Utes

The Mitsubishi Triton has been relaunched and features a bunch of upgrades and design changes. How does the flagship GSR variant fair over a week of family-testing?

Toyota's once top-selling HiLux has taken a hammering in 2024, with the brand's normally dominant dual cab now dropping more than 5000 units behind its arch rival the Ford Ranger over the first six months of this year.

The latest Chinese-built ute - the GWM Cannon Alpha - brings with it a lot of news: there's a petrol-hybrid version available; a new-for-the-range 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine; and this ute is big - bigger than a standard GWM ute, bigger than a Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max. But is the new diesel worth your attention?

Volkswagen is offering discounts on its flagship T-Roc R sports SUV and petrol-powered Amarok Aventura TSI452 until September 30.Combining a $64,990 national drive-away price and $3000 factory bonus for the MY23 T-Roc R effectively brings its ask down by $7000, to $61,990 out the door.The Amarok Aventura TSI452, meanwhile, has a $3000 factory offer applied at time-of-sale. The Mazda BT-50 and Ford Ranger rival remains priced at $79,990 before on-road costs.The T-Roc R uses a version of the Golf R hatch's 2.0-litre turbo-petrol powertrain outputting 221kW and 400Nm to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.It has 19-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights, Nappa leather-upholstered heated front seats, digital cockpit and 9.2-inch multimedia touchscreenThe MY24 T-Roc R, which adds a Beats sound system and power tailgate, is reduced less to $66,990 drive-away with a further $1500 factory bonus on top.“The ability to deliver an even higher number of T-Roc Rs means that we are able to offer even greater value as supply increases," said Head of Product, Passenger Vehicles Michelle Rowney.Australia continues to be the biggest market globally for the T-Roc R, which could be considered an alternative to the similarly priced Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N.As for the Amarok, the cashback applies to both MY23 and MY24 examples in Aventura TSI452 trim.The only petrol Amarok features a 222kW/452Nm 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder and 10-speed automatic (yep, the same found in a Ford Mustang) and retains a 3.5-tonne towing capacity.Huge 21-inch alloy wheels are complemented by Matrix LED headlights, Aventura exterior parts and electronic roll cover, 10-way power-adjust heated 'Savona' leather-upholstered seats, leather-look dash, digital driver's display and vast 12-inch portrait touchscreen.“Although we are on target for our 10,000 annual sales allocation, Volkswagen understands that a higher numbers of customers desire the flagship Aventura", said Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles National Manager of Product and Marketing Nathan Johnson.To the end of June, Volkswagen has delivered 4924 Amaroks. The Amarok Style TDI600 diesel V6 ($73,740, before on-road costs) with 184kW and 600Nm continues to be the most popular accounting for more than half of Volkswagen's ute sales.

Toyota has finally detailed just how efficient its new mild hybrid HiLux is.The Japanese giant has recently fitted 48-volt mild hybrid tech to its rugged HiLux ute but wouldn’t disclose fuel figures … until now.Toyota is only offering the fuel saving tech on four-wheel drive, dual-cab SR, SR5 and Rogue variants equipped with an automatic transmission.In the thirstier and heavier HiLux Rogue fuel use drops to 7.8L/100km from 8.4L/100km, which is a saving of about seven per cent.The SR5 and SR cab chassis variants benefit from the biggest fuel savings, dropping from 8.4L/100km to 7.6L/100km or 9.5 per cent.Dual cab SR and SR5 versions now drink 7.4L and 7.2L/100km respectively, down from 7.9L/100km in the non electrified examples.Despite the fuel use improvements the HiLux still isn’t as efficient as the 2.0-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo diesel powered Ford Ranger that sips 7.2L/100km.It does trump the 8.0L/100km fuel figure for the dual-cab, four-wheel drive Isuzu D-Max.Toyota has made a big showing of not referring to the 48-volt equipped HiLuxes as hybrids, instead dubbing it V-Active technology. The tech is commonly referred to as a mild hybrid by nearly every other carmaker.The mild hybrid provides electric assistance to the 2.8-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine on SR, SR5 and Rogue 4x4 automatic double-cab grades.Unlike Toyota’s hybrid set-up in its passenger cars the electric motor in the HiLux never solely drives the wheels.Instead it is used to power electrical systems, the starter motor and to assist the engine by up to 8.4kW and 65Nm though peak output remains unchanged at 150kW/500Nm.Regenerative braking is used to help charge the small battery on the go.The addition of the mild hybrid tech comes at a cost, with price rises of between $590 and $1605 depending on the variant.The next-generation Toyota HiLux is expected in the next 18 months and it is likely to come with plug-in hybrid power to compete with the BYD Shark that is due this year and the 2025 Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid.It is rumoured Toyota could be using BYD’s plug-in hybrid technology for its next-generation HiLux.

