4X4 Australia

Snapshot

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon ‘Shorty’ is back in Australia, returning to the American marque’s local line-up as a part of its mid-2021 updated range.

Having last featured as a permanent fixture Down Under in 2015, the return of the Rubicon Shorty comes after the success of the limited-edition MY20 Rubicon Recon – with its full local allocation selling out.

With the return of the Rubicon name, the Jeep Wrangler again has an off-road oriented variant, joining the Sport S and Overland trims in its short wheelbase guise.

Note: Images of the 2021 Wrangler Rubicon Shorty are not yet available, all photos used here are of the Wrangler Rubicon Recon Limited Edition. This story will be updated when the new images are obtained.

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Pricing

Available as either the Rubicon or Rubicon Unlimited, the new variants start out at just under $65,000. Listed prices are all before on-road costs.

Two optional packages are also available across the two trim levels, setting buyers back a premium on top of the list price.

Trail Ready Package – $2950

Rubicon Premium Package – $2950

Premium paint options are also offered for a $745 additional fee.
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Features

The base Rubicon is packaged with a range of standard equipment, including:

On top of this, the Rubicon Unlimited scores the Rubicon Luxury Package as standard, which features:
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Engine, drivetrain and fuel economy

The Rubicon trim retains Wrangler’s standard Pentastar V6 petrol engine, developing 209kW and 347Nm with a combined fuel economy of 10.3L/100km.

Available only as an eight-speed automatic, the Rubicon features Jeep’s Rock-Trac active on-demand 4×4 system with a 4.10 rear axle ratio, plus Tru-Lok front and rear locking differentials.

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Safety

Last tested by ANCAP in 2019, the current generation Wranger has a three-star safety rating, upgraded from one-star after autonomous emergency braking and blind spot monitoring were brought in as standard equipment.

Safety technology in the Rubicon includes:

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Warranty and servicing

All Jeep models come with a five-year/100,000km warranty which includes 12 months roadside assist.

The Wrangler Rubicon comes under Jeep’s capped price servicing for $399 every 12 months/12,000km, renewing the roadside assistance package when services are undertaken at Jeep dealers.

Availability

The 2021 Wrangler Rubicon variants are currently available to order with deliveries expected to begin from the fourth quarter of 2021.

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NISSAN PATROL GU COIL CAB

It was originally a wagon but has been body swapped to a ute. The factory TB has been swapped out for a 5.7L LS1 V8 with a built auto transmission and is fully engineered. It has a custom-tubed tray and a 1200 canopy I’ve fitted out for touring with a Bushman’s 85L stand-up fridge-freezer, Travel Buddy oven, drawers, shelves and 12V set-up.

Other mods include a 65L water tank fitted under the tray with an electric pump; front ARB air locker and 4.6 diffs to suit the 35-inch Maxxis Razrs; Superior Engineering four-inch lift kit with panhards, control arms, etc. to handle the hard tracks; PSR coil tower bracing front and rear; PSR chassis bracing; XR falcon seats; B&N shifter; gauges for all the motor and gearbox vitals; transmission cooler; Platform roof rack; Rhino-Rack awning; dual tyre carriers; dual batteries; and a winch with in-cab controls.

It’s a capable rig, great for both touring and hard tracks. -Aden Molyneux-Cole

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NISSAN NAVARA NP300

This rig was built for a Cape trip and touring. It’s running a five-inch lift in total (three-inch suspension and two-inch body lift); and a custom tray and canopy running a Bushwakka Nest 360 rooftop tent, Bushwakka 270 awning and shower tent. It has been custom-tuned to 187hp and features custom sliders, Shoreline bullbar and Platinum snorkel.

All pipes under the hood are stainless steel and there’s a custom airbox. Tyres are 295/70R17 on a XD rim. It’s running an Anytime 2WD diff lock from Race Wires. Inside the cab is a custom head unit and Razorback seat covers. -Jayden Campbell

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NISSAN GU PATROL

Owned this ute for nearly six years and I built everything on it myself including a coil conversion. It has 37-inch Treps, a front TJM locker, a four-inch lift and hydro bumps all around with 12- and 14-inch Fox adjustable shocks, and long arms front and rear. It also has a high-mount front and low-mount rear winch. Nothing makes you more proud of your car when a kid gets a smile as you drive past. -Jarrod Francis

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LAND ROVER DEFENDER

Our Land Rover Defender can be seen here camped at Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges, SA. Home-built drawers in the rear fit the 40L Engel on slides, and there’s a cavity underneath for the table to slot in. Two side drawers store food, pots, pans and crockery. The side window is fitted with storage shelves for quick access to gas cooker, condiments and glassware. The Frontrunner table attaches to the side of the vehicle for extra workspace. -Zoe Ryan

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2004 NISSAN GU PATROL

This is my factory 4.2-litre intercooled turbo GU Patrol wagon. It is set up for off-road touring and has been around a bit. It has been as reliable as a rock, due to the 4.2. It has 33s and a two-inch lift to keep everything nice and legal. But that does not stop where it goes. Just need to point! -Ayeshan Bandara

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2018 VW AMAROK V6 SPORTLINE

The 3.0-litre turbo diesel has been tuned for 183kW and 650Nm at all four wheels, and the last quarter mile was 15.268 secs at Willowbank Raceway. Powertrain updates include diff/gearbox/transfer case breathers; Process West Terratuff Sepr8r Catch Can; Fuel Manager 30 micron secondary fuel filter; and Wholesale Automatics transmission oil cooler.

Other notable additions – from a long list of gear – include Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 tyres; Outback Armour Expedition adjustable suspension; a custom 43mm body lift; Roadsafe 25mm diff drop and Blackhawk Upper Control Arms; Rival front bar; custom underbody protection; TJM snorkel; Carbon 12K winch; Rhino Pioneer Platform and Pioneer Backbone mounting system; EZDown Tailgate Strut; Darche Panorama 1400 rooftop tent and rear awning (1.4 x 2m); and loads more! -Nathan Dell

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We all know how popular the current JB74 Suzuki Jimny has been since its release back in 2019. Internationally popular, too, not just in Australia. And while I can’t help but agree that the 2021 Jimny is a fun and capable 4×4, let’s be honest … it’s not exactly a large vehicle.

I’ve owned Suzuki 4x4s my entire driving life, my first ever vehicle was a Suzuki Sierra I paid $1200 for. I still own one to this day in a state of constant evolution. The only way I can describe owning any Suzuki 4×4, is an unhealthy relationship filled with a broad spectrum of passion-charged emotion. The highs are high, the lows can be low. One thing is for sure, though: Life will never be dull when you own a Suzuki 4×4.

Here’s a prime example. I made it from Mascot to Newtown in the inner-west of Sydney after picking up the Jimny, before someone waved at me. Normally, when people wave at me it means my latest Marketplace purchase has caught on fire, or something vital had fallen off it.

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This time, it was a bloke in another Jimny; nicely modified, too. He just wanted to let me know he had a Jimny as well. I’d forgotten all about the so-called Jimny wave, similar to the Jeep wave (just less expensive). You are buying into just as enthusiastic a way of life, though. A life of being wet, muddy and covered in sand, yet with a smile on your face the whole time.

Basically, I know full well what it’s like to live with such an endearing yet challenging vehicle. Which is why I decided to push the boundaries and load up this friendly looking Kinetic Yellow Jimny with a stack of camping gear and head for the hills. I wanted to see what you could actually take on a trip if you were to head away for a weekend in a Jimny. I was pleasantly surprised at what could fit inside, all with relative ease too thanks to those box-like dimensions and the ability to fold the back seats flat.

