Chery has unveiled an off-road-focused version of its Tiggo 7 SUV, dubbed the Tiggo X7.

Revealed at the 2026 Chery International User Summit in Wuhu, China, the Tiggo X7 is the first in a new family of Tiggo X models. The off-road version gets tougher styling, chunky all-terrain tyres, more than 200mm of ground clearance and a claimed 700mm wading depth. It also gets multiple terrain-specific driving modes, off-road crawl control and a 540-degree camera system designed to help drivers navigate challenging terrain.

Those features could help on gravel roads and easier bush tracks, but tackling the Simpson Desert, rocky tracks in the Victorian High Country or muddy trails in North Queensland takes more than terrain modes and a rugged body kit.

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Chery has yet to confirm whether the Tiggo X7 will have all-wheel drive or a proper four-wheel-drive system with low-range gearing. Differential locks, underbody protection and approach, departure and ramp-over angles also remain unconfirmed.

Its reported maximum towing capacity of 1500kg is modest compared with traditional off-road wagons, many of which can tow up to 3500kg. However, Australian-market specifications have not been confirmed.

The exterior features a squarer front end, prominent wheel-arch cladding and C-shaped rear LED tail-lights. The bumpers also feature trim designed to mimic recovery points, although their functionality has not been confirmed.

Inside, the Tiggo X7 shares a layout with the updated Tiggo 7, including a landscape-oriented central touchscreen and digital instrument cluster. It also features a six-dimensional comfort system that manages temperature, humidity, air freshness, cleanliness, quietness and personalisation. One-touch folding second-row seats provide additional space for luggage and camping equipment.

Chery has yet to confirm whether the Tiggo X7 will come to Australia.

What is the Chery Tiggo X7?

An off-road-focused version of the Tiggo 7 SUV and the first model in a new Tiggo X family.

Does the Chery Tiggo X7 have four-wheel drive?

Chery has yet to confirm its drivetrain or whether it will feature low-range gearing.

What off-road features does the Tiggo X7 have?

It gets more than 200mm of ground clearance, all-terrain tyres, up to 700mm wading depth, multiple terrain modes, off-road crawl control and a 540-degree camera system.

Will the Chery Tiggo X7 come to Australia?

An Australian launch has not been confirmed.

For decades, choosing a dual-cab ute meant choosing between different versions of essentially the same recipe: Diesel engine, automatic gearbox, ladder chassis and a mechanical four-wheel-drive system. Then BYD threw the recipe in the bin and set fire to it.

The Shark 6 proved Australians were prepared to buy a plug-in hybrid ute that prioritised performance, refinement and electrification over tradition, and buy it in serious numbers. More importantly, its aggressive pricing has forced everyone else to respond.

The JAC Hunter X might be the clearest evidence yet. At just $54,844 before on-roads, it brings PHEV performance to an even lower price point, but wraps it in a package that feels considerably more familiar to the traditional ute buyer. And that’s what makes this comparison interesting. The Hunter isn’t simply a cheaper Shark. In several important ways, it’s actually the more conventional and capable ute.

But utes aren’t just workhorses anymore. They’re family cars, tourers, commuters and weekend toys. So, does sticking closer to tradition make the Hunter the smarter buy, or has BYD already shown us what the modern ute should be?

Meet the contenders

The BYD Shark 6 didn’t just arrive in Australia’s dual-cab market, it effectively created the affordable plug-in hybrid ute segment. More than 30,000 Australian sales later, the formula has clearly found an audience, and competitors are arriving quickly.

A PHEV combines a conventional petrol engine with a sizeable battery and electric motors, allowing shorter trips to be completed largely or entirely on electricity while retaining petrol power for longer journeys. In a ute, that also means enormous performance potential and a useful source of electrical power at camp.

BYD proved Australians were ready for the idea. Now JAC wants a piece of it. At $54,844 before on-road costs, the Hunter X undercuts the $62,900 Shark Performance by $8056. Its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol PHEV system produces a claimed 360kW and 1010Nm of calculated driveline torque, against the BYD’s 350kW and 700Nm.

But the numbers disguise two very different approaches. The Hunter brings a live rear axle, front and rear differential locks, 915kg payload and Pirelli all-terrain tyres. The Shark uses independent suspension, sophisticated electronic traction management and serious performance. Essentially, JAC is applying PHEV technology to a fairly traditional ute formula; BYD has already shown the ute itself can be reinvented.

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Payload, towing and practicality

The biggest practical difference between these two starts with kerb weight.

The Hunter X weighs 2555kg, a substantial 220kg less than the 2775kg Shark Performance. Despite very similar GVMs – 3470kg for the JAC and 3500kg for the BYD – that weight saving translates directly into payload: 915kg for the Hunter versus just 725kg for the Shark. That’s a significant advantage once you start treating them like utes.

Hook up a 2000kg camper with around 200kg of towball download and the Hunter retains roughly 715kg of payload, compared with 525kg for the Shark. There’s useful capacity in both, but considerably more breathing room in the JAC for passengers, accessories and camping gear. At the full 3500kg tow rating, however, GCM becomes the equaliser. The Hunter’s 6430kg GCM and Shark’s 6650kg limit leave both with only around 375kg above kerb weight for everything added to the vehicle.

We didn’t tow them, but the lighter Hunter, substantially greater payload and live rear axle gives it the stronger towing proposition on paper.

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Cabin, comfort and everyday driving

At two metres tall, I notice driving positions quickly.

In the Hunter I’m perched high, knees closer to the wheel than I’d like, but the payoff is a commanding view down the bonnet and along the vehicle’s flanks. Jump into the Shark and I immediately drop down into it rather than sit on it. It feels wider, quieter and more enveloping.

The Hunter X is considerably better inside than its $54,844 price suggests. Soft-touch materials cover much of the dash and doors, the seats and steering wheel feel appropriately premium, and our test vehicle remained free of the squeaks and rattles reported elsewhere.

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JAC has also resisted burying everything in the touchscreen. Climate temperature and fan speed retain physical controls, while drive modes and differential locks are operated from the centre console. Even the more intrusive driver-assistance systems can be quickly accessed by swiping down on the infotainment screen.

The central display itself is clear and responsive, with wireless Apple CarPlay connecting quickly and working without fuss. The digital instrument display is similarly straightforward and avoids overwhelming the driver with information. There are weaknesses too. Wind noise is noticeable, and the bonnet visibly shakes over imperfect surfaces.

The Shark immediately feels a class above. It’s quieter, wider and more cocooning, with better-bolstered seats, a lower and more comfortable driving position, ventilated front seats and a noticeably more premium overall finish.

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Performance and driveline

For anyone coming from a conventional diesel ute, the Hunter X will feel properly fast. Its electric motors deliver the sort of effortless acceleration that makes most traditional dual-cabs suddenly feel very old.

It’s only when you drive it alongside the Shark Performance or other powerful PHEV utes that the JAC’s unusual character becomes apparent. On paper, 360kW and 1010Nm sounds outrageous, but if you’re expecting it to rearrange your internal organs, temper those expectations. From a standstill there’s a slight hesitation as the drivetrain gathers itself before delivering the goods. Once rolling, particularly from 80 to 100km/h, it’s properly strong.

That 1010Nm also needs context. It’s calculated driveline torque, combining outputs delivered through different motors and ratios, rather than the crankshaft torque figure traditionally quoted for a diesel. It’s impressive, but don’t read it as simply having twice the torque of a Ranger V6; it doesn’t feel like it.

The Shark Performance is different again. Its 350kW and 700Nm arrive with an immediacy the JAC can’t match. Squeeze the throttle and it simply goes like a cat cut loose. That’s the perspective that matters: The Hunter makes traditional utes feel slow. The Shark 6 Performance makes almost everything feel slow.

*JAC’s 1010Nm is calculated driveline torque and isn’t directly comparable with conventional engine torque.

Dirt roads: Where the Shark pulls away

Leave the technical obstacles aside for a moment. Most 4×4 utes spend far more time on fast gravel roads, corrugated tracks and the dirt access roads leading into campsites, and this is where the differences between these two become much clearer.

The Hunter is actually good. Its Australian suspension tuning shows, with a soft, comfortable ride that deals particularly well with sharp-edged bumps. Steering is light but accurate and gains sensible weight with speed. For a ute with a 915kg payload and live rear axle, there’s an impressive amount of compliance built into it. Push harder across larger undulations, though, and the Hunter’s softness starts working against it. The front can float and wallow, requiring more time to settle after each movement.

