Crest the rise at Darnum and you’ll see it. At first it looks like a feathering of morning mist, but drive into the Latrobe Valley frequently enough and you’ll know better.

Trapped by the Baw Baw ranges to the north and the Strzelecki Ranges to the south, the air quality at the Morwell East monitoring station today contains four times as much carbon monoxide and nearly eight times as much sulphur dioxide as the air at Geelong South. There are more than four times as many smoke particulates of 2.5 micrometres or smaller. We’re on our way to Australia’s dirtiest power station at Yallourn.

It’s easy to feel slightly smug behind the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 AMG. Progress is serene, and there are no tailpipes to emit anything that would trouble the lungs of the good folk of Moe as we give it an early morning juice up at the local 350kW ultra-fast charger.

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Yet Yallourn W power station generates 13 per cent of Victoria’s electricity, so a decent proportion of the power humming into the sleek Mercedes is coming from a plant that, according to Climate Victoria, can chug 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year into the skies over the Latrobe Valley.

We’re on our way to Australia’s dirtiest power station at Yallourn

It’s a huge number. Let’s put it into perspective. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we travelled 163 million kilometres in passenger vehicles last year, averaging around 150g/km, which equals 24.45 million tonnes. So this one building appears to be emitting more than half the CO2 of every car in Australia per year.

A 350MW battery is being built in 2026 for the Latrobe Valley and Yallourn will be decommissioned in 2028. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the second and third most polluting power stations in Australia, Loy Yang 1 and 2, are within eyesight and, if they are counted together, emit even more carbon dioxide than Yallourn.

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Still, none can hold a candle to the nearby Hazelwood plant. In 2005, it was the filthiest power plant in the world according to a WWF Australia report and was closed in 2017. The reason these plants have such a lamentable emissions record has little to do with their technology.

It’s more a case of garbage in, garbage out. The local coal seams are of exceedingly low-grade lignite, or brown coal, of which Australia has the second highest reserves in the world after Russia.

Created from peat in the period after the Chicxulub asteroid eradicated dinosauring as a viable career option, lignite is the lowest rank of coal and the Latrobe Valley’s lignite is of an especially problematic grade.

Because of its younger age and shallow depth of burial, the Yallourn seam averages a very high 65 to 67 per cent moisture content where it’s mined at Yallourn open-cut. It can’t be exported as a result but it is cheap to extract, with little overburden making the seams of up to 230m deep easily accessible.

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Fully charged with a lignite amuse-bouche, the AMG raises few eyebrows as we tool about Yallourn. The Solenite Blue paint finish is low key and while the numbers generated by this power plant are hard to digest, the EQS is also something that takes time to understand.

Take the badge literally and expect an electric S-Class and you might well wonder what happened. AMG branding notwithstanding, it rides more firmly, the form factor is completely different with five doors rather than four, and there’s none of that beautifully considered blend of conservatism and progression that distinguishes the S-Class.

Instead the EQS clobbers you with its modernity. Perhaps that’s no bad thing. Mercedes has already played its hand with conservative stepping-stone electric vehicles like the EQC. Its EVA 1 platform was an adaptation that could be built on legacy production lines. EVA 1.5, which underpinned vehicles like the GLA plug-in hybrid was the next step.

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The EVA 2 platform that sits beneath the sleek lines of this EQS will never see an internal combustion engine.

This EQS 53 version features a huge 107.8kWh battery pack and a pair of electric motors good for 484kW and 950Nm. Pay another $7690 and you can buy the AMG Dynamic Plus package which ups that to 560kW and 1020Nm, throwing in launch control and track pace app functionality. I have to question the point of paying extra.

Keep the faith and the Yokohamas hold their line, the driveline accepting an early and hard throttle application

Any electric car which can accelerate to 100km/h in comfortably less than four seconds probably falls into the category of fast enough. You also need to ask yourself whether you really intend to immolate your tyres by throwing a 2.65-tonne luxury sedan around a circuit.

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Right now we’re using zero kilowatts as we stand slack-jawed, gazing at the enormity of the largest open-cut mine in Australia. Some is beneath water, some is actively mined by a mechanised division of dredgers, travelling stackers and mobile slewing conveyors.

Other parts are being returned to nature, bushland gradually healing the scars. The sheer scale of the industrial process as Yallourn’s three Toshiba reheat turbines hum in the background is hard to comprehend.

Drive south from Yallourn and it’s similarly dystopian. At one point, the horizons open up to reveal a landscape of logging clear cuts as far as the eye can see. The Strzelecki highway picks its way through a splintered world beneath a grey fly ash stratus.

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Here and there the dead fingers of a remnant tree point skywards like something from the battlefields of Ypres. We pass the historical marker for the community of Driffield, which became a ghost town when the SEC started acquiring local properties in 1980, hoping to build a mine and two power stations.

My Four ‘N Twenty Traveller is threatening an encore after half an hour on the bends

The plans never went ahead, but the extension to the Morwell mine, and the accompanying diversion of both the Morwell River and the road we’re driving on effectively sealed Driffield’s fate.

The scenery improves as we glide silently into the hills of the Strzelecki ranges. This EQS might be Australia’s most powerful EV with a quoted range of 587km, but from my calculations of what we’ve consumed so far, 400km from a full charge looks a more realistic aspiration.

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Helpfully, the EQS displays its range estimation in best case, worst case and likely case scenarios on the 141cm hyperscreen that stretches wall-to-wall across the cabin. That measurement needs a little qualification as it’s the glass panel that measures 141cm, with three separate OLED screens behind.

The passenger screen is only activated when the car detects someone in the left-hand seat. It’s a gorgeous piece of tech; easy to use and well integrated.

The displays also tell me we’re currently using 28kW per 100km. Using the EPA’s calculation that one US gallon of gasoline is equal to 33.705 kilowatt-hours, that equates to 3.14 litres per 100km in a traditional ICE measure. Not bad for a vehicle that’s Porsche 911 quick yet weighs more than a modest tectonic plate.

