Off road

GWM Australia has released pricing and detailed specifications for new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel powered versions of its Cannon Alpha dual cab ute and three-row Tank 500 SUV.And the Chinese brand is clearly determined to upset the established order amongst competitors for both models with aggressive price positioning and a value-focused list of included features accompanying their enhanced powertrain performance.Close to two years ago the petrol-electric BYD Shark 6 offered an instantly popular hybrid ute alternative and Chery’s soon-to-arrive Stockman will offer diesel-electric hybrid power.But while those newcomers have been thinking outside the box, GWM has stayed squarely within it, launching its all-new 170kW/620Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine as a shot across the bows of the market-leading Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.In a launch statement, GWM said, “The message is simple: Australians still want diesel power, and GWM is giving them more of what they want, for less.“Both models will be priced thousands of dollars below comparable competitors, delivering a level of performance, specification and value designed to challenge the established market leaders,” it said.And it’s worth noting GWM is running with an introductory offer of a $2000 drive-away cash bonus or $2000 fuel card on these models until October 30, 2026.GWM is keen to highlight local development work to optimise the new engine’s performance, led by the brand’s Lead Product Dynamics and Integration Manager, Rob Trubiani.In fact, GWM said Australian and Chinese engineering teams have put the vehicles through “an extensive development program focused on optimising performance, refinement and durability for Australian drivers, including ride and handling, engine and transmission calibration, towing performance and software.”The 3.0-litre four produces 26 per cent more power (+35kW) and 29 per cent more torque (+140Nm) than the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel in supersedes. But despite the higher outputs, GWM is claiming combined cycle fuel efficiency of 7.3L/100km for the Cannon Alpha (substantially lower than the 2.4L’s 8.9L/100km) and 7.1L/100km for the Tank 500.Braked trailer towing capacity is 3500kg for both models (up from 3000kg for the Tank 500)  Confirming the pricing and spec details, GWM Australia Chief Operating Officer John Kett said, “When you look at the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 against the established volume players in their respective segments, the difference is clear. “We’re offering a higher level of standard specification, more performance and more technology, while asking customers to pay thousands of dollars less.“That is a proposition we believe Australian customers will find very compelling,” he said.Coffee OS (intelligent cockpit system)14.6-inch central touchscreen (up from 12.3-inch)12.3-inch colour digital instrument clusterWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoGWM App (vehicle status and selected functions controlled via smartphone)Full ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) suite18-inch alloy wheelsSide stepsRoof railsAuto LED headlights with DRL + electric levellingLED tail-lightsFront grille – chromePower fold exterior mirrorsKeyless entryRear privacy glassOne piece tailgateSpray on tub linerFull-size spare (steel)Synthetic leather trimPower front seatsDual-zone climate controlSix-speaker audioAdaptive cruise controlSeven airbagsBlack styling treatmentFront diff lockPanoramic sunroofFull-size alloy spare60/40 split tailgateNappa leather accented trimHeated and cooled front seats (with massage)Head-up display10-speaker audioFront and rear diff locksLow-range transfer caseAll-terrain mode selection18-inch alloy wheelsElectric sunroofSynthetic leather trimPower front seatsDual-zone climate controlAmbient lighting (seven-colour)Eight-speaker audioBlack styling treatmentNappa leather accented trimHeated and cooled front seats (with massage)Head-up displayAmbient lighting (64-colour)Heated steering wheel12-speaker audioActive noise cancellingPre-orders for the GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 3.0-litre turbo-diesel models are open now with cars scheduled to arrive in dealerships from mid-September.