The Shark Performance feels fundamentally different. Its independent suspension keeps the body noticeably more controlled, with less pitching and lateral movement, while the chassis feels more planted and connected to the surface beneath it. There’s more grip, more confidence and ultimately more enjoyment.

The Hunter is a good ute on dirt. The Shark makes you start looking for the next corner exit to give it a squirt.

Off-road: Hardware versus software

Off-road, the Hunter has the hardware advantage. Its coil-sprung live rear axle, physical front and rear differential locks and optional Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tyres give it the sort of equipment traditional 4×4 buyers understand – and it works.

Through wombat holes, deep offset ruts and steep, loose climbs, the Hunter found excellent traction. Lock both diffs and you can feel the tyres clawing while the live rear keeps pushing, often beyond the point where its disappointing 200mm ground clearance thinks it’s a good idea. Then comes the scrape underneath. And another. The lockers keep asking you to go further; the belly keeps reminding you why you shouldn’t.

But clearance was the limitation, not traction. The Hunter consistently made the difficult sections with less fuss, needed less momentum and ultimately pushed further into the harder obstacles. Even when it was dragging its belly, the combination of wheel travel, locked diffs and those Pirelli all-terrains kept it moving.

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The Shark takes almost the opposite approach: independent suspension, road-biased Continental tyres and electronics doing much of the heavy lifting. Its 230mm clearance helped through the centre of obstacles, but the long rear overhang and 19.3-degree departure angle saw the towbar dragging regularly.

I’ve pointed an earlier Shark at these same ruts and steep climbs and had to admit defeat. This time it completed obstacles it previously couldn’t, but with more fuss and less confidence than the Hunter X. Where the JAC could simply claw its way through, the Shark required more care with line and throttle, and ultimately couldn’t follow it quite as far.

So off-road honours go to the Hunter. Not because the Shark couldn’t get through – remarkably, it usually could – but because the JAC did it more easily and kept going when the terrain got harder.

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The Shark’s biggest weakness has been fixed by software

The difference isn’t a new suspension system, differential lock or clever new tyre. It’s largely software.

Leopard Mode completely changes the Shark’s behaviour at low speed. Throttle response is stretched out, giving far finer control over how much power reaches the ground, while the traction-control system intervenes earlier and far more effectively when a wheel starts to spin. The result is almost counterintuitive for traditional 4×4 thinking: the hardware hasn’t fundamentally changed, but the vehicle has. Try explaining that around a campfire to someone who still thinks a proper 4×4 needs two gearsticks.

Better still, BYD has confirmed the new Crawl Mode and its revised traction-control calibration will be offered to existing Shark 6 Premium owners via a free over-the-air update.

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Ownership: Servicing, warranty and campsite power

There’s little separating them on servicing and battery coverage.

However, JAC’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and seven years of roadside assistance are compelling at this price. BYD’s six-year/150,000km warranty is competitive, but just 12 months of roadside assistance isn’t good enough on a $62,900 vehicle.

At camp, BYD hits back hard. Both provide vehicle-to-load power, but the Shark Performance offers up to 6.6kW total V2L, including convenient 230V outlets in the tub. The Hunter’s 3.3kW external V2L requires an adaptor, although it does provide an internal 220V outlet. Ownership is close. Campsite practicality isn’t, and the Shark wins that one comfortably.

Verdict: Is the Shark worth another $8056?

The Shark wins this comparison, and if I had the extra $8056, it’s where my money would go. But that doesn’t make the Hunter X the wrong answer.

In fact, for the traditional 4×4 buyer, the JAC arguably makes more sense. It’s lighter, has substantially more payload, a live rear axle, physical differential locks and straightforward controls. It feels more like the ute we’ve known for decades, just with a seriously potent PHEV drivetrain underneath.

The Shark asks you to embrace something different. Independent suspension, electronics doing work once reserved for mechanical hardware, and even software updates materially improving its off-road ability. But a modern ute also has to be the family car, commuter and touring vehicle. Away from the job site and campsite, the Shark is quieter, faster, more comfortable, more composed and more polished.

At $55K, the Hunter is remarkably compelling. If you can stretch another $8056, the Shark is the better all-round vehicle.

What else should you consider?

Ford Ranger PHEV XL

The arrival of the $59,000 drive-away Ranger PHEV XL tells you plenty about the price pressure BYD has brought to this segment. Its 2.3-litre turbo-petrol PHEV produces 207kW/697Nm, retains full-time 4WD and 3500kg towing, while Pro Power Onboard can deliver a substantial 6.9kW from its three plugs.

At Ute of the Year I gave the Ranger PHEV the win because it remained the most convincing ute of the electrified contenders. That’s still its appeal: it feels familiar, works like a Ranger and asks traditional buyers to make fewer compromises. But with the updated Shark Performance now around similar money, considerably more powerful and much improved off-road, the Ford’s value equation has become tougher.

GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV

The Cannon Alpha PHEV starts at $57,490 drive-away for the Lux, with the Ultra at $64,490 drive-away. Its 2.0-litre turbo PHEV produces 300kW/750Nm, uses a 37.1kWh battery and offers up to 6kW V2L, plus a proper mechanical 4WD system with low range.

And it has immense shove. The problem is packaging: it’s big, with a long wheelbase, yet sits too low for something intended to tackle serious terrain. It’s another compelling interpretation of the PHEV ute, but against the updated Shark, its compromises are harder to ignore.

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Chery is getting ready to throw its hat into Australia’s crowded 4×4 ute market with the Stockman, a diesel hybrid that looks to have a few tricks up its sleeve.

With 350kW, 800Nm, front and rear diff locks, a locking centre differential and 3495kg of towing capacity, the Stockman isn’t short on numbers. It also gets more than 247mm of ground clearance and a 34kWh battery, with Chery claiming up to 96km of electric driving range on the WLTP cycle.

There’s more to the Stockman than what’s on the spec sheet, too. Chery has brought in Australian engineering outfit Premcar to help tune the ute for local roads and conditions, while Ironman 4×4 is developing a range of accessories for owners looking to set theirs up for touring and off road use.

Reservations opened in October 2026, with deliveries due to kick off on February 1, 2027. There’s still plenty we don’t know, including final Australian pricing, but the Stockman is shaping up as an interesting new option for anyone shopping for a dual cab with a bit more going on under the skin.

Here’s everything we know about it!

JUMP AHEAD

• Oct 2026: Final development push ahead of launch
• Oct 2026: Ironman 4×4 loads up Stockman with off-road gear
• Oct 2026: Aussie specs confirmed
• Oct 2026: Reservations open ahead of February 2027 arrival
• Aug 2026: Premcar to tune Stockman for Australian conditions
• July 2026: More details revealed
• June 2026: Chery confirms name after public vote
• May 2026: Final names shortlisted from public submissions
• March 2026: Utey McUteface? Australians get to name it
• Feb 2026: Chery KP31 Concept unveiled as world’s first PHEV diesel ute

October 2026: Stockman faces final development push ahead of launch

Chery is continuing development of its Stockman ahead of Australian customer deliveries in February 2027, with local ride and handling work still underway as the brand fine-tunes the plug-in hybrid for Australian conditions.

Payload remains a key area of development, with preliminary figures indicating 765kg, short of the one-tonne target previously outlined. Final Australian specifications are yet to be confirmed.

Melbourne engineering specialist Premcar is working with Chery on local chassis tuning, including suspension and steering calibration. Whether the Stockman can meet its original payload target before launch remains to be seen.

October 2026: Ironman 4×4 loads up Stockman with off-road gear

Chery has partnered with Australian owned Ironman 4×4 to offer a range of accessories for the Stockman, available to order through Chery dealerships. The line up covers the usual touring and off road upgrades, including an aluminium bull bar, steel side steps, roof rack, canopy, roller drawers, tow bar and suspension lift.

The APEX bull bar includes a 12,000lb winch cradle, rated recovery points and a 4mm front skid plate, while the Raid canopy offers solid or glass doors and optional central locking. Ironman’s IM2.5 suspension kit provides a 50mm lift front and rear, with spring options for constant loads of 200kg or 300kg.

