2020 Kia Rio GT-Line: Private Fleet Car Review.

This Car Review Is About: Kia’s second smallest car, complete with attitude and spunk. It’s a bit like “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog”. Complete with a three cylinder engine and DCT, plus some body add-ons, and in the review car’s case, an eye-catching Mighty Yellow paint, how much fight is in this pint size warrior wannabe?How Much Does It Cost?: $24,490 drive-away plus $520 for premium paint.

Under The Bonnet Is: A relatively tiny 1.0L three cylinder with the Hyundai/Kia Smartstream label. But don’t think it’s too small for the Rio. 74kW and 172Nm (1,500 to 4,000rpm) combine to foist upon the 1,197kg (dry) machine enough pizzazz and spriteliness to provide enough of a grin factor when the car is driven…ahem…appropriately.It’s cheap to run as well; our worst was 7.0L/100km, with a best of 4.1L/100, with a final average of 6.2L/100km. Tank size is 45L worth for regular unleaded. None of those figures are far from Kia’s official figures of 5.3L/6.3L/4.8L per 100km on the combined/urban, and highway drives. And not that many would, but towing is rated as 1,000kg. Transmission is a seven ratio Dual Clutch Transmission.

On The Outside It’s: Largely unchanged for the past couple of years. It sits nicely in the compact class at 4,070mm in length although it looks smaller. It’s 1,450mm high, and 1,725mm wide, sitting on a wheelbase of 2,580mm.

That means it’s a stubby little thing with short overhangs, and slightly cubical when seen from either end directly. In profile the A-pillars have a slope that matches the rear pillar, bringing some visual balance to the main body.

Driving lights are the four-cube set, cast to either end of the front bar and in an enclosure limned in black that reaches out but doesn’t quite meet a slim air intake sitting under the main slimline tiger-nose. This is echoed with a mirror set in the rear bumper that has a pair of reflectors.

Wheels are 16 spoke 17 inch alloys with dark grey highlights, shod in Continental Contisport Contact rubber at 205/45.On The Inside It’s: Quite sparsely trimmed. The seats are a black cloth with white stitched leather bolstering, white piping, and fully manually adjustable. No electronics at all. Pedals are alloy, and a carbon-fibre look inlay runs full length across the dash. Otherwise, plastics are a bit low-rent to look at and touch aside from the piano black for the air vent, touchscreen, and drive selector surrounds.

Driver’s dials are analogue with the familiar 4.2 inch info cluster. Here is where a digital screen would have been a nice step up. Aircon controls are basic yet idiot-proof dials and push-buttons, sitting over a 12V & USB port. A sole USB port sits at the end of the small centre console. The main touchscreen is an 8.0 inch unit in glorious monochrome, featuring AM, FM, and Bluetooth along with Android and Apple compatibility.Convenience features run to bottle holders in each door, a pair of console cup holders, and rain sensing wipers. No airvents for the rear seaters though… Luggage space is 325L to 980L, with the second row seats folding but not level with the boot floor. That’s not quite enough for a weekly shop for a family of four, but then, the Rio GT-Line probably wouldn’t be in a driveway for that demographic.

Solar or UV blocking glass is standard for the GT’s front three windows, with privacy glass for the rears. A drive mode tab is placed up towards the drive selector, with Eco, Normal, and Sport the choices. There’s a sporting hint with the now familiar flat bottomed tiller. Packaging overall is good thanks to the slightly boxy body shape.

On The Road It’s: Much better in Normal mode than Eco. There’s more life, lighter steering, whereas Eco drags the Rio GT-Line into the mud and everything feels heavier and slower. Sport mode adds extra zip and especially in the mid-range of the engine’s torque delivery. In Eco, the steering has a feel of the front tyres being deflated. Switch to Normal and it lightens up just enough to feel…well…normal.

The seven speed DCT isn’t one of the better of its type, nor is it one of the worst. The clutch gaps aren’t as bad as it has been, with stop then start driving feeling more intuitive and natural. And safer. It also makes for normal and sportier driving a much more enjoyable experience, as changes are sharper, crisper, and more efficiently translating into getting the Rio percolating.

