Utes

The ute market has peaked in Australia, and some new and established workhorses could struggle.Kia Australia Chief Executive Officer Damien Meredith said the ute market appears to have peaked, with a flat result in quarter one this year showing growth will be tough to find.That spells bad news for the Kia Tasman, which was launched last year with a sales target of 20,000 per year. It is on track to sell less than 5000 in 2026, which is a a far cry from the segment-leading Ford Ranger and strong-selling Toyota HiLux and BYD Shark 6.Meredith said “of course” they were concerned about the Tasman’s performance.When quizzed if the Tasman would be here in three years if sales didn’t improve, he simply said: “I believe so”.The Tasman ute has been critically acclaimed for how it performs its duties, but Meredith said there were several issues holding back the new ute.“I think once you’re inside it, it's fantastic,” said Meredith. “I think you know the exterior of the car is very polarising. Some people love it, some people don’t. And that’s had an effect.“I think you’ve got to be upfront and honest that the competition that’s out there is quite dramatic. “When we were planning this six years ago, the competition wasn’t as great as what it is right now.“So did we plan correctly? We planned as well as we possibly could, but the competition is hot, and there’s a polarising look to the vehicle,” he said.Kia is currently the third best-selling car brand in the nation this year, but it acknowledges it needs to do more to get the Tasman in more hands.“We’ve fallen short. We know the facts,” said Meredith.“What’s happening in the world over the last 35-40 days hasn’t helped. But we can’t use that, we can’t use anything as an excuse.“The fact of the matter is we’ve got to make Tasman a better success in Australia than it is at its current level,” said.A facelift to give the Tasman more conventional styling is still at more than a year or two away, according to CarsGuide’s previous reports, but there are other levers the brand can use.Kia is a volume seller, so some sharp discounts might be on offer for the dual-cab ute in the coming months to help stimulate demand and attract fleet buyers.Kia’s headquarters has been canvassing Australian owners on how to improve the product.The Korean brand also revealed plans for a plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute for the US market, which could be a possible replacement for the slow-selling Tasman.Meredith said they have their hand up for all types of powertrains in the brand’s global armoury."We're open to everything, but first and foremost we've got to make what we've got a success."

Ford's ground-breaking Ranger Super Duty brings unprecedented load-hauling and towing abilities to the medium-sized ute segment combined with tank-tough construction and advanced off-road smarts, so is this the ultimate workhorse for tradies?

GWM has finally confirmed more details about the coming Cannon plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute.Launching in August in Australia, it will be the first electrified application in the Cannon ute range, as the Chinese brand attempts to tackle BYD for domination in this segment.And the best news?Sitting below the Cannon Alpha Hi4-T PHEV launched last year, the smaller workhorse of the GWM ute range will likely be Australia’s cheapest PHEV ute, starting from under $50,000. That’s a dual-cab plug-in hybrid starting with a ‘4’ in the price.To put this into context, the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic currently retails from $55,990 (all prices henceforth are before on-road costs). But that is for the new cab-chassis version, while the Premium dual-cab ute remains from $57,900.Plus, the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV is anticipated to have a 3500kg braked-towing capacity, against the Shark 6 Premium’s 2500kg capacity. To match that in the BYD, you’ll need to step up to the coming Shark 6 Performance with a 2.0-litre PHEV, coming in May, from $62,900.“The expectation is that this should achieve the 3.5-tonne tow,” according to GWM Public Relations Manager, Justin Stefani.“In China, it is rated at 3000kg but we use an Australian supplier for our tow bars that have a higher capacity.”We now also know some of the specifications for the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV.Using the same powertrain as the Cannon Alpha PHEV, it will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, making 300kW of power and a hefty 750Nm of torque in Chinese specification (against the Australian Alpha PHEV’s 650Nm).The 0-100km/h time is 6.4 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h, while the WLTC (not WLTP) electric-only range is rated at 84km, while consumption from the 33.1kWh battery is said to average 2.4kWh/100km. Combined range in China is listed at about 900km.Measuring 5416mm long, 1947mm wide and 2mm-higher than the regular internal combustion engine versions at 1886mm high, it will continue to offer a cargo capacity of 1248 litres, as well as 232mm of ground clearance.“Cannon will continue as two-pronged strategy with Alpha premium option, making GWM the only OEM with a PHEV dual-strategy mid-sized trucks,” Stefani added.