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I’d love to see the factory turbo motor from the Suzuki Swift offered. That would be next level fun

POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE

With just 75kW of power and 130Nm of torque, the Jimny certainly doesn’t set the world on fire performance-wise. But while those figures seem low, you have to remember this is a light vehicle, and that 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine likes to rev. In fact, it makes peak torque at 4000rpm, so you have to drive it accordingly. I’d love to see the factory turbo motor from the Suzuki Swift offered. That would be next level fun. One can dream …

Our test vehicle was equipped with the five-speed manual, which would be the most popular choice for most Jimny owners. There is also a four-speed automatic transmission available. At highway speeds, a six-speed manual would really settle things down in terms of cabin noise and fuel consumption.

Speaking of fuel consumption, we managed to record an average of 7.5L/100km. This was recorded over mixed terrain including highway, around town and off-road. Not bad considering the manufacturer’s quoted figure is 6.4L/100km, and we had a decent amount of camping gear on-board for the majority of the test period.

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ON-ROAD RIDE & HANDLING

Let’s be real, this isn’t going to be a strong point for any SWB four-wheel drive, but the JB74 Suzuki Jimny certainly is a fun vehicle to drive around in (have you noticed a theme). The ride is very soft and floaty, so much so that when you tuck your seatbelt in, the vehicle moves with you. But this softness also provides a decent ride quality on-road for what it is.

There’s plenty of body roll around sharp corners, but it’s not an issue at lower speeds around town. I actually really enjoyed driving the Jimny around my local area, thanks to the high amounts of visibility and sheer fun factor offered by this pint-sized off-roader. The bright Kinetic Yellow colour choice also helped finding the little Jimny in the shopping centre carpark.

On the highway, things are a little more intense as the Jimny revs its little heart out trying to keep up with traffic. In this manual transmission-equipped Jimny, revs sat at around 3300rpm while cruising at 110km/h. It has a habit of being blown around by trucks too, which requires a fair amount of steering input to keep true.

The JB74 certainly is a big leap forward from the previous model, but at the end of the day it is still a small, lightweight, brick-shaped vehicle. It’s all part of the fun and experience of driving something as unique as the Jimny. As they say, life is too short for boring cars.

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OFF-ROAD

There are very few four-wheel drives that compete with the Jimny in terms of off-road ability. I’m not saying that it is the most capable 4×4 around, far from it. But thanks to the small dimensions and impressive approach and departure angles, you can drive lines and tracks not possible in a full-sized fourbie. It’s a hoot.

Ground clearance is the biggest limitation, with the suspension radius arms mounted low under the chassis. Again, the aftermarket industry can help fix this, with both suspension lift kits and protection plates which prevent the chassis mounts from being damaged.

The All-Grip traction control system found in the Jimny is pretty damn good, too. If you keep the revs up, it works to send traction to the wheels with grip by applying brake pressure to the spinning wheel. If you don’t keep the revs up though, the vehicle will want to stall rather easily. This is definitely one area the automatic gearbox would have the advantage off-road.

I love seeing a traditional and simple 4WD lever in the cabin, to do away with troublesome dials that can take time to work out what you’ve asked them to do. It’s easy to know when the Jimny is in 4WD, something that can be done on the fly at speeds up to 100km/h in high-range. Low-range activation must be made when the vehicle is at a standstill.

With coil springs on all four corners, and solid axles, you’d expect decent suspension articulation from the Jimny. It’s okay but definitely something that could be improved with more money spent on aftermarket accessories. In fact, a suspension upgrade (or GVM upgrade) would be the first modification I’d make if I was to buy a JB74 Jimny. Which, one day, I hope to do.

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CABIN & ACCOMMODATION

Suzuki has done a wonderful job creating a fun yet practical interior. It’s almost cartoonish, but not in a brash or cheap-feeling way. The dash layout is simple, sturdy and effective. It’s definitely not luxurious, nor should it be. There are so many throwbacks to previous Suzuki 4x4s as well, such as the dash cluster which is a nod to the instruments used in the older SJ70 Suzuki Sierra.

There are plenty of modern features like a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and safety tech like Autonomous Emergency Braking. However, with a three-star ANCAP rating, it’s certainly not one of the safest new vehicles on the road.

I personally like the feel and looks of the cloth seats, but this is entirely subjective. One thing I don’t love is the lack of storage and the strange positioning of the cupholders. They’re behind you, so you can’t really see where you’ve put your water bottle. There is also only one USB port, which you need to plug in to pair your phone to the touchscreen. There is a 12V socket, so a simple dual-USB adaptor would be a wise addition. Another point worth mentioning is the LED headlights with High Beam Assist, which are nice and bright when the sun goes down.

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PRACTICALITIES

This was a major component of this test. As mentioned previously, I wanted to see just how much camping gear you can fit into such a small package with the seats folded down. I managed to fit the following camping equipment inside with room left over for additional water, firewood or a decent-size air compressor.

On-board was a 75L fridge (massive overkill for this vehicle, but it fit and I like beer), two camp chairs, a 200w folding solar blanket, portable power station, single swag, storage tub (with cooking gear and food), camp table, recovery gear (snatch strap and shackles), and a bag of clothes.

There was nothing stored on the passenger seat, so for two people it could seriously work as a micro-camping machine. A set of lightweight roof racks (Suzuki recommend 30kg max roof load limit) would see an awning bolted on for shelter, and space for a double swag on the roof. Pretty impressive stuff.

One limitation worth mentioning, though, is the small 40L fuel tank. It’s not a deal breaker, just something you’ll need to be aware of. Luckily, the aftermarket again has you covered here with 80-litre long-range fuel tanks available to double your range.

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SUMMARY

It’s fun, cheap to buy, capable off-road and pretty good on fuel. In saying that, with the recent price increases, the Jimny is dangerously close to being too expensive for what it is (in my opinion). I really want to buy one, but considering there’s a waiting list of apparently six to 12 months, and prices are coming in at around or over $30,000 drive-away (depending on options), you have to really want a Jimny to make it work. For me, if it was $25,000 drive-away, I’d put an order in tomorrow and then fit some bigger, more aggressive tyres, a lift kit and a lightweight roof rack.

I get that the popularity and short supply has created a huge demand for the little Zook, and that’s great news for Suzuki. I’d like to think that when things calm down and supply increases, prices will drop. But then again, I can’t see that happening anytime soon.

So, yes, the JB74 Jimny lives up to its hype. Yes, you can daily drive a Jimny and take one four-wheel driving. And yes, you can fit a decent amount of camping gear inside if you pack smart. It’s not what I’d call comfortable, and it’s a challenge on the highway, but if that’s not an issue for you, and you just want a Jimny, there’s nothing else like it on the market.

We’re looking forward to driving the new Jimny Lite which is due for release soon and should come in a few grand cheaper.

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Part 1: Rhino Charge

We get a SsangYong Musso in the shed to play with.

IF YOU’VE been reading this magazine over the past six months, you will know we’ve been pretty impressed with the latest SsangYong Musso. While it’s pretty easy to say that a $38,000 double-cab ute is a lot of car for your dollar, it’s not just the bang for your bucks that draws us to the Musso.

This latest model Musso, which came out in Australia in the middle of 2019, is one of the best-driving utes in the highly competitive 4×4 ute segment. Folks are quick to joke when we say we like the Musso, but that soon changes after they ride in it.

This has prompted us to add the Musso (a Korean word for rhino, in case you were wondering) to our 4×4 fleet. We’ve gone with the XLV variant with its 110mm longer wheelbase and massive cargo tub over the standard model. We also chose the mid-spec Ultimate for its coil-spring ride and comfort, and better equipped interior.

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While the Ultimate is the mid-spec, it is loaded with features you’ll be paying a lot more for in other 4×4 utes. Heated and vented leather seats, and a big eight-inch screen in the dash with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto feeding an eight-speaker audio system, all in a cabin that feels (and is) much wider and more spacious than any other ute on the market.

The VW Amarok might come close to the Musso in cabin width, but there’s certainly no rubbing shoulders with the front seat passenger as you get in Benz X-Class or Mitsubishi Triton.

