Articles by Mark Oastler
2 March 2022 by Mark Oastler
The Toyota HiLux partly owes its enviable status as Australia’s most popular ute to its long-standing dominance of 4x2 sales, which mostly attract ABN-armed tradies and fleet buyers chasing rugged no-frills workhorses with low purchase and operating costs combined with strong resale values. In...Read more
23 February 2022 by Mark Oastler
When the current HiAce was launched in 2019, it was a no-brainer that this sixth-generation model would continue - or probably increase - Toyota’s long-standing dominance of Australia’s mid-sized (2.5-3.5 tonne GVM) commercial van market. The latest VFACTS industry figures for January 2022 confirm...Read more
2 February 2022 by Mark Oastler
Can a red P-plater tow a trailer? Can a green P-plater tow a trailer?...Read more
2 February 2022 by Mark Oastler
Ford’s desert racing-inspired Ranger Raptor was clearly the catalyst for Nissan Australia to create a tougher and more specialised ‘Warrior’ version of its D23 Navara. However, unlike the Raptor which is designed and developed in-house by Ford, Nissan has partnered with Melbourne-based OEM...Read more
18 January 2022 by Mark Oastler
Volkswagen’s Caddy has for many years dominated Australia’s under-2.5 tonne GVM small van class. In 2020 its leadership was emphatic, commanding more than 70 per cent of sales in this light commercial vehicle segment. The mid-2021 release of a fifth generation Caddy , logically called Caddy 5, was...Read more
10 January 2022 by Mark Oastler
There are lots of safety issues to consider when towing and one of...Read more
28 December 2021 by Mark Oastler
Up to the end of November the Toyota HiLux 4x4 was outsold by Ford’s Ranger 4x4 in 2021, but the HiLux continued to maintain top spot in Australian ute sales because of its firm grip on the work-focused 4x2 market, in which it commands an enviable sales share of around 40 per cent. Toyota offers a...Read more
10 December 2021 by Mark Oastler
The Ssangyong Musso 4x4 ute has always been a small-volume player in Australia. However, since adding the XLV long wheelbase/leaf spring variant to its existing short wheelbase/coil-spring offering in 2019, the Korean manufacturer has been increasing its sales foothold. Up to and including November...Read more
1 December 2021 by Mark Oastler
Knowing how to tow a trailer confidently and safely is a vital skill...Read more
11 November 2021 by Mark Oastler
Your average 4x4 dual cab ute has a one tonne payload rating and can...Read more
26 October 2021 by Mark Oastler
Having to replace a flat tyre on the side of a busy road is something...Read more
1 October 2021 by Mark Oastler
If you’re struggling to find enough space to squeeze all of your cargo...Read more
7 September 2021 by Mark Oastler
The VW Amarok launched in 2010 has never posed a threat to the sales dominance of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in local 4x4 ute sales, even though it has some excellent design qualities and is still one of the best to drive. With VW joining forces with Ford in joint development of the next...Read more
27 August 2021 by Mark Oastler
So, you’ve bought a dual cab ute, SUV or van and the first thing you...Read more
17 August 2021 by Mark Oastler
RAM Trucks Australia’s success in carving out a small but sustainable niche in the highly competitive 4x4 dual cab ute market with its Texas-sized 1500 Series pickups is due to a number of factors. However, there’s no doubt a pivotal selling point is that it’s the only Fiat Chrysler Automobiles-...Read more
9 August 2021 by Mark Oastler
The MY21 Iveco Daily E6 cab-chassis range competes in the Light Duty (3501-8000kg GVM) segment of Australia’s Heavy Commercial vehicle market, where competition is fierce with a dozen brands and 15 models battling for buyers. The E6 cab-chassis , like its closely-related van sibling recently tested...Read more
28 July 2021 by Mark Oastler
Mark Oastler is spending six months with his family aboard the Ford Ranger, to see how well a dual cab ute can be set up for family life.Read more
28 July 2021 by Mark Oastler
Every vehicle has a GVM rating, which is an acronym of Gross Vehicle...Read more
19 July 2021 by Mark Oastler
In MY21 guise, the D23 Nissan Navara features fresh styling, big increases in standard safety, minimum one-tonne payload ratings, increased load tub volume across all dual cab variants and a model range simplified to four key grades. Those comprise SL, ST, ST-X and the new top-shelf PRO-4X, which...Read more