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After some servo fare at Mirboo North, we dip off the gently sinuous Strzelecki Highway and aim south. The roads here are twistier, more battered and patched. Even with the AMG ride control set into its softest suspension setting, the EQS 53 feels a little terse, the front pattering on mid-corner road repairs.

With both air springs and adaptive dampers I’d hoped that its bandwidth would be wider in this regard. Driving for photographer Alastair Brook, I’m thankful for the nine degrees of rear steer which makes a vehicle with a wheelbase longer than a LandCruiser perform an about-face in a diameter that would confound a Civic.

Before joining the open vistas of Gippsland cow country, we drop off the scarp at Loves Lane, a challenging series of well-surfaced bends. Tip the EQS in hard and at first the front end seems a little hesitant, the 22-inch Yokohama Advan Sports threatening to lapse into the sort of sledge understeer you’d expect of a vehicle with this sort of kinetic input.

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Keep the faith and they’ll hold their line, the driveline accepting an early and hard throttle application. Brook puts his camera down to sit and watch the AMG perform a pass. “It’s incredible,” he says. “Something that quick, making almost no noise at all. You could get up to all sorts of no good in it.”

My Four ‘N Twenty Traveller is threatening an encore after half an hour on the bends, so we wind things back and head south. I’m wondering whether the softer-edged EQS 450 that’s just arrived might work out as a better car than the more focused 53.

Of the 102.41kW we used, 58 per cent was generated by some of the filthiest power stations on Earth

Although the batteries will be the same, the AMG product features different bushings and suspension mounts, with motors with more windings, higher currents, upgraded inverters, more cooling and AMG-specific software to manage it all.

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The i-Booster is also AMG-developed. This blends electric motor recuperation and friction brakes and, for the most part, feels agreeably organic, hardly bothering the six-piston composite front discs for mild deceleration.

When available range dips below 100km, the EQS switches into a higher recuperation mode, which can make smooth driving in traffic a little trickier. Out here on these lightly-trafficked roads, the big Mercedes lopes across country effortlessly.

We track towards the beaches and largely deserted holiday homes of Inverloch, a rain squall interrupting photography duties before the skies clear en route to Wonthaggi. Finally, we catch a glimpse of our destination. The Wonthaggi wind farm features six wind turbines, each generating 2MW of clean electricity per hour, as long as the wind blows between 15 and 22m/s (54 to 79km/h), which it does on a fairly frequent basis on this coast.

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Do the maths and it’s clear that in order to put a dent in the hole in the generating budget that the closure of Yallourn will leave, a few more turbines are needed. After all, the filthy old Yallourn plant has the capacity to do the work of 725 of these windmills, assuming that they ran at full efficiency 24 hours a day, a patently unreasonable expectation. The conveyor belt of nasty lignite never sleeps.

Like the EQS 53 AMG, there’s a lot to wrap your head around now that we’ve reached journey’s end. None of the solutions are easy, and require a nuanced viewpoint.

Yet that age old chestnut spouted by fossil-fuel proponents that, in Victoria at least, an EV user is just moving the problem from tailpipe to the even more egregiously belching cooling towers of places like Yallourn can be put to bed with numbers.

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Yallourn’s emissions will stop dead in 2028 when it’s finally decommissioned but the 14.4m tonnes combined from Loy Yang A and B contribute to 50 per cent of the state’s base load and also acts as the hub for the undersea link to the George Town substation in Tasmania. Decommissioning this is an altogether thornier proposition.

According to the Clean Energy Council [PDF ↗], Victoria’s renewable power sources comprise a third of its generating capacity in 2022 (36.8%), which is still better than Western Australia (35.2%), New South Wales (30.7%) and Queensland (22.6%). Only South Australia at 71.5 per cent renewable and Tasmania at 99.1 per cent allow EV owners a largely clear conscience.

Yet, as ever, the devil is in the detail, with Victoria being the only state to rely on lignite for its fossil-fuel power generation. Fully 58 per cent of Victoria’s power comes courtesy of brown coal; an utterly unsustainable statistic.

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Plugged back into its AC socket at the office, the EQS53 had covered 384km on a charge, with an estimated 20km remaining range. Of the 102.41kW we used, 58 per cent, or 59.4kW, was generated by some of the filthiest power stations on Earth.

But here’s where the figures get interesting. For the sake of argument, let’s say all that power came from Yallourn. That station generates a nameplate capacity of 1480MW, and given that it responds to demand, we can factor in an industry-typical 52 per cent capacity factor for a power plant of this type.

Generating the 59.4kW used by the EQS 53 AMG over 384km would take the power plant 0.291 seconds, if we also add a five per cent grid transmission loss.

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So what sort of carbon dioxide emission does that equate to? If we factor in that 52 per cent capacity, the Yallourn plant would typically emit 7.8 million tonnes per year, which equates to 72,111 grams of carbon dioxide in 0.291 of a second.

Given that this 72kg power-station emission will power an EQS 53 for 384km, it equates to a real-world driving figure of 188g/km. A petrol-powered Mercedes-Benz S580 emits 239g/km on the combined cycle and around 345g/km on the urban cycle which more closely represents the driving undertaken on our test route.

So even with your Mercedes being powered by the lowest grade fuel from the dirtiest power station in Australia, it’s still almost twice as virtuous as emitting it yourself from the tailpipes of an internal combustion engine. To hammer home the point, if, instead of just 58 per cent, but all of your electricity was generated from lignite and all of that came from Yallourn, an EQS 53 would still emit less carbon dioxide than its petrol equivalent.

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Granted, CO2 isn’t the only gas emanating from Yallourn’s smoke stack, but it certainly makes you feel a little less guilty about the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53. It’s no electric S-Class, rather something with its own personality and blend of qualities that takes a little time to key into.

It certainly has a unique sense of occasion. But as much as it is intriguing and impressive, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Mercedes probably has an even better electric luxury car in it.

Of course, it will take some time to arrive, but the signs are that when it does make landfall here, Australia’s electric infrastructure will have markedly changed for the better. Whatever your politics, that’s change worth believing in.

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Wie schnell bin ich?