GWM is breaking ranks with most of the car industry with a new family of diesel-powered four-cylinder hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).Expected to be deployed across the company’s range of SUVs and commercial vehicles starting from next year, these engines will give the Chinese brand a different selling point in a hybrid electrification market that is almost completely petrol-engine aligned.Confirmed by GWM Chief Technology Officer, Nicole Wu, at last week’s China Auto Show in Beijing, the diesel hybrids reflect the brand’s desire to offer the right engine for as many buyers as possible.“We are developing diesel hybrids,” she told the Australian media."(We are developing) multiple powertrain systems, to provide high-efficiency engines, combined with transmission and motors, including diesel, petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid."It is very complicated, so we invest a lot in this area."Asked how these could meet increasingly-restrictive global emissions regulations, Wu said that GWM has a number of innovations under development, but stopped short of revealing what they are.“For the emissions such as NOx (nitrogen oxide) we have technical solutions,” she revealed.“We have both hybrid or plug-in hybrid diesels (coming)… (Consumers will be able to) choose what you want.”China inevitably will be the first market to gain these diesel hybrids, starting from early next year, with the rest of the world planned to follow suit as required after that.“Maybe the first quarter of 2027,” Wu revealed. “That really depends on the real situation in each market.”Other details are scant, but it is understood that the hybrid and PHEV diesels will be available in all engine capacity configurations, including GWM’s coming big 3.0-litre four-cylinder unit, as well as the existing 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre sizes.Additionally, they will be used in both the longitudinal-engined, four-wheel-drive body-on-frame applications such as the Cannon Alpha ute and its Tank 500 and smaller Tank 300 siblings, as well as transverse-engined two-wheel-drive vehicles across the GWM range.More specifically, it is likely that the longitudinal diesel utes and 4WDs will come in either the company’s new EV-first Hi4-Z extended-range EV tech and more off-road focussed Hi4-T PHEV flagship, while the transverse models will come in a simpler hybrid-diesel format.According to GWM Chief Engineer and Technical Director at GWM Vehicle Integration Centre, Adam Thomson, hybrid technologies are largely interchangeable regardless of fuel type, meaning that petrol and diesel-based hybrid tech can be shared if necessary.“Emission treatment systems on a diesel engine, built for a conventional car and a hybrid car, are similar,” he explained. “The solution to the emissions issue is actually the same one.”Watch this space as we’ll let you know more soon.

If you need a large family SUV, but lust after a more rugged and flexible dual-cab ute, the Chery Tiggo V that's just been unwrapped at the Beijing motor show might be the answer.Created to be "one vehicle for all scenarios", the Chery Tiggo V follows on from the T1TP show car that made its debut last year, with the concept updated for production for the Beijing motor show.Unlike the Chery Himla dual-cab ute it shares its looks with, the Tiggo V is based on a car-like monocoque but many buyers are expected to fall for the swappable rear canopy that can either be removed completely or swapped out for one of six different configurations, including a camper.Most will buy it because of its six or seven seats but if you're moving home or need more space Chery says you can switch out the station wagon rear end for a cargo van topper that allows the Tiggo V to haul 600 litres of luggage, with four anchor points and up to four partitions available to secure heavy loads.There's no word on the SUV-cum-ute's payload, but its car-based roots suggest in ute form, it won't come anywhere close to being able to carry up to 1000kg, the likes of proper utes such as the Ford Ranger can haul.The rear structure, meanwhile, is easy to remove thanks to its quick-release mechanism, although there's no indication how heavy each of the rear bodies are, nor whether or not some of the heavier toppers, like the optional camper will be, with the latter potentially a dealer-fit only.When converted to ute form, a variable partition behind the second sliding row of seats ensures the cabin is protected from the elements in the exposed bed.Measuring in at more than 5000mm long, the Tiggo V has a 2800mm wheelbase that provides plenty of legroom within, with space available for up to seven.A more luxurious six-seater is also available with a 2+2+2 configuration.Under the bonnet the Tiggo V is tipped to come with a development of Chery's Super Hybrid plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines an ultra-efficient 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, an 18.5kWh battery and a dedicated hybrid transmission.Two variants will be available: the DHT160 that produces 160kW and 275Nm of torque and a higher-output DHT230 that produces 260kW and 330Nm of torque.Both versions should have an all-electric range of between 90-100km.A regular 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol will also be offered in some markets.Claimed to come with genuine off-road capability, the Tiggo V offers up to 220mm of ground clearance that enables the PHEV version to wade up to 700mm, while the combustion version can drive through water at depths of up to 650mm.Primed to enter production for Chinese buyers later this year, the transforming Chery Tiggo V has yet to be confirmed for Australia. Instead, the Chinese brand has announced the flagship SUV/ute that will sit above the Tiggo 5, 7,8 and 9, remains under consideration for Australia.

