Our time off work is super precious.

This is why you need to make sure that, when you’re planning an off-road escape with yourself and the family, you minimise the stress and worry that planning and undertaking these big adventures can cause.

So, what if we told you there’s a mob in WA that is, effectively, the only place you need to go – and we mean the only place – to make those touring good times come true?

Well, yeah, there are plenty of vehicle-hire companies across Oz that seem to offer that ‘dream trip come true’ scenario. However, the team at 4xploring Rentals goes beyond and delivers what is definitely the ‘complete package’ for anyone looking to simplify their trip planning and prep – to the point where you can just turn up, turn the key and head out on that long-wished-for adventure.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How it began
• Turn-key vehicles
• Ready to help
• Essential info

How all good things should begin: Around a campfire with a few beers

There’s no better place than sitting around a campfire, coming up with life’s solutions and dreaming big? And that’s exactly what happened with 4xploring Rentals Directors, Jerrad Jeffery and Glen Mackay, along with Business Operations Manager, Stefan Cole.

The Kiwi trio had years of off-road touring experience in WA, and the light-bulb moment came when Jerrad and Glen were up in Kununurra having just finished a trip along the Gibb River Road and, after years in the mining sector, thought there had to be a better way to enjoy this lifestyle.

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Cue that few beers around the campfire with Stefan, and the idea of an operation that offered hire vehicles and also provided a complete bespoke service – or package – where travellers can book the fully equipped vehicles (a choice of HiLux, Prado or LC300) and essentially jump off the plane and straight into a vehicle, ready to roll, with food packed and the itinerary sorted, so you can just focus on the fun. It was that difference the team thought was lacking in the market, as Stefan explains.

“We asked ourselves, ‘what can be our point of difference?’” Stefan says. “And we’re like, ‘what if you just want to turn up, turn the key, hit the open road, not have to do a bit of mundane life admin when you land, but you have to go to an unknown city where you don’t know where the nearest Woolies or Dan Murphy’s is, or Kmart or whatever.’

“So, we’re trying to take that onerous exercise off the holiday maker. We want to sort of take the laborious exercise out of planning a holiday where it’s more of a one-stop shop,” Stefan explains.

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To this end, 4xploring Rentals’ comprehensive and easy-to-navigate website has oodles of info for potential customers to assist in pre-planning their trip. Not only about the vehicles you can hire (hires can be a minimum of three days and up to six months or more), but also links to online shopping at nearby supermarkets and a route planner.

This is a huge asset for those coming from interstate or overseas; being able to pre-order all of your food and then have it delivered to 4xploring HQ to pack in the vehicles. The team can also assist with itineraries, or you can use the many handy links on the website to plan it out yourself.

Again, this may sound like just a small thing, but it is of huge assistance and a massive time-saver – again, so you can just land and know that once you’ve jumped behind the wheel of your hire vehicle, it’s time for some fun.

There and back again in the ultimate touring rigs

Go on the 4xploring Rentals website and click on ‘Vehicles’ and you’ll have the choice of a raft of vehicles including a fully kitted HiLux (set up for two people; a four-person option is scheduled to be available by Christmas), a 150 Series Prado, a LandCruiser 300 Series and a camper trailer.

As you’d expect, none of these options miss out on anything, with the hugely impressive HiLux a full custom setup from Core Off-Road in Rockingham, WA (all the vehicles are prepped there).

“It’s a turn-key product from Core,” Stefan explains. “The vehicle comes from Toyota, is delivered pre-rego, then gets fitted with the canopy and a GVM upgrade.”

Ironically, like the rest of Australia, the team had to wait a while to get their HiLux order sorted due to the vehicle’s high demand. The wait has been well worth it, as the finished product – in 4xploring’s distinctive gunmetal grey livery – is impressive and represents a lot of the experienced touring feedback from Jerrad, Glen and Stefan, as well as the very high workmanship from the Core Offroad team.

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The HiLux is packed with accessories, starting at the front with the Offroad Animal bar, Runva 11,000lb winch, Stedi lights, Safari snorkel for clean air, and plenty more. Up top is a Rhino Rack platform set-up, with the ubiquitous set of MaxTrax and a shovel holder. A UHF radio is for comms and there’s a GME PLB for safety.

The canopy is a Core Offroad GTX model, with the driver’s side containing a rooftop basket for storage of camp gear that lifts up into the canopy roof and locks out of the way to optimise storage underneath. The battery and compressor are housed at the front.

The bottom rear has a gas bottle and bayonet (all certified). At the back is an access ladder, rubbish/storage bags, and a ladder to access the roof. There’s also a slide-out drawer with aluminium tabletop for cooking/food prep. The passenger side of the canopy has a 110-litre upright fridge/freezer and a Travel Buddy pie oven.

A four-drawer storage system sits beneath that, with storage space up top and tie-down points, and there’s an Enerdrive E-Pro battery management system and light switches. A Bushwakka 270-degree awning is mounted up top, alongside the all-electric Bundaking rooftop tent. Add in 430W of fixed solar panels, and yep, it’s all there for that big trip.

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To take care of all this extra heft, the HiLux uses a ToughDog GVM kit to bring GVM to 3510kg. The team has plans to use a Pedders GVM upgrade for their next HiLux builds (they have six of the popular dual-cab utes on order), that will give them a 3600kg GVM.

Even though Stefan and the team expect the HiLux option to be the most popular they have by no means skimped on the rest of the 4xploring Rentals fleet, with the other vehicle (and camper trailer) options being of similar high specs.

The Prado features a similar set of mods in terms of the frontal protection, suspension upgrades, safety (PLB), along with a Motop rooftop tent, rear drawer system, a 65L fridge-freezer, long-range fuel tank, awning, compressor, recovery setup, and more.

The LC300 replicates this but with a larger fridge/freezer, slide-out barbecue gas cooker/kitchen and 40L Ontap shower. The MDC six-person camper trailer is another great option for larger groups, and is, as you’d expect, fully equipped.

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More time is your own

Most experienced off-road tourers will nod their heads in agreement when we talk about the importance of thorough trip planning and preparation and how time-consuming it is.

For those with limited annual leave and who want to optimise their time to experience the best of the outdoors, 4xploring Rentals’ ethos – and its intuitive, comprehensive website – resonates highly. It removes a lot of that hassle to the point where, as mentioned earlier, you just have to turn up, jump in the vehicle, turn the key and get out there.

The team itself, being avid campers and tourers, are also always keen to help out (the FAQ section of the website is a ripper) as they, too, know exactly what it’s like to optimise time for the fun things in life. And, really, that’s what it is all about.

