Off road

Subaru has revealed a new version of the off-road-ready Forester Wilderness over in the US.The Subaru Forester Wilderness Hybrid is the first time a Wilderness model has been equipped with a hybrid powertrain. To date they’ve only been offered with purely petrol power.Using the same hybrid powertrain as the regular Forester Hybrid, it marries together a 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine running the Atkinson/Miller cycle with electric motors to produce a total system output of 145kW.Subaru claims this powertrain provides up to 25 per cent better fuel economy than the regular Forester Wilderness, which is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine producing 134kW in US-spec guise.Although it has a different powertrain, the Forester Wilderness Hybrid retains all the upgrades the regular model receives.These include upgraded suspension giving an increased ground clearance of 246mm, as well as improved approach, breakover and departure angles.Additionally there are raised, ladder-type roof rails with a static load rating of 360kg, as well as 17-inch matte black wheels wrapped in Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tyres.Other standard equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 11.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, grey synthetic leather upholstery, as well as all-weather floor mats and a boot mat.At this stage the Forester Wilderness Hybrid is set to launch in North America in late 2026. It’s unclear if it will be offered in other markets at this stage.We’ve reached out to Subaru Australia about its potential for a local launch and will update this story once we hear back.Subaru only recently introduced the Wilderness moniker in Australia with the larger, new-generation Outback.Unlike the regular Australian-specification model, it receives a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine which is more powerful than the 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine.Like all Wilderness models it picks up unique looks and off-road upgrades, however, the Australian-specification model retains highway tyres, not all-terrain tyres like the US-spec model receives.

Chinese brand GAC has shown official camouflage pictures of a brand new plug-in hybrid off-roader, which will debut a new platform and direction for the Toyota-allied brand.Codenamed T75, the new off-roader will debut at the Beijing Motor Show in late April. The brand confirms it will be a plug-in hybrid as evidenced by two flaps on both sides above the rear wheel arch.The overall appearance confirms the new GAC off-roader will follow in the footsteps of the Denza B5 from BYD’s premium arm, leaning into the traditional boxy off-road appeal, complete with a tailgate-mounted spare wheel and high-profile tyres.The new images also show real door handles (as opposed to the kinds of previously-popular flush door handles currently being targeted by Chinese regulators), and a grille-free face. The brand is yet to reveal the new SUV’s light profile, although unlike some concept vehicles, the images show the T75 with real wing mirrors.It is a stark new design direction for GAC, leaving behind the large-grille design of its hybrid GS8 large SUV. Chinese media is reporting the T75 has been in the works at GAC since at least 2024, and the company has invested over the equivalent of $100 million in the project.This new GAC off-roader could also be our first hint at the brand’s recently confirmed upcoming dual-cab ute.The ute is due in 2027 and the company’s local CEO Kevin Shu said it was likely we’d learn more about it at Beijing in late April.If the new ute does share its underpinnings with this new plug-in hybrid off-roader, it will pit GAC’s dual-pronged off-road offering head-to-head with the BYD Shark 6 and the related Denza B5, which both use a petrol plug-in hybrid set-up.This space is becoming increasingly heated, with many Chinese brands moving into the off-road space, using Australia as a trial-by-fire for their range of new products. Not only is the Denza B5 and Tank 500 already in this plug-in off-road space, but Geely is also set to enter the fray before long with its Galaxy Cruiser 700.

