Reviews

Word and Photos Ash Hunter

Word and Photos Ash Hunter

Jeep's Wrangler is a common sight on bush trails around the world, but it's a lone wrangler in the outback.

The humble dual-cab 4x4 ute ain’t so humble any more. We look at the top five hero utes either on the Aussie market or about to land here soon.

The Hema HX-1 Navigator makes finding your way easy, no matter whether you’re on the road or off it.

Going Rogue. The most ‘accessory pack’ of the three new HiLux variants, Rogue is intended for urban adventurers, but should you give it a second look?

Cross-Country King? All-new Subaru Forester only offers one engine now but it’s made up for it by adding in more creature comforts than ever before.

Wagon Wheels. Holden hopes to win over buyers with its new, big seven-seat SUV by packing it full of creature comforts and letting local engineers tweak it…

Clash of the titans

A handheld UHF radio is a handy tool when four-wheel driving and this robust Aussie-made unit is one of the best on the market.

Back Up Power. Like many portable battery packs, this unit from Roman is a handy back-up when you need to keep electrical devices running.

Rok to the Core. Volkswagen’s potent 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine is now available in the base-spec Amarok Core for a shade over $50k.

X Force… Mercedes-Benz’s first ute is now available with V6 power, bringing more grunt and a unique full-time four-wheel drive system to the challenger.

The pioneering Jaguar I-Pace represents a revolution in automotive design and engineering that’s waiting for EV infrastructure to catch up.

Hard-Rok. The flagship version of the Amarok lineup now gets a more powerful version of the familiar 3.0-litre V6 diesel.

Lambo does SUV.A bonkers-fast and striking-looking SUV. Successfully uses lots of technology for handling, luxury and capability. But that's tech it gets because it's basically a re-shelled Porsche-Bentley co-op product, so it doesn't feel as distinct as it looks.

The 2019 Ford Ranger Wildtrak Bi-Turbo features the latest engine, transmission and safety tech, and is a refined on-road tourer and a competent off-road performer that also comes loaded with comfort and convenience features.

Water Wear. Sooner or later all four-wheel drivers will inevitably encounter a water crossing. If you want to make a safe crossing, you’ll need to make sure your 4x4 is properly equipped for the task at hand.

Mental as anything. Think of the craziest cross-breeding of automotive tribes you can imagine. An off-road hot-hatch? Nope, too sensible. What about a family SUV that runs on methanol and turns nine-second quarter miles? Again, way too logical. So how about this, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk; a full-sized off-road SUV that swallowed the supercharged V8 from the revered Dodge Hellcat…

Mazda in the Middle. The 2018 Mazda CX-8 Diesel is the “middle kid” in Mazda’s SUV line-up, sitting squarely between the CX-5 and CX-9, in both size and who it’s aimed at.

Adventure Wagons. While 4x4 utes are well suited to bush touring adventures, they don’t offer the comfort, cabin space or luggage security of a 4x4 wagon, so it’s little wonder adventuring families often opt for the latter. Here are the five best-selling, bush-capable 4x4 wagons on the Aussie market.

Bridging the gap between the Navara SL and the top-spec ST-X, the Navara ST could just be the perfect compromise for those who want a comfortable and well-equipped 4x4 dual-cab ute for less than $50k.

The Ford versus Holden battle lives on in the form of bespoke dual-cab 4x4 utes – the Ford Performance Ranger Raptor and the HSV Colorado Sportscat+. Which one lives up to the hype… and the price tag.

The 2018 Nissan X-Trail ST-L is the mid-spec model in Nissan’s ever-popular X-Trail SUV range