti-rollover control systems. The passive safety features list includes dual front, front-side airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags, as well as a driver's knee airbag.This segment is awash with vehicles that have no chance of overcoming a wet grassy slope at a country footy game - the Freelander is not one of those soft-roader wanna-bes. The green oval badge would (I hope) fall off in disgust if it weren't capable of getting its Continental rubber grotty and ploughing on unfazed. Granted, it's never going to clamber over the terrain its brethren can, but it will certainly complete more arduous tasks than the bulk of its competitive set.Terrain Response is off-roading for dunces and - provided you have faith in the under-body protection - it can be bumped and thumped over some more challenging terrain. Tracks violated by big ruts left by large off-roaders will offer the Freelander a challenge only through lack of clearance, which is decent for the segment at 210mm, not from a lack of tractive performance from the drivetrain. On the bitumen, the Freelander is a very comfortable conveyance - the top-spec leather seats are well-cushioned (if not heavily endowed with lateral support).Ride comfort is more supple than the German prestige competitors and while body roll is a little more prevalent, it's not a roly-poly mess like the original Range Rovers - it progresses with purpose once settled into a bend.The driver has enough adjustment to get a good position behind the wheel and rear seat head and leg space is still reasonable with taller occupants in the front.The diesel is reasonably quiet and offers a solid shove in the back from low in the rev range, without having to resort to full throttle - punch it hard and Land Rover says it will hit 190km/h and only takes 9.5 seconds to hit 100km/h, which is not far off the petrol six-cylinder model's claim.In cabin storage is reasonably good but the level of connectivity isn't up to par - no USB socket or Bluetooth link for the music, just a 3.5mm jack.There are cheaper prestige alternatives in this segment - as well as a well-mannered local - but what price to pay for the compact SUV with badge cred? It is probably top of the pops in off-road terms and pretty good on the bitumen too, but the high asking price takes the shine from the Freelander.

The brand Jeep has become a synonym for anything that is a rough'n'ready off-roader. The new Grand Cherokee flagship brings that heritage with it, but boasts improved refinement and better cabin space, something its forebears lacked.The updated Grand Cherokee range was a long time coming but the payoff was in the price - the pricetags shed thousands and the four-million-plus global sales tally for the model will no doubt be boosted by the leaner pricetag demand.The Limited V8 model has dropped more than $10,000 to $60,000, which corresponds to a features list by no means the worst in the segment.That asking price gets the Quadra-Trac II active full-time variable 4WD system, hill start assist and descent control, although the test vehicle had been upgraded with the off-road pack.Ticking that box upgrades the drivetrain to Quadra-Drive II active 4WD system, which has an electronic rear limited slip diff, 18in alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres and underbody protection.The test car also had the optional Quadra-Lift air suspension system and a sunroof.Standard fare on the Limited does include automatic bi-xenon headlights with auto-dipping and auto-levelling, power-adjustable and folding exterior mirrors with heating function, rain-sensing wipers, Bluetooth (phone and music link), satnav, a 30gig hard-drive equipped sound system, dual zone climate control, heated leather-trimmed seats front and rear, power adjustable front seats, a reach-and-rake adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio (on the back of the wheel) and cruise controls.The upgraded 5.7-litre V8 now offers 259kW and 520Nm, which is enough to get the big off-roader moving away in a hurry, with an appropriately tuneful soundtrack. The Hemi V8's cylinder dropout system - which cuts the running cylinders from eight to four - seems to be a more pro-active and aggressive fuel-saving system than the one dropping half the cylinders on Holden's V8.At least, that's if you believe the "Eco" light on the dash - the test figure near 18 litres per 100km is not the worst I've achieved in a 2.5-tonne V8 SUV, so it must be doing something right.The Grand Cherokee's features list also has Jeep's take on Land Rover's terrain Response system - called Selec-Terrain.Teamed with the Quadra-Lift adjustable air-sprung independent front and rear suspension, the 4WD system allows the driver to set the car up for the terrain being encountered. Settings for snow, sand and mud, rock crawling (which lifts to the 271mm maximum clearance) - as well as an auto and sport setting - is 4WDing for dummies.Auto allows the car to lower itself at highway speeds while the sport mode winds back the stability control threshold and tightens up the suspension, although the order around the dial is odd, slipping Snow between the Auto and Sport modes.The design leaves little doubt about the brand you're viewing, but the shape has been smoothed over to gather every bit of aerodynamic improvement, without a major image change.Lighter, yet larger and boasting improved body strength (Jeep says there's a 146 per cent improvement in torsional rigidity), the Grand Cherokee's cabin has lost some of the reverse-Tardis effect that afflicted its ancestors - the big wagon actually offers decent interior space and comfortable pews.The nuclear family has enough space for a roadtrip, although its not a cavernous cabin, but the ability to recline the rear seat's backrest was helpful for tired offspring.The Grand Cherokee feels solid and strong, as well as packing a safety features list that wants for little. There's dual front and front-side airbags, a driver's knee airbag and full-length curtain airbags; the front occupants also get active head restraints.The active safety systems include stability control, which has brake assist, traction and roll-over control systems, as well as functions to dry discs and a trailer sway control system. The Limited also has a reversing camera and parking sensors front and rear and a tyre pressure monitor.The bumpy unsealed carpark was as close to off-roading as we got during our time in the Limited V8. Damp and slippery grass failed to distract the Grand Cherokee from darting quickly away from standstill - no panic attacks from electronic aids, just rapid forward progress and the melodic tone of the Hemi V8.But our time in the car was spent doing what these vehicles do most of the time - carting kids and associated paraphernalia around, negotiating traffic and performing general duties.It completes the tasks set in a more subdued and comfortable manner than the previous incarnations, although the ride in Auto mode could be a little more supple, given there's a Sport mode as well, but the big Jeep turns in with surprising enthusiasm - bring on the SRT8 hotrod.Parking radar and a rear camera are welcome features but one that isn't is the horrific foot-operated park brake. The US seems to be enamoured with this type of system and it's not too bad when properly positioned and teamed with a left-foot footrest, but the Grand Cherokee's set-up is far from perfect.The five-speed auto generally performed smoothly and with some intelligence, but the change from first to second (regardless of throttle in use) in the test vehicle was well short of the quality from the remaining ratios.The new Grand Cherokee is a big - but required - step forward for the burly American off-roader, which has rarely been doubted for off-road ability but lacked finesse on the sealed stuff. That has changed with the new model and it deserves serious consideration if you're looking for a family wagon that can go bush with vigour.

