1985 Toyota Bundera Reviews

Toyota claims the latest HiLux is a 'new generation' of its iconic hay-hauler, but is there enough that's genuinely 'new' to ensure it remains one of Australia's two top-selling utes?

Two months into 2026, traditional new car sales leader Toyota is 25 per cent down on the same period last year with a total of 27,916 units shifted to the end of February compared to 37,256 in 2025.So, what gives? RAV4 registrations have fallen off a cliff, with 2025’s top seller no less than 73.8 per cent behind its prior year result (2480 units vs 9481).After a sub-par January, the HiLux has mounted something of a fightback but is still close to 10 per cent behind year-on-year in critical 4WD form (5315 units vs 5893).And the new-generation Prado is down a whopping 52 per cent YOY (2665 units vs 5570).After 23 consecutive years as the top-selling brand in the local new car market are cracks starting to appear at the top of the Toyota sales mountain?  Is the endless wave of new challenger brands entering the local market starting to impact that seemingly impenetrable 20 per cent share figure Toyota has held with a vice-like grip for so long?Well, probably not. A Toyota Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide the brand is still aiming for a 200,000-plus unit result for 2026, which would equate to, you guessed it… 20 per cent market share.First, the RAV4 had a big December 2025 and with the current model in run-out mode it’s doing just that… running out, according to Toyota, “very cleanly”. And with the sixth-gen version coming in March, Toyota makes no bones about the fact that supply is unlikely to come back to full strength (and possibly more) until the end of that month or even early April. As we’ve previously reported, based on the model's usual sales figures, it's safe to assume an order bank close to, if not more than, 10,000 units for the new RAV4 Hybrid.Then, the HiLux shortfall relates to not all variants of the new ninth-generation ute being available yet. So it’s a similar story here, with a “healthy” bank of orders being progressively filled over the next couple of months.And the fifth-generation LandCruiser Prado has been in high demand since it arrived here in late 2024 and we’re assured the current shortfall is down to boat arrival timing issues, which presumes March numbers will be higher, as orders are "strong."Of course, published monthly registration data means there’s nowhere to hide when it comes to new vehicle sales. So, we’ll see if the good ship Toyota, still by far the dominant new car player, gets back on course beyond the first quarter of the year. 

Internal combustion power is still by far the most popular type of car in Australia, the latest sales data has revealed. 

The third-generation Toyota Kluger was an extremely popular large SUV during its time in showrooms thanks to its space and safety. And these days, it's a great used-car buy.

China is now the biggest country of origin for new-car sales in Australia, leapfrogging Japan in what is a seismic shift in the Australian automotive industry.

Polestar Australia boss Scott Maynard has opened fire on Australia's owners of American-style utes, saying they "use and abuse" FBT and LCT subsidies that are aimed at tools of the trade. In a stinging rebuke of government policy that favours some of the nation's biggest vehicles, as similar rebates for electrified vehicles are under the microscope, the executive suggested the Albanese Government would be better off tightening light commercial vehicle policies towards American pickup trucks."It's actually being used and abused in the light commercial vehicle space," Mr Maynard said. "I was a tradie. That's how I started in this industry, as a tech. So I fully support the subsidy of tools of trade to our trades people. I couldn't be more supportive of it."But these vehicles are not even being marketed as tools of trade. You've got $200,000 American-style utes and pickup trucks marketed as towing caravans and boats, and yet they enjoy the same FBT and LCT let-off, which can be tens of thousands of taxpayers dollars, so that they can never, never turn up on a job site."That is entirely unjust. So if the government sets out to save some of the taxpayers' money handed over in FBT deductions, it should be done in reconciling where its support of light commercial vehicles goes, not supporting the electric vehicle industry."Since 2022, electric vehicles positioned below the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold of $91,387 for electrified vehicles, under a novated lease, were no longer eligible for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) obligations. Numbers crunched by the Australian Financial Review found someone who leases a $60,000 car could save as much as $12,000 per year if they opt for an EV over an ICE vehicle.While spurring EV sales, the program is expected to cost $1.35 billion over the 2025/2026 financial year. The incentives are currently under review, with formal submissions closing last month.Similarly, most utes are not subjected to FBT obligations, provided the vehicle can carry a load of one tonne or more, or carry more than eight passengers, or are not primarily designed for carrying passengers. The vehicles must only have "limited" private use. LCT – which generates as much as $1.3b annually – does not apply to “a commercial vehicle designed mainly for carrying goods and not passengers”..Data from the Australia Institute, published in 2023, found the LCT exemption resulted in lost revenue of around $250m per annum on the sale of American pickup trucks.