The accessories have been adapted and tested for the Stockman, with relevant components using 5052 aluminium alloy. Ironman 4×4 will also match Chery’s seven year manufacturer warranty on accessories ordered with the ute, while a federally approved GVM upgrade with increased axle load ratings is expected to follow after launch.

October 2026: Aussie specs confirmed

Chery confirmed Australian specifications for the Stockman in October 2026, revealing a 2.5 litre turbo diesel plug in hybrid powertrain producing a combined 350kW and 800Nm. A 34kWh battery provides a claimed electric driving range of up to 96km on the WLTP cycle, while an 80 litre fuel tank adds touring range.

The Stockman will have all wheel drive, front, centre and rear diff locks, more than 247mm of ground clearance and all terrain tyres. Towing capacity is rated at 3495kg braked and 750kg unbraked, with double wishbone front suspension and leaf springs at the rear.

Inside, Chery confirmed a 10.25 inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.6 inch infotainment touchscreen and a 14 speaker audio system, along with a suite of driver assistance technology.

Chery also released an indicative specification sheet detailing features including low range, selectable terrain modes, crawl control and tight turn assist. Some figures, including GVM, GCM and kerb weight, remain indicative and could change before the Stockman reaches Australian showrooms.

October 2026: Reservations open ahead of February 2027 arrival

Chery opened online reservations for the Stockman on October 1, 2026, ahead of customer deliveries scheduled to begin on February 1, 2027.

Early customers who reserve the ute online can receive a $2000 Bunnings gift card and three years or 45,000km of complimentary scheduled servicing. The offer applies until official sales commence, subject to terms and conditions. Chery has yet to announce Australian pricing or final model grades, with further details expected closer to the Stockman’s showroom arrival.

August 2026: Premcar to tune Stockman for Australian conditions

Chery has enlisted Australian engineering outfit Premcar to test and validate the Stockman’s ride and handling ahead of its local launch. The Melbourne based company has almost 30 years of experience developing vehicles for Australian conditions, including Nissan’s Warrior models and the Mitsubishi Triton Raider.

Rather than starting from scratch, Premcar will assess Chery’s existing suspension and ride and handling calibration across a range of local conditions. That means testing how the Stockman deals with everything from urban streets and highways to construction sites and remote off road tracks.

July 2026: More details revealed

Chery revealed more details of its upcoming Stockman in July 2026, confirming a 2.5 litre turbo diesel powertrain producing a claimed 350kW and 800Nm. The system combines diesel power with electric assistance, with claimed fuel consumption of 2.0L/100km and up to 100km of electric only driving range on the NEDC cycle.

The Stockman will offer 3500kg of braked towing capacity and 750kg unbraked, alongside four wheel drive, front, centre and rear diff locks, crawl control and tight turn assist. Ground clearance is rated at 247mm, with all terrain tyres and double wishbone front suspension paired with leaf springs at the rear.

Measuring 5450mm long, 2010mm wide and 1890mm tall, the Stockman has a 3250mm wheelbase and a 1560mm by 1560mm cargo tub. Inside, it will feature leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, wireless charging, dual zone climate control and premium audio.

Chery also confirmed that the Stockman’s suspension and driver assistance systems would be tuned for Australian conditions. A petrol plug in hybrid version was planned to join the range in 2027, with Australian pricing and model grades still to be announced at the time.

June 2026: Chery confirms name after public vote

Chery has confirmed its new diesel plug in hybrid ute will be called the Stockman, following a nationwide naming competition that attracted more than 20,000 entries. The winning name received more than 25 per cent of the public vote, with more than 12,000 Australians taking part in the final round.

The winning entry came from Victorian Steve Kodikara, who will receive the first Stockman to arrive in Australia. He chose the name for its connection to Australia’s stockmen, representing the reliability, toughness and ability to handle challenging terrain expected of a working ute.

Stockman beat finalists including Outrider, Orca, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra and Mate. The name also has some history in Australia, having previously been used by Suzuki for a work focused version of the Sierra in the 1990s.

The Stockman will be Chery Australia’s first ute and is set to combine diesel power with plug in hybrid technology. Further details, including pricing and final specifications, were still to be confirmed when the name was announced in June 2026.

May 2026: Final names shortlisted from public submissions

Chery has shortlisted nine names for its upcoming plug in hybrid diesel ute after receiving more than 20,000 entries in a nationwide naming competition. The shortlist includes Outrider, Orca, Ironbark, Bushwalker, Stockman, Longreach, Ridgeback, Terra and Mate.

The names draw on themes of Australian outback heritage, toughness and off road capability, with entrants asked to explain why their suggestion suited the new dual cab. Some took a more playful approach, with Dropbear and B Ute among the entries that didn’t make the final cut.

The ute is expected to arrive in Australian showrooms later in 2026, with a diesel electric plug in hybrid powertrain, 1000kg payload and 3500kg braked towing capacity.

Public voting opened on May 5 and closed on May 19, 2026, with the winning name to be announced ahead of the ute’s local launch. The person behind the successful entry will receive the first example to arrive in Australia

March 2026: Utey McUteface? Australians get to name Chery’s world-first plug-in hybrid diesel ute

Chery invited Australians to name its upcoming plug in hybrid diesel ute ahead of its local launch, with the winner set to take home the first example to arrive in the country. The competition opened on March 12, 2026, with entrants asked to suggest a name and explain why it suited the new dual cab.

The ute was then known by its internal code, KP31, and was billed as the world’s first plug in hybrid diesel ute. Chery said it was being developed with Australian buyers in mind, targeting a 1000kg payload and 3.5 tonne braked towing capacity.

Entries were reviewed by Chery, with a shortlist progressing to a public vote to decide the final name. The competition closed on March 26, with the winning entrant to receive the ute when it arrived in Australia later in the year.

February 2026: Chery KP31 Concept unveiled as world’s first PHEV diesel ute

Chery unveiled the KP31 concept in February 2026, previewing a production dual cab ute due in the fourth quarter of the year.

It pairs a 2.5 litre turbo diesel with electric assistance, with claimed thermal efficiency of 47 per cent and 10 per cent better fuel economy than a typical diesel powertrain. Payload is rated at 1000kg, with 3.5 tonnes of towing capacity.

The concept features a squared off body, upright headlights, a snorkel, 285/70 R17 all terrain tyres and a tub rack carrying recovery tracks. It measures 5610mm long, although the production model is expected to be shorter at 5450mm.

Chery also claimed the diesel hybrid powertrain would reduce vibration by 30 per cent compared with conventional diesel engines. The KP31 concept was finished in matte grey, with prominent Chery badging and a practical rear bumper step. A petrol plug in hybrid variant is also planned for 2027, expanding the range beyond the diesel hybrid model.

Chery is continuing to fine-tune its Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid ute ahead of its Australian launch, with local ride and handling development ongoing and final specifications still to be confirmed.

Melbourne engineering specialist Premcar is working on the Stockman’s local development program, including suspension and steering calibration. The work is aimed at adapting the ute to Australian roads and driving conditions before customer deliveries begin in February 2027.

Load carrying remains another question mark. Preliminary figures put the Stockman’s payload at 765kg, based on a 3500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) and 2735kg kerb mass. That’s 235kg short of the one-tonne target previously outlined for the ute, although the final Australian figures are yet to be confirmed.

The preliminary specifications also list a 3495kg braked towing capacity and 6500kg gross combination mass (GCM). At maximum towing weight, the difference between the GCM and the combined kerb mass and trailer weight leaves 270kg for occupants, accessories and cargo. Towball download counts towards payload, too, which limits how much gear buyers can carry when towing.

The Stockman pairs a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 140kW and 450Nm with a 34kWh battery. Claimed combined outputs are 350kW and 800Nm, while electric driving range is listed at up to 96km on the WLTP cycle. The ute also gets all-wheel drive and front, centre and rear differential locks.

Last week, it was confirmed that Australian off-road equipment specialist Ironman 4×4 is developing accessories for the Stockman, including a bullbar, canopy and 50mm suspension lift. A federally approved GVM upgrade is planned for after launch.

Pricing remains unannounced, with first customer deliveries targeted for February 2027. 

Quickfire FAQs

When will the Chery Stockman arrive in Australia?

First customer deliveries are targeted for February 2027.

What engine does the Chery Stockman use?

A 2.5-litre turbo-diesel paired with a plug-in hybrid system.