Just how fast can the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 charge? With charging times increasingly becoming a key differentiator, it’s worth noting that the peak charging rate we were able to see on a 350kW fast charger was around 205kW at around a 30 per cent state of charge, slightly better than the claimed 200kW.

Charging from 20 per cent to 80 per cent would typically take around 27 minutes, after which rate of charge drops off rapidly. As it approaches 90 per cent state of charge, the EQS’ charging rate decreases to around 40kW.

That’s about in line with AMG’s claim of 10-80 per cent in 31 minutes. In other words, it’s quick but it’s not the last word in speed at the charger.

The 2024 Abarth 500e electric hot hatchback will arrive in Australia late this year priced from $58,900 before on-road costs.

Fiat will launch the limited edition Abarth 500e Scorpionissima variant first, which will be restricted to 219 units (out of 1949 globally).

It will be followed by the standard series production Turismo trim sometime in 2024. The Abarth 500e commands a $6400 premium compared to its regular Fiat 500e twin.

JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing
• Features
• Colours
• Key specs
• Availability

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2024 Abarth 500e pricing

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2024 Abarth 500e features

The Abarth 500e features a single front-mounted electric motor and 37.8kWh usable lithium-ion battery, offering up to 252 kilometres claimed WLTP driving range.

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The Abarth 500e Scorpionissima features the same drivetrain and battery.

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Colours

The 2024 Abarth 500e is available in five exterior colour options, with pricing still to be confirmed.

The Scorpionissima launch edition is only available in Acid Green or Poison Blue.

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Key specifications

The Abarth 500e electric hot hatch features a single battery and drivetrain configuration, with the motor producing 113.7kW and 235Nm.

The Italian carmaker claims going from 20 to 40km/h, from 40 to 60km/h, and from 60 to 100km/h are all one second faster than the petrol-powered Abarth 695, thanks to the instant electric torque.

Compared to its tamer Fiat 500e sibling, it produces an additional 26kW and 15Nm, with a two-second faster 0-100km/h time.

For context, the slightly larger Cupra Born produces 170kW/310Nm for an identical 7.0-second 0-100km/h claimed sprint, while the upcoming all-new Mini Cooper Electric in base guise outputs 135kW/290Nm to go from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds.

The Italian carmaker claims five minutes on a compatible 85kW or higher public DC fast charging station can replenish enough range to meet daily circa-40km driving requirements.

A charge from 10 to 80 per cent takes around 35 minutes.

Unique to the Abarth 500e is a sound generator, which emits artificial driving noises in the interior and via the external pedestrian warning speakers.

The company claims it mimics the iconic roar of a traditional Abarth petrol engine. It can be disabled when parked, though.

A one-pedal regenerative braking setup is also standard.

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Availability

The city-sized 2024 Abarth 500e electric hot hatch will arrive in Australia in late 2023.

Initially, it will launch in Scorpionissima form only, limited to 219 units.

The $1600 cheaper Turismo variant will substitute it as a permanent model sometime in 2024.

Micro electric hatches are a rarity in Australia, but it is priced to rival the larger Cupra Born, forthcoming MG 4 X-Power, and new-generation Mini Cooper Electric.

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The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan mid-size SUV is in stock for all-wheel drive grades following previous delays earlier this year.

Volkswagen Australia said 1400 five-seat, standard-wheelbase Tiguans are arriving now at dealerships, split between 300 132TSIs, 450 162TSIs, and 650 Tiguan R models.

According to the brand, the entry-level, front-drive Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace 110TSI Life variants remain in “strong supply”.

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Volkswagen said almost 60 per cent of current Tiguan demand is for the flagship 162TSI and R.

“Several months of Tiguan Allspace production has been built for Australia” said Volkswagen, but these vehicles are awaiting shipment out of Mexico, which is currently slower than usual.

Production of the limited-edition, five-seat Tiguan Allspace 162TSI Adventure has concluded and is now sold-out.

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Later this year, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan will commence production for Australia – but it won’t be the all-new, third-generation model unveiled in Europe this week.

Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts will return to the Tiguan 162TSI Elegance and R-Line for MY24, after the technology was temporarily deleted from select Volkswagen vehicles in late 2022 to avoid extended wait times caused by the industry-wide semiconductor chip shortage.

These variants will also receive an electric tailgate and proactive occupant protection. The Harman Kardon audio system will return as standard for the Tiguan R.

As announced, the 147TDI diesel powertrain will be deleted for the 2024 Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace line-up – and diesel power won’t return in new-generation form.

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The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace will arrive in Australia later this year or early next year. Pricing will be announced closer to the date.

The all-new five-seat Volkswagen Tiguan is due in Australia “in late 2024 or early 2025”, likely as a model-year 2025 vehicle.

Volkswagen has confirmed the Tayron, a new seven-seat large SUV due to be unveiled in 2024, will replace the current Tiguan Allspace.

The Motorclassica car show, held annually in Melbourne, has been cancelled for 2023.

It was due to run in two weeks’ time – from Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8, 2023 – in line with previous tradition for the classic car show, located at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building.

“We’d like to confirm that the 2023 edition of the event will not be taking place this year,” said a statement posted to social media.

While the show ran in 2022 – with manufacturer support including BMW – the editions due to be held in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Motorclassica organisers have not provided a reason for the cancellation of the 2023 show.

The event, which hosts the Australian International Concours d’Elegance, is billed as a “three-day celebration of classic motoring” with a number of show classes vying for the coveted ‘best in show’ award.

Motorclassica 2022 returned for the first time since 2019 with more cars than ever. Highlights included a broad Ferrari line-up celebrating 75 years of the marque, the Icons of Speed section featuring exotics such as Pagani, Bugatti and Koenigsegg, and sneak previews of the latest BMW M2, XM and i4 M50.

The 2024 Mazda 2 and 2024 Mazda CX-3 have debuted in Japan – just as updated 2023 examples arrive in local showrooms.

Due in Japan in December for the Mazda 2 light hatch and February 2024 for the CX-3 light SUV, the revisions are centred around a new 8.8-inch Mazda Connect infotainment system for both vehicles.