Ford Everest

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

There is plenty of choice for large, seven-seat off-road SUVs, but as new models arrive bristling with tech and safety, so too does an inevitable price rise, pushing ever closer to luxury SUV prices.

Here we compare the familiar Mitsubishi Pajero Sport with a new frontier for ute-based wagons, and Wheels magazine’s 2023 Car of the Year winner, the Ford Everest.

Both of these 4×4 wagons are from well-known brands with large dealer networks in Australia. Added to that is the Ford’s local development; while it’s not made here, much of the Everest’s engineering was done in Australia. The new Everest is a new benchmark for large ute-based wagons; certainly, our team of judges thought so when they awarded the Everest the prestigious Wheels Car Of The Year for 2023.

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Not quite such a new toy in the sandbox is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, an off-road-oriented wagon that is getting towards the end of its production cycle.

A new-generation Pajero Sport is due in 2025. As it stands, the Pajero Sport on sale today was first released in 2015, even though it has been updated since – most recently in 2020.

Both these four-wheel drive wagons are based on a dual-cab utility chassis: The Ford is based on the Ranger and Pajero Sport the Triton.

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This used to explain the relatively agricultural engines, rough ride and narrow cabins of such vehicles, but no more; like the utes they are based on, these wagons have become increasingly sophisticated.

Both provide the option of seven-seat versatility, 4×4 off-road ability (although cheaper, less popular 4×2 models are also available) and better towing capacity than most vehicles on the market.

We are just looking at the volume sellers here; that is, 4×4 models.

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JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing and features
• Comfort and space
• On the road
• Ownership
• VERDICT
• Overall scoring
• Specifications

Pricing and features

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has long been a value-laden offering in the large SUV segment, and nothing has changed with the arrival of the more expensive Ford Everest.

However, the Everest’s price impost could be considered worthwhile given it has much more up-to-date tech and safety, as well as better engine choices and towing capacity. Yet the Pajero Sport counters with a few (albeit minor) feature advantages over the Blue Oval offering.

Starting with the base 4×4 model, the Pajero Sport GLX 4WD, there’s a little more than $8000 saved over the Ford Everest Ambiente 4WD, the cheapest Everest with four-wheel drive. Both the Ford and the Mitsubishi are five-seaters in these base models, although the Everest Ambiente can be optioned with seven seats.

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The Ford Everest has a 3500kg (braked) towing capacity (with 350kg tow ball download limit) for all models against the lower 3100kg/310kg (braked) towing limit for all Pajero Sports.

Speaking of towing, the Everest’s optional tow package is more sophisticated than that of the Pajero Sport, with an integrated brake controller as well as trailer calibration for the blind-spot monitoring system as well as a handy trailer light check feature.

The Everest also has a 10-speed automatic as standard against the Pajero Sport’s eight-speed auto. While the Mitsubishi has a slight advantage with its full-time/part-time Super Select II transfer case, the Ford has an effective full-time dual-range 4WD system.

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Both allow you to drive from slippery wet roads onto dry roads in high range without needing to select 2WD, as you must with a part-time 4WD system to avoid driveline damage.

These two entry models, the Everest Ambiente and Pajero Sport GLX, share many standard inclusions such as adaptive cruise control, dusk-sensing bi-LED headlights (the Ford includes auto high beam), power-folding side mirrors, roof rails, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and push-button start, three 12-volt accessory ports, built-in sat-nav (with one year of connected services for free with the Ford), side steps, rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, lane-change assist, autonomous emergency braking and a rear differential lock.

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The Mitsubishi spec advantage over the Ford at this entry-level point comes down to a power tailgate, a 220V AC socket and two second-row USB ports. The entry Everest Ambiente has 17-inch alloys while Mitsubishi provides 18-inch alloy wheels across the range.

However, the base Everest Ambiente builds its case against Pajero Sport GLX with a standard equipment advantage that includes a 10.1-inch infotainment display (only 8.0-inch for all Pajero Sports), wireless phone charging, speed sign recognition, embedded modem, electro-chromatic rear vision mirror, front parking sensors, post-collision braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, lane departure prevention and lane-change assist.

All Everests have wireless phone mirroring, while it’s wired only on the Pajero Sport. Two front USB ports are fitted to the Pajero Sport; the Everest has three up front.

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Moving up the model walk is the Everest Trend at $65,590, and the Pajero Sport GLS at $55,190 (prices exclude on-road costs).

Standard equipment for both includes seven seats, power tailgate, power-folding side mirrors and rear privacy glass, while the Ford also gets 18-inch alloy wheels to equal the Mitsubishi. The Everest finally matches the two second-row USB ports of all Pajero Sports, while the Mitsubishi is ahead at this trim level with tyre pressure monitoring that Ford doesn’t offer until the Platinum trim level.

While it is $10,400 more expensive, the Everest Trend has additional features over the Pajero Sport GLS such as leather seats (excluding third row), power driver’s seat adjustment and a 12.0-inch infotainment touchscreen.

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Next up the model price walk are the Everest Sport and the Pajero Sport Exceed, with the Mitsubishi this time being $8900 cheaper than the Ford. While the Ford diverges to a sporty theme, the Mitsubishi is more focused on luxury. Both have leather seats, heated and power-adjustable at the front.

The Exceed, with the inclusion at this trim level of blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, finally reaches some of the safety kit you get on a base Everest. Tech on the Exceed is also boosted with app control for the tailgate and other features. The Exceed beats the Sport with its 360-degree camera and a full digital dash.

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An Everest Sport, however, counters with a powerful V6 turbo-diesel engine as standard, 20-inch alloy wheels, and power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats.

The Pajero Sport model range extends past Exceed trim to GSR, a sporty variant at the top of the line-up. This is basically an Exceed with an appearance package including black painted wheels and trim. The rest of the features imitate the Exceed, and there are no powertrain or suspension changes.

Meanwhile, the Everest model range climbs further at the upper-spec levels, with a limited-edition $72,804 (before on-road costs) Wildtrak next up, limited to 800 units. It gets a dark grey grille and side mirrors, silver underbody plate, 20-inch alloy wheels, tyre pressure monitoring, black leather upholstery, orange trim stitching, power-adjustable front seats with memory function for the driver, a panoramic glass roof, 360-degree cameras, ambient lighting and external zone lighting.

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The Pajero Sport range received a five-star ANCAP safety rating when released back in 2015

Top of the Ford tree is the Everest Platinum at $77,000 before on-road costs. The Platinum features over the Wildtrak include 21-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights, plusher leather upholstery, powered third-row seat folding, a 12.4-inch digital dash, active park assist, B&O premium audio, a heated steering wheel and heated outboard second-row seats.

