Australian 4WD & SUV Buyer's Guide

Joshua Dowling is the National Motoring Editor at caradvice.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 G

Porsche’s revolutionary sports car, the Taycan, has now been joined by a pseudo SUV variant, the Taycan Cross Turismo, which is due to arrive in Australian showrooms by the end of this year. Two variants will be available, both using Porsche’s 800 vo

If Land Rover’s array for four and six cylinder turbopetrol and turbodiesel engines in the new 90 and 110 Defender don’t do it for you, salvation is at hand in the form of a 386kW 5.0-litre supercharged V8, due shortly. This beast reaches 100km/h in

Hyundai was one of the first makers to offer Australians an affordable electric car with its Ioniq, priced from $48,970. Now, it is taking EV technology and design to another level again with the new Ioniq 5, due here in the next few months. A mid-si

Volkswagen’s first engineering partnership with Walkinshaw, the Melbourne-based firm that once specialised in hot rod Holdens under the HSV brand, has now borne fruit in the form of the Amarok W580. The initial build of 30 examples, offered for order

Jeep begins the roll out of its new Grand Cherokee shortly, with the brand’s most popular model gaining a new platform and growing considerably in size for its fifth generation. Grand Cherokee L will be available with seven seats initially, with a fi

How’s this for a price hike? In 2020, the cheapest ticket into a Land Rover Discovery was $72,586 for the 2.0-litre four cylinder turbodiesel SD4 S. This year, Disco start money is $101,875 -- an increase of almost $30,000. Land Rover Australia claim

Mitsubishi’s Outlander sells in big numbers to folks who just want an honest, reliable, workhorse SUV. Fair enough, but it’s never been at the front of the class, as a drive or a desirable piece of machinery. That may be about to change with the laun

MG, the famous British brand resurrected, and owned, by the Chinese government’s SAIC Motor Corporation, is the fastest growing car company in Australia. It now offers Australia’s cheapest electric vehicle, the ZS Essence EV, a compact SUV priced at

In the Australian 4WD, SUV & Ute Buyer’s Guide, we include trade-in values for every model in our Showroom section. These are provided to us by Redbook, Australia’s leading authority on used-car, 4WD and SUV values. Each model we test includes three-

The Top End is full of creatures that can do you damage. The most dangerous is Crocodylus porosus, known to locals as the “Salty.” So when we arrive at one of the most remote national parks in the Northern Territory -- Garig Gunak Barlu, deep in West

The Audi Q2 is one size smaller than Audi’s already-popular Q3, being engineered on the VW Polo/Audi A1 small car platform. The Audi SUV isn’t cheap, with a starting price of $41,950 for the base Q2 35 TFSI. This model has a 110kW 1.4-litre turbochar

The third generation Audi Q3 might be labelled an SUV but as with many of its peers it could easily be described as a high-riding hatchback. It delivers the usual SUV attributes: taller driving position, better vision around the car, and a higher “hi

Audi’s five seater Q8 is based on the seven-seater Q7, but with a sleeker, sharper profile, a coupe roofline, a few dimensional adjustments and whopper 21 inch alloy wheels to give it a sportier stance. The Q8 55TFSi quattro, priced at $130,200, runs

If you need proof the world has gone mad for SUVs, look no further. Bentley's Bentayga is one of the most extreme and expensive of the breed. The Bentayga is based on the Audi Q7/Q8, with Bentley acquired by Germany’s Volkswagen-Audi Group in 1998. T

More compact yet more costly than the X1, on which it’s based, BMW X2 prices start at $49,900 for the sDrive 18i. This front-wheel-drive X2 runs a 103kW 1.5-litre turbopetrol triple matched with a sevenspeed double-clutch automatic. M Sport specifcia

With the arrival of the third-generation X3, BMW once again has a competitive player in the premium medium-SUV class. The 2021 X3 has a roomier and much more attractive interior, plus better ride comfort and handling. The X3 range opens at $68,900 wi

Launched in 2008, BMW’s then controversially styled now has a few imitators due to its success. What it loses out to the closely related X5 in space and practicality, the divisive design icon makes up for in attitude and individuality. The cheapest X

BMW’s first full size sevenseat SUV, the X7 starts from $135,900 for the 195kW/620Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel six 30d, tested here. The 3.0-litre triple turbodiesel M50d, with 294kW and 760Nm, is $181,900, as is the 390kW/750Nm 4.4-litre twin turbopetro

The new Ford Puma is the smallest SUV in the brand’s line-up. There are three models: Puma (from $29,990), Puma ST-Line ($32,340) and Puma ST-Line V (from $35,540). All three models are powered by the same turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine

Meet the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, brought to you by Holden Special Vehicles. With the shutdown of Holden, General Motors will now be represented in Australia by this locally re-manufactured pick-up and, down the road a little, the Chevrolet Corvette

Honda’s CR-V, the world’s top-selling SUV, lost its way for a while but is now back in serious contention with the fifth generation since 1997. Priced from $31,300 for the Vi front-drive auto, the latest version has expanded its repertoire with seven

