Australian 4WD & SUV Buyer's Guide

JOSHUA DOWLING Joshua Dowling is the National Motoring Editor at drive.com.au and a World Car of the Year judge. Joshua is renowned for his consumer-first approach and you can also read his regular rants on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling. In this issue, he tests the Dodge RAM TRX, BMW iX, Ford Ranger Raptor and Tesla Model Y. JOHN CAREY John is a former editor of Overlander, a contributor to Wheels magazine where he is a Car of the Year judge, and publications in the USA and UK. He lives in Bergamo, Italy, and covers new model launches for us from Europe. TOBY HAGON Toby is a motoring writer of 30 years experience and the founder of evcentral.com.au, Australia’s leading source of information and advice about electric cars and SUVs. He is also…

In our tests on the following pages we have used symbols to give you a quick indication of the strengths of each vehicle and star ratings to indicate in more detail how each stacks up in its class. Here’s what the symbols and stars mean: Our piggybank indicates a vehicle that we think represents good value for money against the others in its class. It may not necessarily be the cheapest, but taking into account factors such as standard equipment, safety, the way it drives, resale values and quality, it shapes up as a good deal. A capital S indicates a vehicle that scores five stars out of five for occupant protection in ANCAP crash tests. Go to www.ancap.com.au. for more information If you’re after a safe, practical vehicle to…

Maserati’s new mid-size SUV, the Grecale, arrives early in 2023 to take on the likes of the Porsche Macan, BMW X3/X4 and Mercedes GLC. It features a mix of electrified and high performance ICE drivetrains, kicking off with the GT, powered by a 2.0-litre twin turbopetrol four with mild hybrid assistance, that’s good for 221kW and 350Nm. The same engine, chipped for 242kW and 450Nm, is fitted to the Modena. Both models send drive to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The headline act, though, is the Trofeo variant, with the new Nettuno 3.0-litre twin turbo V6, as used in the MC20 sports car. It generates 390kW and 620Nm, beating stablemate Alfa Romeo’s 375kW/600Nm 2.9-litre twin turbo V6 in the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Both, however, claim the same 0-100km/h…

Like Elon Musk and his Tesla brand, the Ineos Grenadier is the product of one man’s vision. British industrialist Sir Jim Ratcliffe, owner of the Ineos chemical company, wanted a new Land Rover Defender to replace his old faithful. He didn’t want Land Rover’s new Defender, which is a luxury SUV rather than a built for purpose, heavy-duty 4x4, so he decided to build his own. He’s torn up more than a billion dollars in the process, but the Grenadier is now a reality. As you can see, it looks very much like an old Defender 110 wagon. It’s built like one too, with a steel ladder chassis, live axles at both ends, bash plates, dual range, permanent four wheel drive and 17-inch steel wheels. Under the bonnet are two…

BMW’s third generation X1 is arriving in showrooms now, priced from $53,900 for the SDrive 18i, powered by a carryover 115kW/230Nm 1.5-litre turbopetrol triple, matched with a dual clutch seven-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. At $65,900, the xDrive 20i ups the ante with a 150kW/300Nm 2.0-litre turbopetrol four, with the same seven-speed transmission sending drive to all four wheels. A longer wheelbase, and larger body, yields more interior space (including a bigger boot), while the dash is the full BMW techno-wow, with a curved screen panel incorporating the latest System 8 infotainment and a large digital instrument cluster. Heated seats are fitted in the base model, but you will have to pay, via an annual subscription, to have the heating function activated, via download, by BMW. That’s right. You have…

This should be a good thing. Subaru’s Outback, already one of the best SUVs on the market, is about to get a big power boost from a 2.4-litre turbocharged boxer four – a detuned version of the engine used in the WRX – in the new Outback XT model. It produces 183kW of power from 5200-6000rpm and 350Nm of torque from 2000-4800, compared with the Outback’s 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine’s 138kW at 5800rpm and 245Nm from 3400-4600rpm. It drives the XT from rest to 100km/h in a reported 6.7 seconds, compared with 9.4 seconds for the 2.5-litre model. Maximum towing weight is also increased from 2000kg to 2400kg. A shorter rear differential is fitted, along with revised suspension calibration and heavier duty brake pads. Outback XT will sit at the top…