How much power does the Chery Stockman produce?

Claimed combined outputs are 350kW and 800Nm.

How much can the Chery Stockman tow?

Its preliminary braked towing capacity is 3495kg.

What is the Chery Stockman’s payload?

Preliminary figures indicate 765kg, with final Australian specifications yet to be confirmed.

Australia is the first market globally to launch the all-electric MGU9 EV, which goes on sale today, October 29, 2026.

Priced at $78,990 plus on-road costs, the MGU9 EV is powered by a 102.2kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and dual electric motors producing 325kW and 700Nm. It has all-wheel drive, a claimed WLTP driving range of up to 430km and a 0-100km/h time of 5.8 seconds.

Braked towing capacity is 3500kg, while payload is 685kg. The electric ute features four-wheel electronic air suspension, a tub capable of accommodating a standard pallet, and a 236-litre front boot.

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Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability delivers up to 6.6kW through an external outlet, allowing owners to power compatible equipment away from mains electricity. AC charging is supported at up to 11kW, while DC fast charging peaks at 115kW. MG claims a 20 to 80 per cent charge takes around 42 minutes using a DC fast charger.

Cabin equipment includes dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 15W wireless phone charging and an eight-speaker JBL sound system. The driver’s seat is heated, ventilated and offers massage functionality, while the front passenger seat and steering wheel are heated. A hands-free automatic tailgate and 360-degree camera system are also fitted, and the ute has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

“Electric vehicles have arrived in Australia, and with fuel prices putting pressure on household budgets, more families are looking at the benefits of electric driving,” said Dimitri Andreatidis, Marketing Director at MG Motor Australia. “But lower running costs alone aren’t enough. People need a vehicle that can handle everyday life and still be ready for a weekend away.

“Ute buyers have never been against electric. They’ve just been against compromise. The initial response to the MGU9 EV has been really encouraging, and we believe that’s because it brings the capability and versatility people expect from a ute, with the benefits of an all-electric powertrain. The MGU9 EV gives customers another option to consider, combining the capability they need with lower running costs.”

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Optional Thule accessories will include roof boxes, cargo bags, bike carriers, kayak carriers, roof racks, a rooftop tent and an awning.

“The best outdoor experiences start with having the right gear and an easy way to bring it along. Our range offers practical solutions for carrying equipment, making it easier for customers to spend more time doing what they love outdoors,” said Diego Steininger, Channel Manager at Thule Outdoor Australia.

The MGU9 EV comes with a seven-year warranty when serviced within the MG dealer network.

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FAQs

When does the MGU9 EV go on sale in Australia?

The MG MGU9 EV goes on sale in Australia on October 29, 2026.

How much does the MGU9 EV cost?

The MG MGU9 EV is priced at $78,990 plus on-road costs.

What is the driving range of the MGU9 EV?

The MGU9 EV has a claimed WLTP driving range of up to 430km.

What powertrain does the MGU9 EV use?

The MGU9 EV uses a 102.2kWh LFP battery and dual electric motors producing 325kW and 700Nm, with all-wheel drive.

What accessories are available for the MGU9 EV?

Optional Thule accessories include roof racks, roof boxes, cargo bags, bike and kayak carriers, a rooftop tent and an awning.

Getting one caravan sitting level behind four different full-size pickups sounds simple enough until you look at how differently each truck sits under load.

For our test, the Kokoda weighed around 3300kg, with roughly 280–300kg on the towball, and each truck had a different starting ride height and suspension response. A conventional fixed-height hitch would have meant compromising the caravan’s attitude or swapping hardware between vehicles. The GEN-Y Mega Duty adjustable drop hitch (↗) gave us another option: Move the coupling vertically to suit each truck and keep the Kokoda sitting where we wanted it.

Who is GEN-Y?

GEN-Y (↗) is an American towing-hardware manufacturer best known here for its heavy-duty adjustable hitches, particularly the distinctive Torsion-Flex range.

These use rubber torsion elements within the hitch itself to introduce some isolation between tow vehicle and trailer, helping absorb shock and reduce the harshness transferred through heavy combinations. In Australia, GEN-Y sits within the broader Tough Trucks business on the Gold Coast, which specialises in accessories, suspension, towing equipment and upgrades for American pickups including Ram, Chevrolet, Ford and GMC.

The GEN-Y range extends across different towing capacities and applications, including weight-distribution and gooseneck hardware. Our Mega Duty is a simpler proposition: no torsion system, just a seriously stout, highly adjustable hitch designed to make matching tow vehicle and trailer heights straightforward.

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How the Mega Duty works

The Mega Duty is refreshingly simple.

It slides into a 2-inch receiver and gives you a series of vertical mounting positions for the tongue, allowing the coupling height to be changed by pulling the pin, moving the tongue and locking it back into position. It can also be flipped to work in either drop or rise orientation, giving you plenty of adjustment for vehicles and trailers with mismatched heights.

Our setup used the 4500kg-rated Mega Duty with the Australian tongue and a Cruisemaster DO45 coupling. It also came with a reducer bush allowing the tongue to accept a DO35 or conventional 50mm towball, adding another useful layer of flexibility. The version we used provides three adjustment positions, which proved plenty for this test.

There’s no clever suspension or torsion mechanism involved here. It’s essentially a bloody substantial piece of steel that lets you put the coupling where it needs to be – quickly, securely and without carrying multiple tongues for different tow vehicles.

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What happened in our test

This is where the adjustability earned its keep.

The F-150, Ram 1500 and Silverado all worked with the GEN-Y in the same middle position, keeping the Kokoda sitting where we wanted it. The Tundra was different. Its rear suspension compressed noticeably more under the same 280-300kg ball load, leaving the caravan sitting nose-down. Rather than changing hitches, we simply moved the GEN-Y one position higher and levelled the van again.

That didn’t fix the Tundra’s suspension behaviour – it just corrected the caravan’s attitude. And that’s really the point: the GEN-Y adjusts hitch height; it can’t compensate for what the tow vehicle does under load.

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Is the GEN-Y Mega Duty worth buying? 

The Mega Duty did exactly what we needed it to do: it made swapping one heavy caravan between four very different tow vehicles quick and straightforward

That’s also the argument for owning one. Change tow vehicles, change trailers, upgrade suspension or alter ride height and your ideal coupling height can change too. Rather than buying another fixed tongue or accepting a trailer that doesn’t sit level, the GEN-Y gives you adjustment in the hitch you already own.

It’s simple, massively built and easy to adjust. For anyone regularly swapping tow vehicles or trailers, that flexibility is well worth having in the shed.

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FAQs

How much does the GEN-Y Mega Duty 4500kg drop hitch cost?

The GEN-Y Mega Duty starts at $695, with our tested configuration priced at $770.

What is the GEN-Y Mega Duty drop hitch used for?

It allows you to adjust the coupling height to suit different tow vehicles, helping keep your caravan level when towing.

What is the towing capacity of the GEN-Y Mega Duty?

The Mega Duty tested is rated to 4500kg.

Is the GEN-Y Mega Duty adjustable?

Yes. It has three vertical adjustment positions and can be flipped to provide either drop or rise, making it easier to match different tow vehicle heights.

Is the GEN-Y Mega Duty worth buying?

If you regularly tow with different vehicles or trailers, its sturdy construction and straightforward adjustment make it a practical option.

American pick-up trucks are bigger than the mid-size 4×4 utes that are popular in Australia, but does that mean they are any better? Sure, they are large, with spacious cabins and plunge pool-sized cargo tubs, but their actual payload and towing capacities are heavily limited.

We’ve lined up models from each of the four brands selling 1500-class trucks in Australia for an on- and off-road drive, towing a trailer indicative of what many buyers will be looking at these trucks to haul.

Each of the trucks in our quartet is high-spec and very well equipped, with leather interiors, heated and cooled seats, high-end sound systems and big screens in the dash. Some of them have more than one screen and even panoramic sunroofs, but we’re focusing more on how they each perform in this test.

While they are all well equipped and priced between $140,000 and $173,000, they can be broken into two specific categories. The Silverado ZR2 and RAM Rebel are sportier in their styling and better suited to rough roads, with their 18-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres, while the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra are both Platinum grade and roll on 20-inch wheels and low-profile tyres. But they are all in the same marketplace; some will just appeal more or less to certain customers. Of course, both Ram and Chevrolet have premium models in their respective ranges that match the Platinum models from Ford and Toyota, if that’s your kink.