It's been a while since anything really good came out of Jeep but the tide has turned with the arrival this week of a new generation Grand Cherokee that offers almost unbeatable value in the medium large SUV segment with enhanced engines, off road capability and generous specification. No longer built in Austria, Grand Cherokee is an all-American effort with help from Mercedes-Benz, a former joint venture partner.Three models will be available, Laredo V6 at $45,000, Limited V6 at $55,000 and V8 Overland at $69,500. A diesel engine variant is due later this year. These prices compare more than favourably with the competition including Toyota Prado, Pajero, and vehicles from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.It must be remembered that the Grand Cherokee is a much more capable off roader than any of its competitors and with the new model, better specified with goodies like heated front seats, xenon headlights, 18-inch alloys, reversing camera, keyless go and premium audio standard on the entry level Laredo.With the new body and chassis come two 'new' petrol engines and five speed automatic transmission as well as a range of clever off road technology aimed at making driving in the dirt easier and safer as well as more comfortable.There are two 4x4 systems, Quadra-Trak II and the more sophisticated Quadra-Drive II with an electronic rear limited slip differential on the top spec' models.Jeep has gone for a drive select system similar to Land Rover and Ranger Rovers called SelecTerrain that modifies settings on 12 vehicle functions to suit certain driving environments such as sand, mud, rocks, sport and snow.It's selected by a console mounted dial. Hill descent control is also fitted while Quadra-Lift air suspension is available, standard on the tip line model. Suspension is a new independent system front and rear designed to aid off road driving while offering fine control on sealed surfaces.Big efforts were made to cut noise and vibration which sees the suspension mounted on special cradles front and rear and extensive use of acoustic liners. The engines are a 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6 with variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust as well as double overhead camshafts per bank. It is good for 210kW/347Nm output and as low as 11.4-litres/100km fuel economy.The 5.7-litre petrol V8 is a revamp of the previous Hemi OHV design again with variable valve timing both sides and cylinder deactivation to cut fuel use. It's good for 259kW/520Nm output and 14.1-litres/100km.The handsome new Grand Cherokee is an evolutionary design that has discernible styling links with its forebears but is a much better built product. The GFC has obviously driven home the point that Jeep needed to improve its game and here is the proof.It's obvious as soon as you sit in the stylish cabin where the standard of fit and finish is up with the Europeans and the quality of components is equally impressive. Jeep has aimed for a "premium experience" for passengers of the new Grand.The new model has been available in the `states for a few months and has already won accolades and sold up a storm. It's built on a completely new monocoque platform , stronger and lighter than before and offering a longer wheelbase with consequent improved rear seat legreoom. Grand Cherokee will be available in five seater configuration only.The new chassis, co-developed with Mercedes Benz for its GL Class off roader is designed to give Grand Cherokee a more car-like feel on the road with better ride/handling characteristics and enough feel to make a driver appreciate and want to get into the big `fourbie.'On road drive feel was benchmarked against the BMW X5. Not only is it better on the road but off road capabilities have also been improved thanks to the new chassis and other major changes under the skin.On a tough test drive, the new Grand Cherokee proved an impressive beast, particularly the base, 45 grand Laredo. With plenty of power and torque , this engine makes light work of pushing the 2200kg off roader with almost indecent haste and is capable of recording low fuel consumption without really trying. It's all you need for everyday driving and off roading.We tried the top of the range Overlander which was equally impressive more than matching its competition on the road and blowing it into the weeds off road. We love te new look, the generoud levels of spec' and the size of it. The drive experience lives up to the visual promise.