The question over whether Toyota will build a hybrid version of its popular HiLux ute looks to be settled, for now.There’s been talk of a hybrid workhorse ute for years, especially given Toyota’s position as the world’s leading hybrid vehicle specialist and its rollout across the rest of its model range.Beyond popular models like the Corolla, Corolla Cross, Camry, RAV4, Kluger and Yaris, Toyota is about to launch a hybrid LandCruiser 300 Series later this year, and it already offers its Tundra pick-up with hybrid power. In the US you can even get a hybrid Prado!The runaway success of the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute and ongoing interest in GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV suggests a hybrid HiLux would be a no-brainer for Toyota.But according to Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas, even though he could ask HQ for a hybrid HiLux, it would have to be able to do what a regular HiLux can do.“We're always talking to TMC (Toyota Motor Corporation) about the various powertrains for every single model. But what's most important for us is that, we can ask for any car, but the problem is going to be making sure that it's fit for purpose for that customer type. And that's what we're going to make sure we're doing,” he told CarsGuide.“It's no good saying, ‘Oh, we've got a hybrid HiLux, tick the box’, and then it doesn't meet the requirements of the customer.“So for us, it's got to be fit for purpose, needs to leave no one behind. And if it can do all those things for us, then for sure, we'll be rallying for a hybrid HiLux. But until that point, we got nothing to confirm.”Pappas was speaking at the local reveal of Toyota’s first fully electric commercial vehicle, the HiLux BEV. With pricing starting at $74,990 before on-road costs, Toyota is targeting mining and construction, big fleets and government with the HiLux BEV, rather than private buyers and sole traders.Despite the massive interest in hybrids and the proliferation of hybrid utes - including an upcoming as-yet unnamed diesel plug-in hybrid ute from Chery to launch later this year - Pappas said the next evolution of the HiLux’s electrification will be hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) tech.“We've obviously got, through our model mix, 50 per cent of our sales are electrified, mainly through hybrids. And our demand on hybrids globally at the moment is doing very well. So the fact that we've been piloting a BEV HiLux for the last 12 months, the next step for us is then to start to pilot the FCEV HiLux.“So we want to really look at what we can learn and pilot through a targeted customer program again, on the FCEV HiLux, because the infrastructure for hydrogen is very, very limited, as we know. So the more we can learn with these things, the quicker we can respond to scale.“So when the time comes we think for that user need that we've got scale, we're ready. And that's really why we're trying to go BEV and then FCEV. And like I said, our hybrid demand on the rest of our vehicles, which we've got, is doing very well. And, you know, we're very happy with how that's going.”Pappas’ predecessor, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide in February that, currently, only diesel-powered engines can achieve the level of towing and Gross Vehicle Mass in a specific price point for light-commercial vehicles.“Developing these kinds of vehicles in a light commercial vehicle (LCV) cost a lot of money.“So, is the timing right for it? Now, I agree. We've been doing it a long time. It's proven technology; but in an LCV right now, for what, where we'd position it, where it would be positioned, is that really right for the Australian market… or other global markets? Maybe it is, but our assessment is not right now, but at some point (yes).”

Utes have been affected substantially by increasing fuel prices, thanks to their large fuel tanks and often thirsty turbo-diesel engines.Diesel fuel prices have jumped to more than $3 per litre, making filling up a diesel ute more expensive than ever.CarsGuide has compiled a list of all the diesel dual-cab pick-up utes on sale, calculating the yearly cost of each at $3.07 per litre (the average price in NSW on 31/3/26) over 15,000km.Isuzu Ute’s D-Max and Mazda BT-50 2.2-litre turbo-diesel variants are the efficiency leaders. The mechanically identical pair of utes cost $3038.02 in fuel in a year, averaging 6.6L/100km.The Ford Ranger’s single turbo-diesel 2.0-litre is next on the list, averaging 6.9L/100km, which equates to $3177.45 over 15,000km. The new mild hybrid Toyota HiLux also has a competitive efficiency figure of 7.1L/100km, which is a little cheaper in fuel than the standard turbo-diesel variants. Three-litre variants of the BT-50 and D-Max vary in cost, given fuel consumption fluctuates between 7.1L/100km and 7.8L/100km depending on the variant.The KGM Musso is one of the thirstiest of the utes, with its up to 9.0L/100km, costing more than $4000 over the course of a year.  The GWM Cannon Alpha diesel was the other ute to exceed the $4000 mark. Concluding the list are the gas guzzling full-size American pick-ups, in Ram’s 2500 and the Chevrolet Silverado HD. Both have V8 diesel engines with a capacity of more than 6.0-litres, meaning they cost more than $7000 over the course of a year.2026 ute fuel figures Australia  *Dependent on variant**Ram does not provide official figures for fuel consumption. This figure is sourced from CarsGuide's real world testing.***Chevrolet does not provide official figures for fuel consumption. This figure is sourced from CarsGuide's real world testing.

