UPDATE: A load of BYD Sharks has been spotted in Melbourne at a Moorabbin holding yard.

The below images were posted to the BYD Shark Owners Australia Facebook page yesterday afternoon, with the next round of customer deliveries now expected to be imminent following an ongoing port industrial action which delayed shipments.

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STORY CONTINUES: Customer deliveries in Australia have begun for the BYD Shark 6, with the first set of keys for the hugely anticipated PHEV recently exchanging hands.

BYD officially launched the Shark in late October 2024 – in collaboration with exclusive Australian distributor EVDirect – with a lucrative price tag of $57,900. This led to nearly 4000 sales in the first month and encouraged more than 5500 consumers to place an order in total so far – including us here at 4X4 Australia, with our unit estimated to arrive in February this year.

“We’re so immensely proud the BYD Shark 6 ute is finally here, allowing us to offer Australian drivers a new energy choice where they previously had none,” said EVDirect CEO David Smitherman. “We expect these first deliveries to really ramp up this country’s new energy transition.

“But the most satisfying part is seeing all the smiles on the faces of these customers, as they drive out of our dealerships in their new BYD Shark 6,” he added.

The Shark is powered by BYD’s DM-O (Dual-Mode Off-road) system. It combines a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with dual electric motors, to produce a total of 321kW and 650Nm. A 29.58kWh Blade battery is expected to provide 100km of electric-only range and a total driving range of up to 800km.

Interior kit includes a 10.25-inch LCD screen, a 15.6-inch rotating display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a leather-wrapped steering. The driver’s seat is eight-way power-adjustable, with four-way lumbar support. Both front seats are heated and ventilated.

The lucky first Aussie recipient of an all-new Shark 6 – Ben Hillier from Brisbane – ordered his vehicle the night the vehicle was launched in late October.

“I got my confirmation email one minute after the vehicle was launched,” Mr Hillier said. “I’d done my research, and knew the BYD Shark 6 was the vehicle for me. It does everything my current ute does – drive around town, tow the boat or pickup a load – but now I’m charging it for free using my solar panels.”

“I look forward to getting out to Fraser Island and being able to power my campsite with my Shark 6, but also know that there’s no range anxiety. If I want to stay another day, or drive a bit further, all I need is a jerry can,” he added.

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EVDirect has also collaborated with Ironman 4×4 to offer a range of aftermarket accessories for the Shark including bull bars, roof racks and tonneau covers, all backed by BYD’s six-year, 150,000km warranty.

There will be a delay on the next batch of arrivals due to an ongoing port industrial action, which has seen thousands of vehicles stranded.

The off-road-ready Ford Ranger Wildtrak X will return to Australia in 2025, but once again it’ll be for a limited time only.

The limited edition model will be priced at $77,640 (Manufacturer List Price; including GST) when it arrives in the first quarter of 2025, giving it a $1650 bump compared to the 2023 edition at launch. This positions the Wildtrak X between the stock Wildtrak V6 ($74,840) and Platinum V6 ($80,640) on the model hierarchy.

Just like the 2023 edition, the latest Wildtrak X improves on the regular Wildtrak by adding unique Bilstein-tuned (position-sensitive) dampers with remote nitrogen filled reservoirs, and by increasing both the track width (+30mm) and ground clearance (+26mm). The powertrain is also carried over from the 2023 edition, with the Wildtrak X exclusively running the 150kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine and 10-speed auto combination.

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Its tough exterior – identical to the MY23 version – features an updated grill; heavy duty side steps; a front steel bash plate; 3D exterior badging; and a black front bumper and wheel arch mouldings. It will roll on 17-inch alloy wheels housed inside General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres. The Flexible Rack System seen on the MY23 variant also returns, making it easier to load and unload kit atop the Ranger.

What is new for 2025 is the addition of a 400W power inverter in the rear console and tray, as well as Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

“The Ranger Wildtrak X brings together a number of elements that have made the Ranger family Australia’s number one choice of new vehicle two years’ in a row,” said Mathew Slade, Ranger Product and Retail Marketing Manager, Ford Australia.

“It builds on the legendary Wildtrak nameplate, adds serious off-road chops thanks to the trick Bilstein position-sensitive dampers, and clever everyday useability with the Flexible Rack System – a classic example of Aussie ingenuity!”

