1980 Toyota Stout Reviews

We're lucky, us car journalists. We get to drive oodles of exciting new cars throughout the year — sometimes so many you start to forget your favourites — so making this list was a nice walk down medium-term memory loss lane.

What is the cheapest ute in Australia?At the time of publication the cheapest ute in Australia is the Toyota HiLux Workmate 4x2. A key reason for the HiLux’s sustained success is Toyota’s decision to ensure every end of the market is covered, from the humble Workmate to the plush Rogue and dynamic GR-Sport. The Workmate 4x2 starts at just $26,475 (plus on-road costs), retaining its title as cheapest new ute Australia despite the influx of new cheaper offerings from China and India in recent years. As the legend goes, utes were originally intended to be a vehicle to take farmers to church on Sunday and the market on Monday. Therefore, they were designed to be an affordable, working class vehicle that appealed to a limited audience.Fast forward nearly 100 years and the ute has become a defining feature of Australian automotive society and culture. The ute is now no longer just going to the church and the market, it drives people to building sites, office blocks, the beach, the motocross track, the local shopping centre and just about anywhere else a modern car goes.As the ute has become ubiquitous it has evolved into many different forms and become increasingly expensive. The popular Ford Ranger Raptor starts at more than $90,000, while the new breed of locally-converted American ‘pick-ups’ can cost more than six-figures, with the Ram 3500 Laramie a whopping $177,950.But what if you’re still after an affordable ute that won’t break the bank? Well, we’ve got you covered. In this article you’ll find a list of the cheapest utes Australia has to offer at this moment in time (December 2024).While the market has shifted more upmarket in recent years, the good news for Australian buyers is there are still plenty of affordable utes available. As the Toyota HiLux Workmate proves, these aren’t from just newer brands like GWM, Mahindra and LDV. Instead, (if you don’t need 4x4) you can get into an Isuzu, Nissan, Mazda or Ford for under $40K.Beyond the usual factors you consider when buying a new ute - price, payload, towing capacity, etc - one of the key considerations when looking for a budget ute is reliability and future ownership credentials. For example, the Tata Xenon was the cheapest ute Australia offered a few years ago, starting at just $19,990. However, the brand did not last long and exited the Australian market, which leaves owners with an uncertain future.All the brands on our list below are now firmly established in the local market, so should not suffer a similar fate to Tata, but it still pays to consider the company you’re buying from and what reputation it has for reliability and ownership in the ute sector.  The HiLux was the best-selling ute (and one of the most popular new models, period) in Australia for a very long time and the Workmate has a lot to do with that.It may be powered by a humble 122kW/245Nm 2.7-litre turbo-diesel, have a single cab chassis and only be 4x2, but for buyers looking for a cheap, hard-working ute it ticks all the right boxes - it can tow up to 2500kg and has a payload of up to 1145kg. While Toyota may have a diverse HiLux range now, it has never forgotten the need to cater to the budget end of the segment, even in the face of the arrival of GWM, Mahindra and Tata with some very cheap utes in recent years. But while some have come and gone, the Workmate has remained.The D-Max is one of Australia’s favourite utes, typically finishing behind only the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in the sales race. A big part of that popularity is its affordability, which is led by the entry-grade SX Single Cab. It’s powered by a 110kW/350Nm 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel paired with a six-speed manual transmission. While it has a small engine, it has a braked towing capacity of 2800kg and a payload capacity of 1400kg (without a tray), so it can still work hard.You’ll be noticing the theme here is single cab chassis models, because the bed adds to the cost and bumps them out of the most economical ute discussion. The Navara SL is another example of this, taking a no-frills approach and only offering the important elements.That includes a 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel good for 120kW/403Nm and paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. This is enough to give the Navara SL a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which is on par with more expensive 4x4 models, and also a payload of 1350kg.The Chinese brand has made its mark with its affordable range of Cannon utes, which begins with this cab chassis option. It has the same 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel as the rest of the range but misses out on the four-wheel drive. That gives it enough to tow up to 3000kg and the payload is rated at 1050kg.What it does have over the previous utes on this list is a back seat, with a dual cab body and it also gets the aluminium tray out the back included in the price. It also gets some other nice touches not common at this price point, such as an eight-speed automatic transmission and alloy wheels. The Indian brand has been in Australia longer than most people probably remember, first arriving back in 2007. The Pikup has been its staple since then and after the cut-price S6+ and S10 models laid the foundation, this newer S11 has arrived to carry on the legacy of affordable utes from Mahindra.While it’s the most expensive of the five on this list, it’s the only 4x4 and the only dual cab of its kind for under $40K.Powered by a 103kW/320Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel the Pikup S11 can tow up to 2500kg and has a 1035kg payload.