The automotive equivalent of multi-tasking - which could be why most cars are assigned the female gender - has invaded the light-commercial market. The phenomenon of dual-cab utes serving as a tradie truck Monday to Friday and as family truckster - towing toys and carting kids - on the weekend is upon us, and Ford's

THE diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee could be this summers sleeper; an off-roader with class and value which should attract more than a few appreciative customers.Other petrol-powered models in the 2011 Grand Cherokee range have already won plaudits for the American wagons new-found style and substance. Here the 3 litre turbo diesel joins the ranks to add another dimension - good fuel economy from a creamy V6 with 550Nm torque from 1800rpm through to 2800rpm.It's a wagon much anticipated in some quarters, particularly at these prices, 3500kg towing ability and decent on-road dynamics.Price is one of the diesel Grands big selling points with this engine option running from $50,000 for the Laredo through to $69,500 for the top-of-the-tree Overland edition; the same prices as the 5.7l V8 and $5000 over the 3.6l V6 versions. Impressive here is the level of trim and gear, even on the entry-level Laredo. You'd shop these Jeeps against (the dearer) Volkwagen Touareg and, depending on usage, Nissans Pathfinder and the Toyota Prado.The Grand Cherokee arrives with the option of air suspension with five settings from park to extreme off-road over 104mm plus Selec-Terrain, also with five settings for conditions from highway sprints to rock crawling. Like rival Land Rovers system, Selec-Terrain co-ordinates engine, transmission and electronic driver aids for optimum response to different conditions. And the V6, built by VM Motori, has a number of innovations including Fiats MultiJet injection system for better power, economy plus lower noise and harshness levels over its predecessor.It's an all-new body here, more exterior sculpting, higher and wider than before and more cabin space while retaining Jeeps seven-slot grille and squared-off wheel arches. It's quite a handsome machine all round, exemplified by the Laredo not looking anything like an entry-level, cut-price model. That premium feel flows through to the cabins where fitment, trim plus standard comfort and convenience features outshine many rivals. Among quibbles is that awkward foot-operated emergency brake and the forward vision is compromised a bit, especially for taller drivers, by that shallow windscreen.Six airbags, ABS, stability control and active head restraints are de rigueur these days. The Grand Cherokee adds Electronic Roll Mitigation, HID headlights, trailer sway control (part of the stability control system) plus hill descent control and hill start assist for less stress off road.It's a pretty comfortable, premium driving position behind the Grands steering wheel (aside from that quibble about that emergency brake pedal sitting where one might expect a dead pedal). But it's a stylish and ergonomic set of dials and controls.From outside the diesel fires with a sweet little growl; inside its all peace and quiet. There's the tiniest hesitation before the V6 gets into stride yet once past 1200rpm it's very willing. It will run in the low 8 litres per 100km down the highway, mid-nines around town and down a lumpy track, more once in full-on four-wheel drive territory.On the road its quick and comfortable. Initial steering response is slower than say a Touareg, a trade-off for a better wheel feel and control when crawling off-road. And while the Jeep is willing to tackle turns at decent highway speed theres body roll which may upset passengers.Naturally the Grand Cherokee is a fine off-roader. For the most part Selec-Terrain works well left in Auto, electronics taking care of finding traction. Low-low is decent for an auto machine.And the diesels torque is always a bonus, whether looking to climb out of rocky gully or looking for extra grunt to keep moving through soft sand. Best to keep that torque under control on loose surfaces, if the electronics take hold engine responses can be quite dull.This Laredo had the optional air suspension. It's great for smoother track conditions, great for lifting the body in real rough country but a tad disappointing on mid-speed corrugations where the suspension has trouble keeping up with quick changes.Yet at the end of the day a driver will appreciate this wagon as a quick, comfortable and competent tourer for all manner of road and track conditions.The diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee for 2011 is a smart machine, a premium off-road wagon with style, substance and a value price tag.

Toyota is polishing up the HiLux team, readying for a fierce season as new and improved players take to the ute field. The HiLux, as a two and four-wheel drive, remains the country's favourite ute but faces renewed attack with the imminent arrival of all-new Ford Rangers, Mazda BT-50s and Holden Colorado. Then there's