Engage Sport and it’s even swifter, however switching to manual changing (no paddle shifters either, by the way) and there’s a hint more speed in the cogs swapping. Under a gentle foot there is also the audible changes for the gears, with the three cylinder thrum that is so characteristic of these engines running up and down in the revs as the clutch disengages and re-engages for the next ratio. Some DCTs take time to warm up and perform at their best, Kia’s is somewhere between that and being ready to go from the get-go.Ride quality is where the Rio GT-Line varies. It’s too hard sometimes, with little travel and tyre absorption. There’s just that little bit too much bang-crash on some road surfaces, but in contrast nicely dials out any float, with zero rebound on those wallowy surfaces. There is ample grip from the Continental rubber too, making cornering at increasing speed a simple proposition, alongside easy lane changing.

Hit a flat road and it’s ideal, feeling tied to the tarmac, and it’s on this kind of surface where the GT part of GT-Line pays off. Ditto for the engine as that broad swathe of torque effortlessly pulls the GT-Line along. The steering is almost ideally weighted, with little effort needed to switch lanes. Road noise is noticeable but not to the point that cabin conversations feel intruded upon.

What was apparent, too, was the rate of rolling acceleration. Where a merge road goes from 80 to 100 or 110, a change of pace, rapidly, is needed. Here the Rio GT-Line shows appreciable agility without being a neck-snapper, with decent forward progress. It’s perhaps where the 1.2L three with more torque would be a better fit for the name GT-Line.What About Safety?: Autonomous Emergency Braking with Forward Collision Warning, Lane Following and Lane Keeping Assist. Six airbags, and the mandated assorted electronic driver aids are standard.

What About Warranty And Service?: Kia’s standard seven year warranty applies. Total service costs across the seven years is $3,299. That’s an average cost per year of $471 or just nine dollars per week. As is the norm, it’s service four for the big ticket cost at $704, with year five under half that at $319. Year six and seven see $602 and $569.

At The End Of The Drive. Kia’s Rio GT-Line isn’t aimed at the hot hatch market. It’s not aimed at the warm hatch market. It’s aimed at those that want a semblance of performance combined with user friendly economy figures and no need for anything bigger. It’s an ideal first car for the new driver as it’s not excessively endowed with snap/crackle/pop BUT there is enough to provide the appropriate grin factor.

As such, the Kia Rio GT-Line offers up a decent amount of fight however those looking for something with more spice will look elsewhere. That’s no shade on the GT-Line, by the way. It’s intended to be what it is and it fulfills that particular brief perfectly. Check it out, here.

2021 Kia Sorento Sport+ Diesel: Private Fleet Car Review.

This Car Review Is About: Kia’s redesigned, inside and out, Sorento, specifically the Sport+. This sits one step below the range-topper GT-Line, which does have a couple of nifty features, plus a higher level of seat trim. However there’s little, in real terms, missing, for most drivers here. It’s a four model range, (S, Sport and Sport+, and GT-Line) all autos of course, with petrol engines driving only the front wheels or a diesel and AWD combination. The auto for the petrol is the normal torque converter type, the diesels run a dual-clutch.

How Much Does It Cost?: Kia’s spec sheet shows $57,390 driveaway for the vehicle supplied, including $695 for the sparkling Mineral Blue premium paint.

Under The Bonnet Is: 440Nm and 148kW from a 2,151cc diesel. That torque is spread from 1,750rpm to 2,750rpm. 5.3L/100km is the quoted highway figure, we saw a best of 5.7L/100km. Combined fuel consumption is quoted as 6.1L/100km and urban as 7.4L/100km from the 67.0L tank. Our overall figure for our 70/30 urban/highway run was 7.2/100km. The engine is a new design as such, weighing around 19 kilos lighter thanks to the integration of alloy in the process.

On The Outside It’s: Heavily facelifted, not unattractive, and big. 4,810mm in overall length, it stands 1,700mm in height with roofrails, and has a solid stance with a width of 1,900mm and a wheelbase of 2,815mm. Length and width are up by 10mm, and the wheelbase is increased by 35mm compared to the predecessor. Overhangs, though, have been reduced.

Kia’s signature “Tiger grille” now has LED headlights on either side, with multi-focal reflection emitters and LED driving lights in a cool boomerang angle. The indicators are also LED. The overall styling is sharper, edgier, and the leading edge of the bonnet is a sweeping curve that has the top section finishing over the front wheels. Effectively, Kia has taken the ovoid look of the previous model and applied a rasp to the curves, then filed them to a fine edge. It looks great and menacing in all black paint.