Land Rover’s Defender Dakar is a road-legal version of its hardcore 2026 Dakar Rally racing Defender Octa complete with a “flight mode” to ensure perfect landings after doing jumps.In another case of completely-unnecessary-but-we-want-it-desperately-anyway, Land Rover is bringing us a road-going  - or anywhere-going - version of its Dakar Rally D7X-R racing SUV.The Defender Octa is an already bonkers high-performance off-road beast with its 4.4-litre V8 engine (the same found in BMW’s M5) making 367kW and 750Nm, outstanding four-wheel drive capability combined with mind boggling on-road dynamics, but the Defender Dakar goes more berserk.“We’ve pushed our engineers to go further than they’ve ever gone before,” Defender Managing Director Mark Cameron said. “First, we evolved Defender OCTA into D7X‑R and then we asked: could we make the Dakar Rally‑winning D7X‑R road legal? The result is the Defender Dakar.”The Defender Dakar keeps the same V8 engine, transmission and body architecture as the D7X-R and adds a 35-inch all-terrain tyre package with unique 20-inch forged wheels.The ride height is lifted with coil suspension and Bilstein advanced dampers and the track is widened. There’s new modes for sand dunes and gravel, plus there’s flight mode.Flight mode is a sophisticated system that detects the moment the Defender Dakar becomes airborne over hilly terrain. Then, instead of letting the wheels spin freely in mid-air, which will send an enormous amount of shock force through the transmission upon landing, the torque to the wheels is calculated and controlled to ensure a smooth touchdown.     Holding the driver and co-pilot snugly in place are race seats with an optional four point harness. The Defender Dakar is a 2+2 seater with storage for race helmets and a purpose-built spare wheel mount inside the cargo area along with air-compressor. The Defender Dakar comes with the same Dakar Sand and Yanbu Turquoise colour scheme as worn by the D7X-R, with a range of other hues to pick from.Adding to the tough looks is a fixed metal roof with light pods, carbon fibre raised air intakes,  flared wheel arches with exposed rivets, along with metal front under shield and underbody protection.The Defender Dakar made its international debut at the Monterey week in the United States over the weekend with full specifications to be announced at the 2027 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.Land Rover Australia has confirmed to CarsGuide the Defender Dakar will be landing locally and said the price and the number of units being made available will be announced in January 2027.  As a guide, the Defender Octa Black lists ofr $313,800 or about $10,000 more than the regular Octa. Buyers can expect the Defender Dakar to sit above the Octa Black in the range when the model arrives in Australia.

A fleet of Y63 Nissan Patrols has been spotted in Melbourne as the launch of the hotly anticipated rival to the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Mitsubishi Pajero inches closer.Spotted by an eagle-eyed commuter travelling down the Monash Freeway, a car carrier loaded with three examples of the Y63 was snapped this week. Interestingly, none of the cars wore any camouflage at all – not even the Nissan logo blacked out as it has been previously – suggesting these are launch cars that are literally ready to rumble.Adding fuel to that fire was the accidental publication of the Nissan Patrol line-up on Nissan's website earlier this month, revealing a six-grade range for the Y63 Patrol.“While the content was not intended for public release and included placeholder information used during website development, we can confirm the all-new Patrol will be offered in six well-specified grades in Australia,” said a Nissan spokesperson at the time.“The grade names may not be exactly as shown in the screenshots, and some of the information is placeholder content rather than final product details."The fact that these vehicles appear to be finished products that haven't undergone any kind of testing, and the Nissan site is now being updated with Patrol information, suggests the Y63 will be launching sooner rather than later.In fact, the brand has confirmed order books will open this month, but has remained coy on the actual on sale date. We now wouldn't be surprised to see the Patrol in showrooms in Q4 this year – an early mark on the early 2027 timing Nissan is suggesting.When it arrives, the Y63 will ditch the Y62's V8 engine for a newer and more powerful powertrain, with the headline act being a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 pumping out 317kW and 700Nm.