All of these trucks arrive in Australia as left-hand drive and are converted/re-engineered in Melbourne before heading to their respective dealers.

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JUMP AHEAD

• Quick verdict
• How do they compare on- and off-road?
  • Chevrolet Silverado ZR2
  • Ram 1500 Rebel Hurricane
  • Ford F-150 Platinum
  • Toyota Tundra Platinum
• Which is best for towing?
  • Ford F-150 Platinum
  • Ram 1500 Rebel Hurricane
  • Chevrolet Silverado ZR2
  • Toyota Tundra Platinum
• Weights compared 
• Kokoda XG1 C216 caravan 
• Which American pick-up is best?
• Vehicle specs

Quick verdict

• 4th (but the biggest numbers): Toyota Tundra Platinum: It has the most power and torque (326kW/790Nm) and the highest GCM (7980kg), but its rear sagged the most under ball weight without Toyota’s recommended load distribution hitch.

• 3rd: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2: It’s the only truck here with front and rear diff lockers, and it towed far better than we expected. It has the lowest tow rating (4200kg) and a dated cabin.

• 2nd: RAM 1500 Rebel Hurricane: It has a superb twin-turbo six, used the least fuel on our towing loop and is the cheapest truck here. A 500kg combined tub and towball limit holds it back.

• Overall winner (and best for towing): Ford F-150 Platinum: Nothing here controlled our 3.3-tonne Kokoda caravan better, and it was polished on- and off-road. Its 7365kg GCM limits towing at the full 4500kg rating.

How do they compare on- and off-road?

Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

• $147,490 +ORC
• 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8, 313kW/624Nm, 10-speed auto
• Front and rear diff lockers, DSSV dampers, 4200kg braked towing
• Our test: 3rd overall

GMSV is the local importer and outlet for a range of vehicles, including Silverado pick-up trucks, the GMC Yukon Denali 4×4 wagon, Cadillacs and Corvette sports cars.

It was the second operation to start importing, re-engineering and selling pick-up trucks in Australia, behind RAM Trucks Australia, and we’ve seen the Silverado range pass through a few model changes since its arrival. For this test, we have the 2026 Silverado ZR2, which could be considered the sports and off-road model in the Chevrolet truck range offered here.

While all four of these trucks are petrol-fuelled, the Chev stands alone with the only naturally aspirated engine, its 6.2-litre V8 proving popular among our test drivers. It might not be the most powerful, economical or modern engine in the group, but it certainly is the one that delivers the most character. In fact, you can say that about the whole ZR2 package, as it feels like an old-school muscle truck, with its bellowing V8 offering plenty of get-up-and-go right off the hit and its off-road-developed Multimatic DSSV dampers and chunky tyres doing the best job on the rough unsealed road loop.

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With its 33-inch mud-terrain tyres on 18-inch wheels and front and rear selectable diff locks, the ZR2 was also the best-equipped truck for off-road use. It’s worth noting that the ZR2 is the only vehicle in this group to come equipped with a front locker.

As you would expect of a naturally aspirated engine compared to the turbocharged mills in the other rigs, the GM V8 needs to be revved to get the most out of it, which again adds to the old-school feel. You drive it differently to the turbocharged trucks with their abundance of bottom-end grunt, but it’s still rewarding to get stuck into, probably more so than the other three.

With the bimodal exhaust system opened up when you select the Off-road driving mode, the GM V8 roared through the forested hills, while the ZR2 soaked up the ruts and bumps better than any of the other trucks here on the day.

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RAM Rebel Hurricane

• $141,950 +ORC
• 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six, 313kW/635Nm, eight-speed auto
• Rear e-locker, Bilstein dampers, 4500kg braked towing
• Our test: 2nd overall

Like the Silverado ZR2, the RAM Rebel is considered the off-road and sports model in the RAM 1500 range offered here in Australia, although the RAM TRX will take that title when it blasts back into town in 2027.

The RAM Rebel gets a styling pack plus all-terrain tyres on 18-inch wheels and an e-locker in the rear diff, but nothing for the front. The suspension is made to take on rough tracks, with Bilstein dampers front and rear, and it coped well with our rough unsealed track, even if not as competently as the ZR2. The RAM slammed into holes and ruts in the track a lot harder than the Chev, but it still coped better than the Ford and Toyota.

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The RAM 1500’s high point is its sublime twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine. While many RAM buyers rue the loss of the Hemi V8 engine, the replacement Hurricane six outdoes the V8 in every respect except the engine sound. There’s nothing wrong with the sound of the Hurricane; it’s just not a V8. With 635Nm on tap, drivers will soon get over the aural deficiency. This is a truly superb engine. It works beautifully with the eight-speed automatic transmission, and using the 4×4 Auto setting in the transfer case allows smooth, controlled driving on all road surfaces.

The Bilstein shocks do a fine job of controlling the mass on rough tracks, and the tyres on those 18-inch wheels help soak up the jolts. This became more evident when it came time to drive the Toyota and Ford on the same road, where their low-profile tyres didn’t cope as well. The RAM’s taller tyre sidewalls improve ride quality both on and off the road, and with the condition of Victoria’s roads at the moment, you want as much tyre as possible protecting your expensive alloy wheels.

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Ford F-150 Platinum

• $163,950 +ORC
• 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, 298kW/678Nm, 10-speed auto
• Full-time 4×4, CCD adaptive damping, 4500kg braked towing
• Our test: overall winner and best for towing

The Ford F-150 brings us our third different engine configuration, but one made to do the same job as the others. The 3.5-litre petrol-fuelled twin-turbo V6 engine makes 298kW and 678Nm and is backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission.

While it doesn’t have that traditional V8 rumble of the ZR2, the sneaky Ford technicians have endowed the F-150 with a synthesised engine sound that is reminiscent of a V8 when you put your foot down. The 10-speed auto is smooth and gives nothing to complain about, while the transfer case offers full-time 4×4 for everyday driving, plus locked high- and low-range 4×4 for off-road use. Only the base XLT model gets part-time 4×4 with 2WD for on-road use. Electronic drive modes include Sport, Eco, Tow/Haul, Slippery and Off-Road settings, and all variants get a locking rear differential.

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The adaptive suspension is comfortable on the road and gravel tracks, and a simple switch to the Slippery drive mode helped with traction when getting on with it on the rough tracks, although the big wheels and low-profile tyres weren’t so accommodating in the rough. The CCD adaptive dampers work with the selectable drive modes to give the best setting, but also react to the conditions and adapt for optimum performance, so they are always working to give the best ride and control.

All in all, the Ford put in a polished performance across the conditions, on and off the road and when hauling the Kokoda van.

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Toyota Tundra Platinum

• $172,990 +ORC
• 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 hybrid, 326kW/790Nm, 10-speed auto
• Part-time 4×4, 4500kg braked towing, 7980kg GCM
• Our test: rated last despite great numbers

The Toyota Tundra might seem like the odd one out in this American quartet, but it is every inch a US pick-up truck. It’s made in the USA to compete with the home brands there, and it sticks to the familiar recipe. Where it does differ from the Stars ’n’ Stripes brands represented here is in its powertrain, which is a petrol-electric hybrid.

The i-FORCE MAX powertrain’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 produces 290kW and 649Nm on its own, but it is paired with a parallel hybrid system featuring a 288V NiMH battery and a motor-generator housed in the bellhousing of the 10-speed automatic transmission. Combined, the outputs jump to 326kW and 790Nm, giving the Toyota the highest outputs in this group.

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This is the same powertrain used in the LandCruiser 300 Series Performance Hybrid, but the pick-up misses out on the Cruiser’s full-time four-wheel-drive system with its dual-range transfer case. With 790Nm on tap, full-time four-wheel drive sure comes in handy in the Cruiser. The Tundra makes do with a part-time system and a dual-range transfer case.

This was soon apparent on our unsealed track, where the Tundra lost traction when climbing washed-out hills, requiring high-range 4×4 to be selected. This isn’t a huge problem, but the other trucks were able to do everything on the day in 4×4 Auto without needing any switching of the transfer case. The suspension also thumped through ruts and potholes that the other trucks, particularly those on 18-inch wheels, rode across much more smoothly.