Mitsubishi’s Pajero Sport range received a five-star ANCAP safety rating when released back in 2015 – which was given under more lenient guidelines than now. Because the ANCAP ratings have advanced since, the 2023 Pajero Sport is now considered ‘unrated’. Meanwhile, the Ford Everest was ANCAP crash-tested in 2022, with a maximum five-star result.

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The large 4×4 wagon category starting under $60K has another six direct contenders: the GWM Tank ($46,990-$60,990), Isuzu MU-X ($54,900-$65,990), LDV D90 ($46,832-$52,095), Mahindra Scorpio ($41,990-$45,990) SsangYong Rexton ($47,990-$56,585) and Toyota Fortuner ($53,775-$66,755).

All prices except the GWM, LDV, Mahindra and SsangYong exclude on-road costs. What might also be considered as competitors (although pricing is heading well north of the vehicles just mentioned) are the Jeep Grand Cherokee ($77,950-$129,950) and Toyota Prado ($62,830-$87,468), again before on-road costs.

Of the above vehicles, the Isuzu MU-X and Toyota Fortuner (both also based on ute models) are the closest competitors to Everest and Pajero Sport – although the Toyota LandCruiser Prado is also still a popular choice in this segment.

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Comfort and space

Even though it has been breathed over since its 2015 launch with a nice, modern design and neat tactile finishes here and there, the Pajero Sport feels more old-school to sit in than the more integrated and roomier Everest.

The Mitsubishi’s seats are relatively close to the floor but where the Pajero Sport most clearly shows its age inside the cabin is with the eight-inch touchscreen, which is small by modern standards and the operating system feels generations old in operation. Also, the second-row seat doesn’t slide forward for third-row access, which is surprising.

Meanwhile, the Everest is not exactly lush in material quality or finish at lower trim levels but it certainly is more modern and, while not exactly Range Rover plush, once you reach Platinum spec it is a more feature-laden vehicle than the Pajero Exceed or GSR.

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There are several years of extra development advantage in the Everest, and they have been well spent. It has a cohesive, clever interior with acres of space, intuitive infotainment, decent materials quality and solid ergonomics.

However, points against the Ford here for the tiny and fiddly thumb buttons on the right-hand side of the gear selector, which you’re expected to use when manually selecting ratios in the transmission.

The Pajero Sport‘s luggage capacity figures are only measured to the top of the seatback, while the Everest figures extend to the roof.

Although the Everest is slightly longer externally than the Pajero Sport (by about 100mm), it is considerably wider (200mm).

Meanwhile, the Everest is also longer, wider and taller in almost all interior measurements. The Everest may only offer a couple of millimetres more headroom than Pajero Sport, shoulder room and legroom are better by around 30-40mm. That said, front legroom in the Pajero Sport has a 10mm advantage.

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On the road

The Pajero Sport’s ability to adapt to both tarmac and dirt is one of its most endearing attributes.

Its 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine is slightly underpowered in its attempt to push the vehicle’s 2209kg weight (GSR) and although relatively quiet, you can hear it working hard to do so. But it’s not a mitigating factor.

While Mitsubishi is also not the most refined when travelling on long stretches of bitumen, its eight-speed automatic transmission feels well-calibrated and smooth by large SUV standards.

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The Everest’s two powertrains both have more polish, and a lot more substance in terms of refinement, outputs and fuel consumption.

Of course, the six-pot engine is our pick, delivering a cultured note – for an oil burner – at the top end and 600Nm on tap to make towing up to 3500kg braked pretty effortless. It feels as if it could drag an errant tectonic plate back into line.

While the rear live axle doesn’t make the Everest ride like Citroen DS on a lumpy, corrugated dirt road, it feels pretty refined just about everywhere else – and when you jump into the Pajero Sport straight after the Ford, it highlights the Ford’s better ride and refinement. The Mitsubishi’s ride is more abrupt than the Ford everywhere, although in truth it’s still not bad for a ladder-frame 4×4.

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Ownership

Mitsubishi is industry-leading when it comes to aftersales support, with all vehicles covered by a five-year/100,000km vehicle warranty. That extends to 10 years or 200,000km of cover if owners keep scheduled servicing with Mitsubishi.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Mitsubishi will also cap servicing costs for the first ten years or 150,000km and includes 10 years of roadside assistance provided, again, that you service yearly at Mitsubishi.

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Meanwhile, the Ford comes standard with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and free roadside assistance for a year, continued when you have services done with Ford.

The capped-price maintenance scheme covers the first four scheduled services, either pre-paid or pay-as-you-go, due every 12 months or 15,000km. It’s worth noting that Ford gives you a free service loan car and also a price-matched tyre offering, neither of which are offered by Mitsubishi.

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Ford warranty coverage

Mitsubishi warranty coverage

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VERDICT

The Pajero Sport is undeniably one of a few older models in this segment but remains one the more attractive and better value offerings, with a great 4WD system and efficient engine.

Mitsubishi still gives you ample tech and comfort features, too. While it is not expensive, neither is it bargain basement for the category. The Pajero Sport also now lacks a safety rating and that 3500kg towing capacity some consider important.

It is pretty clear that the ute-based SUV market has moved on since the Pajero Sport first arrived in 2015, and none shows that more clearly than the Ford Everest.

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While saying that Everest is based on a commercial ute is a talking point, it is fast becoming an irrelevant one. Put simply, this is one of the best 4×4 wagons on the market, period.

Even though rough-road ride quality could be a touch smoother, some of the lower cabin materials a little more polished and the the manual mode button easier to use, the Ford has plenty of positives.

The interior space, both powertrains’ refinement and performance, the ride and handling, and the long list of tech and safety features all conspire to serve the Everest the accolades it richly deserves.

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OVERALL SCORING

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Specifications

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Scores from car reviews

Ford Everest

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

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As one of a handful of seven-seat SUVs with proper off-road credentials currently on the Australian market, the Pajero Sport remains popular with adventure-driven families.

And for good reason; it’s well-priced and comes with a generous warranty and class-leading after-sales support.

In its current guise though, the Paj Sport was first released back in 2015 and is somewhat long in the tooth – despite a mid-life refresh in 2020 that was largely cosmetic.

With an influx of more modern large SUVs arriving locally – think Everest – is the ageing Pajero Sport still a worthy consideration?