GWM will soon finally offer a diesel powertrain in its Tank 500 SUV in Australia, more than two years after it originally launched.Diesel engines are still preferred by buyers of these large, body-on-frame SUVs in Australia. It’s with this in mind that GWM is aiming squarely at the top-selling Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and Toyota Prado with this new version of the Tank 500.Ahead of the launch in September, CarsGuide had the opportunity to test a pre-production version of the Tank 500 with the new 3.0-litre diesel at a private proving ground.This new 3.0-litre diesel produces 170kW and 620Nm, which is astounding for a four-cylinder engine. It produces more torque than the Everest’s V6 turbo-diesel, while power is only slightly down.This is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a part-time four-wheel drive system. GWM unfortunately hasn’t packaged a full-time four-wheel drive system – which allows for all-wheel grip on sealed surfaces and was fitted to all versions of the Tank 500 to date – but claims this was done to reduce weight and fuel consumption.Despite the healthy power and torque figures, the claimed fuel consumption isn’t as high as you’d expect. GWM claims it consumes 7.1L/100km, beating the Everest V6 (8.5L/100km), MU-X 3.0-litre (7.6L/100km) and Prado (7.6L/100km).The entry-level Lux version has a 78L fuel tank and this allows for a theoretical total range of 1098km. The top-spec Vanta version, on the other hand, adds a 53L long-range tank for total fuel capacity of 131L, allowing for a theoretical total range of 1845km.The latter is a game-changer for those who tackle long distances in the outback if the claim is reflective of real-world fuel consumption.The Tank 500 Vanta 3.0-litre diesel's larger fuel tank makes it heavier. It has a hefty kerb weight of 2705kg, which is 70kg more than the Tank 500 Lux 3.0-litre diesel with the standard fuel tank and almost 200kg more than the Everest Platinum.This extra weight eats into the payload. The Lux version offers 760kg while the Vanta version offers 690kg. All Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel variants house seven seats and this amount of payload may mean you need to choose whether you load up passengers or cargo.It’s worth noting the Tank 500 Ultra PHEV has a payload of 610kg, despite having only five seats.Thankfully, all versions of the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel retain a 3500kg braked trailer towing capacity. There are also locking front and rear differentials.One of the things you notice when taking off in the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel is the lack of lag. The initial throttle response is snappier and more linear than hybrid and PHEV versions of this car, which at points could feel like nothing and then everything happened from standstill.This added refinement is even more prominent on the move as there’s so much oomph available. Peak torque, which again is a healthy 620Nm, is available from 1400-2400rpm and this allows the transmission to switch up gears quickly, keeping the revs low.Rolling acceleration is great and if required the transmission will happily dive back through the gears. On many occasions, though, only a small increase in throttle application is needed to get things moving quicker, even at higher speeds.As expected, there is a plethora of drive modes to select from, but there is now a ‘Towing’ mode that alters the engine and transmission calibrations. Annoyingly, it cannot be selected using the rotary dial on the centre console and requires you to dig into sub-menus on the touchscreen.An element of the driving experience that stands out is how refined the engine is, even when pushed harder. The noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) inside the cabin is subdued, arguably even more so than the related Cannon Alpha.Although we drove a pre-production vehicle on proving ground roads, the new local suspension and steering tune feels a lot more controlled, balanced and direct than previous versions of this SUV. GWM hasn’t fully detailed pricing and specifications for the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel line-up yet. However, two variants will be offered: an entry-level Lux and a blacked-out Vanta.The Chinese carmaker said the line-up will start from mid-$60K, drive-away. For reference, the Ultra PHEV, which is the only other variant offered locally now, is priced from $79,990, drive-away.This pricing undercuts its key rivals by a considerable margin. They are priced as follows:Ford Everest Platinum: $82,917, before on-road costsIsuzu MU-X X-Terrain: $77,100, before on-road costsToyota Prado Kakadu: $100,620, before on-road costsIt’s worth noting GWM uses drive-away pricing, rather than before on-road costs. This makes the relative pricing of the aforementioned rivals even higher.Although full specifications haven’t been announced yet, available features include the following:Continental tyres (NEW, Vanta only)Panoramic sunroof12.3-inch digital instrument cluster14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system50W wireless phone chargerBuilt-in trailer brake controller (NEW)Heated steering wheelNappa leather-accented upholsteryMassaging front seatsFront and rear diff locksGWM hasn’t detailed the standard safety suite in the Tank 500 3.0-litre diesel yet, but it’s expected to mirror the Ultra PHEV.A number of the active safety systems, including the adaptive cruise control, have been tweaked thanks to local tuning. The surround-view camera system has also been adjusted to better suit towing.Hybrid and PHEV versions of the Tank 500 currently have a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024.All GWM vehicles are currently covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km and the capped-price servicing details haven’t been announced yet.GWM currently has 124 dealers in Australia and they’re spread across urban, regional and rural areas.