Geely revealed a right-hand drive (RHD) version of its Radar RD6, known as the Riddara, three months ago and is gearing up for an official release.The electric ute's latest update comes from Thailand, where the RHD model will be officially unveiled to the public at the Thailand International Automobile Expo in November. Thailand is one of the world’s ute heartlands and produces Australia’s two current favourite vehicles, the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux. Ute sales account for around 40 per cent of the Thai new-car market compared to roughly 20 per cent in Australia.Geely has all-but confirmed it will launch in Australia with the Riddara RD6, after using LinkedIn to tease the right-hand drive model and advertise for an Australian Marketing Director role.In China the RD6 is priced from the equivalent of about $38,000, which undercuts the majority of diesel powered utes in Australia.Unlike the dominant utes in Australia that use a body-on-frame construction, the Geely Riddara sits on an adapted passenger car platform, just like Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and Subaru Brumby car-based utes of old and the current Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick. Hyundai has found success in the North American market with its Santa Cruz and buyers have lapped up the excellent new Ford Maverick.The next-generation Santa Cruz is believed to be headed to Australia.The Riddara will launch in Thailand in rear-wheel drive using a single 200kW/384Nm electric motor driven by either a 63kWh or larger 86kWh battery pack, for between 385-517km driving range according to China’s lenient CLTC standard (expect closer to 320km and 440km in WLTP figures). A twin-motor all-wheel drive version, upping outputs to 315kW/594Nm, was revealed in China but is not yet confirmed for a Thai market release. If Geely is serious about targeting Australian buyers, this will need to be included in the local range. The rear-drive Riddara RD6 has reasonable specs, getting from rest to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds and replenishing 30-80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes.Towing is rated at 2500kg while the payload maxes out at 755kg. Though the Riddara has a monocoque platform, the electric ute is still generously sized measuring 5260mm long, 1900mm wide and 1865mm with a 3120mm wheelbase.The Riddara RD6 has a long rear overhang, which means its load is longer (but narrower) than a Ranger dual cab. It measures 1520mm long, 1450mm wide and 540mm deep. Suspension configuration is front struts with a multi-link independent rear axle. The Riddara’s Multiplex Attached Platform (MAP) is said to be derived from the Geely group’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) and been subjected to three years and over a million kilometres of development. If the Riddara comes to Australia it will be less rugged than other Chinese electric utes, such as the promised JAC T9 and mining-focused LDV eT60, with its eye set on lifestyle-oriented buyers. Geely/Riddara’s parent company, Geely Zhejiang Holding Group, is also an owner of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus. Its high-end Zeekr brand has locked-in a local launch for the end of this year with its Zeekr X SUV and 009 people mover. The Riddara ute could be followed by a number of Geely models, including the Galaxy E5 electric Tesla Model Y rival that has been confirmed as right-hand drive. 

Mazda might be set to lose its long-held place as Australia’s second favourite automotive brand, but the company’s local brass isn’t too concerned.

After the locally converted Ford F-150 was removed from sale in Australia to address non-compliance issues, the Department of Infrastructure has officially released a series of recalls for the American-built pick-up truck. The recalls concern lighting features and the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system. Owners will be contacted and can then organise the issues to be rectified at Ford dealerships.Those who took delivery of, or were contracted before, May 6, 2024 are being offered compensation in the form of a five-year/75,000km servicing package. According to the recall notices, the total number of affected vehicles is 2070. Industry sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries shows 1085 F-150s have been registered since going on sale in October 2023. Ford promises all vehicles sold from now on at dealers will be fully compliant with Australian Design Rules (ADRs), with the Chevrolet Silverado, RAM 1500 and Toyota Tundra rival now installed back on the Ford Australia website. Each recall concerns one of the four F-150 variants on sale: XLT standard ($106,950) and long wheelbase ($107,945) models along with the Lariat in both wheelbases ($139,950 and $140,945, all before on-road costs).For lighting, the F-150 is not compliant with ADR 06/00-Direction Indicators and ADR 13-Installation of Lighting and Light-signalling Devices. The recalls list issues with the ‘fog lamps’, ‘daytime running lamps’ and ‘indicators’.Ford’s website notes that the ‘rear centre high-mounted white courtesy lamps’, ‘tailgate courtesy lamp’ and ‘side mirror mounted indicator lamps (LWB only)’ have been disabled on the XLT, while the Lariat also has its ‘lower daytime running lamps’ turned off. Additionally, the F-150 was determined in breach of ADR 98-Advanced Emergency Braking for Passenger Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles. The issue being that the AEB function “may not reactivate after an ignition cycle as per the requirements set out under ADR 98”.A Ford spokesperson told CarsGuide “Repair instructions relating to vehicles impacted by the Stop Sale are now being made available to enable dealers to complete work on impacted units. After the rectification work is completed on each vehicle, it can be delivered to the customer.”So far, the F-150 has been hit by three product safety recalls and two sales pauses in less than 12 months. US-built F-150s are converted locally by partner RMA automotive. RAM and Chevrolet products are also swapped to right-hand drive and revised for Australian standards locally by Walkinshaw, while Toyota is running an extended evaluation program on its Tundra pick-up. The facelifted F-150 went on sale in its United States home market in September 2023 and is expected in Australia by the end of the year. 

In 2024, some new, very big heavy hitters are having their time in the sun, from brands as established in this field as Toyota, Isuzu, Ford and Mitsubishi.

It seems like the blink of an eye but Ford’s current, all-conquering Ranger ute has been on sale in the Australian new-car market for two years.