Four 4×4 models occupy the Australian line-up – GLX, GLS, Exceed and GSR – with the choice of either five or seven pews available. The mid-spec GLS we have here is the cheapest entry point in to a seven-seat 4×4 variant.

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Interior

Despite feeling dated in certain areas, the Pajero Sport’s interior is a comfortable place for a family voyage beyond the black stump.

The undersized eight-inch touchscreen now feels a generation old, with the system itself slow to boot by modern standards.

TomTom navigation is embedded within the system, but, with the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, we’re hard-pressed to know if anyone will ever use it. Still, the most commonly used applications and functions are easy to find.

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Broken record here, but the on-screen touch buttons instead of ‘actual’ buttons and dials is an ongoing gripe we have here at 4X4 Australia – especially for volume control. Not only is there a delay when pressing the buttons, but the screen doesn’t take long to get filthy with fingerprints.

An updated UI, a bigger screen, and buttons and dials would make a world of difference.

Front passengers are greeted with two USB points, one HDMI point and a 12-volt outlet; those in the rear seat get two USB points and a 150W outlet; while the third row has one 12-volt outlet.

Grab handles for the driver and front and rear passengers make entry and exit easy for weary travellers, and, unlike the base-spec GLX, the GLS comes with dual-zone climate control.

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The cloth-trimmed seats are supportive and comfortable, and there’s plenty of head- and leg-room in the second row. Owners will have to manually adjust the front seating positions, though – ticking the ‘Deluxe’ option at purchase time will ensure you get leather-appointed powered seats, as well as Mitsubishi’s Multi-Around Monitor system.

The third row is a little bit cramped, but smaller kids will be comfortable on longer trips.

That third row can be easily stowed to allow for greater luggage capacity, and the boot can eat up to 502 litres of space when rear-most seats are folded down. Folding all of the seats opens up 1488 litres and ample space: 1575mm (L) x 1370mm (W) x 885mm (H).

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The GLS comes with a payload capacity of just 715kg. A plastic cover protects the carpet when the seats are flat, but the bumpy plastic provides an uneven surface and items do slide around because of this.

There’s no shortage of storage bins and pockets, which are neatly positioned within the cabin, including the clever use of otherwise wasted space beneath the centre console.

Two drink holders sit between the driver and passenger, while big pockets in doors are a snug fit for larger items. The GLS model also features a handy rear floor storage compartment.

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Exterior

The revamped front end of the Pajero Sport was implemented as part of the vehicle’s mid-life update in 2020. Much like the changes to the Triton the year previously, the Pajero Sport received the same ‘Dynamic Shield’ design concept for a wider, bolder front end.

The facelift was essential to bring the Pajero Sport in to the current century, but, much like the Triton, it could do with slightly less chrome. The design of the rear lights remains a point of conjecture, with the tear-drop style remaining a divisive talking point.

A powered tailgate was also added with the 2020 mid-life update, and we must’ve had a glitchy unit, as it was a temperamental piece of tech. Please comment below if you have had a similar experience?

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On the road, and off

As one of the few seven-seat SUVs on the market with proper 4×4 credentials, an all-terrain set of boots would transform the Pajero Sport into an off-road-ready weapon.

With a modest 133kW and 430Nm on tap, there’s no disguising the fact Mitsubishi’s 2.4-litre MIVEC DID turbo-diesel engine seems to work hard to get the 2060kg Pajero Sport up to speed.

It’s also not the quietest nor smoothest in its operation, but once sitting at 100 clicks on the freeway, the burly SUV is a pleasant place to sit.

Like others in this category, the Pajero Sport utilises a ladder-frame chassis derived from its ute-based sibling, but it replaces the leaf springs found at the rear of the Triton with coils – the front-end shares the same coil design. This translates to a much smoother on-road composure than the Triton ute.

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The eight-speed transmission is well-calibrated, with up- and down-changes fairly smooth by large SUV standards. The GLS 4×4 is equipped with paddle shifters, which is convenient for when bitumen turns to dirt.

Wearing 265/60 RE Open Country Toyo A32 road tyres and 18-inch two-tone alloys limited the amount of off-roading we could enjoy, but we did enjoy a spirited yet brief opportunity to flick the on-demand 4×4 system – Super Select II – in to 4WD Low.

The eight-speed transmission is well-calibrated, with up- and down-changes fairly smooth by large SUV standards.

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As one of the few seven-seat SUVs on the market with proper 4×4 credentials, an all-terrain set of boots would transform the Pajero Sport into an off-road-ready weapon.

Once we started to slip and slide on those road tyres, though, we opted to return to the bitumen so that we could deliver the vehicle to Mitsubishi HQ with its side-steps intact. With that in mind, the driver-selectable rear diff lock which comes standard remained unused on this occasion.

At the end of 2022, the Pajero Sport GLS received a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as standard, which provides the driver with upt-to-date tyre pressure information and is a feature that should be standard on all 4×4 vehicles.

For caravan owners, the GLS 4×4 comes with a REDARC trailer control system.

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Safety

The Pajero Sport carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating, awarded in 2015 under a less strict regime than that used today.

However, Mitsubishi has not rested on its laurels. As part of a 2020 upgrade, the Pajero Sport added Lane Change Assist (LCA) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) – but these are only available as standard on Exceed models.

The GLS does get Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Emergency Stop Signal system (ESS), and Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.

Safety kit includes

VERDICT

It may have started to show its age, but the Pajero Sport GLS remains a compelling, off-road-ready seven-seat 4×4

The release of the all-new Ford Everest has widened the chasm between it and the rest of the large SUV market, bringing with it unrivalled on-road characteristics. But is there still an argument for the ageing Pajero Sport?

It may have started to show its age, but the Pajero Sport GLS is an off-road-ready seven-seat 4×4, with oodles of space, a decent drivetrain, a competitive price tag of $55,190 (the vehicle received a $1000 price rise in December, 2022), class-leading after-sales support, and a ten-year warranty.

It remains a compelling choice.

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2023 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 4×4 specs

October: Nissan Patrol Warrior driven!

4X4 Australia editor Matt Raudonikis tackles Tasmania’s Climies Track in the new Nissan Patrol Warrior.

September: Patrol Warrior pricing announced

Premcar has finally finished its Warrior transformation of the V8-powered Nissan Patrol off-roader.

Anticipated since the Australian outlet first announced the Warrior version of Nissan’s Navara ute in 2019, we’ve known of this project for a long time.

With a laundry list of changes from bigger alloy wheels, bush-ready protection, bi-modal exhaust, and 50mm lift kit, the Patrol Warrior is engineered for Australian conditions and remanufactured locally. It’ll cost you $101,160 before on-road costs – $16,260 more than the base car.