The return of the Wildtrak X follows yesterday’s announcement confirming the Everest Wildtrak is also coming back to local showrooms, following its sell-out success in 2023.

Both vehicles are currently in production, with first deliveries expected in the first quarter of 2025. Ford will release 750 examples of the Ranger Wildtrak X to the Australian market.

Ranger Wildtrak X: What does it get?

Exterior

• Off-road grill with auxiliary high beam LEDs, combined with Matrix LED headlamps.
• Flexible Rack System.
• Heavy duty side steps.
• Front steel bash plate.
• 3D exterior badging on front doors and tailgate
• Asphalt Black front bumper with Cyber Orange accent strip.
• Asphalt Black wheel arch mouldings.
• Asphalt Black machine-faced 17-inch alloy wheels with LT265/70R17 General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres.

Interior

• Overhead auxiliary switch bank.
• 12.4-inch colour digital instrument cluster and premium audio system.
• All-weather front and rear floor mats.
• Wildtrak X-embroidered logos on Miko suede- and leather-accented seats and upper glove box.
• Wildtrak X branding on front all-weather floor mats and front door scuff plates.
• Terra suede-wrapped glove box, cluster hood, door trim and console rails.
• Cyber Orange contrast stitching on seats, upper glove box, doors, steering wheel and shifter.
• Precision Grey accents on upper glove box décor spears, steering wheel spoke shell, air register rings, front door applique, applique trim and pull cup bezels.

Chassis

• Bilstein position-sensitive dampers with external reservoirs.
• 30mm wheel track increase.
• 26mm ground clearance increase.

The JAC T9 has earned the title of Australia’s safest ute in 2024, based on weighted results recently published by ANCAP.

The T9 scored an overall weighted score of 86.6 per cent – just 1.8 per cent below the Toyota Camry, which seized the title as Australia’s safest car for 2024.

To reach this weighted score, ANCAP put an emphasis on physical crash protection, with 40 per cent of the overall weighting calculation applied to Adult Occupant Protection (AOP). 20 per cent was then applied to the remaining three assessment areas: Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist.

The JAC T9 officially received its five-star ANCAP rating back in August 2024, earning scores of 85 per cent (adult occupant protection); 87 per cent (child occupant protection); 87 per cent (vulnerable road user protection); and 89 per cent (safety assist).

The T9 earned top marks in multiple crash tests including full-width frontal, side impact, far side impact, and whiplash. It also scored highly for child occupant protection in frontal and side impact tests. However, in the report ANCAP advised against using child restraints in the rear centre seating due to the lack of top tether anchorage.

The vehicle comes with a broad range of active safety features including AEB, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control, and it received full marks for autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane support systems. The T9 has seven airbags, including a front-centre airbag, and exclusive features like front parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system are available on the top-spec Haven.

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“When our world-class engineering team set out to build the JAC T9 dual-cab diesel ute for Australian drivers, they had one clear mission: build an exceptionally safe vehicle without compromising on value,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, JAC Motors Australia’s Managing Director.

“Their dedication paid off. JAC now proudly stands as the safest ute in Australia based on ANCAP’s 2024 calculations. While JAC may be new to many Australians, we’re quickly making our mark through our unwavering commitment to safety, cutting-edge technology, quality, and industry-leading customer care,” he said.

Both models in the T9 line-up – Oasis and Haven – are powered by a 125kW/410Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine that is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Prices start at $45,670 drive away, with customer deliveries commencing in December 2024.

The safest overall cars in 2024 according to ANCAP were the Toyota Camry (achieving an overall score of 88.4 per cent), Mazda CX-80 (87.6 per cent) and Zeekr X (87.4 per cent).

A tricked-out five-door Jimny concept dubbed the “Jimny Conqueror” has debuted at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo, a massive motor show held recently in India.

Revealed by the team at Maruti Suzuki, a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation and said to be the largest automobile manufacturer in India – although they traditionally specialise in smaller cars – the Conquerer appears built to tackle the wildest corners of the country.

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The vehicle is treated with an impressive two-tone colour mix, where a Desert Matte (sandy hue) at the front flows into a Matte Black at the rear. This is topped off with loud ‘JIMNY’ and ‘4×4’ decals blasted on the side, giving the rig a menacing presence.