Is Chery about to out-name the BYD Shark 6 ute? It's possible, given a mystery trademark has now appeared that would give the brand a literal shark-eating dual-cab.Chery has trademarked the name "Orca" in Australia, and the trademark specifically references "SUVs; sport utility vehicles ; sports utility vehicles ; pick-up trucks; pick-up truck caps; trucks; commercial vehicles".The orca, or killer whale, is also the only known predator of the great white shark, suggesting some naming gamesmanship could be at play here, given BYD has named its sales-storming ute the Shark 6.But there is one complicating factor – Chery has asked the Australian public to help name its first ute, with more than 20,000 entries received and a shortlist soon to be announced.“We knew Aussies would have a strong view on what makes a great ute, and the response to this competition has absolutely reflected that," said Lucas Harris, Chery Australia's COO."To receive this many entries is a tremendous result, but just as importantly, entrants took the brief seriously and explained why their name belonged on the ute, making the shortlisting process both exciting and difficult."The catch is that while the Orca name has been accepted as of March 18, 2026, the application was first lodged in June 2025, which suggests it was an early name option for the ute, before the public competition was opened.Still, if Orca has been suggested, and it makes the shortlist, Chery could have a Shark-hunting diesel dual-cab ute on the cards.When it arrives in Q4 this year, Chery's ute promises to be a game-changer in terms of powertrain, given it pairs a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine paired with an electric motor or two and a battery to deliver the country's first diesel plug-in hybrid ute.The brand is promising a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, a 1000kg payload, and proper off-road kit like diff locks.“I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute,” Mr Harris has told CarsGuide.“And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things.”

A more-adventure-ready version of the new Mazda CX-5 could be in the pipeline for Australia and the rest of the world.Inspired by a special edition package for the North American-market CX-50 mid-sized SUV called the Meridian Edition, it could lead to a CX-5 with a beefier stance, greater clearances, chunkier wheels and extra protective cladding, among other modifications.According to Mazda's Program Manager, Koichiro Yamaguchi, the company is waiting to see whether buyers demand a more off-road edition of the latest CX-5 before taking the plunge.“We don’t have such offerings currently, but we would like to monitor customer feedback very carefully,” he revealed to the Australian media late last month.“Because (today's latest) CX-5 is more for daily life. So, we will listen to feedback from the market.”While more off-road-style versions of popular medium-sized SUVs have yet to take off in Australia, they are proliferating in North America and elsewhere, thanks to models such as the Subaru Forester Wilderness, Toyota RAV4 Woodland, Nissan X-Trail Rock Creek Edition and Hyundai Tucson XRT.Probably the closest we have to that in Australia right now is the Subaru Outback Wilderness, which arrived with the completely redesigned seventh-generation range back in February. A Forester Wilderness grade is expected later this year or during 2027.Mazda's General Manager for Global Sales and Marketing, Manabu Osuga, went into more detail about Mazda’s plans, stating that while the arrival of off-road-themed rivals has not been lost on him, an accessories package based on the CX-50 Meridian may be the way forward for CX-5.“Sure, that's on our radar,” he admitted to CarsGuide.“You know about the CX-50, how we are doing it in the US market. We, at MMC headquarters, developed (such a car), but as an accessories package… and we call that the Meridian package… with an outdoorsy design.“So, where we are going is that, with this CX-5, we are launching this car to begin with as a collaboration with individual markets to expand the range to really fulfil consumer needs, with accessories, though.“We might be able to do (standalone models like Meridian Edition). We will think about it, but first we will do that from the accessory program.”Osuga-san added that the company can lean on its experienced partners to upgrade or evolve the CX-5, in a similar way that BMW utilises M Division.These include Mazda Engineering and Technology Company (Mazda E&T) that has modified vehicles since 1979 for welfare/wheelchair-access, emergency vehicles and specialised work applications.There’s also Mazda Spirit Racing, the 2021 successor to the famous Mazdaspeed sub-brand that focuses on motorsports, driver development and specialised production vehicles.“We also have our subsidiary company, Mazda E&T, for modifications,” Osuga explained.“We don't have that global (as yet)… and there is Mazda Spirit Racing. We are using the Mazda E&T engineering and the technology that has specific manufacturing (capabilities)… and we can use that line to make modifications like Mercedes AMG or M for BMW.“We are trying to make that Mazda E&T company with a capability to bring to the next phase. So, there are possibilities there, but at this moment that they're not specific plans.”Whichever direction Mazda heads, it is clear that the product planners are watching how the Wilderness, Woodland, Rock Creek Edition and XRT grades perform before going for an off-road-biased version of the CX-5.And North America’s CX-50 Meridian Edition is the closest thing we currently have to go by.Badger your Mazda dealer if this is what you want to see in any future CX-5.