The EPU concept Toyota showed at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show is heading to production.

If there has been a single story that has come out of the automotive world over the past five years, it has been the rise of China.

Forget the Kia Tasman or Subaru Outback, and nice try Renault Kangoo. Toyota has out-Aussied itself with a model name even the Prado Kakadu can’t hold a flamin’ candle to.Launched earlier this year, the Toyota HiLux Rangga (named Champ in other markets) is a single cab ute produced in Thailand and the Philippines as a budget-friendly workhorse underpinned by a simplified version of the HiLux’s ladder-frame chassis.Now a three-row SUV version has been officially launched, initially for domestic consumption, with exports to other markets in South-East Asia and South America likely to follow.Indonesia’s Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) commissioned local conversion specialist New Armada to develop the five-door, seven-seat SUV as a cut-price alternative to the Fortuner.Previewed in prototype form this October, TAM has now released images of the full production version of the car, at the same time confirming an early 2025 on-sale date.Identical to the ute it's based on from nose to B-pillar, the big, boxy rear section is all new, featuring a single-piece tailgate, simple vertically-oriented tail-lights and a step-up rear roof section complete with load rails.Six-spoke black alloy rims appear to have grown to at least 16-inch diameter, up from the standard ute’s 14-inch wheels, although they still look tiny underneath the Rangga SUV’s oversize body.Inside, seating is 2-3-2 with each row trimmed in synthetic leather and boot space behind the rear row somewhat limited relative to the car’s approximately 5.3m overall length.In Indonesia, the Rangga is available with a choice of a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 102kW/183Nm, or 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four delivering 110kW/343Nm. A choice of five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission sends drive to the rear wheels only.And unlike that ‘other’ automotive redhead (hello, Ferrari Testarossa) the Toyota Rangga SUV is aimed at price-sensitive family buyers.Toyota Astra Motor Marketing Director Anton Jimmy Suwandi says the entry-grade petrol, five-speed Rangga SUV will start from under $39,500 (price calculated on a direct Indonesian Rupiah to AUD conversion). The HiLux Champ Rangga is expected to form the basis of Toyota's much-anticipated, cut-price Mini LandCruiser FJ in the future.