Chery sub-brand Omoda Jaecoo has signalled its desire to add a ute to its Australian line-up. Earlier this year, Chery unveiled its ‘KP31’ concept, which is scheduled to launch before the end of this year with a diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain. The brand also showed off a monocoque-chassis recreational ute concept late last year in China called 'T1TP', with local Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris keen to bring such a product Down Under. “There have been some type approval documents and that sort of thing that people have found, which has the monocoque chassis P1TP ute,” Harris told CarsGuide previously.“It is absolutely something we are interested in. I think there is an interesting market for that,” he said.Harris went on to say this ute could fit under any of Chery's sub-brands, which includes Jaecoo, but it appears any monocoque ute would be contingent on the success of the KP31.Omoda Jaecoo’s Chief Commercial Officer in Australia Roy Munoz has put his hand up for the brand to receive a ute, and give it a different feel.It would diversify the brand’s portfolio beyond SUVs into the ute game and Munoz said Omoda Jaecoo needs a ute if it is going to compete in Australia. “Given that Chery as a group is working on the ute platform and powertrain, certainly it’s something we have access to under Omoda Jaecoo,” Munoz told CarsGuide.“Obviously Australians have a love of utes and to be a serious contender or player in Australia, you need that as part of your product portfolios.“If we can hit the market with a touch of masstige (mass market prestige) version of that, whatever that might look like, there will certainly be a market for it.“We’d love to see it. Nothing is off the table.”Jaecoo currently has three SUV models on sale in Australia, ranging from the small J5 to the mid-size J7 and the large J8. It looks like there are no plans for an Omoda Jaecoo ute to launch this year with the focus remaining on the success of the KP31 under the Chery name. 

The all-new Mitsubishi Pajero hasn't even arrived yet, and already competition in the off-road space is heating up, with Nissan at last confirming an SUV version of the Frontier Pro SUV that will put a target on the back of 4WDs in Australia.The question is, is the Nissan product about to beat Mitsubishi at its own game?Mitsubishi largely pioneered plug-in hybrid technology in Australia, but the brand has previously ruled out adapting the technology for its diesel engines. Instead, all reports point to the incoming Pajero – which is expected to use the Triton as its base – using the powertrain from the brand's ute.That means 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine and eight-speed automatic, though some reports point to a plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain also being under development. Nissan, though, is set to abandon diesel, with the ute version of the Frontier Pro adopting a plug-in hybrid powertrain that would make the SUV version among the most powerful vehicles in its class.Its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a transmission-mounted electric motor produce up to 320kW and 800Nm combined.The concept version of the SUV is to be revealed at the Beijing Auto Show, seemingly answering the question of what our market might receive in answer to the US-built (and V6-powered) Xterra.Built in partnership with Dongfeng, the SUV is reportedly built on what the group calls its Star Core platform, which can be paired with ICE, hybrid and EV powertrain options.The Frontier Pro looks set to soon be locked in for our market, with the reports pointing to an early 2027 launch date. If so, that would make the SUV version – which is being developed for export markets – a sure starter for Australia, too.Will diesel or plug-in power win the battle between Nissan and the new Pajero? Only time will tell.