The Musso doesn’t miss out on any safety tech and is up there with the Triton as one of the best-equipped utes in this regard. Standard kit includes all the features you expect including electronic stability and traction control, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), forward collision warning, front vehicle start alert (FVSA), lane departure warning, tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), front and rear park assist, blind spot detection, Lane Change Assist (LCA) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).

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We have found the lane departure warning to be overly sensitive and annoying on narrower roads, and thankfully you can turn its chime off. FVSA was a new one for us and is an alert that lets you know when the vehicle in front has moved on when sitting in traffic if your mind is elsewhere.

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We always love a good TPMS for keeping us informed of the pressures in all the tyres, particularly when you’re on rough roads that can be hard on tyres.

A nice touch to the Musso’s TPMS is that it randomly flashes up the current situation of the tyre pressures. We’ve only noticed this happening once in the first two weeks of driving this car, but it’s a great feature. How often do most of us check our tyre pressures?

The mechanical package comprises the 420Nm 2.2-litre diesel engine backed by a smooth eight-speed auto and part-time four-wheel drive.

The rear locking diff is an auto-locking unit and not driver-selectable, but has proven to be very effective in past tests.

WhichCar brings a Musso to the Deni Ute Muster…

We loaded the Musso up with some factory accessories that come from some well-known brands including the Ironman 4×4 suspension kit and underbody protection, Redarc Tow Pro brake controller, factory tow bar and tonneau cover.

These are all factory-backed and dealer installed, and fully covered by SsangYong’s excellent seven-year warranty.

We look forward to putting this Rhino to work over the coming months and getting a true feeling of what it’s like to live with.

THE DATA

TOTAL KM: 563km DATE ACQUIRED: July 2020 PRICE: $37,990 – $42,848.90 AVERAGE FUEL USE: 10.3L/100km

Part 2: Stuck in the ‘Burbs

New Maxxis RAZR tyres and some light-duty use for our SsangYong.

WITH the Melbourne lockdowns restricting us to a five-kilometre radius of home, we haven’t been able to put many miles on the SsangYong Musso XLV this past month, but it is proving to be a comfortable urban commuter.

The extent of our travels have been the commute to the shops and back, and we’ve appreciated the big, comfortable interior space, heated seats, and the large screen and clear reversing camera that help us slip into the parking spaces at Woollies.

Despite being bigger than some of the other utes in its class, the Musso is easier to park than most, thanks to its expansive glasshouse and visibility, and the aforementioned rear camera and parking sensors.

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We did squeeze in a bit of off-roading with the ‘Rhino’ when we headed out to the Melbourne 4×4 Training & Proving Ground, but before we did we replaced the tyres that came on it with a set of Maxxis’ new AT811 RAZR tyres.

We were mighty impressed with the RAZR MT772 muddies when we had them on our Ranger and when we saw the AT811s at the SEMA Show last year, and we were keen to try them out. The new all-terrain RAZRs only landed here in July, and when we saw the ATs had launched in Australia we queued up to get a set.

Of course, being an all-terrain tyre the 811s are a less-aggressive tyre than the 772 and deliver a better on-road driving experience, but Maxxis took some of the tech from the muddy and applied it to the AT to give it a more purpose-built appearance.

Aggressive side biters sit in between deep shoulder lugs for improved off-road traction and sidewall protection, and these are aided by the relatively open design of the chunky tread blocks across the tread face.

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All but one size (33.105R15) in the 21-size range of AT811 RAZRs are light-truck construction, with a durable 10-ply rating and 3-ply sidewall for strong resistance to punctures and damage.

We replaced the Musso’s tyres with RAZRs in the same 265/60R128 size as OE spec, albeit these are LT tyres. These retail for $310 to $320 per tyre, so shop around to find the best deal on them. We had them fitted by our good friends at Competition Tyres & More in Murrumbeena, Victoria.

Initial impressions on wet and dry roads are that they are super quiet and comfortable, with nothing to really challenge them in commuter conditions. At the proving ground they made light work of the gravel, mud and rocks found around the property at road pressures.

Having the more aggressive tyres on the already capable Musso makes a good thing better, allowing us to take it more places. So we’re looking forward to getting out to some more challenging terrain once the pandemic lockdown lifts, to see how both cars and tyres perform.

THE DATA

TOTAL KM: 643km KM SINCE LAST MONTH: 70km AVERAGE FUEL USE: 11.7L/100km

Part 3: Making Musso Memories

Understanding what Aussie drivers do with their vehicles is something Korean carmaker SsangYong has quantified – 27/10/20

ANOTHER month of Victorian lockdowns has meant another month of us not being able to go far in our Musso XLV. In fact, we still haven’t had to put any fuel in it.

While we haven’t been able to put the Musso to much use it has been interesting to read a survey recently commissioned by SsangYong on how Australians are likely to use their vehicles over a seven-year period.

SsangYong chose seven years as that’s how long its vehicles are covered by the factory unlimited-kilometre warranty.

While there might be people who will have questions about buying a vehicle from a relatively small importer such as SsangYong, that seven-year warranty should certainly allay any fears about the vehicle’s quality and dependability.

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On average, Australians drive 13,400km per year, so that’s 93,800km over the seven-year warranty period.

“Across seven years, an average Australian driver will make 5063 individual trips,” according to Stevan Dimitrovski, the national marketing manager at SsangYong Australia.

“They’re likely to pop the boot 1343 times, play 3167 songs, make 877 hands-free calls, and have 302 unique arguments over directions.”

Relating this to our experience with the Musso XLV; it has a tailgate and not a boot and the tailgate is locked via the central locking, a very handy feature not found on many popular 4×4 utes.

Playing music, making hands-free calls and seeking directions is easy in the Musso thanks to the Apple CarPlay and relatively large eight-inch screen.

The eight-speaker sound system fitted within the Musso XLV Ultimate is a step above most popular utes as well; some of them only offer two speakers! But we do wish the sound system had more volume as I often find it already at its max when I go to crank it up.

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SsangYong’s ‘Long Drive’ study also found that across that seven-year period, men are expected to take 692 more trips than women (5424 compared to 4732) and the blokes are also expected to open windows more (2162 times) compared to women (1820 times). Australians are predicted to reverse park 1569 times on average over seven years.

Interestingly, 98 per cent of Australians are likely to harbour memories of their cars associated with life milestones or family occasions, rather than memories about their ‘new car’ experience.

This is particularly relevant for a go-anywhere adventure 4×4 ute like the Musso; you’re more likely to remember what car you were in when you conquered the Simpson Desert’s ‘Big Red’ sand dune than elements of getting a new car.

What’s that other saying? No one remembers the time you got 10L/100km fuel economy.

Equipping the Musso with factory-backed accessories such as the Ironman 4×4 suspension, underbody vehicle protection and all-terrain tyres, as we have done on the XLV, furnish the Musso for such memorable adventures. All the accessories are also covered by the same seven-year factory warranty.

So far the lockdown is creating memories for all the wrong reasons. We’re just itching to break free from the suburbs and set out on some memorable adventures in the Musso.

THE DATA

TOTAL KM: 771km KM SINCE LAST MONTH: 128km AVERAGE FUEL USE: 11.9L/100km

Part 4: Back to Work

We’re finally getting our and using the Musso as intended – 22/12/20

AFTER months in a hard Victorian lockdown and being tethered to the suburbs, we’ve been able to venture a bit farther afield in the Musso, using it as the photographer’s car on a worker permit.

This allowed our snapper Alastair to drive it up to Lederderg for these pics and later down to Gippsland to shoot Anthony’s Patrol for the cover of this issue.

Just as the Musso has been a comfortable and easy car to live with around town, it works well for these little day trips and light off-road use. The spacious cabin is well-equipped in this Ultimate specification and, as it is the long-wheelbase XLV model, the massive cargo tub easily accommodates any gear we need.

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On the day these photos were taken we had the new Mazda BT-50 there to shoot, and driving the two back-to-back you quickly appreciate the wider cabin of the Musso that gives a much bigger feeling inside the car.