Replacing the current seven or eight-inch MZD Connect units, the larger 8.8-inch unit features “improved sound and picture quality… and digitally transmitted audio and video”.

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It also provides support for Mazda’s connected-vehicle service, a feature in Japan similar to Toyota Connected Services, Hyundai Bluelink and Kia Connect that allows for SOS emergency calls, ‘advice’ calls, and a smartphone application for vehicle locating and remote control.

Mazda Australia said it is unable to comment on future model plans. Mazda’s connected services are not available in Australia at present.

The second-generation Mazda Connect system, which first appeared in the current Mazda 3 almost five years ago at the 2018 Los Angeles auto show, is now available in most Mazda passenger vehicles sold in Australia.

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However, the Mazda 2, 6, CX-3 and MX-5 retain older MZD Connect software in Australia, while the BT-50 ute has unique software identical to its Isuzu D-Max twin.

Japanese publication Best Car [↗] reports that the facelifted MX-5 sports car, expected to debut this year, could feature an 8.8-inch Mazda Connect system, exterior design tweaks, and a modified rear-view camera.

It is unclear whether the Mazda 6 sedan and wagon will receive the new system.

Other revisions for the Mazda 2 hatch include a new ‘sci-fi’ accessory package with lime green accents. The CX-3 also has new colours, wheel designs, and minor spec revisions identical to the latest Australian-spec model.

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A previous update for the Mazda 2 in Japan in 2021 also introduced wireless Apple CarPlay and a wireless phone charger, but these changes are yet to be applied to our Thai-built version.

The 2023 Mazda 2 hatch and sedan, launched in Australia this week, features an updated design, new colours, improved fuel efficiency for auto variants, and price rises of up to $1200.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Mazda CX-3 is arriving now with a reworked line-up including no manual or AWD options, wireless Apple CarPlay, more standard equipment and a blacked-out Touring SP variant – with price rises of up to $2790.

The 2024 Mazda 2 will launch in Japan in December, while the 2024 Mazda CX-3 will arrive in its home market in February 2024. Stay tuned to Wheels as further details emerge for Australia.

UPDATE January 2024: Honda confirms Accord hybrid for Australia!

Our original story, below, continues unchanged.

September 2023: The 2024 Honda Accord has debuted in right-hand drive form in Japan, but Honda’s local arm cannot confirm if it’ll sell the 11th-generation medium sedan here.

First unveiled in the United States in November 2022, the latest Accord – the 11th version since 1976, excluding the smaller Accord Euro sold in the 2000s – remains unclear for Australia due to a different product cycle.

“Honda Australia cannot confirm the arrival of the new model Accord to the Australian market at this time,” a spokesperson for the brand said this week.

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The current 10th-generation Accord, sourced from Thailand, launched in late 2019, around 18 months after the North American version. It remains in production for Australia despite slow sales, with 105 units sold year-to-date – less than the Ferrari range.

In addition to low demand, another issue that could affect the all-new Accord’s local prospects is that it could be built in China.

Honda Japan has yet to confirm where the right-hand-drive Accord is built. Japan’s Odyssey people mover and the latest ZR-V and CR-V SUVs sold in the United Kingdom are all produced in China – and this Accord appears identical to the Chinese-market version.

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“We also do not currently source any vehicles from Honda factories in China and have no plans for this to change in the near future,” said the Honda Australia spokesperson.

The ZR-V sold in Australia is made in Japan, while the latest CR-V due imminently continues to be sourced from Thailand.

Due to launch in Japan between March and May 2024, with pre-orders commencing this December, the hybrid-only Accord returns to its home market after Thai imports of the current model ceased in mid-2022.

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As detailed here, the latest Accord rides on an updated version of Honda’s Global Architecture with a new fourth-generation E:HEV hybrid system, and a longer body at 4971mm (+70mm) with an unchanged 2830mm wheelbase.

Inside, it features a 12.3-inch infotainment system with Google built-in, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, an 11.5-inch head-up display and, similar to the new Skoda Superb, an ‘experience selection dial’ to operate multiple vehicle functions with a single control.

Under the bonnet, the Japanese-market Accord has a 2.0-litre Atkinson Cycle petrol-electric hybrid system from the current model, the Civic, ZR-V and CR-V.

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Power details are unclear, but the American model has a 152kW and 335Nm total system output – up 20Nm over the current Accord VTi LX Hybrid available in Australia at $61,900 drive-away.

The 2024 Honda Accord will arrive in Japan in the first half of next year, competing against the Toyota Crown Crossover, Mazda 6 and Lexus ES.

The Accord’s arch-rival, the Toyota Camry, has been axed in Japan after a 43-year run due to low sales, but production will continue for export markets – including Australia.

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In October 2022, a Honda Australia spokesperson said the Thai-built Accord for Asia-Pacific markets “operates on a separate model lifecycle to the [North American] version”.

“Accord remains an important global nameplate for Honda, with a very loyal and valued customer base here in Australia, but it is too early for us to confirm any details about plans for the next generation model.

“The current model will continue in Australia for some time yet and it continues to perform strongly as a supporting model in the line-up.”

Below: The current 2023 Honda Accord VTi LX Hybrid

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The sales battle between the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux has been ongoing for a few years now.

They’re not only the best-selling 4x4s on the market; they’re Australia’s best-selling vehicles. Full stop. That the HiLux is essentially more than a decade old in its current generation speaks volumes for the vehicle.

And although Volkswagen doesn’t sell anywhere near as many Amaroks, it’s now based on the Ranger and so it must be part of the conversation.

The best part is: if your pockets are brimming with up to $80K of hard-earned, then you have the option to buy the best models within these respective marques.

A special mention must go to the D-MAX (X-Terrain) and BT-50 (Thunder), which didn’t make the final cut in our assessment, but are both worth consideration at this price point.

• Best Overall Ute
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $50k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $60k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $80k
• Best Family Ute
• Best Work Ute
• Best Ute for Towing
• Best Value 4×4 Ute
• Best Performance Ute

• Ford Ranger V6 Sport
• Volkswagen Amarok Aventura
• Toyota HiLux GR Sport
• Specifications

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Ford Ranger V6 Sport

New-generation Ranger sets a new level of refinement in the dual-cab segment.