Australia’s best-selling car for the past three years has been recalled for a potentially faulty airbag.Ford has recalled almost 14,000 Ranger utes built between November 2025 and July 2026.Only about 8000 of the vehicles have been delivered to customers with the remaining circa-6000 still to be handed over to buyers and will be fixed before being delivered.The company announced the voluntary recall because in the event of a crash, “it may be possible that the side curtain airbags interact with the B-pillar trim during inflation and not deploy as intended”.“If there is interaction during deployment, the B-pillar ramp may detach, increasing the risk of injury to occupants,” a spokesperson said.Ford Australia said it wasn’t aware of any incidents in Australia and said it found out about the issue during routine testing.Ford said customers can continue to use their vehicles in the meantime, and all other airbags will deploy as intended.Affected customers will be contacted by Ford Australia with further instructions.Ford said a fix won’t be ready until mid-September when customers will be urged to organise a repair with their local dealership free of charge.Customers can check if their vehicle is affected by entering their VIN on the Ford Australia Recall and Service Action page at www.ford.com.au/support/recalls/.  Customers can also contact an authorised Ford Dealer or Ford Australia’s Customer Relationship Centre on 13 36 73.This is the 17th recall by Ford this year already and the sixth affecting the Ford Ranger.The Blue Oval has routinely been one of the most recalled brands in Australia, despite a smaller model line-up than most brands.Ford globally has been dealing with quality issues with the brand’s boss Jim Farley quite vocal on the issue.The company set a recall record in the US in 2025. In 2023 Ford reportedly spent US$4.8 billion ($6.8b) on fixing customer vehicles.

Toyota is commonly known for creating solid vehicles that are easy to recommend and generally simple to live with.However, the Japanese carmaker understandably has also had some vehicles that are solid, but not as class-leading or recommendable in their respective segments. Recent examples include the HiAce-based Granvia people mover and HiLux-based Fortuner SUV.But now Toyota has arguably one of the most perplexing new products on its hands in Australia that no matter which way you look at it, it doesn’t make sense.This is the LandCruiser 300 Series Performance Hybrid.The LandCruiser 300 Series Performance Hybrid, which itself is a mouthful, is a new flagship engine offering in Australia, sitting above the existing 3.3-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel.It combines a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine with an electric motor generator for total system outputs of 341kW and 790Nm. It’s called i-Force Max and it's a virtually identical set-up to the Tundra pick-up but there’s slightly more power.This makes it the most powerful road-going LandCruiser ever. In fact, it’s the most powerful Toyota production car ever offered in Australia. More than the GR Supra, TRD Aurion and even the previous V8-powered LandCruiser.Compared to other Toyota series-parallel hybrid powertrains, the LC300’s set-up is quite different. It’s a parallel set-up that has the electric motor generator sit between the petrol V6 engine and the 10-speed automatic transmission.This means the engine or the electric motor can independently power the wheels, or they can both provide grunt at the same time. There’s also a direct mechanical connection, meaning the full-time four-wheel drive system remains intact.While Toyota has attempted to hedge its bets with the Performance Hybrid naming, this vehicle is far from efficient.It’s claimed to consume 10L/100km on the combined cycle, according to ADR 81/02 testing. This is more than diesel-powered LandCruiser is claimed to consume 8.9L/100km on the combined cycle, according to ADR 81/02 testing.What makes it worse is the Performance Hybrid version of the LC300 has a