Mitsubishi is soon releasing the Australian-fettled Triton Raider and if it’s a success the Japanese brand claims there’s room for something above – perhaps with Ralliart in the name.Mitsubishi Australia General Manager Product Strategy and Product Public Relations Bruce Hampel said the Japanese carmaker has many iconic sub-brands, including Ralliart, but for the time being is trying to build the brand name with the Triton Raider.“We’ve positioned this vehicle above the GSR. I guess with the rally raid theme is really what we to pursue and that really helped us inform the Raider naming for this particular variant,” said Hampel.“It’s really our first foray we’re breaking new ground for Mitsubishi in that higher price bracket compact pick-up segment, which is quite extensive in the Australian market.”It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi offered the limited-production Triton Xtreme in 2023, which was co-developed by Walkinshaw. It’s still the most expensive new Triton to date at $71,990 before on-road costs.“So we’re really seeing how goes, how well we’ve managed to deliver the customer needs and how well that’s resonating with them,” added Hampel.“The goal is ultimately to build the brand and pull on our heritage, and part of that is the history we have with our sub-brands in the Australian market.“And if successful then, yes, we’ll continue taking the next step.”Ralliart is an iconic, high-performance sub-brand for the Mitsubishi brand that has its roots in rally racing.The Ralliart name is still affixed to certain, range-topping versions of the Japanese carmaker’s vehicles.The last Mitsubishi model offered in Australia with a Ralliart badge was the Lancer in 2015. Sitting below the Evolution, it was powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that’s mated with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and sent drive through an all-wheel drive system.There have been many versions of the Triton Ralliart offered in other markets across many generations now, however they have largely been decals and aesthetic packages.There is demand for souped-up dual-cab utes in Australia, particularly stirred up by the Ford Ranger Raptor with its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.The forthcoming Triton Raider has been developed in partnership with Melbourne-based engineering and manufacturing firm, Premcar.Although the 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine doesn’t produce any more power or torque, the suspension and tyre package has been tweaked to make this Triton more capable on- and off-road. There are also tougher looks.Using the model year 2026 (MY26) version of the Triton GSR as a base, the Raider gains Yamaha horizontally mounted dampers to further reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).There’s a unique front and rear suspension damper package with the front damper gaining an internal rebound spring to create more wheel control on a variety of surfaces.Other tweaks include 18-inch ROH ‘Assault’ alloy wheels finished in a unique brushed bronze finish that are wrapped in Bridgestone AT002 all-terrain tyres.As a result of the suspension and tyre package, there is a 25mm ride height increase at the front, 10mm ride height increase at the rear and 20mm wider track width.Matching the brushed bronze alloys, there are a range of exterior highlights and decals with the same finish. Additionally there are upgraded side protection bars, underbody protection and a sports bar with unique red highlights.Inside the Triton Raider receives black leather upholstery with orange stitching and Raider branding embroidered into the front headrests. There’s also a Raider badge fitted on the centre console.At this stage Mitsubishi hasn’t detailed pricing for the Triton Raider, though it is likely to be more than the current flagship GSR trim, which is priced at $65,590 before on-road costs.This means the Triton Raider could be closer to $70,000 before on-road costs.