A striking motif, and one not to our tastes, is a new Kia signature and it’s the fin on the C-pillar. In alloy-look plastic, it’s a jarring, discordant look in comparison to the otherwise appealing lines. At the rear are new vertical styled lights that evoke a certain American two door sports car. Gone are the broader, horizontal, clusters from before. Another off styling choices is the location of the tab for the powered rear door. It’s right at the bottom of the metal, not in the much easier to access number plate recess. Underneath this is a restyled valance that hides the exhaust tips nicely.To help differentiate between the models, wheel sizes vary. The S has 17inch alloys, the Sport pair have 19s, and 20s underpin the GT-Line. 235/55 Continentals wrap the wheels.

On The Inside It’s: A very good looking place to be. Aside from being a seven seater, with tilt and slide centre row seats, there’s a completely new look for the dash. The airvents have a strong resemblance to the tail lights from a 1960s HR Holden, there is a double widescreen look to the driver’s display and touchscreen, and a better looking centre console.The seats are superbly comfortable, with support and comfort of just the right mix. the front seats in the Sport+ are both heated and vented in the GT-Line only, with the Sport+ having heating only, however the second row seats also get heating. All windows are one touch and there is a “pinch” safety function that stops upward movement if an obstruction is detected.

From the driver’s seat, adjustable ten ways electrically, the dash immediately ahead has the familiar analogue dials and colour info screen, however the housing is all new. the almost redundant binnacle sits over a broad, rectangular housing which runs in one unbroken line to finish level with the passenger side of the centre console. that extension now houses a 10.25 inch ultra-widescreen touchscreen. Here the screen itself defaults to a map and audio split, with the map quite dark. A subtle arrow tab allows for the audio screen to go full width. In the GT-Line a 12.3 inch LCD screen replaces the dials seen in the Sport+

New haptic touch controls underneath this replace the more familiar press or rocker switches for most of the basic aircon controls such as fan speed, the actual a/c engagement, and fresh or recirculating air. They’re a bit hit and miss in operation as more than once (ok, quite a few times) it took two or three attempts to touch the right one on the go. Convenience features come from auto on headlights, auto wipers, and a tab for opening the tailgate.On the dash and doors are pieces of pressed alloy look material, and there is a diamond look for the embossing. This is mirrored in the seat trim for the Sport+. For the third row there is switches to fold the centre row, and a aircon dial plus a pair of USB ports, one for each side. This echoes the front console having three, one for Apple and Android access (which also have voice recognition), the other two specifically for charging on the go. The centre row seats have their own console airvents and a pair of or charge ports, one USB and the other a 12V.Audio quality is amazing. The DAB tuner has better sensitivity than others, including some other Kia products, and there is something in the speaker mix that brought forth notes previously unheard. There’s depth, a great soundstage, and enough punch to please.

Those second row seats have their own party piece. In the cargo section and on the bottom of the sides of the seats are a pair of buttons. The rear buttons fold them, the seat mounted one fold and automatically slide the seats forward. Handy is the word here. Boot space has grown; fold the second and third row and there is 2,011L, up by a huge 349L compared to the previous model. With the third row folded up, it’s a smallish but up by 45L, 187L, growing to 616L if the third row is folded.Noise insulation is solid. During our test drive, the cicada season was in full flight (no pun intended) and the decibel levels outside was considerable. Hop into the Sport+ and the din was almost completely muted.

On The Road It’s: Almost faultless. There were occasional light-switch moments as the engine’s torque suddenly arrived as the electronics determined forward speed needed oomph. Judicious judgement of the throttle otherwise allowed for more precise acceleration, and there’s some serious urge from the quite small engine. Sink the slipper and the momentary hesitation expected from a turbo-diesel is quickly despatched, changing to getting shoved in the seat forward motion.

The AWD system helps getting grip to all four corners as the torque-split on demand system does its thing. Our time with the car coincided with some fairly decent rainfals, and the AWD was confident and sure-footed throughout. Underway and it’s clear the SmartStream diesel is effortless, and refined, with absolutely no diesel chatter. It’s muted, quiet, but vocal enough to let you know it’s ready and waiting to play. Towing? A not unreasonable 2,000kg.