Giving the vehicle its go-anywhere ability is a collection of aftermarket equipment which includes a snorkel, a rear ladder and shovel, roof racks, recovery boards, a bull bar equipped with an electric winch, an external fuel tank, all-terrain tyres, and a refreshed front grille.

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Reports indicate that the Jimny’s 75kW/130Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine remains unfettled.

The 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo took place in India from January 17 to 22.

The Everest Wildtrak will return to Ford’s local line-up in 2025, with Ford declaring the limited-run model will be priced at $76,950 (Manufacture List Price, includes GST) when it lands.

And that’s pretty soon, according to the Blue Oval, with production already underway and first deliveries expected in the first quarter of this year.

Originally inspired by the Ranger Wildtrak, the Everest Wildtrak debuted in Australia in 2023 with a list price of $73,090 before on-road costs – this bumps the 2025 edition up by $3860 compared to its predecessor. It’s also at an almost identical price point to the Everest Tremor, a vehicle equipped with upgraded suspension and tyres which was priced at $76,590 (MLP).

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“Following last year’s sales, and the sell-out success of Everest Wildtrak in 2023, it made perfect sense to bring the badge back to Australia,” said George Thomas, Everest Product and Retail Marketing Manager, Ford Australia.

“For the past 16 years, Wildtrak has been synonymous with the Ranger brand, and once again we are offering customers in Australia the opportunity to enjoy the same legendary reputation as the ute, but in a practical and luxurious SUV bodystyle.”

As a point of distinction, treatment to the Everest Wildtrak’s exterior includes ‘Wildtrak’ 3D badging on the liftgate; a unique Wildtrak front grille and bumper; accented wheel lip mouldings and exterior mirror covers; chrome stand-off roof rails; and an exclusive Luxe Yellow hue (available at additional cost). The Everest Wildtrak rolls on either 20-inch alloy wheels with all-season tyres, or no-cost optional 18-inch alloys with all-terrain tyres.

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Interior kit includes a panoramic roof and power blind; 360-degree camera; zone lighting; a 400W power inverter in the rear of centre console; and black-embossed leather-accented front seats with orange stitching.

The Everest Wildtrak is powered by the 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, with full-time 4WD and a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Ford quickly sold all 800 vehicles allotted to the Australian market for the 2023 edition, with 950 confirmed to be allotted this time around.

What does it get?

Exterior

• ‘Wildtrak’ 3D badging on the liftgate
• Unique Wildtrak front grille and bumper
• Accented wheel lip mouldings and exterior mirror covers
• Chrome stand-off roof rails
• Wildtrak exclusive colour: Luxe Yellow (available at additional cost)

Interior

• Panoramic roof and power blind
• 360-degree camera
• Zone lighting
• 400W power inverter (located in the rear of centre console)
• Black-embossed leather-accented front seats with ‘Wildtrak’ stitching

Some state governments around the country are preparing to sting Australian drivers with double demerit points this Australia Day long weekend, in a bid to improve safety on our roads.

With many of us gearing up for a long weekend escape to a quaint corner of the country, it’s critical to ensure you always follow the road rules – most importantly to keep everyone safe on the roads, but also to ensure you keep your driver’s licence.

Not all states in Australia are imposing a double-demerit scheme over the Australia Day long weekend, with only the NSW, Western Australia and ACT governments enforcing such a system. Let’s break it down a bit further with this state-by-state guide ?

NSW, WA and ACT

The NSW, WA and ACT governments will apply double demerits from Friday January 24 to Monday January 27.

In WA, motorists will cop double demerit points for the following offences: Speeding; drink or drug driving; failing to wear a seatbelt and child restraint; running a red light; and illegal use of a mobile phone. In addition, driving a motor vehicle fitted with a device designed to evade detection by a speed camera – or driving in a manner to avoid detection – will result in the loss of 14 demerit points.

In NSW and the ACT, the double demerit point scheme applies to speeding; the illegal use of mobile phones; not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly wearing a seatbelt; driving with a passenger not wearing a seatbelt or approved restraint, or with a passenger incorrectly wearing a seatbelt or restraint; and riding without a helmet.

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Queensland

The Queensland state government does implement a double-demerits scheme, but it runs all year round instead of only during peak holiday periods. It’s also applied differently to the above-mentioned states, with the scheme applying to the second or subsequent offences committed within one year of the previous offence. The way it’s explained is all a bit convoluted, but it essentially punishes drivers who don’t learn from their first offence.