smaller 98L fuel tank, compared with the diesel, which has an 110L fuel tank. This means the former has a significantly shorter overall driving range.The kicker is the LC300 Performance Hybrid requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol. While this may still be a little cheaper to purchase than diesel in some circumstances, premium unleaded petrol isn’t as prolific as diesel, especially in remote areas.Toyota prides itself on building vehicles that are capable of tackling the most challenging and remote terrain, but if you can’t find anywhere to fuel up, what’s the point?It’s disappointing as the LC300 Performance Hybrid is an incredibly capable vehicle off-road. In GR Sport trim it retains the front and rear diff locks, crawl control and turn assist functions, as well as the E-KDSS suspension system. The placement of the high-voltage battery pack in the LC300 Performance Hybrid limits the interior practicality.All versions of this car are currently only offered with five seats. For full transparency, the LC300 Performance Hybrid is only offered on the range-topping Sahara ZX and GR Sport trims and they only offer five seats with the diesel engine too.However, there are lesser versions of the LC300 with the diesel engine that offer the flexibility of seven seats. For some families this is a major consideration.While the LC300 Performance Hybrid does have 910L of boot space, this is 216L less than the diesel as the floor is slightly higher. Thankfully the boot packaging isn’t as awkward as it is in seven-seat versions of the Prado.There are two versions of the LC300 Performance Hybrid currently available in Australia – the Sahara ZX and GR Sport, which are already range-topping versions of this car.They’re currently priced from $156,740 and $156,990, before on-road costs, respectively. This is around $8000 more expensive than the equivalent diesel-powered model.Beyond the different engine, the Performance Hybrid gains the following over the diesel:Full electric power-assisted steering system (diesel models retain hydraulic power steering)Upgraded 1500W power socket in the boot40/20/40 split-folding second row of seats.Honestly I’m not sure. I see no feasible or justifiable reason why you could or should buy the Performance Hybrid version of the LC300 over the diesel.Sure it’s nice to have extra power, but how often are you actually using it? Plus, the diesel is already powerful and torquey enough.It doesn’t help that the transition from electric to petrol power can occasionally be a touch stilted. Plus, the car can barely accelerate on electric power alone, forcing the engine to fire again.One thing that’s undeniable is the petrol V6 petrol has a fantastic note. It’s gruff, burbly and full of character.The simple answer to this question is the diesel engine. However, if you like the LC300 Performance Hybrid’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, there are a number of options available with the same engine, sans electrification.The most obvious answer is the Lexus LX, which is the luxurious version of the LC300. The entry-level LX600 is priced from $167,700 before on-road costs, which is almost $11,000 more than the LC300 Performance Hybrid.It produces slightly less power and is claimed to use more fuel, however you get the flexibility of having seven seats.Another option is the slightly smaller Lexus GX550, which is essentially a fancier version of the Prado. It has the same twin-turbo V6 petrol engine but it has a less powerful tune.The line-up starts from $118,320, before on-road costs and depending on the trim level there is the availability of seven seats, though it’s a smaller car than the LC300.If this is still too much money, the Denza B8 may be a good alternative. It starts from $93,195, before on-road costs, offers three rows of seating and has a 3500kg braked towing capacity.The B8 is also a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and has a larger 36.8kWh battery pack which offers up to 115km of electric range, according to NEDC testing.