Being AWD capable also allows Kia to add in, on top of the Comfort/Sport/Smart/Eco drive modes, Snow, Sand, and Mud. These are activated via a simple push of a console dial to switch between normal or soft-roading modes, lighting up the chosen mode. All modes are essentially a changing of the tune for the engine and transmission; Sport really sharpens things up for the eight speed auto with crisper, quicker changes. Smart uses an AI to learn the driver’s habits, whilst Eco and Comfort are best used for highway driving.

Road manners for the Sorento Sport+ are at a very high level. Drive is selected via a traditional rocker lever, and underway the Australian tuned strut and multi-link suspension is impossible to fault. Suppleness is there when wafting along, absorbing road irregularities without a twitch, whilst getting sporty sees the upper end of the suspension bringing a grin to the face for its prowess. Hit a bump, a ripple, a speed restrictor, and the Sorento Sport+ blinks and forgets about that momentary intrusion, settling the two tonnes of mass as if nothing happened. Steering weight is noticeable for the fact it’s just right in heft and feedback, and the stoppers could do with perhaps a hint more feedback.

Noticeable too is the fact the dual-clutch auto doesn’t exhibit any of the quirks the design is infamous for. No gap between gear engagement, from Reverse to Drive it’s quick to engage and smooth too. No clunks, no pausing, with the only minor hiccup a feeling of wanting to move forward when stopped at a sign or red light. Smooth and quiet, it’s now one of the best of its type available.

The adaptive cruise control is also spot on. Some can be somewhat iffish in their performance; here it’s accurate and silken in its adaptability to traffic flow. There is also a forward traffic alert that bings and flashes a note on the driver info screen to say it’s ok to move on.What About Safety?: In honesty, it lacks nothing. The GT-Line gets a 360 degree camera view, Blind Spot Monitor and Parking Collision Avoidance Assist, otherwise all grades have what’s expected. Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, AEB with Forward Collision Warning (cyclist, pedestrian, car, and junction) and Rear Cross Traffic plus the mandated electronics are standard. There are also the usual front and side airbags, plus now a Front Centre Side airbag. Our friends at Practical Motoring described it as thus.

What About Warranty And Service?: Kia’s famous seven years warranty and unlimited kilometres is of course standard. Servicing over the seven years sees a maximum cost (unless there are issues outside the service boundaries) of $3,463, with the first year at $335, year four at $729 being the most expensive, with yearly or 15,000k intervals.

At The End Of The Drive. Reading social media can be a bit of an eye opener when it comes to the puerile and pathetic bias shown by some Australians towards Kia and sister brand Hyundai. Long gone are the days of basic, boring, cheap feeling looks and feel, replaced by European standard designs, and upmarket tactility. Ride and handling are world class, and especially tuned for Australia’s roads bring potentially better comfort, road holding, and quietness.

The 2021 Kia Sorento Sport+ is an absolute winner for families, with the perfect mix of features and convenience, driving styles, and all housed in those rugged good looks. As a bang for your buck and quality family conveyance, it’s hard to beat.

Vehicles for Towing

Getting the right Tow Vehicle

For a number of people, towing the boat or caravan to the holiday spot for some much needed R&R is what makes life exciting for them.  And, on a more work-related note, towing is essential if you’re a builder, labourer, farmer or gardener.  So what does make a good tow vehicle?  A good tow vehicle must be structurally strong, and it must offer plenty of torque -­ the lower down the revs the better.

Before all else, always check the manufacturer’s tow capacity guidelines for any vehicle that you are interested in purchasing, particularly if towing is going to be one of the tasks on the vehicle’s to-do-list.  A vehicle’s towing capacity is determined by its manufacturer and it is based on factors such as: the engineering and structural design of the vehicle, the vehicle’s rear axle load limits, the capacity of its tyres, the effect the laden trailer will have on the vehicle’s handling and stability, and the durability of the car’s underpinnings, and overall road safety.

So, after checking the manufacturer’s guidelines, then you need to look at what power and, more particularly, what torque is on offer.  Generally, vehicles with diesel engines make better towing vehicles than equivalent petrol-powered models because they produce much higher torque in low-to-medium engine revolution.  They are also more fuel efficient when under load.  Peak torque figures under 200 Nm will struggle to keep up with modern-day motorway and open-road demands, and throw in a hill or two and you’ll quickly have a build-up of traffic following behind you.