Victoria, SA, Tasmania and NT

Victoria is typically known as one of the strictest states when it comes to enforcing road rules, so it’s surprising the Victorian state government doesn’t implement a double-demerit scheme during busy holiday periods. Likewise, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory do not enforce double demerits.

Whether the double demerit point scheme is having an impact on road safety is still up for debate. Do you agree or disagree with the system? Join the chat on our Facebook page.

What are the most common 4×4 vehicles that we see built into bush tourers? Toyota HiLux and LandCruiser, Ford Ranger, Nissan Patrol, Isuzu D-Max and MU-X, to name a few. How about a Mahindra Scorpio?

“A Mahindra what?!” I hear you say.

The Mahindra Scorpio is a rugged little 4×4 wagon built with all the ingredients you need in a touring vehicle. A 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine with a healthy torque peak of 400Nm, a dual-range transfer case, no frill electronics and a nicely equipped and good-size cabin. Plus, it is one of the cheapest 4x4s of this type you can buy today, making it a solid base for a bush-ready build.

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This was also the thinking of Daniel Snare who, as a cinematographer, scored an early taste of the Mahindra 4×4 before it was launched in Australia, and that was enough to convince him to give it a try

“I was lucky enough to test drive one before release,” Daniel told us, and it wasn’t just a quick lap around the block with a dealer. “It was driving a media vehicle from Brisbane to Victoria and off-road in the Victorian High Country with Roothy for a vehicle-release video.” Not a bad road test by anyone’s measure and certainly a great way to get a feel for a potential new vehicle.

Dan put his name down for the new Mahindra and when the Scorpio was finally released in Australia, he got one of the first ones in the country. It wasn’t a decision taken lightly as Dan needs a competent and reliable vehicle for his work that can take him to all corners of the country chasing the perfect backdrop for photography.

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Sourcing gear

A challenge for anyone taking on a build on a new-to-market vehicle is a lack of aftermarket products.

However, Dan sought out a small network of suppliers, some of which already specialise in Mahindra vehicles, specifically the Pik-Up model. One such company is 4WD Industries/Ryebuck Engineering in the Upper Hunter town of Rutherford. Ryebuck has been doing bar work, accessories and tuning for Mahindra Pik-Up vehicles for years, making it popular with farmers in the area, as well as those looking for an alternative to the popular 4×4 utes.

Ryebuck jumped on board with Dan’s build on the then-new Scorpio with some of its most evident work on the vehicle being the steel bull bar and stainless steel intake snorkel. The bull bar hides a Runva 13XP winch and a pair of Lazer Lamps Sentinel driving lights.

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A Lazer Lamps Triple-R 24 Elite light bar mounted on the Front Runner roof platform provides further illumination to help spotting and avoiding the ’roos on Dan’s outback trips and around the Hunter Valley.

Not so evident is Ryebuck’s installation of a Tough Dog suspension kit that gives the Scorpio a 40mm lift in ride height thanks to new coils and shocks that are better suited to controlling the often heavily loaded wagon on rough tracks. Also better for bush work are the Maxxis RAZR 265/60R18 all-terrain tyres mounted to the factory Mahindra alloy wheels.

Small package

The Scorpio is certainly at the smaller end of the 4×4 wagon range and it has an unusual seating configuration with three rows of two seats to accommodate six passengers.

The third-row seat is tiny and very limited in its use and thankfully for Dan, he doesn’t need it, so it was quickly ditched. This freed up more space for all his gear… of which there is plenty when he is shooting films in remote locations.

With the third-row seat out of the way Ryebuck was able to configure and install an auxiliary 12-volt system that sits in the well under the floor.

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It is based around a Cangoee Power 110Ah lithium battery that has its own inbuilt DC-DC charger. It is managed with a Victron shunt and solar power is fed down from a panel mounted on the Front Runner rack via a Victron controller. The system is designed to be able to provide Dan with all the power needed to keep his cameras, computers, lights and drone charged when out and about, as well as the needs of family camping.

On top of the rear floor is a drawer fridge and a storage drawer, with Dan saying he had to go with the drawer fridge due to the limited space in the back. Easing the storage space problem is Dan’s camper trailer, which provides his family accommodation.