Sometimes car companies just get it wrong.Despite all the market research, focus groups, design studies and marketing programs, some cars just don’t sell. Sometimes it’s a case of being the right car at the wrong time, arriving ahead of the curve or after the boom. We looked at that recently with the Holden Volt, a plug-in hybrid that arrived too soon (and for too much money) to be successful, even if the concept was right.But then there are some cars that are just a complete miss, arriving as an undesirable product. They are, to be blunt, the wrong car at the wrong time.Here are some examples of what happens when carmakers get it wrong.The decision to end local manufacturing for Holden cannot have been an easy one for General Motors management, but it was probably an inevitable one. The decision they did not have to make was to destroy the brand equity, not to mention the national pride and love, in the Commodore badge.While most of the cars on this list are obviously bad choices with the benefit of hindsight, the ZB Commodore was an obviously bad choice at the time. It was meant to soften the blow of the departure of the brilliant and beloved VF Commodore, but it only served to rub salt into the wounds.To the nice folks at Opel, GM’s German division, who developed the car (which was known as the Insignia in Europe) this was like having your glass of beer taken away and replaced with water from a muddy puddle with ‘beer’ written on the glass.It wasn’t a ‘Commodore’ in any way, shape or form, despite what Holden PR tried to spin at the time. Holden and GM should have followed the example Ford set with the Falcon and retired the name with dignity rather than slapping it on a sub-par import.Sometimes in life you’re faced with a 50-50 decision to make and the difference it makes in the long run can be enormous, or even catastrophic. That’s the case with Ford Australia and the Territory Turbo.The Territory was an inspired decision, a great example of delivering the right car at the right time. Ford managed to get in on the SUV craze just as it started to rise in the early 2000s, offering buyers who were starting to look for something taller than a Falcon an in-house alternative.The problem was, in 2006 they decided to expand the line-up and made the wrong call on that 50-50 decision. Legend has it that Ford Australia only had the funds to develop a Territory Turbo OR a Territory diesel, but not both at the same time.In the words of the Knight at the end of that Indiana Jones movie: “They chose poorly.”Thankfully they didn’t shrivel up and die in an instant, like the Indiana Jones’ nemesis, but it was a decision that didn’t help the future of Ford’s local models.By the time the Territory diesel did arrive in 2011, along with a facelift, Ford had lost too much ground to imported rivals and by the end of 2016, the Territory was done. While Ford’s decision to add the turbocharged ‘Barra’ engine to the Territory seemed logical, given the high demand for that engine in the Falcon XR6 Turbo, it highlighted the difference between the Falcon and Territory buyer.In the same way a diesel Falcon would have been a terrible idea in 2006, so too did the Territory Turbo prove a costly mistake.The Evoque was a brilliant addition to Range Rovers’ line-up, another demonstration of reading the market to perfection and adding a smaller model when that’s what luxury SUV customers were looking for.Unfortunately, the Evoque Convertible was as bad an idea as the Evoque was a good one. And this was one of those ideas that you really could tell wasn’t brilliant at the time.Sure, the SUV market was rapidly changing at that point and there were some unlikely sales hits, namely Audi’s turbo-diesel SQ5. If a diesel SUV can be a popular performance car, surely a convertible would be appealing, right?Wrong. Very, very wrong.Introduced in mid-2016, the final Evoque drop-top rolled off the production line in 2018. A footnote in the history of Range Rover, and one they’d probably like to forget.As Mazda prepares to launch its second and third EVs, the sharply-priced 6e and CX-6e, it can be easy to forget its first attempt. And they might prefer you did.The MX-30 was a bolder-than-average design, with ‘suicide doors’ that were actually more like ‘choke the front seat occupants if you opened the rear doors’, but it fit nicely into the popular Mazda line-up.The problem was what was powering the MX-30. For starters, Mazda hedged its bets, offering its much-hyped EV with a mild-hybrid powertrain option, just to confuse the issue. Which was needed because the EV only had a small battery and a theoretical driving range of only 200km, but a big price tag of over $66k.While EV sales were starting to increase at this point, so seemingly the time was right, Mazda was behind the times in terms of both capability and cost. It was destined to fail and that’s what it did, quietly pulled from sale after only three years.The American brand’s attempt to crack the lucrative ute (or ‘truck’ if you’re American) market was over before it began. On the one hand you have to give credit to Tesla for not trying to take on Ford, Chevrolet and Ram head on. But, on the other hand, what the heck were they thinking?The Cybertruck was always going to be a niche offering, with Tesla frontman Elon Musk's 250,000 annual sales claim being wildly optimistic (to put it very delicately). As the flop of the F-150 Lightning demonstrated, there is simply not a market for electric utes, whether they look like a traditional ute or something created by the work experience kid after a lot of caffeine.Where Musk and the rest of Tesla management thought they’d find 250,000 people who wanted to look like they just drove out of a 1990s computer game remains a mystery to equal the lost city of Atlantis.Electric utes may seem like a good idea, but their time has simply not come year, but certainly the Cybertruck is not what people want.

Kia has confirmed critical details of the brand's upcoming ute, and seemingly inadvertently spilled on Hyundai's plans for a BYD Shark 6-fighting dual-cab.