It’s also quieter inside and after sampling both the BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max siblings around the same time, I’ve got to say the Musso is much more refined in the cabin with less noise from the engine and lower NVH levels all-round.

We weren’t comparing the two utes on the day but as an indicator, where the Mazda scraped its side-steps cresting a large hump, the SsangYong cleared it, but it did touch its tail on departure; a price you pay for the larger cargo space.

Even with its optional Ironman 4×4 suspension package raising the ride height around 45mm, the Musso still feels low. That said, it is an essential option for anyone wanting to use their Musso off-road.

While the rear overhang is something you need to be wary of when off-road, the benefit of that massive tub (300mm longer than the standard Musso) is how much you can fit in it.

Being allowed farther afield allowed me to pick up some wheels and tyres and five 265/75-15s fit in there easily, with room for two more and you’d still be able to keep them all under the tonneau cover.

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Having the weight of these wheels and tyres in the tub also softened out the all-coil spring suspension a bit for a more comfortable ride.

Like any one-tonne ute the Musso can be a bit choppy in the ride department when there’s no load on board, but a light load like this balances it out nicely.

In XLV Ultimate trim like our car, the Musso has an 880kg payload. If you need more, the lower-spec ELX model with leaf springs under the back gives 1025kg payload with all 4×4 Mussos having a 3500kg towing rating.

Getting out of town allowed us to put a more respectable 700km on the Musso XLV and the highway driving dropped the fuel use down to a 10.9L/100km average.

The more time we spend in the Musso and the kilometres we rack up in it, the more we think this is the most underrated ute in its class and definitely one that buyers should check out before they pass it by.

THE DATA

TOTAL KM: 1428km KM SINCE LAST MONTH: 657km AVERAGE FUEL USE: 10.9L/100km

Part 5: Breaking Free

We leave suburbia behind and take a long-overdue off-road day trip – 14/01/21 Words: Tristan Tancredi

FOLLOWING months of hibernation, Netflix and food deliveries, it was great to get out again and enjoy the Victorian sunshine and clock up some proper mileage in our long-term Musso.

We say that as a big slab of our time spent with the Musso has been whittled away during lockdown, with the Korean dual-cab mainly sitting in the carpark, and used sparingly to pick up groceries and Bunnings orders.

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With restrictions lessened considerably over the past month or so, we decided to point the Musso to Healesville and beyond to Toolangi, to dust off the cobwebs and take a long-overdue off-road day trip.

Located at just over 70km from Melbourne via blacktop, Toolangi is a sweet spot for off-roaders looking to escape for a weekend – or just an afternoon, really.

With a selection of interweaving off-road tracks – ranging from mild to somewhat wild – the region is lush with vegetation, and well-used by four-wheelers throughout the year.

Being a weekday on our jaunt, though, we had the place to ourselves.

On the tarmac drive to reach the dirt, the wide, spacious interior and securely heated and vented front pews (no height adjustment for the passenger) make the Musso a comfy vessel for the occasion – though the cheap plastic clothing the dash is to be expected.

That there was a fair bit of weight in the Musso’s extended tub – courtesy of some used wheels and tyres editor Matt picked up on the cheap – made the ute feel well-connected to the bitumen.

This particular Musso is the XLV variant, which means it has a longer wheelbase (by 110mm) and a bigger cargo tub than the standard model.

Despite its size, though, rear parking sensors and a rear camera make it a cinch to park. It also has the Ironman 4×4-developed suspension setup, which can be purchased and installed from the factory.

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You really feel it off-road, too, with the Musso feeling well-connected to terra firma on undulating backroads. On some of the more challenging climbs, the Musso had no issues keeping up with a 2020 Toyota Hilux cab-chassis we had along for the ride.

The 4WD system is easily manipulated via a dial on the centre console, with 4WD High able to be activated on the fly.

There are a few nit-picks, though, including the sensitive driver assistance systems such as lane departure warnings and a chime that alerts the driver when the vehicle in front of them has departed.

The alarm button on the key fob is also too big and obtrusive – and accidentally pressed on numerous occasions.

There are a few upcoming trips planned with our long-term Musso, so stay tuned to see how it coped with end-of-year festivities.

THE DATA

TOTAL KM: 2761km KM SINCE LAST MONTH: 1333km AVERAGE FUEL USE: 9.0L/100km

Part 6: The Great Escape

The Musso is loaded up and heads to the mountains, only to have its freedom cut short by a sudden border closure – 05/03/21 Words: Matt Raudonikis

IT FEELS like all the monthly reports we did on the Musso through 2020 ran along the lines of ‘Sorry, but we’re in lockdown and have only done 15km this month’ or ‘Pulled a quick daytrip to the outskirts of town between lockdowns and the Musso feels great’.

Thankfully, the end of 2020 and into the New Year gave us some freedom to use the SsangYong as it is supposed to be driven, but there was still another border restriction to throw a curveball.

Before we knocked off for the Christmas break, we took the opportunity to take the Musso out on a road test with the updated Hilux, which you may have already read about in this magazine. Once the holidays started and travel restrictions were eased, we were finally able to take the Musso bush on a camping trip. Even then, a border permit was needed should we venture out of the state and want to get back into Victoria again.

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A few days up on the Snowy River were planned and I loaded the Musso up. The tie-down points and 12-volt outlet in the massive cargo tub were put to use to secure and power the ARB fridge, and the load space easily accommodated gear including swags, camp chair, water drum, space cases, etc. All covered under the soft tonneau cover. Why they made the spars that support this cover in three pieces is beyond me, as they come loose and fall apart when simple one-piece spars are no fuss.

DAVID vs GOLIATH: Musso vs Hilux

The Musso’s spacious cabin has always been welcoming, and the vented and cooled seats proved their worth while travelling under the hot summer sun. At the same time, the manual air-conditioning seemed to struggle to pull the temp down when returning to the car after it was parked in the sun, even with everything cranked to maximum.

Another deficiency for travelling is the lack of USB ports, as the single one in the console isn’t enough in this day and age. You need to have your phone plugged into it for music and maps, which leaves nowhere else to charge any other appliances. Other than these minor gripes, the Musso is a great place to spend long days behind the wheel.

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Driving impressions reflect what I said in the road test in this magazine, but the suspension certainly feels much better when there’s some gear in the back. Another mention of the TPMS; on a 40˚C day the tyres were obviously heating up on the tarmac, and once we hit the mountain twisties it wasn’t long before an alarm sounded with a warning of ‘High Pressure’ in one of the rear tyres. I couldn’t have timed it better really, as we were about to hit the dirt and it was time to drop the pressures anyway, but just another reason to make me think this is the best OEM-fitted TPMS I’ve seen.

Speaking of the tyres; the Maxxis RAZR A/Ts have proven to be an excellent choice for this car. They have been quiet and smooth around town, steer well on the twisty roads, and were surefooted and well-planted on gravel roads and low-range off road. Some of the High Country tracks heading up from the Snowy River are steep and rocky, the perfect place to damage a sidewall on a lesser tyre, but the RAZRs have come away unscathed and there’s still a lot of life left in them yet.

The lockdowns threw another spanner in the works as Victoria closed its border again on New Year’s Eve, requiring a quick pack-up and hasty retreat back south. Once in Victoria, we enjoyed the road south from Corryong to Benambra, its many twists, turns and climbs a joy to take in the mighty Musso.

Part 7: Chasing Stars

The Musso is put to work as a video support rig on 4X4OTY – 16/04/21 Words: Matt Raudonikis

OUR Musso XLV continues to prove its worth as a reliable and capable tool for whatever job we task it with. Be it picking up parts, trips to the hardware store, daily commuting or heading off-road, it has always been up to the job.

Most recently the Musso was called upon to be the transport for the media team on our 4X4 Of The Year road test. This meant hauling three guys and all their camera and camping gear away on a five-day trek, chasing the best new four-wheel drive vehicles of 2020.