Since the new-gen Ranger launched in 2022, it has been been lauded in the industry for the way it has redefined how a dual-cab ute should perform. A dual-cab can be a capable tourer and comfortable daily runabout in equal measure and without compromise.

Practical yet loaded with modern niceties, the all-new Ranger is available with either a 2.0-litre bi-turbo or V6 powertrain, and it comes equipped with a swag of creature comforts including an SUV-like interior and a huge 10-inch centre touchscreen – which grows to 12 inches for top-end models.

While it was an easy decision to include the Ranger in this sub-$80K category, deciding which Ranger variant to put forward was a bit trickier.

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We settled on the V6 Sport, as it hits a sweet spot and includes a few features missing at the lower levels including leather seats and wireless charging.

Its V6 engine delivers power effortlessly for both on- and off-road pursuits, its suspension and steering are both well dialled-in, it has permanent 4×4, and its electronic traction control system is brilliant in operation. It also has a rear diff-lock as standard.

Still, the off-road-focused Wildtrak X starts at $75,990 and also sits below the $80K cut-off.

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It’s only available with the 150kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder powertrain, which runs through a 10-speed auto, but it has off-road-focused tyres and suspension and makes an equally impressive argument for your hard-earned if mud-bashing is higher on the agenda.

Also worth considering is the 3.0-litre V6-powered Wildtrak ($71,190) and 2.0-litre bi-turbo Wildtrak ($67,990) if you intend to spend marginally more than the Sport’s asking price.

More again is the Platinum, which asks for $76,990 but gets you 20-inch alloy wheels, a chrome grille and chrome exterior trim, a damped tailgate, and Ford’s new flexible rack system (also seen on the Wildtrak X).

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Volkswagen Amarok Aventura

‘Ranger with Volkswagen class’ makes the Amarok a worthy consideration.

That the Amarok is essentially a Ranger twin under the skin makes it an automatic starter in this segment. To this end, it’s treated with the same chassis and powertrains as seen in the Ranger, but VW has finished it off with the style and class the German brand is known for.

In Aventura guise, its RRP just sneaks under the $80K cut-off, at $79,990 plus on-road costs. After all is said and done, though, you’ll be parting with more than $80,000 to put the range-topping Aventura in your driveway.

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The flagship model is available with either a V6 diesel or an exclusive 2.3-litre twin-turbo petrol four-cylinder, both at the same price point.

Drop down a level to the PanAmericana and you’re looking at $75,990 – bang-on with the Ranger Wildtrak X, and more realistically in the sub-80K category.

Both the PanAmericana and Aventura get a full-time 4×4 system and are extremely competent on both bitumen and dirt, utilising VW’s Dynamic suspension configuration (adding monotube dampers to the double wishbone IFS and leaf-sprung live-axle rear).

The Aventura in particular, despite riding on 21-inch alloys, conveys supreme body control rarely seen in this segment.

Drop down another peg in the Amarok line-up and you’ll get the Amarok Style 3.0 TDI600 for a fraction over $70K at $70,990. It’s more on par but it’s still tagged with a higher price than the Ranger V6 Sport, but you do get those LED-Matrix headlights (only standard with Ranger Platinum and Raptor), ‘ArtVelour’ seat upholstery and a 12-inch touchscreen.

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The PanAmericana and Aventura do differ in a few areas

Tthe PanAm comes with a conventional tonneau cover, while the Aventura steps it up with an electronic roller cover; 18- versus 21-inch alloys; and the Aventura gets a lot more chrome on the outside and premium leather on the inside.

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Toyota HiLux GR Sport

It may not be all-new like the Ranger and Amarok, but key changes make the HiLux GR Sport a competent all-road performer.

The HiLux in its current generation is a bit long-in-the-tooth – clearly, when compared to the new Ranger and Amarok above – but the GR Sport is far more than a mere a sticker pack aimed at keeping the Japanese brand relevant until the new-gen arrives.

For this new flagship variant, Toyota went to work transforming the HiLux into a vehicle worthy of the GR Sport badge. Bred from racing stock, the GR Sport is based on the 2019 Dakar-winning HiLux, which means Toyota has fettled the suspension, adding KYB monotube shock absorbers tuned specifically for this variant and removing the rear stabiliser bar.

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The 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine also received a tune, with its outputs increasing by 10 per cent across the board, now producing 165kW and 550Nm – more than Ford’s 2.0-litre bi-turbo, but significantly less than the Blue Oval’s 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6.

This increase in output might sound insignificant on paper, but it is noticeable on- and off-road.

Also noticeable is the wider (135mm at the front; 155mm at the rear) and taller (15mm higher) stance when compared to the rest of the HiLux range, excluding the Rogue. Combined with the increase in performance and retuned suspension, the GR Sport remains composed on pot-holed backroads and bitumen – the best of any other HiLux in the line-up.

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The GR Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels inside 265/65R17 Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tyres. Looking at it from behind, though, and it’s obvious the HiLux needs bigger tyres to fill those massive wheel arches.

It also shows its age on the inside, lacking the class and comfort of both the Ranger and Amarok. This is where it most feels like a previous-gen model.

Despite this, the GR Sport claims the throne as the best HiLux in the Toyota showroom.

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? THE WINNER

Ford Ranger Sport V6

The result is not necessarily a surprise for anyone who has followed our coverage of the next-gen Ranger since it debuted in 2022.

Its SUV sibling, the Ford Everest, even won the Wheels Car of the Year award in 2022, proving how far the large SUV and dual-cab segments have come in recent years.

As a package, it’s hard to find real weaknesses within the Ranger’s arsenal. It’s markedly more modern than every other dual-cab in the segment – though of course it is matched in many ways by Volkswagen’s new Amarok.

Considering they’re so closely related, it’s naturally a close call between the two, with the Ranger getting the final nod based on some smaller, though not necessarily insignificant, details.