RWD vehicles are better than FWD vehicles for towing because any weight that pushes down on the tow ball will generally lighten the front wheels at the same time, which lessens the traction available to the front wheels.  The more wheel chatter (where the front wheels lose and gain traction instantly) that the front wheels endure, the more the wear and tear will be found on the FWD componentry.

If you’re only pulling a small trailer load of rubbish to the dump, then it’s surprising what most vehicles will tow.  However, I’m focusing on those of us who require trailer loads that are going to be more than 700 kg laden.  Here are some useful towing vehicles you might like to consider:

The Mitsubishi Outlander is a seven-seater SUV that has a maximum towing capacity of 2000 kg braked.  Its 2.2-litre Turbo-Diesel engine boasts 110 kW of power and a very useful 360 Nm of torque.  The Outlander Turbo-Diesel motor offers 360 Nm from 1500 rpm to 2750 rpm, making towing a breeze.  It’s also a fuel efficient and roomy SUV even when you’re not towing.  A combined fuel consumption is a claimed 6.2 litres/100 km: quite impressive.

Hyundai’s Tucson has a maximum towing capacity of 1600 kg braked.  This mid-size SUV has a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine with 136 kW of power and 400 Nm of torque.  That 400 Nm is definitely a strong asset when it comes to towing.  The Tucson is also frugal without the trailer.

Another option for light towing duties would be the Suzuki Grand Vitara Sport.  With a maximum towing capacity of 1700 kg braked and 750 kg un-braked it’s a handy workhorse to have around.  Being RWD that will employ the FWD when required makes for decent traction.  A larger 2000 kg braked capacity is offered with the V6 Sport model.  The Grand Vitara uses a 2.4-litre petrol and a four-speed auto delivering a 122 kW/225 Nm combo through the dual-range transmission.  The torque comes on strongly from lower down in the revs.

A Hyundai Sante Fe with the 2.2-litre turbo diesel can tow a 2000 kg braked trailer.  On offer is a remarkably grunty 440 Nm of torque that sets off low down in the revs for easy power delivery for towing.

The Mazda CX-5 2.2-litre diesel is also capable of towing a braked trailer up to 1800 kg.  With 393 Nm of torque, this is a smooth cruiser.  Mazda’s CX-9 can tow a 2000 kg braked trailer or up to 750 kg unbraked.  Mazda’s CX-9 petrol engines perform very well and are very fuel efficient.  This is a big seven-seater wagon with a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine boasting 170 kW at 5000 rpm and 420 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm.  This CX-9 is a great family all-rounder with plenty of space on offer.

The small Audi Q3 2.0-litre diesel SUV, which can tow a braked trailer up to 2000 kg offers a decent European towing option.  A responsive 380 Nm of torque from 1750 rpm works well, and it’s also Quattro (AWD).

SKODA’s Kodiaq SUV can tow up to 2000 kg braked. It’s also roomy and very practical.  With the option of 4WD and some very powerful diesel engines, this is a really good tow vehicle to have parked up the driveway.  It also has a 620 litre boot space with five seats up or 270 litres in seven-seat guise.

What about the Volkswagen Tiguan?  This is a stable and spacious drive, offering a 2500 kg braked towing capacity.  Having the option of AWD, the Tiguan goes some serious places and is therefore great for getting onto gravel-type roads.  A towing assistance package and plenty of space makes this a likable tow vehicle.

Something a bit different would be BMW’s 520d Touring wagon, which is RWD or AWD and is a decent towing vehicle (2000 kg braked).  Excellent handling, even when towing, makes it a joy to drive.  The 4×4 automatic transmission and strong engine makes this a really easy car to manage for drivers towing a load.  There’s heaps of room in the boot to pack in everything you need for family weekends away.

Another station wagon that happily tows a trailer or caravan is the Audi A6 Allroad.  This is an Estate with AWD, and it is also very comfortable and well-equipped.  The toque-filled TDI engine makes for a quick drive and a heap of grunt.  You also get 565 litres of boot space, which goes up to 1680 litres with the rear seats down.

On the station wagon theme, the last of the recent Falcon and Commodore Wagons are RWD and have always been great towing vehicles.  They offered RWD utes as well.  Sadly these icons won’t be with us anymore.

Some more serious towing machines:

The Mitsubishi Pajero 3.0 diesel 4X4 SUV is capable of towing a 3300 kg braked trailer.

