Utes

Chery could soon be offering not one but two new utes in Australia, with a moncoque concept being on the local division's radar after the highly-anticipated diesel hybrid arrives.

GWM’s top-spec ute, the Cannon XSR, is impressive.It’s packed with standard features for the price ($50,990 drive-away nationwide, at time of writing), is very capable off-road (it’s armed with a front and rear diff lock) and is not atrocious on-road.But, with new-age rivals like the BYD Shark 6 and the Ford Ranger PHEV variants setting the gold standard for refinement and performance in the ute market, does the Cannon represent the future of 4WDing – cheap(er) but not nasty – or is it spearheading a worrying trend of people falling for vehicles that initially seem pretty good but ultimately deliver a less-than-ideal driving experience?As hinted at above, there’s a lot to like about the Cannon, especially in XSR guise.For one, the line-up’s new 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – 135kW and 480Nm – is tractable and well suited to the demands of 4WDing. That’s not to say the previous-gen Cannon’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – 120kW and 400Nm – was no good, it’s just that bigger and more powerful is better this time around.It’s nowhere near as refined as the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV, but it’s not terrible either.And then there’s its off-road capability. It seemingly can’t go wrong armed with high and low-range 4WD, twin lockers, off-road drive modes, a snorkel, underbody protection and all-terrain tyres (Cooper Discoverer AT3 265/65 R18).Ground clearance of 228mm (reasonable), wading depth of 700mm, and off-road angles of 30 degrees (approach), and 26 degrees (departure; rampover is not listed) don’t hurt its capabilities either.Off-roading is the one area in which the Cannon eclipses something like the Shark 6 and matches, if not bests, the Ford Ranger PHEV.There’s no doubting this ute’s efficacy as a 4WD – it is very good – however, there are some trade-offs (more about that soon).This Cannon ute is also packed with features including 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome sports bar, automatic LED headlights, spray-in tubliner, keyless entry, leather-accented upholstery, 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), six-way power-adjustable driver seat, four-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat, ambient lighting, black sports bar, and matt black exterior trim.With a drive-away price of $50,990, the Cannon XSR is a new ute that represents solid value for money.But there are quirky aspects about the overall driving experience in the Cannon that leave questions lingering about the prospect of actually living with it over the long term.Concerns and criticisms have been raised over the years about driver-assist tech in Chinese-built vehicles. To the company’s credit, GWM seems to have addressed those issues, at least to some extent.The worst example of this: we were leaving a stretch of highway and driving down an off ramp when the auto emergency braking (AEB) fully engaged for no apparent reason. We went from 100km/h to a full stop in what felt like only a few metres but, of course, was about 40m or so. AEB was impressive in its application but there was no obstacle or hazard on or near the off ramp that required it. Nothing. We were supremely lucky no one had been tailgating us. The fact that this incident had even happened was far from ideal.Adaptive cruise control is haphazard in its application as it’s overly sensitive in gauging the distance between your vehicle and the one travelling in front, cutting speed when it doesn't have to.And changes in your vehicle’s speed – in response to vehicles in front, road signs (on or off the road on which you’re travelling), or other perceived threats (cyclists, parked cars, roadside shrubbery etc) – are abrupt and jarring (sometimes downright dangerous), rather than smooth and intuitive.Speaking of road signs, traffic sign recognition in the Cannon, as alluded to in the above paragraph, is regularly ‘off’ – suddenly cutting your speed in a school zone outside of school zone hours or reacting to a side street road sign, rather than the street on which you’re driving.While 4WDing, swapping between high and low-range, changing off-road modes, or switching diff locks on or off has been at times a clunky process, with the transition taking on a feeling not unlike shunting trains.Also, on one particularly hot day, the Cannon’s multimedia screen did not function at all for about five minutes after I started driving the ute. Mild inconvenience, sure, but more than annoying when a lot of the functions are operated via the screen.All of these driver-assist tech issues combine to deliver an off-kilter driving experience overall, one in which you’re never quite sure how the tech will be applied or react to real or perceived hazards.I’ve never had any such problems in the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV.That’s not to say I don’t like the Cannon because I do. I think it’s a very capable off-roader, is a decent ute to live with day to day and, at face value at least, it seems like solid value for money (with plenty of standard features onboard), but the lingering tech issues threaten to ruin the whole Cannon experience for me.

KGM, formerly known as SsangYong, has fully detailed its next-gen ‘Q300’ Musso ute in its Korean home market, ahead of its expected mid-2026 Australian launch.