The 4X4OTY test was conducted in the Victorian High Country and we took in some of the steeper and more scenic tracks to test the mettle of the contenders and capture the best imagery available in the region. Chasing vehicles that most consider far more capable than the Musso certainly put the SsangYong to the test.

The Musso XLV was among the finalists for 4X4OTY in 2019 when it surprised the judges with its performance. It wasn’t in contention this time around, but having to chase and overtake the convoy of contenders time and time again over the week sure put through its paces.

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The car we had on 4X4OTY in 2019 had the standard suspension and our only comment to SsangYong after testing was that it needed a lift and better suspension, to which they replied: “You should drive one with the optional Australian-developed suspension it in.” We took them up on the offer and our Musso XLV is equipped as such, giving it around 40mm extra clearance over standard.

Still, the Musso banged and scraped over some of the rockier tracks in the mountains more so than the other cars on this drive. Thankfully we also equipped it with the optional underbody protection, which, along with the suspension kit, was also developed here by Ironman 4×4. The metal plate under the engine now bares a few scrapes and marks where it ground out over the rocks, but it did its job and protected the car’s vitals.

The Musso XLV could really use some protection between the axles, as the long wheelbase of the XLV (110mm longer than a regular Musso) leaves the belly of the car susceptible. A plate beneath the fuel tank would be good idea as our one is now dented and the mounting strap damaged. The chassis rails also show scrapes, but they are sturdy and undamaged.

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Our Ford Ranger-owning video director Matt Bourke spent most of the time behind the wheel of the Musso on this trip and said, “It went everywhere we asked it to with only a few underbody scrapes, but that’s due to the tub being so long.

“I was rather impressed with it to be honest. For the money it’s not a bad ute with all the creature comforts, leather heated and cooled seats, and Apple CarPlay.”

Videographer Cam Inniss spent plenty of time on the back seat and commented, “I thought the backseat was quite comfy for a ute, plenty of room back there.” Cam also mentioned the quiet on-road ride which is something we’ve commented on several times, particularly when compared to other utes in this class.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine isn’t a rocket, but it is one of the most refined four-cylinder units you will find in this class.

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Part 8: Workin’ for the Man

The Musso continues to impress our less-experienced crew – 07/05/21 Words: Matt Raudonikis

OUR Musso continues to serve as my daily transport and back-up vehicle for the photographic team when we’re away on shoots. Photographer Alastair Brook has taken it out on a few shoots of late and was also among the team in it on the 4x4OTY road test in the Victorian High Country.

Alastair said of his time in the Musso, “It’s pretty capable with the off-road tyres. Even a newbie such as myself could get up stuff others needed a couple of goes at. Plenty of toys included for the price point; heated and cooled seats and CarPlay in a car that size for the price point is commendable. The dash is good and I like the occasional reminder of the tyre pressures.

“The ride is decent and on-road manners are quite good. The space in the back serviceable; probably more so than that rental Hilux we had on the Flinders trip.”

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Those off-road tyres Alastair was referring to are the Maxxis RAZR AT811 all terrains that we fitted early on in the test, and they are performing excellently covering all sorts of terrain and holding up well.

The RAZRs are the same 265/60-18 size as the OE tyres that SsangYong fits to the Musso, so there was no trouble fitting them and they have given us peace of mind when travelling out on the tracks. And some of those High Country tracks were rubber punishing rocky!

They have around 5000 kilometres on them now and still look as new. That said, the Musso’s standard tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is showing that the driver’s rear has a slow leak in it which we’ll have to investigate before we head out of town again. The TPMS reminds us of this every time we get in the car and is a great feature.

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A few of the drivers of late have mentioned that the Musso can be tricky to park, partly because of its size but also that the rear corners of the tub are relatively high. At 5.4 metres long, the Musso is longer than most cars even other double-cab utes and it does hang its tail out beyond the marking in the local car parks.

So yes, it does take a bit of extra care when negotiating such places but front and rear parking sensors plus the reversing camera, make the job a lot easier. The image from the reversing camera is bright and clear on the large in-dash screen.

KM THIS MONTH: 6521km AVERAGE FUEL USE: 11.2L/100km

Part 9: Better than you think

After a year in the shed, the Musso XLV Ultimate has proved itself a value-for-money conveyance with respectable off-road cred, features and refinement – 19/07/21

Well, it was with us for 12 months, but thanks to COVID and its numerous lockdowns and border closures, the mighty Musso only racked up 10,000km during that time.

It got up to the Victorian High Country a few times, supported numerous road tests and photo shoots as our photographer’s car, and there were a couple of interstate drives squeezed in there when we could.

The Musso was a surprise to most who drove it, as they were impressed with its level of features and refined cabin. Even with the optional off-road suspension, the XLV was still a bit of a low-rider and that limited its ability in the rough stuff, but it was an excellent all-road and highway tourer.

Just before we had to give it back, I had cause for a trip up to the New South Wales mid-north coast and the Musso was the first choice for the drive due to its comfort and features.

In the last update I mentioned we had picked up a screw on one of the Maxxis RAZR all-terrain tyres and it was leaking slowly. I had been using the SsangYong’s excellent tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) to keep an eye on this and managed the pressure with regular top-ups, but a wiser person would have repaired it before setting off on such a drive.

Sure enough, 800km into the drive the screw parted ways with the tyre and the TPMS instantly told me trouble was afoot. It was no trouble to pull off the highway and change the tyre, helped by the high-quality and easy-to-access jack and related hardware to do it.

I was especially impressed with the solid one-piece handle for winding down the spare from beneath the tray (multi-piece handles are never any good) and the solid and sturdy jack itself. The quality tools made the job as easy as it could have been. And a big thanks to the guys at Tyrepower in Tuncurry, NSW, who did a great job of repairing the tyre and refitting that wheel back on the Musso.

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The Musso ate up the 1100km drive and recorded 8.8L/100km of fuel use for the return journey. That’s a bit more than you would expect if you had the OE tyres on, but the RAZR ATs were there to give reassurance when we hit the gravel roads and tracks while we were away.

During our time with the Musso, a lot of people were quick to say ‘you get what you pay for’ about the car, but the Musso proved more than just a good value-for-money prospect. It was a great long-distance tourer regardless of the road you were on, it was comfortable and well-equipped for day-to-day commuting around town, and it proved more than capable for off-roading where ground clearance wasn’t such an issue.

A bit more suspension height and it would be awesome!

TOTAL KM: 10,075km KM SINCE LAST UPDATE: 3554 AVERAGE FUEL: 10.8L/100km

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There’s a side of Australia most don’t ever see. Perched up in their high-rise apartments in the guts of cities all along the eastern seaboard, the average Joe has no understanding of what lays beyond the city lights.

They’ve never seen the endless kilometres of corrugations. Couldn’t fathom the idea of hours between fuel stops, let alone days. The concept that a marked road may be nigh on impassable, requiring winching, sawing and technical driving ability to master it, is so foreign to them you may as well be describing a Mongolian odyssey.

But for those with red dirt in their veins it’s a part of life; it defines not only their entire concept of adventure, but the very vehicles they build to tame the great outdoors.

With his sights set on serious remote touring, Luke knew he’d need a serious 4WD to get the job done, and with a Lifestyle Campers Reconn R2 ready to hook up to the back, a modern dual cab wasn’t going to cut the mustard; it’d need a bit of serious get up and go as well.

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Enter a stunning Merlot Red 2020 LC200 GXL, one of the toughest 4WDs on the market in factory form, and even tougher again after Luke had KDT Automotive Solutions spin its automotive wizardry on it.

Like many tourers on the market, Luke knew the gear he’d be adding would start eating into the factory GVM, leaving him in a pinch of strife if he ever came face to face with a stern inspector holding a set of scales.

With that in mind before he even picked up the keys, he had Darren from KDT lined up for a second-stage rego-certified GVM upgrade, bumping the Cruiser up to a massive 3800kg legal weight limit. With the LC200 so robust right out of the factory, extensive modifications weren’t required to boost the carrying capacity, but he did start with a solid foundation.