Psst, we’ve already had a spin in a prototype – read about it below

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“The Patrol Warrior by Premcar has been developed specifically for Australian conditions and is the product of some of Australia’s leading car-making know-how.

“It’s been developed after thousands of hours of intensive research by our dedicated team of automotive industry engineering and manufacturing specialists, and we’re incredibly proud to launch the latest addition to the Warrior range”, said Premcar engineering director Bernie Quinn.

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What’s changed underneath?

Fans of the 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre petrol V8 will be glad to know that it remains the centrepiece of the Patrol Warrior, with only a twin-mode side-exit exhaust system to help it breathe a little better.

Premcar worked on the Patrol Warrior with four key pillars: enhanced capability in every sense, road presence, the perfect soundtrack, and superb refinement. The below is the result of the extensive Warrior program.

Being based on the Ti trim means the Warrior is equipped with a helical limited-slip rear differential, various off-road modes, full-time four-wheel drive, a seven-speed automatic, and creature comforts like power-adjustable seats.

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In addition to the functional modifications, Premcar has added plenty of black exterior finishes for a more menacing appearance.

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Pricing and availability

The Patrol Warrior is available to order now and is the most expensive of the breed despite missing out on the top-spec Ti-L’s ($97,600) 13-speaker Bose sound system, sunroof, front seat ventilation, and a few other goodies.

However, next to a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series that costs $142,101 in off-road ready GR Sport guise, the Patrol Warrior’s asking price looks fairly reasonable.

The Nissan Patrol is due for replacement sometime in 2025, likely taking visual inspiration from an Infiniti concept car and transitioning to a turbocharged V6 petrol engine.

Nissan and Premcar have launched the third vehicle in their Warrior collaboration, and this time they have turned their talents to the venerable Y62 Patrol.

Following on from the Navara Pro-4X and Navara SL Warrior utes, the Patrol represents the partners’ first foray into a 4×4 wagon, and what a wagon it is!

The Y62 Patrol might be getting long in the tooth, and after almost 13 years on the market an all-new model is apparently just around the corner; so this Patrol Warrior could be seen as a last hurrah for the big, capable 4×4.

It comes at a time when the Patrol is selling in record numbers in Australia, with August 2023 representing the highest sales of the iconic model here.

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Nissan Australia has seen this growth year-on-year, as well as the things its customers are doing with their Patrols in terms of aftermarket enhancements. So they commissioned Premcar to come up with a Patrol Warrior that reflects the more common aftermarket modifications in a factory-backed package.

Items like all-terrain tyres, a suspension upgrade, and chrome and woodgrain delete were all seen as upgrades that owners were regularly fitting to their Patrols and have been included in the Warrior package.

Starting with a Patrol Ti – the lower of the two model grades available in the current Patrol range – the vehicles undergo the Warrior transformation at Premcar’s Melbourne manufacturing facility on a new production line set up alongside the Navara Warrior line. The entire conversion, from the suspension and exhaust upgrades to the decal fitment and road testing, is done in-house at Premcar.

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Standard equipment

The Ti might be the lower grade in the Patrol range, but it is still well-equipped for a sub-$100,000 4×4 wagon.

What the Warrior gets

The Warrior enhancements start with the suspension upgrade, with new springs and dampers raising the vehicle 29mm over the standard height. A further 21mm in height comes from the bigger all-terrain tyres fitted, to make the Warrior ride 50mm higher than the original vehicle.

The Patrol Warrior retains the car’s original and excellent hydraulic body motion control (HBMC) system and, unlike most aftermarket suspension changes, Premcar was able to recalibrate the HBMC to suit the taller ride height and modified ride and handling characteristics. This was done by re-valving the HBMC’s control units.

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Get behind the wheel of the Patrol Warrior and straight away you feel the taller ride height. You look down across the massive bonnet to the road ahead with a commanding view of your surroundings.

Hit the starter button and the naturally aspirated VK56 V8 engine barks into life. The Warrior gets a bespoke exhaust system, from the catalytic converters back to the tail pipes and unique side-exit exhaust tips. The exhaust system is bi-modal and opens up to the side exit under load, or when you flick the transmission shifter across to the manual mode to deliver a bellow that is raucous without being offensive or annoying.

Premcar’s engineers went to great lengths to get the exhaust sound right and not have it droning when under constant loads such as when you might be towing a heavy trailer, and they certainly hit the mark with this system.

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Aside from the smile-inducing tone, the Warrior’s exhaust system doesn’t offer any performance improvements and the outputs of the 5.6-litre VK56 V8 remain the standard 298kW @ 5800rpm and 560Nm @ 4000rpm. Further down the driveline, the OEM seven-speed automatic transmission and dual-range 4×4 system remain unchanged from the donor car.

Nissan is quoting the same 14.4L/100km fuel consumption for the Patrol Warrior as it does for the standard Patrol Ti, but the bigger and heavier tyres, extra weight and added ride height would have to add to that figure in the real world.

We did ask if Premcar considered supercharging the Nissan V8 engine as it is another popular modification, and Premcar’s Bernie Quinn told us he did drive Harrop’s supercharged Patrol but surmised, “Does it really need it?”

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Quinn added there would have been a lot more testing and development needed, and added expense, if they were to supercharge the VK56 and still be able to warrant the driveline, pointing to the company’s previous supercharged offering when they developed the supercharged ‘Miami’ V8 for Ford/FPV.

Premcar warrants all of its enhancements to the Nissan Warrior vehicles, while the car itself maintains its factory Nissan warranty. Should anything go wrong with any part of your Patrol Warrior, you can take it back to the Nissan dealer for any warranty work.

This is one of the key advantages of buying a vehicle that has been enhanced as part of a factory-backed collaboration. Another is the fact that Premcar gets access to all the Nissan IP for the vehicle, so that any and all modifications they do are fully integrated into the vehicle and its operating systems.

Safety features

On-road performance

Tasmania’s winding mountain roads delivered the perfect platform on which to appreciate the Patrol Warrior’s exemplary road-holding ability.

It does feel the extra ride height, making it a tad more ‘tippy’ than the standard Patrol, but the full independent suspension with HBMC delivers dynamic handling and roadholding that hide the big wagon’s 2884kg and tall stature. It’s an on-road performance that no other off-road-capable large 4×4 wagon can come near and rewards the enthusiastic driver like no other.

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Incidentally, the Warrior transformation adds 72kg to the weight of the Ti Patrol but the suspension upgrades allow for a 120kg increase in GVM, so the payload is not compromised and is actually better than on the standard car.

