Ute sales are at an all-time high, plus 2021’s winners and losers We take a look at which utes are doing best in 2021, before showing how the market as a whole has grown since 2010. Australians love their utes, especially at tax time. In fact, during the course of 2021 total ute sales and market-share are both at all-time highs. Instant asset write-down policies, superior products with greater comfort and safety, and less tangible aspects like...
Ford Australia has announced a new premium version of the Ford Focus ST hot hatch. It may not be a born-again Ford Focus RS hyper-hatch with an all-wheel drive drift mode, but the 2022 Ford Focus ST-3 will bring a bit more razzle dazzle to the blue oval brand’s unloved small car for a relatively small price premium. The 2022 Ford Focus ST-3 will be offered exclusively with a seven-speed automatic transmission and the same , the Focus ST-3...
Ford’s best-selling Ranger is soon to be superseded by a next generation, but let’s see how the current Aussie favourite shapes up in Wildtrak X flavour. Power comes courtesy of the 157kW/500Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel lifted from the Ranger Raptor. This engine can only be had with the Ford/GM-developed 10-speed automatic transmission, which I found to be a fair match, though some complain it overly hunts for the right gear around town. I was impressed with...
Light, nimble and a huge amount of fun, the Ford Fiesta ST is as pure a hot hatch as you could want. The direct steering and impressive chassis setup are well balanced with the turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, to provide an entertaining drive experience both around town or around a track. You need to work it hard to get the most performance, with peak power of 147kW at 6000rpm and 290Nm torque at 4000rpm, but...