While the Toyota has the highest outputs on paper, this doesn’t equate to its performance on the road, where it feels heavy and lazy, lacking the oomph of the RAM’s Hurricane engine or the raw muscle of the ZR2’s V8.

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Which is best for towing?

A 4500kg tow rating looks impressive on a spec sheet, but it tells you surprisingly little about how a vehicle actually tows.

We hitched the same heavyweight Kokoda XG1 C216 to the Ford F-150 Platinum, Toyota Tundra Platinum, RAM 1500 Rebel Hurricane and Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 to find out which one gets the fundamentals right, and which one we’d leave at home.

Our test route ran through the hills north-west of Melbourne, mixing 60, 80 and 100km/h zones with plenty of elevation change. A substantial descent on the way out became a climb on the return leg, giving us a balanced out-and-back route rather than flattering any truck with an easy downhill run.

Ford F-150 Platinum: Towing champ!

The F-150 Platinum won the towing component of this test, and for me the margin was pretty clear. It wasn’t the most powerful, the most economical or even the nicest truck to sit in. It was simply the one that did the best job of controlling the Kokoda.

We had an early clue while hitching up, as the Ford dropped the least when we lowered roughly 280 to 300kg of ball weight onto each truck. The Ford was the best by quite a margin, particularly compared with the Tundra. That wouldn’t mean much if it didn’t translate to the road, but it did.

The Platinum is the only Australian F-150 fitted with Ford’s Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) suspension, which electronically adjusts damping according to what the vehicle is doing and the load it’s carrying. With Tow/Haul selected and the Kokoda behind us, the Ford was noticeably firmer than the other three trucks, and I reckon that’s a good thing.

Big, softly suspended vehicles can get into an annoying rhythm with a heavy caravan behind them: the truck moves, the van responds, then the truck responds to the van. You feel it as pitching and rolling, and it can make a combination feel busier than it needs to be. The F-150 did less of that than anything else here.

The steering retained weight, the chassis settled quickly and the whole combination felt properly tied down. That’s what gave me confidence in the Ford. With more than three tonnes following me down a hill, I’ll take that over a plush ride every time.

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Ford actually understands towing! The F-150’s towing technology helped rather than distracted. 4A is a big one for me. Our test was dry, so I’m not claiming it won the day for us, but being able to leave the truck in an automatic four-wheel-drive mode on sealed roads is something I’d absolutely want when towing in rain or across changing surfaces.

The trailer profiles, integrated brake controller and 360-degree cameras are useful rather than gimmicky, and there’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist. We didn’t use it during this test, but I have previously and I rate it. Tell the truck which way you want the trailer to go using the rotary controller, and it takes care of the steering.

It’s not the best engine here, but it’s still bloody good. Ford’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 makes 298kW and 678Nm, driving through a 10-speed auto. The Tundra has more torque on paper and I preferred the character of the RAM’s Hurricane/eight-speed combination, but neither of those things made the Ford feel lacking. It has a broad, useful powerband for towing and rarely felt flustered by the Kokoda. Fuel consumption came in just under 30L/100km on our hilly test loop. That’s broadly where the Toyota and Silverado landed, although the RAM’s roughly 25L/100km result made all three look thirsty.

There is one number I don’t like: 7365kg GCM. The short-wheelbase Platinum is rated to tow 4500kg, but those two numbers don’t exist independently. Start with the truck at its 2611kg kerb weight, put a trailer loaded to 4500kg behind it and there’s only 254kg of additional capacity left before reaching GCM. That’s not much. Add people, accessories and touring gear and it disappears very quickly. So if your plan is to buy an F-150 because the brochure says 4500kg and then tow at that maximum regularly, do the maths first.

The Ford’s GCM is a genuine weakness, and one I’d want improved. It didn’t cost the F-150 this test because we weren’t towing at 4500kg. What we were testing was how these four trucks dealt with the same substantial load under the same conditions, and the Ford dealt with it best.

It sat flatter, controlled the Kokoda better and gave me more confidence behind the wheel than the other three. There wasn’t one killer feature that won it; the chassis, suspension, driveline and towing tech just worked together better. That’s the F-150’s strength.

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RAM 1500 Rebel Hurricane

The one I wanted to like more was the Rebel. It finished second, but there’s daylight between it and the F-150. That’s a shame, because in a couple of areas the RAM was actually my favourite truck here, starting with the driveline.

The Hurricane straight-six produces 313kW and 635Nm, and with the Kokoda attached it was a ripper. There’s always boost available, it pulls hard without feeling frantic and it doesn’t need to throw gears at the problem every time you ask for more. A lot of that comes down to the ZF eight-speed automatic. The other three trucks use 10-speeds, but I preferred the RAM’s eight. It holds a ratio, lets the Hurricane build boost and torque, then gets on with the job rather than constantly shuffling up and down the gearbox.

The surprise was how efficiently it did it. The other three trucks were clustered around 30L/100km on our test loop; the Rebel returned roughly 25L/100km. That’s a big enough difference that I want another crack at it over a longer, controlled towing test. If it can repeat that result, the Hurricane deserves some serious credit.

The Rebel also had the best cabin. Its seats are deep and supportive, the displays are excellent and the fit, finish and materials were the best of the four to my eye. Even the trailer brake controller is positioned sensibly, within easy reach towards the centre of the dash, and there’s an integrated trailer checklist.

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Where RAM dropped the ball was cameras. Compared with the Silverado’s excellent multi-camera setup, the Rebel felt decidedly underdone. On something this bloody big, particularly with a big caravan attached, I want to see what’s around me. Still, give me eight hours behind the wheel and this is the cabin I’d choose. But then you do the maths.

The Rebel didn’t carry the Kokoda’s ball weight as neatly as the Ford or Silverado, either. There was more squat at the rear than I’d like, although nothing approaching what we saw from the Tundra. It’s coil-sprung, so heavier-rate rear springs may offer a relatively simple way of improving its stance.

The 500kg combined tub-load and towball-download limit is a very different problem. That’s the figure I can’t get past with the Rebel. If you’re approaching its 4500kg maximum tow rating with, say, 450kg sitting on the ball, you’ve got just 50kg left for the tub under that specific limit. Fifty kilos. In the tub of a full-size American pick-up. For the sort of buyer who might throw a generator, fridge, recovery gear or a couple of e-bikes in the back before hitching up a big caravan, that’s not some obscure number buried in the specifications. It fundamentally changes how you can use the truck. And fitting heavier springs won’t make that load limit disappear.

That’s why the RAM finishes a fairly distant second despite me liking so much about it. I’d take its Hurricane engine over the Ford’s EcoBoost, its ZF over the Ford’s 10-speed, and its cabin over the Ford’s too. The fuel result was outstanding. But I’m judging tow vehicles here, and that 500kg limit is too restrictive for me to ignore.

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Editor’s note

We reached out to RAM Trucks Australia to ask about the 500kg combined tub-load and towball-download rating, as we’re not aware of another manufacturer currently publishing an equivalent figure in Australia. A spokesperson for the brand told us:

“Ram Trucks Australia has begun listing Maximum Combined Tub and Tow Ball Load on certain models to better assist customers when setting up the weight distribution of their vehicles when towing.”

The spokesperson went on to say that RAM Trucks Australia would publish this figure for more models in the future, and that it is a recommendation only, rather than a legal requirement. GVM and GCM limits must still be strictly adhered to.

Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

Better than it had any right to be. I went into this expecting the Silverado ZR2 to be compromised as a tow vehicle. Not bad, necessarily, just compromised. It’s the off-road-focused truck here, wearing 18-inch wheels, Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tyres and Multimatic DSSV dampers, and its 4200kg braked tow rating is the lowest of the four. It turns out I underestimated it.

The Silverado had the second-least rear suspension sag, beaten only by the F-150, and that ability to deal with load carried straight onto the road. The Kokoda never seemed to overwhelm the rear suspension or have the truck wallowing around underneath it.

I’ve rated Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve dampers for a long time, and this test gave me another reason why. The clever bit isn’t simply that the ZR2 rides well. It’s that GM has managed to give it genuine off-road ability without turning it into a blancmange when you put weight on the back. Over poorer surfaces it retained compliance, but when the caravan started putting bigger movements into the truck, the suspension got on top of them quickly.

The tyres suit that philosophy. Those Wranglers are probably my pick of the four from an off-road perspective, and I much prefer the decent sidewall you get with an 18-inch wheel on a touring vehicle. They’re not free performance, though. They’re noisy on bitumen, and I’d be thinking about that if most of my towing involved long highway days.