Hiding in each wheel of the Cruiser are huge 2.5-inch diameter King shocks with remote reservoirs and adjustable dampening, allowing Luke to dial-in his suspension set-up to suit exactly the loads he’s carrying and how he wants the rig to ride on the magic-carpet scale.

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Up front, the King shocks have bumped the ride height three inches closer to the clouds with Eibach springs, while the rear sits two inches higher on a set of Aussie-made King springs, a popular combination to level out the factory rake so many OEM 4x4s come with these days.

While it was on the hoist, a host of ancillary parts were fitted to ensure the Cruiser didn’t just sit better, but performed better too. Back to the front, and the restrictive OEM upper control arms have been binned and in their place now reside a pair of significantly beefier Blackhawk replacement arms, with the upper ball joint realigned to suit the new ride height; the suspension now far more comfortable at full travel.

Moving backwards, the restrictive Panhard rod has swung the Cruiser’s diff to the side with the new lift, so an adjustable unit from Roadsafe was optioned up, providing a strength upgrade as well as adjustability to get the axle tracking straight again. Eagle-eyed readers will spot a set of Airbagman helper springs tucked inside the rear coils, allowing Luke to effectively increase his spring weight if the rear end is loaded up.

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With so much space liberated in the wheel arches, Luke knew exactly what he’d need to do to fill it. “The overall goal of the build was long-range touring,” Luke told us. “But I didn’t want to compromise the look of the car.”

Each corner now sports huge 18×9-inch 309 Grids from Method Race Wheels. Measuring in at +18 offset, they line up perfectly with the guards, giving the Cruiser an aggressive look without requiring huge flares to cover larger offsets. They’re wrapped front to back in 35×12.5-inch Nitto Ridge Grapplers, an aggressive all-terrain tyre perfect for a do-it-all tourer.

“I didn’t want to go down the path of flares,” Luke says. “It meant with the offset I was running, a body mount chop and some minor guard trimming was required.”

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Keeping the whole show motoring down the road is the renowned twin-turbo bent-eight 1VD-FTV diesel. It’s breathing freely through a five-inch Vogue Industries stainless-steel snorkel and Unifilter combination. A Direction-Plus pre-filter helps ensure the injector pump and injectors live a long and healthy life, while a Process West catch can separates oil from the engine’s blow-by, helping keep the intake gunk free without blocking the EGR like so many people do these days.

Back on the outside and the Cruiser’s distinct look comes from the clean-as-a-whistle ‘Predator’ bar from Offroad Animal in Victoria. The colour-coded unit not only armours up the Cruiser’s soft bits, it also provides a home for a 22-inch slimline LED light bar from Stedi. Sliding back and the up-armouring continues with a set of Legendex rock sliders protecting the vulnerable sill panels.

Underneath, there’s more steel than a Sherman tank in the form of Custom Offroad bash plates front to back. MSA towing mirrors help bump out the view too, to let Luke keep a keen eye on the Lifestyle Campers set-up on the hitch.

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Up top there’s more than two square metres of touring storage thanks to a full Rhino-Rack set-up resting on a Backbone mounting system. It plays host to a 270-degree awning, a couple of additional light bars and a few recovery items if things turn pear-shaped on the tracks.

Sliding into the captain’s seat, Luke’s kept things simple but practical for his remote touring needs. A Throttle Monkey unit lets him dial in the throttle sensitivity, allowing him to dull it right down for precise rock-crawling work, or give him instant throttle response in soft sand or mud.

A GME XRS 330C falls easily to hand, the high-tech unit not only giving clear communications but allowing Luke to replay previous messages and locate other members in his convoy thanks to the built-in location services. Hanging off the centre console is a full-sized iPad with off-road mapping, and a Redarc trailer-brake controller equipping Luke with all the tools he needs in his off-road arsenal.

While Luke’s Cruiser may not be one of the most modified we’ve ever seen, it’s easy to see it’s one of the most well thought out and intentionally modified. Everything he needs for remote touring, everything he’d want for hard weekend wheeling, and enough drool factor to ensure he’ll spend plenty of nights sitting in the shed looking at it with a smile on his face.

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During my many Cape York fishing and hunting escapes, I have often driven the alternate routes from the Peninsula Development Road (PDR) that junctions with the Burke Developmental Road (BDR) which runs from Mareeba to the Dunbar Station junction on the Normanton Road in the northern Gulf country. Two routes, the Artemis and Fairview roads, divert directly from the PDR to the BDR after crossing the mighty Mitchell River that closely parallels the BDR.

Another route swings off the PDR at Laura to Palmerville Station, and the Maytown ruins. Farther south from the station are the ruins of Groganville and its cemetery. The track is rough and runs on private lands, thus permission from stations is required. There are active gold-mining operations about Groganville. The track that runs from Groganville to the BDR, via Bellevue Station, is privately owned and permission is rarely given.

The easiest route from Palmerville Station south is via Mount Musgrave Station to the BDR, via the Gamboola Station Crossing. As elsewhere, these remote area roads and tracks have numerous gates. Leave them as you find them. If they are open, don’t stop; if closed, open and shut it behind you. Don’t shoot unless you have permission to do so. Remember, scrub bulls belong to people and are worth a lot of money. They are not feral, so leave them be. Above all, be careful with campfires, as this country is tinder-dry when roads and tracks open.

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MOUNT CARBINE TO DIMBULAH

For something different, turn west from the Mulligan Highway 25km north of Mount Carbine, on to the Mount Carbine-Groganville track. It provides an amazing journey of discovery into yesteryear when gold was king. About 9km from the highway take the Dimbulah Road, cross the Old Cooktown Crossing on the Mitchell River and head south past Kondaparinga Station to Dimbulah. There is a free campground with no facilities on the south bank of the river on the crossing.

Imposing views of Mount Mulligan are beyond the crossing, and the mountain has rich coal seams under it. Now abandoned, the coal mine is best remembered when it blew up on the morning of September 19, 1921, instantly making every woman in town a widow and every child an orphan. It remains the state’s worst mining disaster and the third worst in Australia, when 76 miners were killed by a coal-dust blast.

Past the old cemetery, under the lee of the imposing bulwarks of Mount Mulligan, are the ruins of once-rich gold mines – Thornborough, Kingsborough, Tyrconnell, General Grant and others – all once thriving communities where now only silent headstones remain of their past glories when gold was king.

At Dimbulah you have a choice of heading west to Mount Mulgrave Station via Chillagoe, and turning north to Palmerville Station at the Mount Mulgrave crossing. Chillagoe had all amenities, cave tours and amazing limestone ranges and towers. It’s also the last fuel stop.

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GROGANVILLE TO PALMERVILLE

If you decided to miss the Dimbulah-Mount Mulligan turn-off and continue to Groganville, consider camping on Karma Waters Station en route. The station has nice campsites on the perennial Mitchell River. These back roads and side-tracks provide access across the steep hills of the Great Dividing Range before they spill on to the savannah lowlands of the southern Cape York Peninsula. To the east beyond the Mulligan Highway, is the backdrop to the rainforest-clad Main Coast Range of the Daintree and Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

Little remains of Groganville, once located on the banks of a steep gully in a narrow gorge. Locals must have suffered from heat exhaustion in summer, and children and babies died in numbers if the headstones on the cemetery are an indication.

The mine is reached via a deep cutting past the ruins. A steam engine and rusted machinery and bough sheds remain. From here you have a choice of heading directly north to Palmerville Station on a track that may be impassable after the wet season. The previous owners are doing time for the murder of a prospector on the station, which now has new owners. They are much more hospitable and have campsites set aside for visitors and prospectors for a small fee.

You can also reach the Palmer Goldfield Resources Reserve by turning off the Mulligan Highway at Maitland Station, 17km south of the Palmer River Roadhouse. Note there are some confusing names – Mount Mulligan, Mulligan Highway, Musgrave Roadhouse and Mount Mulgrave Station.