Toyota’s Prado 3.0 diesel 4X$ SUV will tow up to a 2500 kg as a braked trailer.

The Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover vehicles are a very good towing machine.  It’s also luxurious and practical, and will happily head of into the toughest off-road terrain.  The Discovery can pull up to 3000 kg braked.  Inside there’s room for seven adults as well as an impressively-sized boot to bring along the luggage for all those people.

An LDV T60 ute is a solid, capable performer. With a 2.8-litre 110kW/360Nm turbo diesel four-cylinder, this is more than enough grunt to tow up to 2200 kg.  Boasting a remarkable fuel economy figure of 10 litres/100 km towing and offering a low buying price makes this a very tempting tow package.

Though Nissan runs both a single- and twin-turbo four-cylinder in the Navara, they’re both rated to 3500 kg for towing.  The best engine is the twin-turbo 2.3-litre that pumps out 140kW/450Nm.  Very fuel efficient (around 7.2 litres/100 km unladen) and it’s also equipped with a recent rear spring upgrade..

Don’t forget to check out the Isuzu D-Max ute with 430 Nm of torque on offer.  It’s a rugged ute with 4×4 ability.  There is also the Isuzu MU-X SUV 4WD rated to tow 3000 kg (braked).  LS-T models are very well equipped vehicles that are extremely comfortable.

With a high 3500 kg tow rating, thanks to its solid rear axle, the SsangYong Rexton is a highly capable tow vehicle.  So too is the SsangYong Rhino ute.  Both use the same 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine that can easily pull up to 3500 kg (braked).

The legendary Toyota Hilux’s towing capabilities are superb.  The new 2.8-litre turbo-diesel motor delivers a 130kW/450Nm blend of power.  Depending on the model, your new Hilux ute can tow from 2500 kg braked.

Mazda’s latest BT-50 ute shares mechanicals with the Ford Ranger, which means that 147 kW and 470 Nm is impressively competent.  Towing over 2500 kg braked in this comfortable, practical ute with all the bells and whistles is easy, and like many utes these days it also offers 4×4 action.

Ford’s Ranger packs great tow grunt and capability with its 3.2-litre, five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.  You can tow up to 3500 kg braked.  There is also a 2.0-litre bi-turbo option for towing up to 3500 kg.

A whopping 500 Nm from its 2.8-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder has the Holden Colorado ute take top spot for popular 4WD ute towing grunt; and it tows like a champion.

In V6 guise, the Volkswagen Amarok packs a 550 Nm or 580 Nm torque delivery option with its 3.0-litre V6 engine.  You can tow up to 3500 kg braked, but with the optional softer suspension pack this drops to 3000 kg braked.

Very Serious Towing Machines

Capable of towing up to 3500 kg braked, the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series ute has a V8 under the hood.  The 4.5-litre 32- valve quad-cam turbo diesel V8 with 151 kW and 430 Nm is a total beast and highly recommended for use as a tow vehicle.  Impressive fuel economy (for a V8) should see well under 12 litres/100 km fuel use when unladen.  The only gearbox is a five-speed manual.  Toyota’s reputation for reliability and dependability makes this a beauty.

Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series GXL (4X4):  This vehicle cruises comfortably and effortlessly over long distances, powering up long hills without a sweat.  Extremely capable when the tarmac runs out, along with its smooth six-speed automatic and 4.5-litre twin turbo-diesel V8 you’re always finding grunt at any revs.  The combination of 200 kW at 3600 rpm and 650 Nm at 1600 rpm makes this one of the very best vehicles for 4X4 towing.

Nissan Patrol TI 4X4 (Y62):  OK, this is petrol; but with 298 kW and 560 Nm on offer, who cares!  This base-spec eight-seater Patrol is rated to tow 3500 kg (braked).  Comfort and premium technology makes this an effortless vehicle for cruising and towing.  And premium off-road action is guaranteed.

The RAM is the ultimate tow vehicle

RAM Laramie 2500 4X4: This one has a maximum towing capacity of 6942kg (braked) and its power comes from a 6.7-litre six cylinder Cummins turbo-diesel engine (276kW/1084Nm!).  The sweet six-speed automatic transmission makes towing a doddle.

RAM 3500: is another big tow option with a maximum towing capacity (braked) of 6171kg.