Interestingly, Premcar didn’t develop and install a steel front bumper for the Patrol Warrior like it did for the Navara Warrior models. This was because the Y62 Patrol has never been tested and homologated for a heavy steel front bumper anywhere in the world, and this would be required to retain the factory warranty and standards of the vehicle. Doing such testing would have added considerable expense to the Warrior.

Off-road performance

To take the Warrior to the other end of its limitations, Nissan chose one of the toughest 4×4 tracks in Tasmania to demonstrate its abilities.

Due to time limitations we only drove a few hours into Climies Track and turned back out again, but the rutted condition of the terrain here is no place for production vehicles.

Straight away the extra 50mm of ride height and ground clearance was appreciated and saved the Warriors from certain body damage and loss of side steps, while the front bash plate did its thing to protect the undercarriage.

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The fully independent suspension does have a surprising amount of wheel travel, but even that couldn’t keep the Yokies on the ground when climbing out of these ruts. The standard electronic traction control was a bit slow to react to spinning wheels, but employing the standard rear differential lock quickly took care of any deficiencies here.

The strong off-road performance of the Warrior was expected, but what makes it even more impressive – after reinflating the tyres – is its excellent dynamics on-road when hitting the twisty roads up towards Cradle Mountain. It’s the sort of breadth of on- and off-road abilities that Land Rover has always prided itself on.

Off-road specs

VERDICT

As the Warrior takes the Patrol back over the $100,000 threshold, the Land Rover Defender would be firmly up against it in terms of competition. But, just like a LandCruiser 300 with similar spec, you’ll be paying considerably more than the entry price to Patrol Warrior ownership.

The Ineos Grenadier could also be considered in this field, but we expect it to be more agricultural and unable to match the Nissan in terms of dynamics and refinement.

Despite its age the Y62 Patrol is still an exceptional vehicle and one that is truly a joy to drive both on- and off-road . The Warrior package by Premcar only enhances its ability and allows the driver to do even more with it.

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Sure you could fit bigger and maybe better gear to a Patrol from the aftermarket, but this is a transformation that is completed to OE standard and specifications, allowing the Warrior to retain all of Nissan’s factory warranty and service.

If Nissan were to fit an updated interior to the Patrol with a bigger and better A/V screen and system, there would be nothing else most buyers would ask for.

The rumoured and expected change to a turbocharged V6 engine in lieu of the naturally aspirated V8 for the next Patrol model might bring fuel savings that could attract even more buyers to the big Patrol, but on the other hand it would lose the brawny sound and feeling that only a V8 can deliver and has always been a hallmark of the Y62.

Time will tell what way Nissan goes with its next generation of Patrol, but for now, the Warrior by Premcar is the icing on the cake for the current model.

Isuzu Ute is a subsidiary of the Japanese company, Isuzu Motors Limited, specialising in utility vehicles and pick-up trucks.

Established in 2008, Isuzu Ute has quickly made a name for itself in markets around the world, particularly in Australia, where its D-MAX pick-up and MU-X SUV have gained significant popularity.

The brand even hit an all time delivery record in August of this year.

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Renowned for their durability, reliability, and robust engineering, Isuzu Ute vehicles are are popular choice for those who require rugged vehicles for work, off-road adventures or towing.

The brand’s commitment to producing vehicles that can withstand tough conditions while offering modern comforts has solidified its reputation in the automotive industry.

So when it comes to towing, the Isuzu MU-X is a naturally a consideration among adventurers and families alike.

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2023 Isuzu MU-X features

The Isuzu MU-X is a 7-seater large SUV available in three trim grades: LS-M, LS-U and the range-topping LS-T.

Isuzu’s well-respected 3.0-litre diesel engine is under the bonnet across the model, producing 140kW and 450Nm. All are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and are available in a 4×2 or 4×4 configuration.

Standard specs on the entry-level LS-M include 17-inch alloy wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay/wired Android Auto, a 7.0-inch infotainment display, reversing camera, rear parking sensors and an electric park brake.

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Moving up to the LS-U you’ll get 18-inch alloy wheels, a larger 9.0-inch screen, leather-accented steering wheel and gear selector, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, auto wipers and a power tailgate.

The top of the range LS-T adds extra features including LED daytime running lights, 20-inch alloys, leather-accented seats, in-built satellite navigation and a premium eight-speaker sound system.

What is the Isuzu MU-X’s towing capacity?

The 2023 Isuzu MU-X has a maximum braked towing capacity of 3500kg. This means that when the trailer being towed has its own braking system, the MU-X can tow up to this weight.

For trailers without their own brakes, the MU-X has a maximum unbraked towing capacity of 750kg.

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How does it compare to competitors?

In the large SUV segment, the Isuzu MU-X stands out for its leading towing capabilities. The recent addition of a V6 powertrain to the Everest line-up brought with it an increased capacity to match the MU-X.

Here’s how it stacks up against some of its main competitors:

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Safety

The MU-X range has earned a five-star ANCAP rating.

This includes a comprehensive suite of safety features under IDAS (Isuzu Driver Assistance System) offering eight airbags, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

To further enhance its off-roading capabilities it has electronic stability control, hill start assist, hill descent control and roll over mitigation which reduces the risk of a vehicle overturning.

Nothing beats a solo adventure on the open road, tapping out of the city and tuning into nature with the 2023 Wheels Car of the Year.

Driving on my own means extra prepping in case of emergency, but this is made less daunting with the appropriate gear and an impressive vehicle like the Ford Everest Sport to take for a weekend spin.

My mission was to find a destination not far from the city that has great camping areas, walking trails and the occasional four-wheel drive track to get my dose of outdoor adventure. Dwellingup and its surrounds tick all these boxes, and it’s just over an hour south-east of Perth.

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The Everest is extremely comfortable to drive, and it’s equipped with a suite of advanced safety technologies, offering features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring to keep me alert and in control at all times.

It’s also a stand-out from the crowd with its slick blue exterior design, front fascia features such as a black mesh grille, distinctive LED headlights and stylish 20-inch alloy wheels.

My first stop, just 15 minutes north of Dwellingup, is a drive along Grey Road towards the Marrinup Falls Walk Trail; just outside of Marrinup town and campground. It’s an incredible time of the year to see wildflowers; particularly the wattle trees that illuminate either side of the road with their iridescent yellow flowers.

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There are some moderate, slightly rocky inclines towards Marrinup Falls, with the descent control settings of the Everest regulating its speed while descending the steeper gradients and always maintaining traction and control.