Toyota is looking to accelerate into the future at full speed, leaving its ‘whitegoods on wheels’ image trailing in the dust.And it all stems from the top down, with Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda allowing his love of performance cars and motorsport to trickle down across its entire global operation - including Australia.Toyota’s performance sub-brand, Gazoo Racing (GR), began life as Toyoda’s personal racing team. As he put his own mark on the company his grandfather founded during his time as Toyota President, GR became more and more prominent. Under his leadership Toyota revived its sports car program, launching the GR 86 and GR Supra, as well as launching the GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatches.Even after stepping down as president in 2023, Toyoda’s influence continues to be felt across the company. John Pappas, Toyota Australia’s Vice President National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, said that Toyoda’s focus on ensuring the brand changed its image has impacted many local decisions.“Akio’s philosophy actually is all about producing ever better cars,” Pappas said. “He actually talks about that. I'm pretty sure you can look him up talking about ever better cars some time ago when we went through this great phase.“I look at it and I think that just inspires all of us globally to continue to build, particularly the GR brand in this case. To see how the GR brand's evolved from 2015 globally to where it is today, and the various products now that form within GR, like the GR 86 and the GR Supra, the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla. We love to see that expansion and what we've seen today, the trajectory we're on, we continue to build on the GR brand. So, absolutely, we want to continue to build on that.”This includes the decision from Pappas’ predecessor in his role, Sean Hanley, greenlighting Toyota’s entry into the local Supercars racing series with a V8-powered GR Supra. Hanley admitted at the time that the company had been evaluating a racing entry for more than 20 years and the rise of GR made it the right time to finally commit.So much so that the highly-expensive racing program isn’t focused purely on increasing Toyota’s sales volume but rather to promote the GR brand both externally and internally to continue the path Toyoda set the brand on.“ Look for us, actually, this is not about selling more cars,” Pappas said. “It's actually more about building the GR brand, building on the GR brand. And it's really more about what I said before about just learning. Learning to build better cars, better people.“They're the two key things for us. Right? This is not about more sales and trying to sell more cars. It's about building better vehicles, better people, and building the GR brand.”

