Tradies

ANCAP turns gaze to big American pick-ups on Australian roads.

Right now in Australia, if you need to tow more than the 3.5-tonnes the better utes and SUVs can offer, the Heavy Duty (HD) models from Ram and Chevrolet are your only choice. Chevy's Silverado 2500 HD has dominated in recent times, but Ram has now hit back with the 2500 HD and even heavier-duty 3500 options, with unheard-of torque and other upgrades to float your boat.

Favourite Ford engine reaches its end.

Australian new car market continues to shift in October 2024.

The single cab-chassis 4x2 is typically the lowest-priced utilitarian workhorse, with a standard equipment list that usually offers little more than steel wheels, unpainted plastic in high-wear areas, fabric seats and wipe-clean vinyl floors. And you pay extra for a tray.

The Foton Tunland V7-C is the entry-level version of the Chinese mid-sized ute.Kicking off from $39,990 before on-road costs for the 4x2 version and $42,990 before on-road costs for the 4x4, this is the workhorse model aimed at fleet buyers and such, with the C standing for 'Core'.As a result, along with double-wishbone front suspension, the rear suspension comprises of leaf springs for superior carrying and towing capacities. To that end, the V7-C’s payload is 1115kg in the 4x2 and 1050kg in the heavier 4x4.The V7-C is also the only Tunland with the stacked LED lighting treatment that is very reminiscent of the Ford F-150 pick-up truck.Speaking of which, dimensionally the Tunland sits somewhere between a mid-sized ute like the Ford Ranger and full-sized ute like the F-150.Standard kit includes a 14.6-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, a 360-degree camera with transparent-road-below views, a dash cam, front/rear parking sensors and auto emergency braking (AEB) as part of a range of advanced driver-assist systems. But there’s no lockable tailgate for now, or a digital radio.The V7-C 4x4 adds high-and-low ratio gearing, a rear differential lock, all-terrain tyres and various off-road driving modes.For now, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit is the only engine choice on offer across the Tunland range, sending drive via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.Power is rated at 120kW at 3600rpm and torque at 450Nm between 1500-2400rpm. The 0-100km/h sprint-time is under 11 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 160km/h.The 4x4’s 4WD system, by the way, consists of 2WD-High, 4WD-High and 4WD-Low settings, a mechanical rear diff lock and several off-road modes, but also has a 4A Auto setting.Finally, the Tunland V7-C’s official combined fuel consumption figure is 8.0 litres per 100km (for a carbon dioxide rating of 211g/km). Brimming the 75-litre tank with diesel can mean over 930km between refills is possible.

The all-new Kia Tasman generated plenty of celebrity-driven hype prior to its launch in 2025, but does it have the credentials to meet high expectations of Aussie ute buyers?

Patent imagery of what appears to be BYD’s next dual-cab ute has surfaced as part of a filing from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Toyota could be prepping a new line of tough four-wheel drives.

Carving a slice out of the fleet market and hanging on to it is a constant battle for ute makers. Throw in ever-tougher emissions and fuel consumption targets and the threat of new Chinese rivals, and it's a cut-throat world. But Mazda knows that a trimmed price-tag is the way to woo fleet managers, even if you have to give up a few things in the process. Enter the revised BT-50 XS.