Adjacent to these trails is the POW camp trail. This historical trail has a dark history, as it was used as a prisoner of war camp during, and after World War II.

It allows hikers to retrace the footsteps of the prisoners on a 4.5 km circuit and undoubtedly is a unique way to experience first-hand the history of this area. However, I am on the clock to set up camp and check out some other tracks before dusk sets in; so, I head off towards Dwellingup.

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Choose your own adventure

I make a quick detour to the Pinjarra Bakery in Waroona to grab one of their ‘famous’ vanilla slices, then drive 30 minutes to the Dwellingup Visitor Centre to gather some more information on the area.

Next door is a buzzy little cafe with a throng of bikes out front; not surprising due to Dwellingup’s burgeoning mountain bike scene and other outdoor winter activities from what I’ve gleaned from the information counter and pamphlets I’ve gathered.

Everything from different grades of cycling and hiking trails to ziplining and white-water rafting prevails in this area. The Dwellingup Adventures shop within the same building, offers a variety of mountain bikes, canoes, or kayaks for hire.

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I leave the info centre armed with maps and set off for a leisurely drive in the Everest towards Lane Poole Reserve to set up my swag and check out the Cape Fawcett Track.

Lane Poole Reserve is a 50,000-hectare natural playground; nestled in the Darling Range and less than a 10-minute drive south from the Dwellingup Information Centre, it offers a very easy driving circuit through forest dappled sealed and unsealed tracks, and over river crossings.

There’s plenty of options for camping upon entry to the Reserve (fees apply), with each area providing pit toilets, fire pits and bins for both families and solo travellers like myself; including campgrounds at New Baden Powell (usually a host to school camps), Charlies Flat, Yarragil, Stringers and Tonys Bend.

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Camping fees apply at all sites and it’s best to check the Parks and Wildlife Services website for updates on road closures, maintenance, and bookings at certain times of the year.

I take the winding road that splits off from Nanga Bush Camp near the main entrance towards Bob’s Crossing – a quaint little bridge that overlooks the Murray River, and so glassy that it resembles a fold-out painting of forest as it reflects off the water’s surface.

During the summer, the river provides a playful setting for swinging off ropes into the water, canoeing and fishing; a very different scene to the stillness and tranquillity I am witnessing right now.

Although during the winter months, when the water levels rise from the rains, the river swells provide small rapids further towards the Lane Poole Reserve entrance at Dwaarlindjirraap, ideal for white water rafting.

The road towards Tonys Bend campground runs parallel to steeply forested valley slopes and swimming holes of the Murray River and it’s mottled with dark muddy potholes and slimy unsealed gravel road, which the exceptional suspension of the Everest helps it glide over with ease.

It’s a magical view of the river from my secluded camp spot as I set up my swag, devour my vanilla slice and then jump back in the Everest (while still trying to get used to the auto start button for the ignition!) to check out the Captain Fawcett track for some potential off-road action.

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Commemorative 4WD tracks

Named after Captain Theo Fawcett who created the track back in the mid-to-late 1800s, the Captain Fawcett track runs along old rail embankments, where trains once hauled timber from the forests.

Allow for up to 4 hours on this moderate to difficult four-wheel drive track. It’s around 105 km with the first 30-odd km taking most of the time; beginning at Dawn Creek Road near Nanga Mill and ending at Quindanning.

Unfortunately, with the recent heavy rains, the track is closed once I get there.

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I get a rare glimpse of what looks like a western quoll (or chuditch) scuttling across the track and into the forest underbrush.

There’s no doubt that with the Everest’s V6 diesel engine that delivers ample torque for off-road adventures, it will find the steep hills and challenging terrain of this track a cinch to power through, but bringing a driving buddy along during the drier months may prove to be the safer option for me, anyway.

So, I drive back through the Nanga Townsite, past the Treetops Adventure playground which is webbed with 8 different tree rope courses and 23 ziplines, through to Nanga Mill campground to have a snack and watch the kangaroos, kookaburras and magpies go about their business in the sunshine.

I get a rare glimpse of what looks like a western quoll (or chuditch) scuttling across the track and into the forest underbrush.

Yes, quokkas are found outside of Rottnest Island, which is news to me as a Western Australian local!

However, I start chatting to a ranger doing some maintenance around the campgrounds who says it’s unlikely I would have seen one around these parts – but that it may have been a quokka. Yes, quokkas are found outside of Rottnest Island, which is news to me as a Western Australian local!

The reserve protects about 500 species of native plants which provide important habitat for threatened fauna species; including said quokkas, the noisy scrub-bird, woylie, chuditch and western ring-tailed possum.

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Sunday driving

There’s so much to do at Lane Poole Reserve that it would require at least a few days to experience most of the activities on offer.

It hosts part of the Bibbulmun Track, a walk that stretches 1000 km from Perth Hills through parts of Lane Poole Reserve and down through to Albany. The Munda Biddi Trail is a renowned off-road cycling track that traverses through the pristine forests of the reserve and is suitable for all levels.

Chuditch Walk Trail also passes through the Nanga area, which was once a thriving timber milling town, operating from 1900 until the devastating Dwellingup fires of 1961. The trail can be started from either Nanga Townsite or Nanga Mill campgrounds.

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There are numerous unsealed driving tracks around the area, as well as gravel roads.

The Everest cruises on the undulating, wet and windy roads of Dwellingup and surrounds, with barely a noise heard within the cabin itself.

It’s incredibly chilly outside, particularly in the depths of the jarrah forest, so the seat warmers add extra comfort for the drive, and I’m enamoured with the extra top glove compartment for easy extraction of maps; which I’ve marked up with places I want to visit on my drive.

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As dusk is slowly encroaching, I head back to camp, get the fire going (bring your own firewood) and rug up with two layers of thermals for a good night’s sleep.

I awaken to early morning sunlight filtering through the trees and go about making coffee in my filter cup; then pack up my swag to hit the road. It’s not a country drive without picking up some local produce on my way through Dwellingup.

There’s a convenient ‘tap-and-go’ backyard caravan setup selling all the relishes, local honey and jams that I can fit in my arms, and then I’m back on the open road in the Ford Everest towards the big smoke once again.

For information on the Ford Everest range and features, visit here [↗].

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After years of development and rigorous testing, Bushranger 4×4 has released its all-new COVERT winch, a compact and synergised Australian-designed 12V winch that is revolutionary.