After three years on sale in Australia, Toyota's performance-focused GR Corolla has been given some mid-life love.Toyota says the chassis is stronger thanks to extra structural adhesive used to bond key areas together (mostly the underbody and rear wheel wells). And that’s on top of the fact the car’s frame is already hand-finished in the Toyota Gazoo Racing factory in Motomachi, Japan, with additional bracing and spot welds to enhance rigidity. An extra inlet on the three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine’s secondary intake duct draws cool air from the front grille to lower intake air temp at faster engine speeds. The lower part of the grille has also been revised with new vent sections for engine cooling and airflow management into the front wheel arches.  And inside, the standard JBL audio system has stepped up from eight to nine speakers with the addition of a subwoofer in the boot.At the same time, the ‘Active Noise Control’ system has been tweaked to keep the cabin quieter most of the time and ‘Active Sound Control’ has been added to synthetically beef up the turbo-triple’s throaty induction noise and growling exhaust note when the driver has the bit between their teeth.But the rest of this hi-po hot hatch’s standard specification is unchanged, as is the price at $67,990, before on-road costs, for the manual version and $70,490 for the auto.Somehow, cooler air entering the cylinders hasn’t upped engine outputs, which remain at a stout 221kW at 6500rpm and 400Nm from 3250-4600rpm.That torque number, 30Nm higher than the launch GR Corolla, was inherited from the initial, limited-run Morizo Edition in a late 2024 model year update that also introduced availability of an eight-speed torque-converter auto transmission (as per our test example) alongside the standard six-speed manual gearbox.And the ‘GR-Four’ all-wheel-drive system retains its electrically-controlled multi-plate clutch on the rear axle with Torsen-type limited-slip differentials front and back.And the rest of it’s all there, from the 18-inch Enkei alloys shod with Yokohama Advan V601 (235/40) rubber, to the bulging bonnet, macho body kit (incorporating roughly 5000 vents and ducts), bigger brakes, sporty interior and forged carbon roof insert.So, is it still the pocket-rocket GR Yaris’s heavy-hitting big brother, with the power and dynamics to match serious competitors like the Honda Civic Type R ($79,000, drive-away), Subaru WRX tS Sport Sportswagon ($63,290, BOC) and VW Golf R ($71,990, BOC)? We spent a sporty week behind the wheel to find out.Aside from the dynamics and performance tech, which we’ll get to shortly, the GR Corolla boasts a healthy standard features list. As it should, with cost-of-entry comfortably more than double that of an entry-level Corolla Ascent Sport ($29,610, BOC).Highlights include a head-up display, LED exterior lights, leather and synthetic suede trimmed sports front seats (also heated), dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, the JBL audio set-up (including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), racy alloy pedal covers, wireless phone charging and adaptive cruise control (auto only).The aero-influenced body kit incorporates a bulging alloy bonnet and safety’s through the roof with the ‘Toyota Safety Sense’ suite including auto emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, road sign assist, seven airbags and heaps more.Bundle in a super-competitive $395 capped-price annual service cost for the first five years and the GR Corolla stacks up well on value-for-money relative to its competitive set.It might accelerate from 0-100km/h in a bit over five seconds, and we’ll get to the drive experience in a moment, but the GR is still a five-door hatch. And it inherits the good and not-so-good practicality attributes of its more everyday 12th-gen (E210) Corolla stablemates.A 2640mm wheelbase means while there’s ample space for the driver and front passenger the rear seat is relatively tight with just enough leg and headroom for full-size adults. A small rear door aperture makes entry, and particularly egress, a Houdini-like escape exercise.Modest boot volume has been an Achilles heel for the current Corolla from day one and the GR’s 213 litres is even smaller than the standard hatch’s 217L thanks to the performance version’s AWD and sports exhaust hardware underneath. And that’s despite the GR forgoing the standard line-up’s space-saver spare for an inflator/repair kit.Against an official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy figure of 9.5L/100km we saw an on-test average of 12.3L/100km, including a mix of suburban and city commuting as well as some more enthusiastic sessions.Not outrageous for a performance-focused hot hatch, and if it’s fuel efficiency you’re after, there’s always the standard four-cylinder hybrid Corolla models.Speaking of enthusiastic sessions, the GR Corolla remains an ultra-capable and satisfying performance drive.Brilliant steering response and road feel, balanced and buttoned-down in quick cornering, the strut front, double-wishbone rear suspension keeps the car stable and predictable at all times.The Yokohama rubber delivers impressive grip and helps the car clearly communicate what’s going on, the slick AWD system putting the power down brilliantly.Ride is relatively firm over typically bumpy suburban surfaces and pock-marked B-roads. But that’s a price engaged drivers will no doubt pay happily. And on the upside, the sports front seats are comfy and supportive.  As the turbo triple spins furiously towards its 7000rpm rev ceiling that characteristically coarse three-cylinder engine note builds to a smile-inducing bark. Some of that raucous noise may be synthetically enhanced. In fact, there are ’sound patterns’ to accompany each drive mode - ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Eco’. But you can switch it all off and the engine and exhaust still sound great.The eight-speed auto, however, is not the snappiest. If you’re used to the rapid-fire ratio changes of a dual-clutch, the comparatively relaxed shifts from this transmission (even in manual mode at higher revs) will be a less than pleasant surprise.