Ford has shared early details of the first product to be underpinned by the global giant’s ‘Universal Electric Vehicle platform’, “a US$30,000 mid-size pick-up” at the same time reiterating the project team’s goal of making “vehicles assembled on this platform affordable for the average family”.Inspired by Henry Ford’s vision for mass availability of the original Model T, the new ute targeted to cost the equivalent of around A$42,500 is likely to be revealed this year with production following in 2027.It’s the first output from the Blue Oval’s ‘skunkworks’ engineering team in California and according to Ford’s Executive Director of Advanced Electric Vehicle Development Alan Clarke, his team has set design and engineering ‘bounties’ or goals aimed at “democratizing electric vehicles” (and it’s fair to assume, compete more effectively against emerging Chinese brands).“The introduction of these bounties is a key element to how the team has been able to really tangibly show every engineer, every product designer, how they impact the customer and cost of the vehicle on a daily basis as they do their work,” Clarke said.A fundamental cost-saving move is adoption of large alloy ‘unicast’ sections in the style of Tesla’s ‘Gigacasting’ process, an approach also used on a variety of EV models from BYD, Volvo, XPeng, Zeekr and others. A non-linear ‘assembly tree’ manufacturing process is also inspired by Tesla’s ‘Unboxed’  tech introduced by the EV pioneer in 2023.It divides assembly into smaller, parallel, modular sub-pieces rather than a single, continuous manufacturing line.Ford said sub-assemblies will include a front and rear module, as well as a battery that serves as the vehicle’s floor, the combination replacing 146 structural components used on the similarly-size Maverick ute.At the same time, the ute’s ‘zonal architecture’ groups multiple functions into five electric control units (ECUs), compared with 30 or more in prior systems, while other key functions are managed via a single ‘Energy Management Unit’.Ford said the UEV ute’s wiring harness will be more than 1200 metres shorter and 10kg lighter than the one currently used in its Mach-E electric SUV.In fact, Ford CEO Jim Farley has publicly voiced his disappointment with the Mach-E’s  teardown performance relative to the Tesla Model Y where the Mach-E proved to be less efficient, significantly heavier and more complex in its construction.“We have all lived through far too many ‘good college tries’ by Detroit automakers to make affordable vehicles that end up with idled plants, layoffs and uncertainty. So, this had to be a strong, sustainable and profitable business. From Day 1, we knew there was no incremental path to success. “We empowered a tiny skunkworks team three time zones away from Detroit. We tore up the moving assembly line concept and designed a better one. And we found a path to be the first automaker to make prismatic LFP batteries in the U.S."The (UEV) platform reduces parts by 20 per cent versus a typical vehicle, with 25 per cent fewer fasteners, 40 per cent fewer workstations dock-to-dock in the plant and 15 per cent faster assembly time as well as lower cost of ownership over five years than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y,” he said.The new ute’s aero and powertrain efficiency have also been finely tuned to maximise driving range and reduce charging time. Examples cited include a flush underbody, compact exterior mirrors and careful profiling of the load bed.And Ford claims the ute’s in-house electrical architecture design will shorten charging time and improve battery management performance.Time will tell whether these production investments (including approximately US$2 billion to transform its Louisville Assembly Plant) deliver more affordable products while making Ford’s underperforming EV line-up (including the Mach-E and now discontinued F-150 Lightning) profitable.CarsGuide contacted Ford Australia for comment on the prospect of right-hand drive production and local sale of the new ute and was told it had “nothing to add from an Australian point-of-view”.

Toyota, the usually unstoppable Japanese giant that has dominated Australia’s new-car market for eons, has shown a rare vulnerability, with sales falling across January as its new and hyped products fail to fire.It feels weird to write that, given how dominant a force Toyota is here. But January was a rare hard month for the brand — especially given it followed the launch of one of its most important models, the new HiLux — with sales plummeting more than 20 per cent.Toyota insists the results are a blip, exacerbated by the runout of the current RAV4 ahead of the new version's arrival next month and the new HiLux's incomplete range. Toyota said it has strong orders for both models on the books.But the question really has to be asked if the fact the two “all-new” models, which really aren’t all that all new, especially in the case of the HiLux, are playing a part, given the hyper competitiveness of Australia’s new-car market.Toyota’s iron grip on the number one position on the ute sales chart has already been relinquished, with the Ford Ranger now locked into that spot. But the Japanese giant’s ace up its sleeve was the RAV4 Hybrid, which rocketed up the charts even as the HiLux was falling.But January saw the RAV4 tumble, finishing the month in lowly 10th position, behind familiar faces like the Mazda CX-5, and relative newcomers like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Haval Jolion.The new Toyota HiLux, which shares its platform, engine, transmission, tray and much of its body with the vehicle it replaces, is unlikely to scale the sales mountain again, with ute sales generally struggling and more and more entrants entering the fray.The LandCruiser Prado was down in January. The much-hyped Tundra is doing almost nothing. Conversely, the bZ4X is booming, and Camry, Corolla Cross and Yaris Cross are up, too.Still, the pressure is on the shoulders of the new RAV4, due in Australia in March. That means the brand could be in for another lean month in February before we get a clear picture of where the brand is in March.It’s never wise to bet against Toyota in Australia. From the early introduction to hybrids to its sometimes criticised “multi-pathway strategy” — in which the brand insisted diesel, petrol, hybrid and PHEV would be every bit as important as BEVs in Australia — Toyota’s crystal ball is clearer than most. But it’s also rare to see Toyota tumble, so the next eight weeks will be curious indeed.