There’s the ergonomic advantages of easier-to-use HVAC controls and a clever mould tray-access step, the more compliant suspension spec-for-spec, while we prefer the Ranger’s steering that makes it the slightly more satisfying ute to drive (always an important factor in Wheels tests).

The Ranger Sport hits a sweet spot in the line-up, striking a compelling balance between on- and off-road ability. It’s slightly cheaper than the Wildtrak (losing out on a few extras as a result), though, in truth, either variant is deserving of this title.

The Ranger Sport will also save a couple of grand over the equivalent Amarok Style, though this VW variant does counter on the value front.

While its leather-edged microfibre upholstery doesn’t match the Sport’s leather-accented seats, and the Ford has standard integrated trailer brake controller, and slightly cheaper optional metallic paint, the Style has features found on more expensive Rangers – including Matrix LED headlights, 360-degree camera, ambient interior lighting, heated front seats, and larger versions of the infotainment and driver displays.

As we said, it’s fine margins here.

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The Ford Ranger has secured the Wheels Best Ute of 2023 accolade, continuing its fine form since winning our dual-cab megatest last year.

The Ranger took the mid-size 4×4 ute segment to another level in 2022 when it launched in latest-generation, T6 form.

And that class isn’t without some impressive models, such as the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 twins.

Such is the irregularity of all-new models in the dual-cab segment, there were limited challenges in 2023 to the Ford’s crown.

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Toyota delivered a new variant – the latest HiLux Rogue with a significantly altered chassis and suspension that improves on-road performance. That was followed by a GR Sport flagship that is so fresh that our first review of it published the same day as our Best Utes content.

But while the HiLux platform remains strong and dependable, the Toyota – around since 2015 in this generation – is simply getting too long in the tooth to keep up with the latest offerings.

Similarly, we’ve seen a new flagship model from Mitsubishi with the Triton Xtreme, while local engineering firm Premcar created a more affordable version of its Navara Pro4X Warrior for Nissan.

Which all led to just a single, all-new ute that had a realistic chance of establishing a new benchmark – or at least matching it.

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The second-generation Volkswagen Amarok arrived this year with great expectations – as a vehicle sharing its platform and powertrains with the Ford.

While the Amarok alone offers a 2.3-litre turbo petrol that’s highly distinctive in the market (if only in the flagship Aventura), it otherwise shares 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines with the Ranger.

And it’s the bigger engine with 10-speed auto transmission combo that – in terms of performance, towing, and refinement – is a world ahead of the four-cylinder diesels found elsewhere in the class.

Another advantage these two leading utes have over their competition is the transfer case that offers full-time four-wheel drive as well as 2WD, and 4×4 high and low range. Full-time 4WD allows you to drive with all four wheels powered on any road surface which is something you can do in a part-time, locked 4×4 setting. It is a benefit when traveling on roads that vary from sealed to gravel and in wet conditions where traction is limited.

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Only the Mitsubishi Triton on some of its higher specification models offers the full-time 4WD function. There are differences on road (and off), however.

The Ford Ranger generally has a superior ride on both the bitumen and the rough stuff.

VW has equipped its higher-grade Amaroks, including the PanAmericana and Aventura, with a ‘Dynamic’ suspension set-up. The calibration is extra-firm, resulting in a less comfortable ride on both gravel and poor quality sealed roads where more exaggerated head toss was evident.

The Aventura – ironically considering its bigger, 21-inch wheels – rides more plushly than the 18-inch-wheeled PanAmericana, and, while not perfect on poorer surfaces, wins a rare comfort victory over the equivalent Ranger, the (20-inch-wheeled) Platinum.

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Both the US-brand and German-brand utes deliver the most compentent and stable handling in the class, but our testers prefer the Ranger’s steering for its extra weighting and connection.

Volkswagen went to great lengths to differentiate the Amarok from the Ranger and give it its own character and feel and there are differences in the model specification and levels of equipment.

Although there are inevitable commonalities inside the respective utes, the Amarok uses softer touch points on the window sills, dash and steering wheel on more models, which give them a more premium feel inside. VW also employs the larger available 12-inch infotainment touchscreen in more models than the Ranger line-up.

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However, the Ford’s ergonomics are notably better.

Where VW chose to move the cabin temperature and auto stop-start buttons to within the Amarok’s touchscreen, the Ranger employs physical temperature dials and separate console buttons for a more intuitive and less distracting approach.

And for an exterior advantage, one small but practical design element that falls in the favour of the Ranger is the little step on the rear corners of the cargo beg to make stepping up to load the ute easier.

Our 2023 Best Utes comparison series reveals there are other utes to consider depending on your needs.

• Best Overall Ute
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $50k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $60k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $80k
• Best Family Ute
• Best Work Ute
• Best Ute for Towing
• Best Value 4×4 Ute
• Best Performance Ute

Although the Amarok Life pipped the Ranger XLS in our Under $60K battle, the Volkswagen ute has been edged out by the equivalent Ranger more often than not in our comparison tests this year.

The Ranger shines particularly brightly above the $60K price point with its Sport, XLT, Wildtrak, Wildtrak X, Platinum and Raptor variants.It’s no coincidence the Ford Ranger scores more category wins – four – than any other ute.The Raptor performance variant is virtually a default winner owing to a lack of worthy direct competitors, yet the Ranger flagship also contributes to a line-up that is unrivalled for its breadth of choice and capability.

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Living costs are soaring, so it’s more important than ever to make every dollar count when buying a dual-cab ute.

Happily, Australia’s most popular segment is bursting with fresh, budget-focused contenders that promise to save you money.

Utes like the Mahindra Pik-Up, Ssangyong Musso, GWM Cannon and LDV T60 Max don’t only offer attractive drive-away deals that undercut the established players (sometimes by as much as $15K!), but they’re also decently equipped, have roomy cabins, and are powered by gutsy diesel engines.

But do they actually represent good value? Or is their low purchase price undermined by expensive ownership costs that actually make them just as costly as a Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger?