2021 Mitsubishi Express SWB LCV: Private Fleet Car Review

This Car Review Is About: A return of the Express nameplate for Mitsubishi. Except, in a way, it isn’t. You see, if you lined up the Express alongside the Renault Traffic and removed the grilles, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Its a joint project and comes from an alliance between Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi. There are already plans to release more products wearing the three diamond badge that come from the other two. There are two engines, 1.6L and 2.0L, a manual for the smaller engine, an auto for the larger, and a choice of short wheelbase (SWB) or long wheelbase (LWB). We drove the 2.0L auto SWB.

How Much Does It Cost?: As of October 2020, the manufacturer’s list price is $42,490 plus ORC. The Mitsubishi website has it at and if you have an ABN, which is most likely, chat to your Mitsubishi dealer. For the manual, the website has an ABN drive-away price of $40,890. These prices aren’t hugely different to the equivalents from Renault.

Under The Bonnet Is: One very well sorted and torquey diesel. At 2.0L capacity and driving a slick six speed auto, it delivers 125kW and a very healthy 380Nm at 1.500rpm. Economy on the combined cycle is quoted as 7.3L/100km from an 80.0L tank. We finished our drive at 9.4L/100km on our typical 70/30 urban to highway mix.On The Outside It’s: White, and black, and boxy. Renault’s basic design is more focused on the front and rear, and it kind of works. It’s certainly far less of a box than the original Express. Strong vertical lines make up the tail light structure, matching the barn doors. The headlights are teardrop in flavour, flowing upwards to the end of the bonnet line and just under the A-pillar, with the base running in a line alongside the top of the black bumper. Light commercial spec tyres are steel wheels are standard, and are 215/65/16s. a whip antenna stands above the cabin.Overall sizes have the Express SWB one millimetre shy of 5,000mm in length, rolling on a wheelbase of 3.098mm, and a shoulder room liking 1,956mm. Body height is 1,976mm, just low enough for most shopping centre carparks, but the antenna will bang against some sections. Kerb weight is 1,870kg and there is a maximum payload of 1,115kg. Cargo space is 1,652mm except for the wheel arches at 1,268. Interior height is 1,387mm and length inside is 2,537mm.On The Inside It’s: A typical light commercial vehicle. There is a lining for the floor, a cage between the driver & passengers section, and the seating is a two plus one setup. Each side has an easy to move sliding door. The seats are covered in a basic hard wearing charcoal coloured cloth. There is no console between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, however there are nooks and spaces in the dash itself, along with a factory fitted phone holder and passenger seat undertray. Rubber mats were also fitted to our test vehicle.The tilt and telescopic steering wheel is devoid of most familiar controls, with the audio selection relegated to a tab hiding behind the right steering wheel spoke. the wheel itself has four tabs, all for cruise control operation. Audi was in a basic looking head unit, akin to the style found in cars of the 1980s yet there was a nice surprise: digital audio. However that did seem to fail halfway through our review cycle. To back it up is Bluetooth streaming and voice activation however there is only one pair of speakers.On The Road It’s: Very carlike to drive, Bear in mind it wasn’t loaded with the cargo one would normally tip in, but with a light load on board, it was settled and comfortable. The torque of the engine arrives in a rush in the first gear, and becomes exceedingly usable from there on. Overtaking and highway cruising is easy, however an eight speed auto would add more flexibility and aid economy. Steering is on the light side of just right and ratioed for easy parking at slow speeds, heavier for the highway. Braking, too, is well weighted and enables consistent judging of just how much is required to pull up at the right spot.What About Safety?: Driver and passenger front airbags, side airbag for the driver, and curtain airbags for both. A rear view camera shows in the rear vision mirror as well. Autonomous emergency braking, blind spot and rear cross traffic warnings are not to be found here although rear sensors are.

What About Warranty And Service?: Although Mitsubishi have recently introduced a ten year warranty and service plan, conditions will apply. Speak to your local dealer to confirm for your circumstances.At The End of The Drive. From a business point of view having Mitsubishi back in the mix isn’t a bad thing. Keeping the range to a choice of short or long wheelbase, and consequently auto or manual as well, simplifies things. Sharing the platform with Renault isn’t a bad thing when it comes to spare parts however the question will be how much Mitsubishi is in the Mitsubishi Express?

Specifications and links to more information is here.