GWM is soon rolling out its new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to its Cannon Alpha dual-cab ute and Tank 500 SUV in Australia. In fact, Australia is leading the roll-out of this new, larger diesel engine.Ahead of the launch in September, CarsGuide had the opportunity to test these vehicles in pre-production guise on a private proving ground. This time around we’ll specifically be focusing on the Cannon Alpha.The Chinese carmaker claims it is gunning for the top-selling Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max with the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel.Replacing the outgoing 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, the larger and all-new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces 170kW and 620Nm, which is astounding for a four-cylinder engine. It produces more torque than the Ranger’s V6 turbo-diesel, while power is only slightly down.This is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through a part-time four-wheel drive system. It’s unfortunate GWM hasn’t been able to package a full-time four-wheel drive system which allows for all-wheel grip on sealed surfaces, like it had in all versions of the Cannon Alpha to date, but it claims it did so to reduce weight and fuel consumption.Even though this 3.0-litre diesel engine produces more power and torque than the outgoing 2.4-litre unit, it’s claimed to consume less fuel.GWM claims the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel consumes an average of 7.3L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 testing. For context, the same ute with the 2.4-litre diesel was claimed to consume 8.9L/100km.This claimed fuel consumption figure is better than all its main competitors, including the Ranger V6 (8.4L/100km), HiLux 48V V-Active Technology (7.6L/100km) and the D-Max 3.0-litre (7.8L/100km).There is a 78L fuel tank and this allows for a theoretical total range of 1068km. Surprisingly AdBlue isn’t required, unlike a growing number of the Cannon Alpha’s rivals.One of the first things you notice when taking off in the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel is the lack of lag. The initial throttle response is a lot snappier and linear than GWM vehicles with the 2.4-litre diesel, which at points could feel like a slingshot from standstill.This added refinement is even more prominent on the move as there’s so much oomph available. Peak torque, which again is a healthy 620Nm, is available at 1400-2400rpm and this allows the transmission to switch up gears quickly, keeping the revs low.Rolling acceleration is great and if required the transmission will happily dive back through the gears. On many occasions though only a small increase of throttle application is needed to get things moving quicker, even at higher speeds.As expected there is a plethora of drive modes to select from, but there is now a ‘Towing’ mode that alters the engine and transmission calibrations. Annoyingly it cannot be selected using the rotary dial on the centre console and requires you to dig into sub-menus on the touchscreen.An element of the driving experience that surprised me is how refined the engine is, even when pushed harder. The noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) inside the cabin is subdued, further cementing the premium feel the Cannon Alpha has become known for.Although we drove a pre-production vehicle on proving ground roads, the new local suspension and steering tune feels a lot more controlled and balanced than previous versions of this ute. It’s helped by the fact this ute has a long 3350mm wheelbase, though the 19-degree breakover angle is still a limiting factor if you plan to go hardcore off-roading without suspension mods.GWM hasn’t fully detailed pricing and specifications for the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel line-up yet. However, two variants will be offered: an entry-level Lux and a blacked-out Vanta.The Chinese carmaker said the line-up will start under $60,000, drive-away. For reference, the Lux PHEV is $57,490, D/A and the Ultra PHEV is $64,490, D/A.This pricing undercuts its key rivals by a considerable margin. They are priced as follows:Ford Ranger Platinum: $80,890, before on-road costsIsuzu D-Max Blade: $80,900, before on-road costsToyota HiLux Rogue: $71,990, before on-road costsIt’s worth noting GWM uses drive-away pricing, rather than before on-road costs. This makes the pricing of the aforementioned rivals even higher.Although full specifications haven’t been announced yet, available features include the following:Continental tyres (NEW, Vanta only)Panoramic sunroof12.3-inch digital instrument cluster14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system50W wireless phone chargerBuilt-in trailer brake controller (NEW)Massaging front seatsReclining second-row seatsFront and rear diff locksThere is still a 3500kg braked towing capacity, while payload has been increased to 945kg. It was previously up to 821kg, depending on the trim level.GWM hasn’t detailed the standard safety suite in the Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel, but it’s expected to mirror the PHEV variants.All versions also currently have a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024.All GWM vehicles are currently covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km and the capped-price servicing details haven’t been announced yet.GWM currently has 124 dealers in Australia and they are spread across urban, regional and rural areas. Every state and territory has coverage.

