Adventure Reviews
Ford Everest 2025 review: Tremor - Australian first drive
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By Stephen Ottley · 06 Mar 2025
The Ford Everest is the Blue Oval's most popular SUV and for 2025 the range has been expanded. The new Everest Tremor has arrived to take on the latest Toyota Prado in what should be an epic battle of family-friendly off-roaders.We hit the bush in the Everest Tremor to find out if it's tough enough to worry Toyota.
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Toyota Fortuner 2025 review: GXL - off-road test
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By Marcus Craft · 02 Mar 2025
The Toyota Fortuner has been available in Australia for a decade but has never got anywhere near hitting the sales heights of the HiLux on which it's based.With a new Fortuner possibly due in the not-too-distant future, it's worth revisiting the seven-seat Fortuner to see how this ageing 4WD wagon stands up against in a realm dominated by fresher, more sophisticated rivals.
Isuzu MU-X 2025 review - Australian first drive
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By Stephen Ottley · 28 Feb 2025
Australian families are flocking to rugged, seven-seat SUVs like the Ford Everest and Toyota Prado. The underdog in this contest is the Isuzu MU-X, which has become one of the most popular, has been refreshed for 2025.But this is more than just a 'nip and tuck' facelift, with some major changes underneath. We drive the new MU-X on- and off-road to put it to the test.
Isuzu D-Max 2025 review: Blade - Off-road test
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By Marcus Craft · 13 Feb 2025
The D-Max Blade, a collaboration between Isuzu and the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, was developed locally as a hardcore four-wheel drive. It has 3mm steel bash plates, Aussie-tuned and lifted suspension, light truck construction all-terrain tyres and Blade-specific design enhancements. But, without extra power and torque, is the Blade actually worth $15,000 more than the LS-U+ on which it's based?
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Mazda BT-50 2025 review - Australian first drive
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By Stephen Ottley · 12 Feb 2025
The Mazda BT-50 is the under-rated star of the Japanese brand's line-up. Often overshadowed by its SUV siblings, the 'black sheep' of the Mazda family is actually one of its best-sellers.It has been updated for 2025, with a fresh look to try and attract more ute buyers who prefer a tough-looking truck. We put it through its paces on- and off-road to see how this new model stacks up.
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Toyota LandCruiser Prado 2025 review: Altitude
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By Marcus Craft · 08 Feb 2025
The 2025 Toyota LandCruiser Prado (aka the 250 Series) is big news: it's larger than previous versions of the Prado and it is now able to tow the industry standard 3500kg rather than the 3000kg the previous generation is limited to.It also looks a lot different to the softer style of Prados past. But does being bolder and bigger make it better?
Lexus GX550 2025 review: Overtrail - Off-road test
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By Marcus Craft · 03 Jan 2025
The all-new 2025 Lexus GX line-up is here and the off-road hero of the range is the Overtrail.This big luxury 4WD wagon is based on the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series platform, has a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, off-road driver modes, a locking rear diff and, on paper at least, it seems like the ultimate adventure machine.But is it as good in the rough stuff as it's hyped up to be?
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Ford Ranger 2025 review: Raptor - Off-road test
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By Marcus Craft · 21 Dec 2024
The realm of high-end, high-performance utes is an increasingly competitive slice of the new vehicle market. The latest Ford Ranger Raptor to enter the arena has a V6 engine, an upgraded suspension set-up and drive modes aimed at further bolstering its growing reputation as a built-for-purpose adventure machine.But does the Raptor have serious potential as a touring 4WD?
Toyota Tundra 2025 review: Limited
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By John Law · 12 Dec 2024
The fourth and final piece of the full-size, US-sourced pick-up puzzle has slotted into place in the shape of the Toyota Tundra Limited. We've spent a week behind the wheel to see if its brawn, capacity and equipment justifies a solid price tag.
Volkswagen Amarok 2025 review: 10 Deserts Edition - Off-road test
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By James Cleary · 28 Nov 2024
Volkswagen Australia used its Amarok dual-cab ute to set a new record for crossing Australia's 10 deserts... in one go. And a limited run of 300 '10 Deserts Edition' examples has been commissioned to celebrate. We've driven it on-road and over some challenging off-highway trails to find out if the value and dynamic ability equation adds up.