The COVERT winch is equipped with an ultra-efficient all-in-one motor control unit paired with a finely tuned 5.3hp 12V motor. The in-built motor control unit features a direct-connection bespoke Albright contactor that creates greater motor efficiency while removing the requirement for an external control box.

The purpose-built 5.3hp series-wound motor drives a four-stage gearbox that delivers faster line speeds while drawing reduced current, something you demand from a 4WD recovery.

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The gearbox is constructed using hardened steel gearsets that have been designed for maximum strength, load distribution and durability. A zero-drag braking system provides 100 per cent load holding and the ability to utilise powered unspooling under zero load, without damaging the COVERT winch.

Engineered and proven in Australia, the COVERT winch utilises the highest quality components and has been rigorously tested so that you can be assured the winch and its components are reliable and long-lasting, even under the harshest conditions. Robustly constructed, the lightweight aluminium alloy housings are structurally designed and finished with a durable pre-treated satin black powdercoat.

With a stylistic and discreet aesthetic, the COVERT winch allows a discreet fitment into an expansive range of 4WDs and, with multiple mounting options that won’t interfere with the airflow to cooling systems or essential sensors on your 4WD, the versatile winch comes prewired with preset clutch positioning to suit most bull bars.

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The COVERT winch also comes with a compact and water-resistant dual-connection remote that offers a 30m range (wireless) or 5m wired lead and a main power isolation switch.

The RWC100S and RWC100W models are 583mm (L) x 171mm (W) x 202mm (H) and when fitted weigh 31.5kg with a synthetic rope and 43kg with a steel cable.

The synthetic rope is 28m black, 10mm diameter with a protective sleeve, while the steel cable is 28m, 9.2mm diameter. Fairleads to suit the synthetic cable or wire cable are included in the kit.

Bushranger offers a limited lifetime warranty with a seven-year warranty on the electrical components.

Pricing

COVERT 10,000lb Synthetic Winch: $1595 COVERT 10,000lb Wire Winch: $1395

COVERT 12,000lb winches will be available in February 2024. The Bushranger COVERT winch is only available through the ARB Network.

The HiLux versus Ranger rivalry continues unabated atop the 4×4 sales charts, with September results showing the Ranger remains the most in demand 4×4 vehicle in Australia.

A total of 5124 Ranger 4×4 variants were registered in September 2023, giving it an edge of 394 units over the HiLux which registered 4730 total 4×4 sales.

The Isuzu D-MAX continues its steadfast performance on the charts, with its 2339 total 4×4 sales once again placing it on the podium behind the Ranger and HiLux.

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These three vehicles also featured on the overall best-selling charts (4×4 and 4×2 vehicles combined). With 5776 total sales, the HiLux was followed by the Ford Ranger (5429), Tesla Model Y (3811), Isuzu D-MAX (2885) and Toyota RAV4 (2798).

The Ford Everest has leapfrogged Toyota’s Prado and LandCruiser 300 Series to sit fourth on the 4×4 charts and take the mantle as Australia’s best-selling SUV (4×4). Another SUV that has backed up strong sales in August (1032) is the Nissan Patrol, with the big off-roader snaring a further 1208 sales in September and cementing its position in the top ten.

With the Premcar-developed Patrol Warrior starting to head to customers in October, this ageing vehicle seems to have a new lease on life.

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The LDV T60 remains the best-selling budget buy, with 702 deliveries occurring in September. It was followed by the GWM Ute (624 sales) and SsangYong Musso (195). It was a very similar trend in August 2023 – 710 sales for LDV T60, 631 for GWM Ute and 280 for the Musso. As a side note, GWM delivered 30 Tank SUVs in September.

Absentees from the best-selling 4×4 vehicles in September include the Mitsubishi Triton (799 sales), VW Amarok (799 sales) and Nissan Navara (694 sales).

Considering the Amarok and Ranger are essentially twins under the skin, the discrepancy in sales of 4415 4×4 units is quite remarkable.

Top-selling 4x4s in September 2023

Top-selling 4×4 models YTD 2023

Sponsored content

Pedders Suspension and Brakes recently launched an extensive range of suspension and brake upgrade parts to suit the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.

It says the LandCruiser 300 Series sets the benchmark for 4×4 passenger vehicles when it comes to towing, off-road performance, and general touring capabilities.

Pedders aims to enhance these characteristics through its new range of upgrade parts which are now available Australia-wide via Pedders outlets.

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After extensive performance and durability testing and development, Pedders says it has raised the bar by offering one of the largest ranges of suspension upgrade components currently available to suit the new 300 Series.

The 300 Series range starts with 30mm and 50mm raised height coil springs, available in regular, or heavy-duty form for those vehicles equipped with heavy accessories.

Pedders is also offering three levels of constant load raised rear springs at 200kg, 400kg and 600kg. For owners fitting heavy accessories like bull bars or custom drawers, Pedders also offers standard height levelling springs, which return a sagging front or rear end back to the desired height.

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The Pedders range also features three types of shock absorber to meet all customer requirements. The range starts with Pedders 4×4 Gas Shock Absorbers, then steps up to the premium Foam Cell Shock Absorber.

Foam Cell shocks offer the advantage of more consistent rebound and compression control and dramatically reduced shock fade. This is because there is no air or gas within the shock, so the oil cannot cavitate and form froth which causes reduced compression.

The Pedders Heavy Duty Gas Shock Absorber is also available to match the Heavy Duty coil spring options – designed for vehicles that regularly tow or carry heavy loads.

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Those 300 Series LandCruisers that are used for towing duties can also benefit from a range of Pedders AirAssist air bag suspension kits which are now available.

Pedders AirAssist comes in three height levels to suit standard, 30mm raised and 50mm raised vehicles – and each kit is available in heavy-duty form for those carrying heavy loads.

Pedders also offer a GVM+ Upgrade Kit, meticulously designed to offer superior durability and a significant suspension performance boost when carrying heavy loads – taking the certified GVM Rating of the 300 Series to a massive 4090kg.

The kit includes robust components, all backed by a Pedders two-year/40,000km Nationwide Warranty. The kit includes heavy-duty springs, Foam Cell Shock Absorbers, and upper control arms specifically tailored to the LandCruiser 300 Series.

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If you’re towing or carrying heavy loads, it’s worth also upgrading your 4×4’s braking system. When it comes to the 300 Series, Pedders offer upgraded Slotted & Geomet-coated brake rotors, as well as high performance Kevlar Ceramic brake pads. These upgrades offer greater temperature control and reduced brake fade during repeated hard stops.

With 40+ Part numbers released, and more in development for the 300 series, Pedders invites you to come and talk solutions at your nearest Pedders Store.