GWM’s latest ute, the Cannon, has grown in size to match the proportions of the topselling Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, and it certainly looks the business in the metal. There are three models in the new GWM double cab ute range: the Cannon ($33,990

Hyundai’s Tucson mid-size SUV range opens with the 121kW/203Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder direct-injection petrol/six-speed manual frontwheel-drive Active, at $29,640. Active X is $32,640. A sixspeed auto adds $2500. Front-wheel drive Elite automatic is

Jaguar’s F-Pace’s mostly aluminium body draws on the basic elements of Jaguar’s XE and XF sedans. Size-wise, the F-Pace is something of an in-betweenie. It’s larger than a BMW X3, for example, but not as big as an X5. It’s certainly spacious enough t

This new-generation Wrangler might look like the old one, but it’s new from the wheels up Importantly for Jeep fans, though, this model retains the indoor/outdoor body configurability unique to Wrangler. The doors can be removed, the roof comes off a

Is Jeep’s first dual-cab ute worth the hype? The JT Gladiator is proudly proclaimed a mongrel – “100 percent Jeep and 100 percent truck” is the tag line – since from the rear seat back, it’s derived from the Dodge RAM 1500. Gladiator is available in

Kia’s smallest SUV, the Stonic, is based on the Rio hatchback. Prices start at $21,490 for the 74kW/133Nm 1.4-litre petrol/six-speed manual Stonic S; the six-speed auto is $22,990. So at base model level Stonic is one of the cheapest SUVs on the mark

Based on Toyota’s “New Global Architecture” that also underpins the closely related C-HR and Corolla, the Lexus UX (for Urban Explorer) slots in beneath the NX, though it’s really less a pure SUV than a hatch-onstilts, Mercedes GLA-style. Indeed, the

The Lexus RX range opens with the 2.0-litre turbopetrol four-cylinder/six-speed automatic/front-wheel-drive RX300 Luxury priced at $73,136. F Sport is $88,136 and Sports Luxury is $94,836. The RX350, with a 221kW 3.5-litre V6 petrol/eight-speed auto

Like many modern SUVs, the Lexus NX targets urban buyers. Entry models are frontwheel drive rather than allwheel drive because, according to research, many buyers really don’t know or care which wheels put the power to the road. NX’s aggressive, exag

In the little while its now superseded Toyota 200 Series LandCruiser-based LX models have left on this earth, they offer V8 tragics their last opportunity to get behind the engine of their dreams. The LX 450d, priced at $137,636, is powered by the tw

Until the Levante, no SUV had ever worn the trident badge of Maserati. But you would never guess from the way this weighty Italian drives. Equipped as standard with air springs and variable dampers, the Levante is more agile on a curvy road than a hi

Mazda’s CX30 shares architecture, front wheel drivetrains and dash layouts with the 3 sedan and hatch, so you could accurately describe it as a Mazda3 wagon. Prices start at $28,990 for the G20 Pure, with a 114kW 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol

As with most SUVs, Mercedes’ GLA is based on a car platform, in this case the A Class, with which it also shares drivetrains and many other components as well. This model is significantly larger than its predecessor, with a much taller body and a hig

Introduced in 2015, Mercedes’ top selling SUV, the GLC, received an overhaul in 2020 A 2.0-litre turbopetrol four powers the base GLC200 wagon (tested here), priced at $70,300 plus on road costs. It produces a respectable 145kW of power and 320Nm of

With its third generation GLS, Mercedes has turned luxury up a notch – and the vehicle has grown in every dimension to behemoth proportions. It now has one of the largest cabins and cargo holds in the class. The 270kW/500Nm 3.0-litre straight six tur

America has the Jeep Wrangler, Britain has (or, rather, had) the original Land-Rover Defender and Germany has the Mercedes G-Class. Each started life as a military vehicle in war zones but half a century later they’ve been modernised, if that’s the w

It has an MG badge, so even though it’s a mid-sized SUV, it should be on the sporty side, right? Guess again. Now owned by Chinese-State giant SAIC Motor, the MG badge is just that: a badge. There’s no pukka Brit sports car DNA in the HS - not a shre

Mini’s SUV range, powered by BMW drivetrains, opens with the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbopetrol/seven-speed dual clutch automatic/front-wheeldrive Countryman, priced at $44,500. The 2.0-litre turbopetrol Cooper S is $52,900. The all-wheel drive Joh

Nissan’s Juke is a compact SUV, close in size to the class best seller, Mitsubishi’s ASX. All variants are powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbopetrol engine with just 85kW of power – most rivals have 100kW or more. It’s matched to a sevenspeed

SAVE $10 4WD, SUV & Ute Buyer’s Guide is the magazine for those looking to purchase their next best mate on the road. Get individual and honest reports on each new SUV, 4WD and ute with their specifications, features, pros and cons, and comparisons t

Peugeot claims the current 3008 “has moved itself above” mainstream SUV rivals such as VW’s Tiguan, Mazda CX5, Subaru’s Forester and Honda’s CRV, but they’re dreaming. Start money -- $43,990 for the Allure -- is about $10,000 too expensive, as is the