Utes

JAC has slashed the pricing of its T9 turbodiesel dual-cab ute in Australia with the introduction of a limited-time drive-away pricing offer for run-out model year 2024 (MY24) stock.

Multimedia is great. Safety tech is extremely dangerous. In the MY24.5 model, there are no ways to save your settings. I have almost had two big accidents with Ford's now permanent lane assist. You can turn it off, but it just turns itself back on. It is extremely dangerous. I have written to Ford customer service and am awaiting a response.Interior is perfectly fine for a small family. Rear cargo is quite small and even smaller if you have a roller shutter. If you get roof racks and rear racks, the vehicle could carry quite a bit of gear. Just with the ute, it doesn’t allow for anything long.Drives really nicely when all safety features are turned off. You will definitely notice when it’s on. You can be well in between your lane and it will take control of your steering. It’s dangerous.Diesel fuel needs less refining yet costs more, go figure. It’s not great on suburban roads. Pretty good on the highway.It’s a brand-new car with 1000km, so it’s hard to give it less than a 10.

Volkswagen Australia has detailed its model year 2025 (MY25) update for the Amarok dual-cab ute ahead of first arrivals during the second half of 2025.The Amarok line-up continues to open with the Core TDI405 at $55,490, before on-road costs, or $55,990 drive-away. The latter price is $2000 more than the MY24 version.The line-up still extends all the way to the Aventura TDI600 at $82,990, drive-away. This is $3000 more than the MY24 version.Almost every Amarok variant picked up a drive-away pricing increase for MY25 except the Aventura TSI452 which continues to be the only variant offered with the 2.3-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine.It now starts at $79,990, drive-away, which technically remains unchanged from MY24. A full pricing table is at the bottom of this story.Headlining the MY25 Amarok update is the introduction of the off-road-oriented 10 Deserts Edition TDI500 which was made to commemorate the company achieving a Guinness World Record last year.Only 300 examples of this limited-edition dual cab ute are being made and they’re priced from $68,490, before on-road costs, or $69,990, drive-away. This is $8000 more expensive than the Amarok Life TDI500 which it’s based on.The 10 Desert Edition TDI500 features a 40mm suspension lift, 17-inch satin black wheels wrapped in Continental ATR tyres, underbody protection, a black sports bar, soft tonneau cover, all-weather floor mats and ‘10 Deserts’ decals.Additionally, MY25 versions of the Amarok Style, Panamericana and Aventura trims get 230V power sockets with an Australian plug pattern, backed by an integrated 400W inverter. They also pick up a ‘Trailer Assist’ mode which makes hitching and reversing trailers easier.It’s worth noting the related Ford Ranger also recently picked up these features as part of an update.Another change for MY25 is the ‘Mid Blue Metallic’ exterior paint option has been replaced by the new ‘Reed Green Metallic’ finish.Lastly, Amarok Core, Life and Style variants now get the option of a cab chassis tray body style.Opting for this is an additional $4000 over the standard asking price of the dual cab pick-up variant.Included is a standardised alloy tray that weighs 132kg and measures 1650mm long by 1900mm wide. There’s also a steel tray that weighs 243kg and measures similarly to the alloy tray, but pricing for this hasn’t been disclosed.Both of these trays are available as dealer-fit accessories, meaning they are covered by the same five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as the Amarok itself.It also means any existing current-generation Amarok can have a tray retrofitted as a dealer-fit accessory. 

LDV is doubling its ute line-up. The Chinese brand’s new Terron 9 dual-cab workhorse will arrive in showrooms in July, where it will sit alongside the brand’s existing T60 ute.

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Mahindra has announced that the next-generation Pik-Up is being prepared for an all-out assault on the lucrative Australian ute market. Dubbed Project Z121 and based on the Global Pik Up concept revealed in 2023, the all-new dual-cab one-tonne utility is pencilled in for an Australian launch sometime later next year, following a production debut in its native India later on this year.

The GWM Cannon has always offered great value for money with high levels of standard equipment at low prices. In 2025 it's shifted up a gear with a larger engine, benchmark towing and numerous other enhancements, so is that what's needed to topple the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux?

The Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid ute does not have a very long electric driving range, and it’s something that’s been a sticking point for some since its launch earlier this month.

Utes are, apparently, no longer mere tools of the trade. They're increasingly lifestyle-friendly family vehicles for those who want to take advantage of the space and practicality on offer. And given Andrew 'Chesto' Chesterton's family has just grown by one, who better to put the Ford Ranger Platinum to the family test?