Volkswagen has put a new ute model on the agenda. A report in Reuters suggests the brand is turning its attention to the hugely popular full-size pick-up market in the US for its next move.Cheaper Chinese competition and US tariffs have slashed VW's profit margins, which are said to have halved between 2021 and 2025.VW has taken drastic measures in response, and will halve its line-up, with up to 75 models on the chopping block to reduce the brand’s overall production capacity.This is some of the first news of how VW's revamped line-up could shape up over the next few years.VW is said to view full-size pick-ups and large SUVs as high-growth segments, with full-size pick-ups the best-selling type of car over in the US.There are also virtually no Chinese cars in the US as they are effectively banned, giving VW a chance to more easily claim market share.A large ute would further diversify VW’s line-up, complementing the smaller Amarok.The brand is eager to seize on the success of hugely popular models like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500.There are no firm details on what VW’s new ute will look like, nor on its powertrain, with it still in the preliminary stages of development.It will be built in the US like the rest of its competition, but it seems unlikely Volkswagen will produce the model on its own.There are rumours VW will team-up with Ford, whose F-150 pick-up is the best-selling car in the US. VW teamed-up with Ford on the current mid-sized Amarok ute, using the same platform, engines and chassis as the Blue Oval's Ranger.This means VW's full-size pick-up could use V6 or V8 engines out of the F-150.VW plans to launch its new ute in the US before the end of the decade, but global export seems doubtful at this stage.It will only be built in left-hand drive, so if it did come to Australia, it would likely be subjected to an extensive remanufacturing process like its rivals.Australia’s stringent CO2 restrictions under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard could be a stumbling block, with any V6 and V8 engines incurring fines for VW. Expect more concrete information next year, but VW Australia has been contacted for comment for an update.

Chery’s new Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute is arriving soon, but we’ve been given a hint about what to expect from its follow-up act.The Chery Stockman will initially arrive with the headline-grabbing 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor set-up, which will deliver 350kW and 800Nm to all four wheels.It can drive up to a claimed 100km under electric-only power and is packed full of tough off-road hardware.But this is just the beginning according to Chery Australia’s Chief operating officer Lucas Harris.Harris has told CarsGuide previously the Stockman will add a petrol plug-in hybrid to its line-up in 2027.The new petrol plug-in ute promises to match the diesel’s capabilities with a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which matches the BYD Shark 6 Performance.It will likely be a more urban-focused ute, while the diesel option will be better for off-roading and long-range touring.But we now have an idea what might be lurking under the bonnet of this petrol plug-in hybrid, thanks to one of Chery’s many sub-brands.Jetour is Chery’s tough, off-road focused sub-brand and it has a new petrol plug-in hybrid ute based on the Stockman.Dubbed the Jetour F700, it has been revealed in China with an enticing price equivalent to about $63,000, and the petrol Stockman will likely use its plug-in hybrid set-up.The F700 packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine matched to two electric motors - one on each axle for all-wheel drive - that combine for a monster 665kW and 1135Nm. That leaves the BYD Shark 6 Performance’s 350kW/700Nm in the rear-view mirror.It can drive up to 150km on electric power, but this is calculated on the generous CLTC cycle. Expect closer to 100km on the benchmark WLTP test.It can drive a claimed 1300km on a full battery charge and tank of petrol.A front and rear locking differential shows it can handle the rough stuff and it will use an off-road battery developed by Chinese battery giant CATL.

I have a 2005 Holden Rodeo turbo-diesel. I have just changed the engine oil and put on a new oil filter. The manual advises that the engine takes 7.3 litres. I have put approximately six litres in. My question is how to read the dipstick. The only markers on the dipstick are 2 holes close to the bottom. How far from the bottom should the engine oil reading really be.