Four years after Japan axed the Estima, Australia lost one of its unique and much-loved Toyota nameplates: Tarago. From a ground-breaking mid-engined minivan released in 1990, the Tarago (or Previa, in other English-speaking markets) would transport humans for nearly 30 years. The Granvia replaced it in theory, but not in spirit. Rather than a clever people-mover, it was a fancy van. Japanese magazine BestCar reports that since the Estima (as Tarago is known at home) ended production in 2015, there have been discussions about a reboot. Now, it looks like it could be back as an electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid as early as 2027. It all comes down to Toyota’s investments in new, efficient and compact combustion engines revealed earlier this year at the multi-pathway workshop. In the new Tarago’s case, BestCar reports it will use a version of the GA-K platform (from Camry, RAV4, Kluger and more) allied to a 1.5-litre petrol-based range extender hybrid. Much like BestCar has discussed before with a mooted next-gen Corolla hatch and RAV4 medium SUV, the plug-in electrified version of the Tarago is thought to be capable of travelling over 1000km between charges and fill-ups with around 220kW and 400Nm. Reportedly, there is a battery electric model in development as well, featuring Toyota’s next generation ‘bipolar’ lithium-ion battery technology. Expect twin-motor AWD and around 650km of electric-only driving range. One of the Tarago’s calling cards was its eight-seat capacity. It remains to be seen whether that will be rejuvenated, but for now BestCar is estimating the new Tarago will measure 4900mm long, 1850mm wide, 1750mm tall and ride on a 3000mm wheelbase. The render image you see here by BestCar’s designers captures the original egg-shaped Tarago’s design. It has twin sliding doors and a sleek, aerodynamic shape.The report suggests it will sit alongside the larger Alphard, with a more chic form factor that ought to help it steal some sales from the likes of the Kia Carnival, Volkswagen Multivan and ID.Buzz. How it deals with the deluge of ultra-luxe Chinese minivans, we’ll have to wait and see. A new take on the Tarago was previewed way back in 2017, with the Fine Comfort Ride concept at the Tokyo motor show. It was said to be a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle like the Mirai, however FCEVs have yet to take off in earnest. It seems Toyota parked that project.Following the lukewarm reception of the bZ4X, it seems like Toyota has changed tack, looking for dynamic platforms that make it easy to switch from plug-in hybrid to combustion and to battery electric vehicles. The brand’s latest model, the Urban Cruiser twinned with the Suzuki e Vitara, is built on a converted combustion car platform developed by Suzuki, for example. It also helps streamline tooling, if combustion and battery-electric vehicles can be built in the same factories. Discussion about the new Tarago remains purely speculative for now, but with a raft of new options sailing out of China, it could be the perfect time for Toyota to reboot its ground-breaking people mover. 

The Toyota RAV4 is about to cement its status as Australia’s second most popular vehicle after a bumper year of sales in 2024, so why are we still without the performance version?Despite being sold in Europe in plugless and plug-in hybrid guises, where the model doesn’t even crack the continent’s top 25 best-selling vehicles, the RAV4 GR Sport sadly isn’t on Toyota Australia’s radar.“We are always looking at opportunities to enhance our model line-up, but we have nothing to announce regarding RAV4,” a Toyota spokesperson told CarsGuide.Toyota hasn't said why it has chosen not to offer the variant here, although it feels very much like a 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' strategy, particularly as sales boom.It’s a shame because the plug-in hybrid variant genuinely is a more souped-up version of the standard hybrid we get in Australia, and something our very sensible line-up is lacking, regardless of its sales success.Take its 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid system, for example, which adds a much bigger 18.1kWh battery pack.Not only does it deliver 75km of WLTP-rated electric range, it gets a sizeable bump of 62kW/49Nm in power and torque over the standard hybrid's peak 163kW/221Nm.That translates to a total output of 225kW/270Nm and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.0 seconds flat, which is at least 2.0 seconds quicker than the top-spec Edge AWD sold locally and about as quick as a Volkswagen Golf GTI.Fuel consumption is significantly better, too, at just 1.0-litre/100km compared to 4.8-litres/100km on the Edge.It's also better than Australia’s two top-selling plug-in hybrid models, the BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, both of which deliver a minimum fuel consumption of 1.1-litres and 1.5-litres, respectively.Carbon emissions are low at just 22g/km, which is also an improvement on both of those models.In terms of features, the GR Sport variant gets the bulk of the Edge’s equipment list in Europe as well.There’s 19-inch alloys, a 12.5-inch digital driver’s display, a 10.5-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and a drive mode selector.But on top of that there are also paddle shifters, synthetic leather and suede seats with ‘GR’ badging, which also extends to the steering wheel and rubber floor mats.GR badging adorns the exterior, while its front end looks far more aggressive thanks to a sportier front grille and bumper.Lets not forget the exclusive five-double-spoke GR Sport rims either, which come decorated with a neat pinstripe pattern. It's the sort of makeover that would stand Toyota's mid-sizer out further against the Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson.Mitsubishi is reportedly working on a high-powered Ralliart version of its Outlander with three electric motors and 285kW.Toyota Australia sells GR Sport versions of various models in Australia already, including the C-HR and Yaris Cross (both trim levels with no performance benefits) as well as the pumped up HiLux GR Sport.Outside Japan, Australia is also the only market to get full-fat GR versions of both the Yaris and Corolla hatchbacks — we really do love souped-up cars Down Under.For now, we can only dream of a more performance-oriented RAV4 arriving in Australia under the current generation, which enters its sixth year on the market in 2025.But hopefully Australia’s steadfast support of the RAV4 translates to something a little bit more thrilling in the next-generation offering (which is set to arrive in 2026), because if there’s any market that deserve it, it’s us.