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Doing the job

While the space inside the Scorpio has been a compromise, but by no means a deal-breaker, Dan says that the vehicle is living up to his requirements.

“It’s the perfect camera car for filming lifestyle and travel content as well as for family trips towing our camper trailer to both on- and off-road destinations,” he told us. 

He says some of his favourite destinations that the Scorpio has taken him so far are to K’gari (Fraser Island), Argadells in the Flinders Ranges and the Simpson Desert, and he has plans for further adventures.

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To help make the Mahindra better suited to those long outback trips Dan is working with Ryebuck on a long-range fuel tank solution to boost the vehicle’s relatively tiny 57-litre standard tank capacity.

Dan’s Scorpio build shows that by daring to be different and taking on a vehicle that is not always at the top of people’s shopping list, he’s been able to create a compact, rugged and reliable 4×4 wagon that is up to the task taking him on all of his adventures, at a faction of the cost of most other wagons.

The money saved on the Scorpio’s purchase price went a long way towards kitting it out and the results speak for themselves.

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For generations the full-size pickup market in the USA was dominated by The Big Three US manufacturers: General Motors, Dodge/RAM and Ford.

Obviously, the Japanese brands wanted a slice of the huge truck pie via their US manufacturing plants, and so Toyota and Nissan joined the party some time ago. Toyota first dipped its toes in the water back in 1993 with the T100 pickup, and this vehicle went on to become the Tundra in 2000. Nissan followed with its Titan that hit the American market in 2003, but it hasn’t proved as successful for the brand and 2024 was the last year of manufacture for the big Nissan truck.

Toyota continues with the Tundra, however, and its third-generation model launched in the USA in 2022. Now, in a world first for the Toyota brand, the left-hand-drive Tundra is imported to Australia, re-engineered for right-hand drive by Walkinshaw Automotive, and is now on sale in Toyota dealerships.

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It’s no surprise that Nissan struggled to bring a truck to the US market as it’s dominated by the American brands. Ford’s F-150 pickup marked 75 years in production in 2023, and it has been the best selling truck in the US for more than 45 years.

The F-150 has been sold in Australia several times over the model’s long history but after some time away and on the back of a burgeoning pickup truck market here, Ford Australia re-introduced the model here in 2023. Again, this truck is imported in LHD form and is re-engineered to RHD by a Ford-backed third-party manufacturer, and then it is sold by Ford dealers.

With the Tundra recently arriving in Australia we lined one up against America’s favourite pickup (even if it hasn’t had that same success here) to see how the respective rigs stack up.

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Spec for spec

The Tundra is currently only offered in one model grade, the $155,990 (+ORC) Limited, with a second higher specification variant set to land some time later in 2025.

Ford Australia offers two grades of the F-150, starting with the XLT short wheelbase at $106,950 (+ORC) and up to the Lariat long wheelbase at $140,945 (+ORC). For this comparison test we have the F-150 Lariat SWB which retails for $139,950 (+ORC). Both grades of F-150 are available with a choice of long or short wheelbases, not that there’s anything short about any of these trucks.

The Toyota Tundra is significantly more expensive than the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado, as well as the RAM 1500 in any grade other than the Limited and TRX. But the Tundra brings something to the market that none of its competitors do in the form of a parallel hybrid drivetrain.

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Yes, the Hemi V8 powered RAM 1500 has its 48-volt system but that’s a mild hybrid (like a HiLux) and not a full hybrid as found in most Toyota vehicles now.

That said, even when driving in the ECO drive mode, the Tundra only moves under EV power at a crawling pace, and as soon as you squeeze the throttle the petrol engine cuts in. You can also feel it cutting in and out when cruising on the highway, which no doubt saves fuel, but the petrol engine is in operation most of the time.

The petrol/electric hybrid powertrain offers plenty of grunt with a class leading 326kW and 790Nm combined. It pulls strongly when you put your foot down with a not too foul sounding growl from the petrol engine. And the 10-speed auto does a fine job without raising any concerns.

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The Blue Oval F-150 offers no such electrification but with outputs of 298kW and 678Nm it doesn’t feel left behind by the Toyota in any regard.

The Ford’s use of mainly aluminium body panels on the F-truck, and without the weight of the hybrid system and battery, leave it some 200kg lighter than the Tundra, and it feels more sprightly than the Toyota when you put your foot down. Very sprightly, in fact, as the 3.5-litre twin turbocharged V6 propels the Effie quicker to 100km/h than the smaller Ranger Raptor performance ute.

