Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Articles by Mark Oastler

Mark Oastler

Mark Oastler

Contributing Journalist

Mark Oastler has been a prominent motoring journalist in print and electronic media for more than three decades.

Now based in Melbourne, his diverse roles have included more than a decade of motor sport TV commentary for both the Seven and Ten networks, editor of Street Machine magazine, founding editor of Australian Muscle Car magazine and freelance contributor to Wheels, Motor, Auto Action, Unique Cars, V8X, AMC, Suncorp and many more.

In addition to his regular LCV reviews and advice pieces for CarsGuide, he is also a feature writer and online TV host for the popular Shannons Club website.

It seems the only thing as unbreakable as the HiLux is Toyota's herculean grip on Australia's new vehicle car market. Familiarity and trust in the brand, along with solid resale values and unwavering customer loyalty, are sizeable factors in the Japanese giant's continued dominance. And those same...Read more
Any commercial vehicle manufacturer that can offer more than 1700 different variants of a single model has to be considered a serious player. And that dizzying number of choices is what Mercedes-Benz is claiming to provide fleet customers with its latest generation (3550-5000kg) Sprinter in the...Read more
Ford’s 2018 launch of its 2019 Ranger (or PX III) brought numerous upgrades and refinements, headlined by the availability of AEB and Ford’s new twin-turbo 2.0-litre diesel engine with 10-speed auto being available as an option in the upper-shelf XLT and top-shelf Wildtrak variants. This new engine...Read more
The creation of a desert racing-inspired performance version of the T6 Ranger in 2018 was a logical development, given that Ford first built a similar derivative of the F-150 for the US market in 2010. The Americans called it the Raptor, and, given Steven Spielberg’s steroid-fed interpretation of...Read more
For three decades, Holden Special Vehicles’ high-performance enhancements have largely been focused on one platform; Holden’s V8 Commodore. However, with the demise of local manufacturing in 2017, the rear-wheel drive Australian-made icon went with it, leaving HSV with what appeared to be an...Read more
Ford’s legendary F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for more than four decades. A major factor in that success is the Super Duty range (F-250/F-350/F-450), which reports for duty when loggers, landscapers, miners, oil-field workers and anyone else with seriously heavy on- and off-road...Read more
Citroen, the famous French manufacturer founded in 1919, has achieved global acclaim for daringly bold and brilliant design and engineering that was often ahead of its time. Despite this, the double chevron badge has suffered a tumultuous ride since the 1970s, including a lifesaving merger with...Read more
There’s a seismic shift occurring in Australia’s mid-size (2.5-3.5-tonne GVM) van segment, and the cause of this disruption is Ford’s Transit Custom. For many years, Europe’s most popular commercial van struggled to make a dent in a local scene dominated by Toyota’s HiAce and Hyundai’s iLoad ,...Read more
If there was a feeling at Stuttgart that any vehicle displaying a three-pointed star could do no wrong, the X-Class should be a wake-up call. It's a vehicle that appears to have drawn a line in the sand in terms of what people are prepared to accept as an authentic Mercedes-Benz. Sure, the fastest...Read more
When VW added a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel to its Amarok range in late 2016, it raised the local performance benchmark for dual-cab hay-haulers. With a stonking 165kW and 550Nm, the Amarok V6 has cast a shadow over all rivals as the most powerful Aussie ute ever since. However, it will soon be...Read more
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then VW should be blushing bright-red following Ford’s recent decision to specify a twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine for its incoming Ranger Raptor ute. Let’s not forget that, back in 2010, VW chose the very same engine size...Read more
The Renault Kangoo range of small vans was launched in 1997, and with more than two decades of production across two model generations behind it, it has some serious runs on the board. In fact, Renault tells us the Kangoo has been Europe’s number-one van range for 18 years and counting. The...Read more
Beiqi Foton Motor Company Ltd (rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?), established in 1996, is one of China’s leading manufacturers of heavy-duty commercial vehicles. It also produces a light commercial range including the Tunland ute, which has ridden a rocky road in Australia with minimal sales...Read more
The current Ford Everest has earned numerous awards and widespread praise...Read more
The Ambiente is the entry point for the Everest range, and with the...Read more
Like the Ambiente trim, the mid-level Ford Everest Trend is available in a...Read more
The Titanium is the premium grade Everest with a sizeable boost in bling...Read more

Crew Van vs Dual Cab Ute

An increasing number of light ...Read more

In a rapidly changing world, it's nice to know that some things stay the same. One of those is Toyota's iconic 70 Series Land Cruiser, which arrived in 1985 when most cars still had cigarette lighters, carburettors and cassette players. However, unlike those items and many others which have been...Read more

Pages