The Mahindra Scorpio now comes as one variant: the Z8L+. This 4WD wagon has seven seats, a stack of standard features, a low-range transfer case, an automatic rear diff lock and its price-tag – at just under $50 grand – won’t give your accountant a migraine. But no mechanical changes mean no more power and torque than before.

The Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series hardly requires an introduction. It’s an iconic model in the Japanese carmaker’s catalogue of vehicles and has stood the test of time.Dating back to 1984, the LandCruiser 70 Series (LC70) is now more than 40 years old, firmly making it the oldest new car still on sale in Australia.This calls into question, how long can Toyota feasibly still produce and sell new versions of this heavy-duty icon?At this stage Toyota has given no indication of if or when it intends to end production of the LC70. It’s still produced in Japan, Portugal and Venezuela.It’s also still very popular in many markets, including Australia, Africa and the Middle East.Demand has been so high in Australia that there have been numerous order pauses. One is still outstanding for the 70 Series GXL Wagon automatic variant that was first enforced from July 2025.In order to keep production going many changes have had to be made. In addition to the aforementioned vehicle category change in Australia, the LC70 will soon gain AdBlue exhaust additive fluid Down Under, making it Euro 6 emission regulations compliant.This was added to the Japanese-spec model upon its reintroduction in the domestic market in 2023, which coincided with the latest facelift.Even if production of the LC70 does eventually stop, these vehicles are known for their reliability and widespread parts availability. This means even if production stops, LC70s will likely be on the road for decades to come, especially in rural and remote areas where they’re most popular, provided diesel is still available.The LC70 first arrived Down Under in 1985, and this workhorse version of the LandCruiser has remained on sale while three plusher versions of this iconic off-roader have come and gone.In fact, the LC70 is still sold in the same showrooms as the luxurious and much more technologically advanced LandCruiser 300 Series.Over the years the LC70 has been available globally with a wide array of body styles across different wheelbase lengths. There are wagon SUVs, as well as utes and the iconic troop carrier, among others.A number of different powertrains have also been offered, ranging from four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines to turbocharged V8s.Only one powertrain is offered in Australia - a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, known as the 1GD-FTV, which dates back to 2015 and is shared with the previous-generation HiLux.It produces 150kW and 500Nm when mated with a six-speed automatic transmission or 150kW/450Nm when mated with the five-speed manual transmission.The LC70 has received countless updates and upgrades over the years. Highlights include the wider front track to fit larger engines, more active and passive safety technology, a number of facelifts, as well as a vehicle category change in Australia with a slight gross vehicle mass (GVM) increase to allow it to remain on sale without major changes, among others.The LC70 even comes with modern perks like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now, as well as standard air-conditioning. Despite this, it’s still a car that dates back to the 1980s and in some versions still has manually operated side windows and manually adjustable side mirrors. But all good things must come to an end, but when Toyota might call time on the LC70 is a mystery for now.

My 2010 Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series, after three or four hours of driving (and not towing anything), won't shift above fourth gear.

I’ve discovered that if I stop, turn the engine off, lock and unlock the car, start it up, put it into S mode with my foot on brake and shift from first to sixth, holding in each gear for 5 seconds, and then drive off, it will change above fourth gear. But, once you drop below fourth again, you have to reset it again.

I’m sure it’s a heat issue. The vehicle also spasmodically goes into limp home mode.

How do I replace the coolant temperature sensor in my 2008 Ford Ranger TDCi and where do I find it?