Ford is planning five new budget models, including utes and SUVs, according to Automotive News. The Blue Oval will introduce five models priced under US$40,000 (under $55,000) by 2030 as it builds up its affordable options. These models will offer the brand some competitive alternatives to ever-expanding lineups from Chinese rivals.The first model will be an all-electric ute in 2027, potentially called Ranchero, built on its new Universal EV platform and part of a push into affordable EVs for the brand.It is expected the ute will have a price tag of about US$30,000, which is circa-$46,000.The Universal platform differs from the Global Electrified 1 platform used by the Ford Mach-E SUV. Electric ute options remain scarce and pricey in the market, with Toyota’s coming HiLux EV the most notable example so far.Ford recently ended production on its F-150 Lightning full-size pick-up EV due to slow demand.President of Ford Blue and Model e Andrew Frick said the five models would employ a variety in the power set-ups, wearing new names and focusing on affordability.“It will be across our lineup of cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and it will be multi-energy,” Frick told Automotive News.  “That’ll start to fill in the product side, but we have work to do to help affordability in the near term more tactically.“I would say there’s probably 10 actions that we’ll do to help affordability.”Frick’s comments also outline that SUVs will form part of the five incoming models under the budget plan. Nothing further has been confirmed on that front yet, but it is unclear if Australia will see these budget models, given they will be built in America and likely be left-hand drive.These electrified models could assist Ford in Australia, offering valuable credit towards its Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) situation, with most of its current models being internal combustion powered.The Blue Oval only has a plug-in hybrid version of its best-selling Ranger ute as well as the Mustang Mach-E SUV and Transit Custom EVs.Ford’s last SUV model on sale in Australia was the Escape, which never took off in Australia. It is anticipated Australia will get a China-built variant of the Ford Bronco SUV to fill this space, which uses a range-extender hybrid set-up. 

GWM’s Cannon ute will get plug-in hybrid power in 2026 as a potential budget option to battle the BYD Shark 6.The Cannon PHEV has appeared in Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filings over in China, according to AutoHome. A spokesperson for GWM Australia said there was nothing to confirm at this stage about the Cannon PHEV’s future in Australia. It is likely the petrol-electric ute will arrive Down Under, as the plug-in hybrid ute market is expanding rapidly as emission regulations trample conventional ute options. Australia is also a major export market for GWM, which puts us at the front of the queue for new models.It will give GWM a second plug-in hybrid ute choice for buyers, which is likely to come in cheaper than competitors in the space. The more expensive Cannon Alpha ute already has a plug-in variant in Australia, which starts from $61,490 (drive-away). The Cannon PHEV’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor will produce 185kW, a far cry from the hot selling Shark 6's 321kW. We also know the ute will employ a lithium-iron-phosphate battery.  The Cannon PHEV measures up bigger than diesel Cannon, at 5653mm long compared to 5416mm and with a wheelbase of 3470mm as opposed to 3230mm.The Cannon PHEV will face some stiff competition if it comes here, with the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute (the current 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year best ute). It is priced from $57,900 drive-away.If it comes to Australia it is likely the Cannon PHEV will be cheaper than the Shark 6, given the base dual-cab diesel variant starts from $35,990 (drive-away). Ford's Ranger PHEV is more expensive, but again offers more grunt and a 3500kg towing capacity.The Cannon PHEV could be following a similar trajectory to many other GWM products on their route to Australia. GWM Australia officially announced the Tank 300 PHEV soon after its official China unveiling last year. Based on this, it can be speculated we might see the Cannon PHEV hit Australian showrooms in the next few months.