While we’re talking drivelines, this presents another major difference between the F-150 Lariat and the Tundra Limited. The Lariat has a transfer case that offers 4×4 auto on demand, so you can drive in 4×4 on any surface, while the Tundra is only part-time 4×4, meaning you can’t drive it in 4×4 on dry sealed roads without risking expensive damage to the transfer case.

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Our experience has shown that on-demand 4×4 or a full-time AWD system would be appreciated for towing heavy loads and when driving on gravel roads, such as the forest tracks where we took these two trucks for photography purposes.

The F-150 XLT doesn’t get the benefit of an on-demand transfer case and it’s just part-time 4×4 like the Tundra, while further up the Tundra range in the US, the Toyota is available with on-demand/dual range 4×4. Perhaps we’ll see that feature in the upper-spec 2025 model.

Something else the F-150 has that the Tundra doesn’t is a locking rear differential, which could come in handy when you’re pulling your luxury cruiser up a greasy boat ramp or a loaded horse float out of a boggy paddock.

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The Tundra Limited also falls behind in some interior features that are offered on the Lariat. The most obvious of these is the huge panoramic sun roof in the Ford (the Toyota has none) but spend time in the two trucks and you will miss a few other things in the Tundra too.

The interior is big, spacious and well laid out in both trucks but something I really appreciate in the Ford is the flat rear floor which offers a huge usable storage space when the rear seat is not in use and is folded up. The Tundra’s seat folds up too but not as far out of the way, and the floor has a transmission tunnel running down it, limiting the usable space.

Both trucks have digital dash displays but the Ford’s is more configurable and includes a TPMS and speed sign recognition, which are features that I use and value.

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The Tundra’s multimedia screen is bigger and better placed up high on the dash than that in the Ford, but both are clear and functional with all the connectivity and features you’d expect in a modern $100,000-plus vehicle.

Both trucks have a wireless phone charger and many USB-A and USB-C ports. Both have premium sound systems with a JBL system in the Toyota and a B&O set up in the Ford.

The cabins of both trucks have large glasshouses that offer plenty of vision for the driver and passengers, making them great long-haul drivers.

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Something else we found in the Tundra was that it transmits a lot of heat through the roof on hot, sunny days resulting in uncomfortable heat around the faces of front-seat occupants while the air conditioning was set at a lower temperature than what I would normally run it at. I found this odd as the aircon in Toyotas is usually the best in the business.

The seats are leather covered with real leather in the Lariat and synthetic leather in the Toyota. This is also the case on the steering wheels of both vehicles, and the faux leather in the Tundra feels hard and less luxurious than the genuine hide in the Ford.

The front pews in both trucks are power adjustable, heated and cooled, while the rear seats in the Ford are also heated. As mentioned, the rear seat squab in both trucks folds up for more storage space, but the space under the seat of the Tundra contains fuse and electronics boxes, while the F-150 has useful storage bins there.

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Hauling Assets

Despite their size the carrying capacity of these full-size pickups is poor when compared to the midsize utes that are popular in Australia.

Utes like the HiLux and Ranger have a higher payload than their American counterparts, usually closer to 1000kg than the sub-800kg in the Tundra and F-150. You can carry a lot of Styrofoam or balsa wood in those huge cargo tubs! It’s no wonder that GVM upgrades are popular for the US trucks.

What they do haul exceptionally well is a trailer, and both of these trucks will pull a 3000kg to 3500kg trailer easily (the maximum any midsize ute can legally tow) and up to 4500kg with the right equipment such as a heavy duty tow ball and hitch.

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Ford specified all of their F-150s with the heavy duty tow kit from the factory. But load either of them up to that 4.5-tonnes of towing and you’ll be left with very little capacity on your GCM, so it pays to be aware of this and what your load limits are to keep your rig legal and safe on the highways.

Both vehicles here have towing-specific settings, with the Ford’s screen more comprehensive, plus it has the Trailer Pro reversing system to aid novices when reversing a trailer.

The Tundra’s load tub has both adjustable and fixed tie-down points, as does the Ford’s, with the latter also adding a 12-volt power socket and light in the cargo bed.