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WESTERN ROUTES

Some 24km south of the Musgrave Roadhouse is Artemis Station. It is a noted birdwatcher’s destination, being one of the few places on the Cape where people go to see the endangered golden-shouldered parrot in its natural habitat, one that it shares with many other species.

The station has campsites for dedicated twitchers and others. Its 95km from the PDR at the Artemis Station turn-off to the Alice River Goldfields junction and another 65km where it meets the junction of Fairview Station, which is on the PDR. You have the choice on this road of heading to Fairview, or turning south to Palmerville Station and beyond, via Fairlight Station.

This is a nice, easy day trip with a few stops at stream crossings and the rocky outcrops and hills. There is much wildlife – birds, kangaroos and antilopine wallaroos. At Palmerville you can head back on to the PDR or continue directly south via Mount Mulgrave Station, to the BDR.

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Another nice drive to the BDR is about 19km past the Killarney Station turnoff on the Artemis-Fairview road. It’s an interesting drive that crosses the Palmer River at King Junction Station and the mighty Mitchell River near Gamboola Station on the BDR. Several stations lay along this route and permission to camp away from the road is required.

Another great trip from the PDR to the BDR is to continue past the Alice River Goldfields junction to Indigenous-owned Oriners Station, the Alice River, and beyond to the crossing of the Mitchell River, 19km past Koolatha Station where it runs parallel to the BDR.

If you don’t wish to cross the river, there is another parallel 110km-long road that runs east from Koolatha via Drumduff Station, to the Gamboola Station crossing. It’s generally the preferred route for locals as the BDR is noted for its treacherously deep bulldust late in the dry season.

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LANDSCAPES

None of these roads are sealed and some are not maintained by the Cook and Mareeba Shire Councils. Visit their websites for updated information when travelling in this remote region. The roads are generally in fair condition by mid-year, but if you hit the Oriners Station road too early in the dry season, it’s generally impossible to traverse due to inundated low country that can take weeks to dry out after the wet is over.

Another hazard is that stream crossings may also be washed out or still too deep. I have seen the Gamboola Station causeway completely wash out after the mighty Mitchell, one of our largest rivers in volume of water, came down. Other river crossings can be piled high with sand dunes that must be cleared before vehicle crossings are possible.

The low country beyond the western Great Dividing Range hereabouts is largely dominated by monsoon woodlands, with open plains, studded by termite cities, occurring on other areas. A few sandstone outliers are on the King Junction Station track and near Mount Mulgrave Station. Station owners and managers vary in their attitude towards travellers with some giving permission to camp and fish, even hunt pigs, while others will tell you to “piss off, mate”.

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However, there are several national parks and reserves on these routes, including the new Alwal National Park, west from Artemis Station. At time of writing, management plans with the traditional owners have not been finalised, thus access may be restricted.

The Palmer Goldfield Resources Reserve has a no-frills campsite on the southern bank of the North Palmer River, while lovers of early mining history can indulge in the ruins of yesteryear that is Maytown, the Chinese workings, cemeteries, and the rusted relics and ruins of former settlements that are scattered about the field.

The Errk Oykangand (Mitchell-Alice River) National Park is northeast from Kowanyama, an Indigenous community on the lower Mitchell River. It is reached from the BDR via the Dunbar Station junction. The community welcomes fishers and campers and caters for them with four camping grounds.

A campground that accesses the park is at Shelfo Crossing on the Mitchell River. At time of writing, COVID-19 has reared its ugly head resulting in all Indigenous communities shutting their doors, but 2021 is looking better and perhaps we may be able to wander at will about the tracks less travelled. Contacts: Phone (07) 4060 5187 or email: [email protected] for camping details.

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The track from Kowanyama to Pormpuraaw is still marked on maps but alas is no more as – sand dunes in the Mitchell River and with the Coleman River crossing flooded away out to the north – this track has lapsed into decline as it was too costly for the two communities to maintain it.

You need to know that the lower west coast of the Cape York Peninsula and northern Gulf country is largely composed of savannah, which during the wet season becomes an inland sea that takes weeks to drain properly before any traffic is possible on these so-called ‘roads’.

You will encounter running streams, swamps, billabongs and stream pools rich in fish and crustaceans. Take a couple of red-claw lobster/cherabin pots and live well on bush tucker. The Artemis-Dunbar Station route – and the many side-tracks that branch out from it – is a wilderness escape like nowhere else on the Cape. Remote and isolated with plenty of wildlife encounters and wide-open spaces, this savannah route is a must if you are into wilderness treks.

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BE INDEPENDENT

Living in Mareeba I have travelled these routes over many years on day and longer trips. I have driven from Fairview Station to the Gamboola Crossing on the Mitchell River without encountering another vehicle. Stations are few and far between (some are abandoned), and I once dropped into one to say g’day at Strathleven Station, but, unknown to me at the time, it had sold weeks before.

The new owners had not yet appointed a manager. The station had been taken over by a group of pig hunters who set up residence in the homestead. They had savage dogs who, along with their owners, appeared high on drugs and booze. They were far from friendly at being caught trespassing. I turned round and drove out, the dogs chewing on my tyres. I reported the matter to a neighbouring station who were keeping an eye on the place. They had no idea that the pig doggers were there …

You need to be independent because there are is no fuel when you leave the PDR behind you until you reach either Kowyanma, Chillagoe or farther west, Karumba or Normanton. All Indigenous communities are alcohol free and if you have a bottle of happy spirits or beer on board it may cost you if stopped and searched. The police are very active in enforcing these laws. Dispose of it before entering DOGIT land areas.

A breakdown is an expensive experience, therefore ensure your vehicle is in top shape before venturing on to tracks less travelled.

Pull out the Hema Map, study and mark it when you read this, otherwise these amazing wilderness tracks won’t make much sense. You will discover there is much more to the Cape than the tip and back.

Snapshot

The launch of the new Defender 90 is here, with the three-door Land Rover joining its five-door Defender 100 sibling in the Australian market.

Featuring a new chassis and overhauled styling from the previous Defender, the new model is looking to bolster Land Rover’s local sales as the Defender 110 leads the way for JLR locally.

Starting out at just under below $75,000 before on-road costs, the range-topping V8 will set buyers back over $200,000, rivalling some of the top-shelf Range Rover Sport models.

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Pricing

The 2022 Land Rover Defender 90 range features five different engines across six trim variants, leading to eight possible combinations of powertrain and other options.

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

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Features

All Defender 90 variants are available with the same standard equipment which includes features such as:

Land Rover offers a range of exterior trim options for its Defender 90 variants at a premium to potential buyers.
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Optional packages

In addition to the abundance to individual options available across the Defender 90 variants – which includes 12 wheel options and six interior trim options – Land Rover offers a range of different packages which can be added, though specific prices have not yet been offered up.

Explorer Pack

Adventure Pack

Country Pack

Urban Pack

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Engine, drivetrain and fuel economy

All of the five available engines are mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, coupled to a twin-speed transfer box with high and low range.

The four-wheel-drive system also includes Land Rover’s Terrain Response technology, allowing the driver to change settings between presets in the system depending on what kind of surface they are driving on with help from the electronic centre and rear differentials.

Below is a breakdown of the five engines available with power, torque and fuel consumption figures.

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Dimensions

With almost half a metre chopped off the 110’s wheelbase, the Defender 90 is 435mm shorter than the bigger off-roader resulting in a body length of 4583mm and a wheelbase of 2587mm, still sharing the same 2008mm width and 1967mm height.

On the standard coil springs, all Defender 90s have a 31 degree approach angle, 25 degree ramp angle and 38 degree departure angle thanks to its 225mm ground clearance (increased up to 291mm with air suspension).

A side air intake means the Defender can wade at depths up to 850mm.

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Safety

While no ANCAP crash test results have been released for the three-door Defender, its bigger five-door sibling scored five stars when it was tested in 2020, rating particularly well for child and adult occupant protection.