A combination of increasing component costs, ever-higher safety and emissions requirements as well as the need for new-generation tech to match fast-moving competitors has driven the domestic entry price for Toyota’s Corolla close to 60 per cent higher over the last decade.According to data from the Statistics Bureau of Japan (SBJ) as originally reported by Nikkei Asia the price of an entry-grade Corolla sat at ¥2.28 million yen (~$20,600) in 2025, up from ¥1.45 million (~$16,100*) in 2015. *Based on an average 2015 Yen/AUD exchange rate.For reference, in Australia a base Toyota Corolla Ascent auto cost $21,790, before on-road costs, in 2015. And in 2025 the entry-level Corolla Ascent Sport was $29,610, BOC, an increase of just over 35 per cent.As the statistical arm of the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the SBJ not only manages the country’s population census but tracks thousands of day-to-day consumer costs - from school fees and railway fares to baby clothes and soy sauce.A range of factors, including inflationary pressure driving up component supplier costs, increased standard safety requirements and tightening fuel economy and emissions legislation has driven the price rise.In recent years, emerging global competitors, particularly from China, have also placed greater emphasis on driver assist tech and multimedia functions driving the need for additional cameras, radars, microchips and more.Over the same 2015-2025 period, average Japanese worker income increased around 10 per cent and in early 2024 the Bank of Japan’s policy interest rate rose for the first time since 2007 and has been gradually rising since).Much of Japan’s car finance business is underpinned by residual loans (similar to a finance lease) at low interest rates and the rising cost of money is pushing car ownership out of reach for many potential buyers.SBJ data show even ‘kei’ city cars, the production of which is shaped by government incentives to provide low-price, fuel- and space-efficient new vehicle options to help keep the population mobile and the domestic car manufacturing business humming, have risen steeply in price.Specifically, 33 per cent from an average entry-price of ¥1.18 million yen in 2015 to 1.76 million yen (~$15,900) in 2025.And in heavily built-up areas car-sharing is an increasingly popular kei car alternative; a contributor to Japanese domestic market new-vehicle sales being down 10 per cent in 2025 compared to 2015.Evolving tastes have impacted relative pricing as Japanese consumers lean more towards full-size SUVs and people movers than compact cars.Prices of ‘Compact Passenger Cars’ increased 31 per cent to ¥2.39 million (~$21,500), while ‘Full-sized Passenger Cars’ rose 24 per cent to ¥3.72 million (~$33,500).At the same time, sales of full-sized passenger vehicles were up 30 per cent in 2025 compared to 2015, while compact passenger cars softened by 40 per cent.