• Best Overall Ute
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $50k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $60k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $80k
• Best Family Ute
• Best Work Ute
• Best Ute for Towing
• Best Value 4×4 Ute
• Best Performance Ute

To measure their value, we dusted off our trusty calculator and generated a u2018three-year ownership figureu2019 for each of the segmentu2019s key players.

Our goal was to look beyond purchase price and to provide a better indication of how much each ute will actually cost you once it’s sitting in your driveway. Insurance premiums, servicing costs, fuel bills and resale were all taken into account. And as you can see, the results are eyeopening…

For example, the $38,500 Mahindra Pik-Up – one of the cheapest 4X4 dual-cabs you can buy – is actually one of the most expensive to own and replace.

Why? Heavy depreciation (you’ll lose a whopping $18,749 over three years), high servicing costs, and heavy fuel use (the latter stinging you around $600 more per-year compared to rivals).

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A Nissan Navara SL takes the wooden spoon, however, as the priciest dual-cab ute to own over a three-year period – owing to poor resale and high servicing bills.

The GWM Cannon and LDV T60 are surprisingly expensive to insure, which takes some of the shine off their sharp drive-away pricing.

After three years you’ll pay $1300 more to insure an LDV T60 Max Pro compared to an Isuzu D-MAX, which is basically a premium for an entire extra year.

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Breaking it down

Our full results are in the table below, and we’ve highlighted the three best-value utes.

But first, an explanation about how we calculated our ownership figures.

We focused on the cheapest 4X4 dual-cab variant for each contender, and used drive-away pricing for utes delivered in Sydney, with no options fitted.

Resale percentages, which are the single largest cost of ute ownership and calculate how much of the original purchase price remains after three years, were gathered from Redbook, while insurance premiums were quoted for a 35-year-old male living in inner Sydney with a clean driving record.

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Fuel bills were calculated based on each contender’s combined economy figure and the assumption that owners will drive 12,100km per year – the Aussie average, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Diesel was $2.00 per litre in our calculations.

These figures are a guide only, of course. While they’re based on historical data and official manufacturer figures, they will change depending on where you live, how far you drive, and other market forces, like the swings in used-car values we saw during COVID.

But if value is a high priority, here are three top picks to consider…

JUMP AHEAD

• Isuzu D-MAX SX
• Ssangyong Musso ELX
• Ford Ranger XL
• Ownership
• Specifications

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Isuzu D-MAX SX

If you’re looking for the 4X4 dual-cab that will cost you the least over a three-year period, the D-MAX is the one.

Excellent resale, frugal fuel bills, and the lowest insurance premiums of all our contenders are the secret to the D-MAX’s inherent value, with these low ownership costs helping to offset a higher-than-average purchase price.

For maximum bang for your buck, it’s the entry-level SX crew cab 1.9L that’s kindest to your hip pocket, but opting for the more powerful 3.0L turbo diesel doesn’t actually bring a huge financial penalty.

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The SX 3.0-litre will cost you only $430 more to run over three years (higher fuel bills account for most of that), which further underscores the D-MAX’s inherent value.

As you can see from our table below, the 3.0L D-MAX actually slots into second place for overall.

The D-MAX has long carried a hard-won reputation for reliability and dependability – but as our figures show, you can now add value to that list, too.

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Ssangyong Musso ELX

Proof that outright value can also translate into low ownerships costs.

The sharply priced Ssangyong Musso isn’t only the pick of the budget-focused utes (it’s $2200 and $3200 less expensive than the LDV T60 and GWM Cannon over three years) but it’s only $600 behind our overall winner, the Isuzu D-MAX.

You could even argue that makes the Musso ELX the better-value pick thanks to its lower purchase price – and it’s not only outright value that sits in the Musso’s favour.

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The Musso offers a generous 7-year / unlimited warranty (the D-MAX gets six) and it’s also decent to drive thanks to impressive cabin refinement, a gutsy 2.2L turbo diesel and surprisingly engaging steering.

As for downsides? At this price, the ELX is a six-speed manual (the auto is $2000 more), whereas the Isuzu SX comes with an automatic as standard.

The Musso’s 800kg payload is also lower than the segment average and unlike most dual-cabs, it doesn’t carry an official safety rating from ANCAP. The ELX model grade also loses some of the active safety gear on higher-spec models, like blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert.

Ownership table

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Ford Ranger XL

Like the D-MAX, the Ranger’s high-ish purchase price means it immediately screams value for buyers on a budget.

At $56,174 once you factor in on-road costs, the entry-level Ranger 2.0 XL sits at the upper end for buying it outright – but its value credentials are bolstered by superb resale, cheap servicing costs and respectably low fuel consumption and insurance premiums.

Even better news is that the Ranger is the segment leader for cabin quality, refinement and driving dynamics. It’s a regular comparison-test winner and it trounced its rivals in our recent dual-cab ute megatest, so it’s nice to know you’ll be buying a quality product. Value and quality? That’s an ideal combo.

Ownership table

Ownership

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Specifications

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Dual-cab utes remain hot property in 2023, with the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger continuing to dominate the top of the charts for new-vehicles sales.

The problem is that the best versions of these models are found above $60,000.

That’s not cheap by any stretch, while most ute manufacturers seem to be spending most effort on higher-spec variants that can bring wider profit margins.

Thankfully, there are a handful of jewels still to be found below $50,000 – and we’ve shortlisted three of the best options: Triton, Navara and Musso.

Honourable mentions go to the LDV T60 and GWM Cannon, which offer premium features for a great price. However, the three vehicles listed below nudge them out when combining both quality and value in equal measure.

• Best Overall Ute
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $50k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $60k
• Best 4×4 Ute Under $80k
• Best Family Ute
• Best Work Ute
• Best Ute for Towing
• Best Value 4×4 Ute
• Best Performance Ute

JUMP AHEAD

• Ssangyong Musso Ultimate XLV
• Mitsubishi Triton GLX+
• Nissan Navara SL

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Ssangyong Musso Ultimate XLV

Packed with creature comforts belying its price point, the top-spec Musso XLV impresses both on- and off-road.