Where is the Toyota HiLux hybrid?Nine generations in since 1972, you would expect there to be a series-parallel petrol-electric version of one of Australia’s most popular – and, to some people, beloved – vehicles.With some 18,000 BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) sold in Australia last year, it is clear that even ute consumers are gravitating away from diesel and into less-polluting powertrain alternatives.This is especially true given that all of Toyota’s car-based SUVs and passenger cars minus the GR86 coupe are now offered exclusively as hybrids in Australia.The answer, it seems, is implied in the previous sentence, since the rest of the Japanese giant’s model line-up, including all body-on-frame SUVs and commercial vehicles including the Toyota HiAce van, barring the Tundra full-sized pick-up that is remanufactured in Melbourne from North America, are powered by diesel engines.And the latter barely counts since it costs from $155,990 before on-road costs, making it a strictly niche proposition.“In simplistic terms, it just gets down to capability and cost you know,” according to former Toyota Motor Company Australia (TMCA) Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley.“You still need to have that diesel engine that could do the things that customer want to do. There's nothing more or less in it than that.”Hanley explained that, right now, only diesel-powered engines can achieve the level of towing and Gross Vehicle Mass (the total amount a vehicle is allowed to weigh when fully loaded) within a certain price point in models like HiLux and HiAce. Later on, things may change.“There's costs, you know,” he said.“Developing these kinds of vehicles in a light commercial vehicle (LCV) cost a lot of money.“So, is the timing right for it? Now, I agree. We've been doing it a long time. It's proven technology; but in an LCV right now, for what, where we'd position it, where it would be positioned, is that really right for the Australian market… or other global markets? Maybe it is, but our assessment is not right now, but at some point (yes).”However, if LCV consumers are clamouring for hybrids, the vehicles must make financial sense, particularly to a company like Toyota.“Okay there may be a demand for the technology, because the technology is good,” Hanley added.“But, when you put the cost of it and the capability of it and the position of it, it doesn't make sense. It may not stack up right now. Doesn't mean it's forever. It's a period.“It's because making an LCV is a far different proposition than making a sedan. It's a far different proposition than making a light SUV, a heavy SUV… this is a far bigger challenge than you truly might understand.”“That's the longer version of why (there is no HiLux or HiAce hybrids); in simple terms, it’s all about capability, positioning, price and cost.”Toyota’s famously cautious approach mirrors its delayed electric vehicle (EV) strategy, which seems to have been the prudent move now as the take-up rate has slowed and Australians are favouring hybrids and PHEVs.“It's no different to when we approached battery EVs,” Hanley said.“You see, there's a cost of making these cars, and in the end, you've got to deliver what the customer wants, but you've also got to be commercially relevant.“These are lessons we learned from hybrid. You know, we learned these lessons now, what's the difference? Well, the difference will only be the timeframe of take up. EVs will be quicker than hybrid was. Hybrid took 24 years to get to where we are today. Now it's just an everyday mainstream car. No one even talks about it, except they say they want one.“EVs will be the same in time. It just won't be 24 years. It'll be a bit quicker.“The reality is those who get the timing right and take customer on the journey will get will be the winner.”

Toyota’s 70 Series LandCruisers are much loved for many reasons and one of those is the fact they don’t change much. Sure, it now has LED headlights and a new multimedia system, but otherwise not a lot has been altered. It's not pretty and it offers few concessions to occupant comfort or safety. But the 70 stands out as being unapologetically what it is: a boxy truck-like live-axle 4WD.

China’s BYD is upgrading its top-selling Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in Australia with more power and towing capacity.According to local government approval filings, this version of the Shark 6 will receive a more powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a 200kW front electric motor and a 150kW rear electric motor, bringing a total system output of 345kW.This is up from the current 321kW total system output which is achieved by a smaller 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, a 170kW front electric motor and a 150kW rear electric motor.It’s worth noting that this new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and dual-electric motor set-up is borrowed from the recently launched Denza B5, though it’s a detuned version. The B5 has a total system output of 400kW.Thanks in part to the extra power, the maximum braked towing capacity has been increased from 2500kg to a segment-meeting 3500kg.The larger engine and more powerful front electric motor however has also increased the tare mass from 2675kg to 2738kg. No payload or gross vehicle mass (GVM) figures have been detailed yet.It’s unclear whether BYD will add this forthcoming more powerful version as a flagship offering in the line-up, or whether it will completely replace the existing model.Regardless it will likely cost more than the current Shark 6 Premium, which starts at $57,900 before on-road costs.For now BYD hasn’t officially announced when this upgraded version of the Shark 6 will be going on sale, though government approval filings like the typically are published just a few months before a vehicle goes on sale.As previously reported, the approval filings also include a cab-chassis version of the Shark 6.It’s worth noting that it still features the same 1.5-litre turbo-petrol dual-electric motor powertrain as the existing Shark 6, meaning it also only has a 2500kg braked towing capacity.BYD similarly hasn’t confirmed exactly when this Shark 6 cab-chassis will be going on sale.In Australia the Shark 6 has been a runaway sales success since it was first launched in early 2025.Last year a total of 18,073 examples were sold, making it the best-selling PHEV in Australia.Even in January 2026, a total of 1108 Shark 6 examples were sold. This saw it outsell the likes of the GWM Cannon and Cannon Alpha (885 sales combined), Kia Tasman (410 sales) and the Mazda BT-50 (780 sales).