If you spend any time on the road you’ll see plenty of utes being used for work – but you also see just as many, if not more, vans being used as the conveyance of choice for couriers, tradies and the like.So which is actually better as a work vehicle: a ute or a van? It’s an age-old debate likely to generate more than a few raised voices.I’m ute-biased because I own a ute and use it for my other job(s), but I know plenty of people who are quite happy with their van.So, let’s tackle this touchy subject, shall we?Is the popularity of utes simply a result of hype? Are ute owners actually using entirely the wrong vehicle for work? Not at all.Vans and utes are close in terms of engine and transmission, power and torque outputs, the efficacy of driver-assist technology and even day-to-day useability.But the load space area – the business end of any work vehicle – is where the major difference lies.A ute’s tub or tray, as standard, is not closed-in so the extent of your packing is not limited by your vehicle’s roof-line as it is in a van. You can load beyond the top edge of a ute’s tub, and tall or awkwardly shaped loads aren’t a problem so long as they are safely secured.A ute also offers superior and more flexible load-carrying capabilities than a van.However, if a ute has no cover on its tub/tray, security from thieves and protection from the elements remain a serious issue. The good news is that there are OEM or aftermarket tub coverings available (hard or soft tonneau covers, roller shutters, aluminium lids etc) for utes, so that’s a potentially easily resolved issue.Or you can purchase an aftermarket canopy to be fixed to your ute tub, and some of those options are lockable. The problems is a canopy is not an engineered-at-vehicle-origin solution, so while it offers much better security, water- and dust-proofing than having no cover at all, it’s no match for a van’s factory built-in load space.And, besides, installing a cover on a ute’s tub – whether it’s a tonneau, roller shutter, canopy, or a bit of tarp over the top – defeats the purpose of owning an open-topped ute, because by doing so you’re robbing the ute tub of its load-carrying versatility.On the others side of the fence, vans have plenty of positives in their favour, even as standard.Take, for instance, the Ford Transit Custom Trail which I recently road-tested. Firstly, focusing on the cabin, the Trail can be optioned as a two-seater with hard-wearing plastic everywhere – ready for the messiness of work and life – as well as charge points (USB-A and -C) and storage (including a van-favourite dash-top slot for logbooks etc, outboard moulded cupholders and a nifty pop-out cupholder).Secondly, the load space includes access via a barn door at the rear and the Trail can be optioned up to have a sliding door on both sides.The cargo area is substantial – 3002mm long (to the bulkhead; 3450mm long if load-through hatch is used), 1392mm wide (between wheel arches) and 1425mm high (floor to roof). Easily big enough for work equipment or recreational gear. It can cope with four Euro pallets (1200mm x 800mm each) and it has a listed maximum load volume (with the bulkhead) of 6.8 cubic metres.Load height through the rear barn doors is 531-585mm, depending on how much weight (driver, passenger etc) is already onboard.The load space has a metal bulkhead (with window and load-through hatch), load area protection kit (full height walls and moulded floor), LED lights and eight tie-down loops.It has plenty of potential as a work and/or recreational vehicle with ample scope for modifications inside and out.Back to vans and utes in general, payloads in vans can range upwards of 1000kg, while payloads in utes (e.g. a single-cab) can be upwards of about 1000kg. (US pick-ups can manage more – with listed payloads of 1759kg and up – but in this yarn we’re focussing on mainstream utes.)But a van’s rear load space could be considered a distinct advantage – or at least a major point of difference – over a ute.A van can be big, for example the cargo space in a 2021 long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Vito 116 is 3061mm long, 1709mm wide, and 1391mm high; with 1265mm between the rear wheel-arches, so a 1165mm standard Australian pallet will slot in, no worries. Official cargo volume in the Vito is 6.6 square metres.Vans are built to carry loads and as such there is plenty of space in the rear, and amenities back there include tie-down points (with which to secure your load), lighting systems (halogen or LED), wood panelling on the interior walls and rear door, rubber or vinyl matting, or other grippy protective surface on the floor of the cargo area, and even power points.The load spaces in vans are ripe for customisation: maybe shelves for a tradie, or bedding and extra storage for an adventurous person or couple.And the rear load space may provide open access to the driver and front passengers(s), or it may be separated from the cabin of the van by a bulkhead with a built-in cargo barrier.Access to that fully secure load space may be via sliding doors on either side of the van or by using the rear door, which might be 180°-opening rear twin barn doors (with window), or a single lift-up tailgate, and either of those can be fully locked open so, importantly, a forklift can be used to place a heavier load in the cargo area.So while there’s no problem with permitted access, the load space is fully lockable, so theoretically secure, and the contents may be concealed.The cabins of utes and vans are similar in that they can be set up as mobile offices, with an immediate ease of use and comfort as priorities: think cloth seats, durable plastic surfaces and storage spaces aplenty including a lockable glovebox, dash-top slots (for log books, general paperwork etc) as well as door pockets and bottle-holder, a cup-holder at each end of the dash, and a centre console bin.But each type of vehicle has its own particular advantages, as well as exhibiting characteristics that may count against it when it comes to their potential as work vehicles.As mentioned, I’m well and truly in the ute camp but I know lots of people who wouldn’t swap their van for a ute as a work vehicle.To each their own… but to me utes still have the edge.