If there’s ever been a ute that surpasses expectations more than the Musso, we’d like to hear about it. Granted, expectations may be low, but feedback is consistently positive once people exit the driver’s seat of the Korean-born dual-cab.

A real perk of the Musso is its cavernous cabin and well-appointed interior. The seats are wide, supportive and accommodating, and there are plentiful storage bins and sizable drink holders. The infotainment system is modern and speedy, and its user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate.

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A noticeable negative, and it’s a bit of an oversight, is the use of a lap belt for the rear middle seat. It’s just something not seen these days. To that point, it’s worth noting the Musso is currently unrated by ANCAP.

An obvious compromise of its spacious interior is that it translates to a big exterior, with the Musso quite large compared with its contemporaries. Its extra 300mm length in XLV guise can make navigating steep off-road climbs quite difficult.

Still, it drives really well on bitumen, and the 2.2-litre engine is impressively refined for a vehicle at this price point. Steering is well dialled in, which makes the Musso a very practical vehicle for daily duties. Coil-sprung suspension front and rear provides a balanced on- and off-road demeanour.

The inclusion of a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as standard is also a big tick.

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In top-spec XLV guise, the Musso’s payload jumps from 790kg to a usable 880kg, and its 133kW/420Nm 2.2-litre diesel is mated to a six-speed automatic. It has a towing capacity of 3500kg.

A Luxury Pack is available for an additional $3000 (still keeping it below $50K). This adds more premium equipment such as Nappa leather seating and dual-zone climate control.

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Mitsubishi Triton GLX+

This versatile fan-favourite is equally adept at work and adventure duties. Its exceptional value in GLX+ trim makes it hard to ignore.

Look at the best-selling 4×4 vehicles in Australia over the past few years and you’ll notice there’s one that consistently lurks behind the heavy-hitting HiLux and Ranger on the sales charts – and there’s good reason for that. The Triton not only offers exceptional value for money, but it’s equally capable on and off road.

In GLX+ trim, the Triton sits comfortably beneath the $50,000 mark with a $48,990 drive-away price. For that coin, consumers receive a hard-working all-rounder.

There are obvious compromises in certain areas, and none more so than inside the cabin, where cost-cutting measures can be noticeable.

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Unlike other budget vehicles – think Musso, Cannon and T60 – which feature more premium features as standard, the utilitarian cabin in the Triton GLX+ has cloth seats, plenty of plastic and thrifty-looking trims, single-zone air-conditioning, and a small 7.0-inch touchscreen housing a dated infotainment system.

Despite these flaws, the Triton is nimble and direct to drive on- and off-road, thanks to its smaller stature (in the dual-cab class) and settled suspension (leaf springs at the rear and coils up front).

Unlike more premium models in the Triton stable, the GLX+ uses the more rudimentary – but easy to use – Easy Select 4WD system instead of the more advanced Super Select II 4×4 system.

All Tritons are powered by a long-serving 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder diesel, mated to a six-speed automatic in the GLX+.

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You’ll save close to $10K opting for the GLX+ instead of the GSR, and we reckon that’s great value.

A decent payload of 945kg makes it a solid base to form a custom work ute and/or adventure vehicle, and there’s a tonne of aftermarket accessories to suit. However, you’ll have to wait for the next-gen Triton for a 3500kg towing capacity, as the current model is limited to 3100kg. It’s due in January 2024.

There are more premium Triton dual-cabs in Mitsubishi showrooms (GLS and GSR), which offer a more luxurious interior, Mitsubishi’s Super Select II 4×4 system, and added safety features. But you’ll save close to $10K opting for the GLX+ instead of the GSR, and we reckon that’s great value.

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Nissan Navara SL

Entry-level Navara SL sneaks into the sub-$50K category

The Navara line-up received a refresh toward the end of 2021, which gave it a more purposeful stance and bolder style.

As the base model Navara, the SL misses out on plenty of equipment introduced with the ST. This includes carpet flooring, a leather-bound steering wheel and gearshift knob, chrome interior details, a stainless steel sportsbar, black side steps, a suite of advanced safety tech, and more sporty 17-inch alloy wheels.

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A strong suit of the Navara is its twin-turbo 140kW/450Nm 2.3L bi-turbo diesel engine

Upgrade again to the Premcar-fettled SL Warrior and owners are treated to a 40mm suspension lift, a front bash plate, bullbar with integrated light bar, fender flares, all-weather floor mats, a tub liner, 100kg GVM upgrade, and Cooper Discoverer all-terrain tyres.

However, sacrificing this equipment does save you quite a bit of coin when signing on the dotted line – about $5000 (ST) and $10,000 (SL Warrior).

A strong suit of the Navara is its twin-turbo 140kW/450Nm 2.3L bi-turbo diesel engine, which runs through a seven-speed automatic transmission. The capable engine is paired with dynamic and well-weighted on-road characteristics, with the Navara’s road-handling an impressive attribute.

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The Navara comes with a generous payload – 987kg in SL auto trim – which makes it an ideal vehicle for work or play customisation. That there’s also a smorgasbord of aftermarket accessories available is a bonus.

The utilitarian cabin does feel a bit old – and we’ll have to wait until 2025 for a new model – but it gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen (bigger than the Triton) that is well mapped out and intuitive to use, and it features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (albeit wired rather than wireless).

The low and flat seating position does take a bit of getting used to, but it gets better with time. There’s plenty of USB ports and copious storage pockets, and the drink holders will swallow larger bottles.

There are more capable off-roaders in the Navara line-up, but the base model SL is the only model that sits beneath the $50K cut-off for this segment.

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THE WINNER: Mitsubishi Triton

If you’re willing to forego a few creature comforts, the Triton’s smooth- and rough-terrain abilities make it a compromise worth making.

A decent 4WD system in conjunction with well-tuned suspension and a rear diff lock as standard makes it very capable off-road, and a huge range of aftermarket accessories makes it a great base from which to create the ultimate work or adventure rig.

Add in its unbeatable 10-year warranty (and mind the conditions) and you can’t do better in the sub $50K dual-cab ute category.

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