The Defender 90 features a variety of safety technology to keep its occupants and other road users safe, including:

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Warranty and servicing

As with the rest of the Land Rover model line-up, the Defender 90 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with a five-year guaranteed future value assurance included.

Five-year service and roadside assistance packages are also available for the range, starting at $1950 for the 2.0-litre petrol, $2650 for the 3.0-litre petrol and diesel engines before reaching $3750 for the top-shelf 5.0-litre V8.

Availability

Land Rover is currently taking orders for the Defender 90 but has warned of delays up to the first quarter of next year due to production issues, owing in part to the semi-conductor shortage throughout the automotive industry.

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Snapshot

Jeep has confirmed its V8s are not dead yet despite recently announcing big electric vehicle plans for the future – with the Aussie favourite expected to be gradually phased out.

Speaking at a roundtable event for the India and Asia Pacific region this week, Jeep CEO Christian Meunier gave the V8 a stay of execution from being axed in favour of electric power, saying “it will happen, but not yet”.

“We want to keep producing the V8 for as long as we can, especially while there is a market demand for it, but at the same time electrification gives us the opportunity to get even more performance in a better way,” he added.

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“I love it, but I love electrification more – it gives us more acceleration, more power, more torque and all in a better package without hurting the planet, and that’s the solution in the long term.”

The US manufacturer’s top execs were adamant the transition to electric won’t mean losing out when it comes to performance though.

While details are still scarce on what the Grand Cherokee 4xe teased last week may be capable of, if the Wrangler 4xe, which is available to order in America now, is anything to go by – we could be looking at the new PHEV Jeep featuring a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit making 280kW and 637Nm paired with a 17kWh battery pack.

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That means the upcoming 4xe models could produce more than enough to stand up against the brand’s existing line-up – even if they don’t come in the form of a V6 or V8.

As a quick reminder, here’s how that stacks up against Jeep Australia’s current engines and their performance:

Gladiator

3.6-litre Pentastar V6 found in all variants – makes 209kW/347Nm.

Wrangler

3.6-litre Pentastar V6 found in all variants – makes 209kW/347Nm.

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Grand Cherokee

Night Eagle – 3.6-litre V6 or 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel – makes 213kW/347Nm or 184/570 respectively.

S-Limited – 5.7-litre V8 petrol, same 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel or additionally available as 5.7-litre HEMI V8 – 5.7-litre V8 petrol produces 259kW/520Nm, no figures quoted for HEMI V8.

Trailhawk – utilises same V6 turbo diesel.

S-Overland – utilises same V6 turbo diesel.

Cherokee

Sport – 2.4-litre Tigershark – pumps out 130kW/229Nm.

Limited – 3.2-litre Pentastar V6 – makes 200kW/315Nm

S-Limited – utilises same 3.2-litre V6.

Trailhawk – utilises same 3.2-litre V6.

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Compass

Launch Edition – 2.4- litre Tigershark petrol – produces 129kW/229Nm.

Limited – utilises same 2.4-litre petrol.

S-Limited – utilises same 2.4-litre petrol.

Trailhawk – 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel – makes 125kW/350Nm.

When also asked by 4×4 Australia about the future of diesel in its model range, the boss said the American firm plans to phase it out between now and 2030.

“Diesel is disappearing in Europe, the volume is going to reduce but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop producing [diesel variants] all at once – there will be a transition between now and 2030 and we’ll continue to have a V8,” Meunier said.

“Our role is to make Jeep even more exciting, to embrace electrification. On top of that, the Jeep community loves nature, they embrace it, so by making a product which doesn’t hurt nature and can drive in silence – that’s magic.”

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We’ve made no qualms about singing the praises of the vinyl floor found in our LS-M Isuzu D-MAX. It’s high quality, easy to clean and resistant to stains. The only negative is sand and mud can get trapped around trim panels, meaning a vacuum or sweep out is still required.

There has to be an easier way, and the answer is obviously floor mats. We didn’t want to cut any corners though, so opted for these high-end Maxtrac 3D mats from the team at TruFit carpets and vinyls.

Now this is an upgrade anybody could make at home; if you can open a box, you are basically over-qualified. Each floor mat has been specifically designed to suit your vehicle, so no cutting or mucking around is required. They also won’t slide around once in place; unlike many other floor mats you can get.

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Simply fit them in place and go four-wheel driving. At the end of the day, lift them out and shake whatever material is left over from your adventure.

They will protect our vinyl floor, increase resale value as it will look brand-new for years to come and make cleaning up after a day on the tracks easy as pie.

If you have just bought, or are about to buy a new 4×4, floor mats and seats covers are some of the first things you should fit.

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AVAILABLE FROM: http://3dmats.com.au RRP: For the D-MAX, front and rear floor mats cost $279, or $199 for the front alone. WHAT WE SAY: Check out the TruFit 3D website, to see if there’s a floor mat to suit your vehicle.

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Snapshot

The recently revealed Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar has officially been given a launch date, with the halo off-roader to arrive in dealerships across Australia from September 1 this year.

Pricing has also been released, with the Warrior priced from $67,490 when paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Opting for the self-shifting seven-speed automatic variant is a $2500 premium, with that set to retail from $69,990.

This price point positions it side-by-side with its closest competitor, the Hilux Rugged X ($69,900; auto-only), and considerably cheaper than the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon ($76,450) and Ranger Raptor ($77,190).

Still, it’s a decent price hike compared to N-TREK Warrior, which was priced at $62,990 (manual) and $65,490 (auto) when launched in 2019.

2021 Navara PRO-4X
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Utilising the underpinnings of the MY21 Navara PRO-4X, the Premcar-fettled Warrior is wider, taller and tougher courtesy of revised suspension componentry; a widened track from 1570mm to 1600mm; more ground clearance (260mm up from 220mm); a greater approach angle (36 instead of 32 degrees); and a 100kg GVM upgrade (now 3250kg).

The suspension updates comprise new spring rates, revised front and rear damping, and a larger, taller jounce bumper, said to provide “better control of wheel movement at maximum suspension travel, and reduce transmission of large impacts into cabin”.

Listen to Premcor’s Tom Imbesi discuss these changes in detail in the below video.

Also new for the PRO-4X Warrior is a winch-compatible bumperbar with an in-built LED light bar, a Navara-branded bash plate, and 3mm-thick steel underbody protection.

“The PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar is a true Warrior 2.0, delivering more technology, more capability and more go-anywhere toughness than any Navara before it,” said Bernie Quinn., Premcar Engineering Director. “We set out to create the most capable Navara ever and this new Warrior is exactly that? It’s been engineered from the ground up to tackle the toughest terrain Australia can deliver, all without sacrificing comfort.

“It benefits from all of our learnings, our customer feedback, and from the improvements made to the Navara PRO-4X, creating a new dual-cab Ute that is tailor-made for Australian conditions.”

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At the vehicle’s launch earlier this month, Quinn explained to 4X4 Australia that production of the Warrior at Premcar’s Epping facility in Melbourne, Victoria, will span the duration of the current-model Navara’s lifecycle – unlike production of the N-TREK Warrior which was limited to 1400 units due to a capped 12-month production lifespan.

“Production is scheduled at 32 a week, but we’ll be supply-constrained at that,” Quinn said. “The facility is capable of doing more. At the peak of N-TREK Warrior we were doing 13 per day, which we can do in one shift.”

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The Warrior is covered by a comprehensive five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which covers all Nissan and Premcar parts.

“Ensuring a hassle free Warrior purchase and ownership experience is extremely important,” said Matt Baily, Nissan Australia’s Senior Manager of Local Product Development & Enhancement.

“With the PRO-4X Warrior model, you’re supported, just like any other Navara owner would be. The same goes for servicing and capped-price servicing, ensuring our customers get the best OEM and Premcar equipment, with everything taken care of by your Nissan dealer.”

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