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The other reason to buy the ZR2 is sitting under the bonnet. Chevrolet’s 6.2-litre naturally aspirated pushrod V8 makes 313kW and 624Nm, with a 10-speed auto behind it. Bloody hell, it’s hard not to like!

Against the Ford’s 678Nm and particularly the Tundra’s 790Nm, the Chevrolet is giving away plenty on paper. You notice it, too. Ask for serious acceleration with the van attached and the V8 needs revs where the boosted engines can lean harder on their mid-range torque. But I didn’t mind working it. The response is predictable, the soundtrack is fantastic and there’s something appealingly straightforward about a big naturally aspirated V8 doing exactly what you expect it to do.

Dave Morley and Matt Raudonikis also raised an interesting point during the test: simplicity. The Hurricane is a fascinating bit of engineering and Toyota’s hybrid is even more complicated, whereas this is still fundamentally a naturally aspirated pushrod V8. I’m not going to pretend a day of towing tells us anything about long-term reliability, but for someone heading properly remote, I understand the attraction.

GM has thought about the trailer. The Silverado’s towing tech is better than its ageing cabin might suggest. Trailer profiles and integrated towing functions are useful, but its camera system was the standout. With a caravan behind a truck this large, being able to see what’s happening around the combination makes manoeuvring noticeably easier. The rest of the interior is less convincing. Beside the RAM and Ford it feels dated, and at this money that’s difficult to ignore. It was also our thirstiest truck, creeping above 30L/100km on the test route.

Yet the ZR2 still walked away with more respect from me than I expected. It’s an off-road-biased truck with the lowest tow rating here, chunky tyres and a naturally aspirated engine that has to work for its living. And somehow, when we hitched up the Kokoda, it just got on with the job.

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Toyota Tundra Platinum

Houston, we have a sag problem. The Tundra annoyed me more than any other truck here because the numbers say it should be good at this.

We were towing the Kokoda at around 3300kg with roughly 280–300kg on the ball, and the Tundra reacted to that load more dramatically than anything else. We didn’t bother with a tape measure against the rear wheel; the difference in squat between the Tundra and F-150 was obvious. The Tundra dropped far enough that we had to move the adjustable GEN-Y hitch one position higher just to get the caravan sitting level. The Ford, RAM and Silverado all ran it in the same middle position.

The rear sag was only half the problem. It took enough weight off the nose that you could see the change in front-wheel camber and toe, and you could feel it through the steering. The front end became lighter, and that’s exactly what I don’t want when there’s more than three tonnes of caravan behind me. To be fair, Toyota knows this can happen. It recommends its Load Distribution Hitch (LDH) when towing 2200kg or more, specifically to redistribute weight towards the front axle. We were obviously well past that.

Should we have fitted Toyota’s LDH? For an owner towing this sort of weight, it’s absolutely worth considering. For this test, we chose not to. We were comparing four factory trucks with the same caravan under the same conditions and kept the towing setup consistent. That means we haven’t assessed how the Tundra performs with Toyota’s recommended LDH fitted.

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One thing Toyota absolutely got right is Tow+. The Tundra offers Tow and Tow+ modes and, although Toyota doesn’t explicitly tie Tow+ to that same 2200kg threshold, this is exactly the sort of load where it makes sense. I really liked it. Tow+ noticeably changed throttle response and the 10-speed’s shift strategy, holding gears longer and making the whole powertrain more responsive.

On paper, I’d probably pick this powertrain, and this is what makes the result so strange. The twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 hybrid produces 326kW and 790Nm, giving the Tundra the highest torque figure here. The electric motor gives it a lovely initial shove, although once we were properly leaning on the combination I thought the Ford and RAM felt more effortless.

The weight numbers are arguably even more impressive: 4500kg towing capacity, 3536kg GVM and 7980kg GCM. Start with its 2834kg kerb weight, add a trailer loaded to 4500kg and you’re at 7334kg, leaving 646kg before reaching GCM. A theoretical 450kg ball download also leaves 252kg of its nominal 702kg payload for occupants, accessories and gear, subject, of course, to its 1850kg rear axle limit. In other words, Toyota hasn’t slapped a 4500kg number on the brochure that disappears the moment you start doing the sums. The Tundra has a genuinely useful set of towing numbers.

Maybe it just needs a set of replacement springs. That’s why I wouldn’t completely write it off. The Tundra uses a multi-link, coil-sprung rear axle, and changing spring rate isn’t major mechanical surgery. Once the aftermarket gets properly stuck into these things, heavier rear coils could potentially make a substantial difference to how it carries ball weight.

We haven’t tested that, so I’m not saying a set of springs fixes the Tundra. Nor does changing springs alone increase its rated GVM or axle limits. But I’d much rather be dealing with potentially soft springs than a fundamental deficiency in GCM or load ratings.

Unfortunately for Toyota, we test the truck we’re given, not the truck it might become after a visit to a suspension shop. As supplied and tested without the LDH, the Tundra had some of the best towing numbers here and did the worst job of carrying the Kokoda. That’s why it finishes last.

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Weights compared

Kokoda XG1 C216 caravan: the 3.3-tonne test weight

If you’re going to test four American pick-ups as tow vehicles, you may as well hang something properly substantial off the back.

Enter the Kokoda XG1 C216 (↗), a towering 21ft 6in couples van made to tackle the outback. This thing has presence. At 9.4m overall, 3.35m tall and 2.48m wide, it looks every bit the heavyweight behind even a full-size American pick-up. More importantly for us, its 3100kg tare, 4490kg ATM and 280kg tare ball weight made it an ideal and very realistic test platform.

We ran it at an estimated 3300kg, rather than loading it anywhere near its maximum ATM. That’s significant: plenty of Australians towing a serious off-grid caravan will operate around this weight, so our test represented something owners might actually do rather than an exercise in chasing maximum numbers.

And the C216 is much more than dead weight. Underneath is Kokoda’s TerraGlide TG-X-1 semi-trailing-arm airbag suspension with 230mm of travel, while the body uses heavily insulated Xcore composite construction. There’s 330L of fresh-water capacity, 920Ah of lithium battery capacity, 1720W of solar and a 5000W Victron inverter. It’s an absolute weapon of an off-grid couples van.

• RRP: $230,100 (as tested)
• Phone: 1800 577 430
• Website: www.kokodacaravans.com.au (↗)

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Which American pick-up is best?

Four big trucks, one big van and a surprisingly clear result.

The F-150 Platinum wins because composure breeds confidence, and nothing here controlled the Kokoda better. The Rebel takes second, brilliant but held back by RAM’s combined tub-load and towball-download recommendation. The ZR2 finishes third, surprising us with just how well it towed. And the Tundra comes last: great numbers, but disappointing load control in our test without Toyota’s recommended LDH.

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Vehicle specs

Outback corrugations, low-hanging branches and tight bush tracks can give a four-wheel drive antenna a serious workout.

Constant vibration and the occasional scrape through scrub can take their toll, so choosing an antenna for remote touring means looking beyond signal range. It needs to handle the conditions you travel in while helping you stay connected, whether you’re communicating with other vehicles on the track, coordinating a convoy, calling out hazards or trying to maintain contact in isolated areas.

Reliable communications become particularly important when travelling beyond the main roads, where distances between vehicles can grow and mobile reception can be patchy or unavailable. A UHF CB radio is useful for vehicle-to-vehicle communication, sharing track conditions and coordinating movements through difficult terrain. A suitable cellular antenna can help improve connectivity where a compatible mobile network signal is available, supporting calls, messages and data when coverage allows.

No single antenna or communications system covers every situation, however. The right setup depends on where you travel, the equipment you use and how you plan to stay in touch. For remote trips, that means choosing antennas suited to your vehicle and terrain, installing them properly and considering a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon for emergencies beyond mobile coverage.

What makes an off-road UHF antenna durable?

A long whip and a big gain figure might look impressive on a bull bar, but they don’t automatically make an antenna suitable for off-road touring.

Corrugations can shake mounting hardware loose, while overhanging branches can catch an antenna and put strain on its base. A suitable off-road antenna needs to withstand these knocks without compromising radio performance. A spring-mounted design allows the antenna to flex when it encounters an obstacle, helping reduce the force transferred to the mounting point. The spring, ferrule and surrounding hardware also need to be strong enough to handle repeated impacts.