The Tundra has a folding bed cover while the F-150 has none, but does have a real handy step ladder that drops down out of the tailgate to make getting in and out of the bed easier and safer, and an opening rear window.

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Verdict

While both of these trucks are built to do the same thing, and they both do it well, the key differences between them are the price and standard features.

The F-150 Lariat, at nearly $15,000 less than the Tundra Limited, is the most appealing of the duo, as much for the extra gear in it as the lower purchase price. Having the on-demand 4×4 system is a big plus for anyone towing or regularly driving on gravel roads, and the better-quality feeling of the interior is a positive every time you step inside.

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If you really need to feel like you’re saving the world by driving a hybrid then the Tundra is your only option but any advantages there are very minimal. The fuel saving of the Tundra over the F-150 during our drive was hardly worth talking about

All things considered we can see why the F-150 has been America’s most popular truck for so long, and it would certainly be the one for us among these two. It will be interesting to see what Toyota delivers with its higher-grade Tundra later in the year… but how much more will it cost?

Isuzu UTE Australia has ended 2024 with a total of 48,172 new cars sold and delivered, which is an exceptional result for a company with just two models in its shed.

This sales result positioned Isuzu as the 8th best-selling automotive brand in Australia, which is an improvement on 10th in 2023 and 9th in 2022. In fact, it was an improvement of 6.2 per cent year on year.

Breaking it down further, the D-MAX – which received a facelift in May – accounted for the majority of sales for the Japanese marque, with 30,194 units delivered for customers throughout last year. This consolidated its position as the third best-selling vehicle in the one-tonne LCV category, behind the Ranger and HiLux.

A total of 17,978 sales were registered for the seven-seat MU-X, up from 14,139 in 2023 – an impressive 27.2 per cent year-on-year increase. Interestingly, MU-X sales are up a whopping 38.9 per cent compared to the start of 2023. With a facelifted version imminent, another stellar year of sales is anticipated.

As a result, the MU-X finished 2024 as the second best-selling vehicle in the ‘Large SUV for less than $80K’ segment.

“Finishing 2024 as Australia’s eighth best-selling automotive brand is an outstanding result for our two-vehicle marque, and a reflection, I hope, of our commitment to listening to our customers and their feedback,” said Isuzu UTE Australia’s Managing Director, Junta Matsui.

“It’s a great privilege to have been chosen to put new Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X models in more than 48,000 Australian driveways this past year, and I would like to thank each buyer for putting their faith in us.

“The long-term success of the MU-X has also been gratifying. Incredibly, 2024 marked 11 years since the MU-X became available locally, and it’s continued to achieve close to 30 per cent growth in each of the past two years, as well as placing first or second among ute-based SUV sales for a decade.”

The facelifted 2025 Isuzu MU-X off-road SUV is slated for a Q1 2025 release in Australia.

The facelifted MU-X which debuted in Thailand in June 2024 shows revision which largely mirror those applied to the D-MAX ute it is based on, with an updated exterior design and more technology inside.

Headlining the changes is a revised front end with a larger grille, a new fighter jet-inspired bumper with an air curtain to improve aerodynamics, and revised LED headlights.

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There are also updated tail-lights with a new internal signature, a black connecting strip, and new 18- or 20-inch alloy wheel designs.

In Thailand, a new top-of-the-range RS variant will be available with a blacked-out exterior – including a gloss-black roof – and green stitching for the seats, as well as red ambient lighting strips.

Inside, the MU-X receives new 8- or 9-inch central touchscreens with an updated infotainment system that now supports wireless Android Auto connectivity, along with revised graphics, an easier-to-use interface, and a new 360-degree camera system with an underfloor view.

It also gains USB-C charge ports, physical volume and tuning controls, capacitive shortcut buttons for the media controls, an available 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster, updated front seat patterns, and traffic jam assist to operate the accelerator and brakes for hands-free driving in low-speed traffic.

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The 110kW/350Nm 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine is expected to remain, but speculation is circulating that the venerable 3.0-litre version could be replaced with a new 120kW/400Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel. We’ll have to wait until closer to the launch for confirmation.

Safety enhancements centre around a next-gen stereo camera that improves autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise, and adds pedestrian detection at junctions, rear cross-traffic braking and a 360-degree camera with ‘transparent bonnet’ view.

More information will undoubtedly be released closer to the vehicle’s official Australian launch in February, so stay tuned.