In 2025, no other car company in Australia will offer quite the combination of body styles and powertrain choices for buyers seeking an SUV or crossover with three rows of seating as Hyundai.

Just when you thought utes and SUVs were about to completely take over Australia’s automotive scene, small cars are making something of a comeback.And it’s not the usual suspects like the Toyota Corollas and Mazda3s of the world that are bumping up interest in small sedans and hatchbacks. It is also electric cars.According to official year-to-date sales data to the end of November this year, small-car sales are up by 12 per cent compared with the same period in 2023. While that doesn’t sound like a massive increase, it represents the biggest percentage increase out of any SUV or passenger car segment.So what is driving this interest in smaller models? A couple of factors it turns out.The biggest contributor to the rise in sales is the influx of electric cars to the segment. Previously, the only electric small car was the Nissan Leaf which, while it was a pioneering EV model, never sold in huge numbers.Now there are a trio of EVs boosting the segment. The biggest selling small EV in Australia, by some margin, is the MG4 hatch. With 6079 sales, an increase of 140.6 per cent to the end of November, the MG4 is also the fifth best-selling small car.Sharp retail deals on model year 2023 MG4s, including a limited $30,990 drive-away price on the entry-level 51 Excite, helped boost interest in the Chinese-built EV.Another couple of small Chinese electric hatchbacks that are selling well include the BYD Dolphin which has found 1885 homes so far this year, an increase of 174 per cent over 2023.The GWM Ora has also nabbed 1182 sales, up by 175.5 per cent year on year.Two small EVs have seen sales drops, like the Cupra Born which has dipped by 47 per cent to 439 units, as well as the Nissan Leaf, which is down by 30.5 per cent, but that model is in runout in Australia following the end of UK production earlier this year.While EVs are doing the heavy lifting in the resurgent small-car sector, traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) small models are doing their part too.After a serious sales blip due to stock issues, the Kia Cerato is having a bumper year, with sales up by 187.5 per cent to 14,807 units, making it the second best-selling small car behind the dominant Toyota Corolla.The Cerato result is interesting given this generation went on sale in mid-2018. It is also now in runout ahead of quarter one, 2025 launch of its replacement, now dubbed the K4.The Corolla is also having a good run this year with 22,526 sales (up by 24.5%), ensuring a likely top 10 placing in the overall make/model sales chart. The Mazda3 is also in positive territory, up 13 per cent to 9618.A couple of other famous nameplates have seen sales declines, like the Hyundai i30 (11,616, -40.7%) and Volkswagen Golf (2593, -22.6%).At one point in history small cars made up one of the largest sales categories, but now with a 7.7 per cent slice of the overall market, it trails medium SUVs, 4x4 pick-ups, small SUVs and large SUVs.From 2011 to 2015 small cars ruled the top spot of the sales charts in Australia, with the Mazda3, then the Toyota Corolla taking top spot, before the Toyota HiLux ute came along and changed the face of the new-car market in 2016.

Following its Australian launch in August 2018, the Toyota Corolla is now six years old and therefore approaching its replacement.