RFI’s CDX-TREME range (↗) features a heavy-duty spring assembly and reinforced ferrule construction. The removable whip can also be taken off when extra clearance is needed, following the manufacturer’s instructions. That’s useful when driving through scrub or overgrown tracks, particularly if your vehicle is fitted with a roof rack or rooftop tent.

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Choosing the right UHF antenna gain

More gain doesn’t automatically mean better reception. The right choice depends largely on the terrain you travel through.

A higher-gain UHF antenna generally concentrates more of its radiation towards the horizon, making it well suited to relatively flat, open country. A lower-gain antenna has a broader vertical radiation pattern, which can be useful in hilly or mountainous terrain. If you spend most of your time crossing open plains, a higher-gain antenna may suit your needs. If you regularly travel through valleys and mountainous country, a lower-gain option may be a better fit.

RFI’s CDX-TREME UHF CB range (↗) includes compact and high-gain options, allowing you to choose an antenna that suits your vehicle and typical driving conditions.

Where to mount a 4WD UHF antenna

Even a good antenna can underperform if it’s mounted in the wrong spot.

Bull bars, roof racks, vehicle pillars and other metalwork can affect an antenna’s radiation pattern. Mounting it as high as practical, with adequate clearance from surrounding metalwork, can help it perform as intended.

A bull bar is a common mounting point on touring four-wheel drives, although a bonnet, guard or other suitable bracket may work better on some vehicles. Clearance is another consideration, especially if you regularly drive through scrub or need to fit into low car parks. A compact antenna may be a better option if overhead height is a concern.

RFI (↗) offers a range of mounting options, including vehicle-specific brackets for selected models. Whichever position you choose, make sure the bracket is secure enough to withstand the vibration of corrugated roads. RFI also recommends keeping other antennas at least 600mm away to minimise interference.

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UHF antenna cable and installation tips

The antenna is only one part of the setup. Damaged cable or loose connections can affect radio performance, even if the antenna itself is in good condition.

A coaxial cable that’s pinched behind trim, rubbing against sharp metal or pulled tight around a moving mount can develop faults. Protect the cable from abrasion, and check for water ingress or damaged connectors during routine inspections. When installing the antenna, keep the cable clear of sharp edges, avoid tight bends and leave enough slack for a spring-mounted antenna to move without pulling on the connection.

RFI’s CDX-TREME UHF CB antennas (↗) come with five metres of RG58 coaxial cable and an adaptor for the radio connection. RFI recommends leaving a loop of cable at the antenna base to accommodate spring movement. Check the bracket, cable and connections during routine vehicle inspections, particularly after extended travel on corrugated roads.

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UHF CB vs cellular antennas for 4WD touring

A UHF CB radio and a cellular antenna serve different purposes, and many touring vehicles carry both.

UHF is useful for communicating with other vehicles, coordinating a convoy and calling out hazards on the track. Its effective range depends on terrain, obstructions, antenna setup and the equipment at the other end. A cellular antenna works with compatible mobile broadband or cellular equipment to help improve connectivity where a usable network signal is available. It can’t provide mobile coverage where there’s no compatible network.

RFI’s CDX-TREME range (↗) includes dedicated UHF CB and cellular antennas. The cellular range includes compact and high-gain options, so check that your chosen antenna supports the frequency bands used by your cellular network and is compatible with your modem or router’s antenna connection. The two systems can complement each other on a touring trip, but neither covers every situation. If you’re heading beyond mobile coverage, a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon is worth considering for emergencies.

The best antenna for your four-wheel drive depends on where you travel, how you use your radio and the space available for mounting. Choose one that suits those needs, install it properly and check the hardware and connections regularly. RFI’s CDX-TREME range (↗) includes UHF CB and cellular options for touring vehicles.

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Quickfire FAQs

What makes an antenna suitable for off-road use?

Robust construction, a flexible spring assembly and secure mounting hardware help it handle vibration and impacts.

Is a higher-gain UHF antenna always better?

No. Higher gain generally suits flatter terrain, while lower gain can be more suitable for hilly country.

Where should you mount a UHF antenna?

Mount it as high as practical, with adequate clearance from surrounding metalwork.

How often should you check your antenna?

Inspect the mounting hardware, cable and connections regularly, particularly after driving on corrugated roads.

Can a cellular antenna provide mobile coverage in remote areas?

It can help improve connectivity where a compatible network signal is available, but it can’t create coverage where none exists.

American Special Vehicles (ASV), the Australian distributor of RAM trucks, has recalled a total of 658 RAM 2500 and 3500 pick-ups over a potential brake system fault.

The recall covers all variants of the DJ-series RAM 2500 and D2-series RAM 3500 built in 2017 and 2018. The fault could reduce braking performance or cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of an accident resulting in injury or death.

The RAM 2500 and 3500 are heavy-duty American pick-ups sold in Australia by ASV. Both are powered by a 6.7-litre Cummins turbo-diesel six-cylinder engine producing 276kW and 1084Nm, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. The 3500 offers higher payload capacity than the 2500, making it better suited to demanding load-carrying duties.

According to the recall notice, the brake hydraulic control unit (HCU) may fail or malfunction, potentially affecting the anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control system. A repair remedy is not yet available. ASV will contact affected owners in writing once a remedy becomes available and ask them to arrange a free repair through an authorised RAM dealer.

Owners can check whether their vehicle is affected by searching its vehicle identification number (VIN) against the list published with the Australian Government’s recall notice (↗). For further information, owners can contact an authorised RAM dealer or ASV on 1300 681 655.

The latest recall follows an August campaign involving a total of 1262 MY2026 RAM 1500 vehicles over potentially faulty second-row seat-belt buckle anchors. The defect could prevent the centre and left-side rear seat belts from operating as intended. Owners were advised not to carry passengers in those seating positions until their vehicles had been inspected and, where required, repaired.

Isuzu has unveiled a new 2.2-litre bi-turbo diesel as part of the reveal of updated D-MAX and MU-X models in Thailand, but whether the engine will reach Australia remains unconfirmed.

The new Ddi Maxforce Bi-Turbo produces 150kW and 500Nm, exceeding the Australian-market 3.0-litre diesel’s 140kW and 450Nm. It also outguns the existing single-turbo 2.2-litre, which delivers 120kW and 400Nm. The smaller engine could give Isuzu another option as Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) tightens, although its impact on fleet emissions would depend on its efficiency and whether it joins the local range.

Isuzu claims the bi-turbo accelerates five per cent quicker from 0-100km/h than the 3.0-litre and improves extra-urban fuel efficiency by eight per cent. It uses a two-stage turbocharging system and is paired with a revised eight-speed automatic, while selected Thai-market D-MAX variants also offer a six-speed manual.

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Could the 2.2-litre replace the 3.0-litre?

The new engine offers a potential middle ground between Isuzu’s existing diesels, delivering more power and torque than the 3.0-litre despite its smaller capacity.

However, peak outputs alone won’t establish whether it can match the larger engine’s appeal among Australian owners who tow and tour. Real-world fuel consumption, performance under load and long-term durability will be important considerations if it reaches local showrooms.

The announcement follows Isuzu’s decision to cancel plans to bring the all-electric D-MAX EV to Australia, leaving diesel as the brand’s only powertrain option locally for now. If introduced here, the new bi-turbo could offer another way to address emissions without moving away from diesel.

As mentioned, the engine was revealed alongside facelifted D-MAX and MU-X models in Thailand, which receive revised exterior styling. Isuzu Ute Australia has not confirmed plans to introduce the new engine or the updated models locally. For now, the 3.0-litre remains in the Australian range.

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Isuzu bi-turbo diesel: quickfire FAQs

What is Isuzu’s new 2.2-litre diesel?

It’s a twin-turbo diesel unveiled for updated D-Max and MU-X models in Thailand.

How much power does it produce?

The engine delivers 150kW and 500Nm.

Will it come to Australia?

Isuzu Ute Australia has not confirmed local availability.

Is it more fuel-efficient than the 3.0-litre?

Isuzu claims an eight per cent improvement in extra-urban fuel efficiency.

Is the 3.0-litre diesel being discontinued?

No discontinuation has been announced, and the new engine’s role in the Australian range remains unclear.