Delivery issue 66 JUN-JULY 2016

AUSTRALIA’S GUIDE TO UTES, VANS, LIGHT TRUCKS & PEOPLE MOVERS

www.deliverymagazine.com.au

ISSUE 66 JUN/JUL 2016 RRP: $8.95

2016

MEDIUM VAN

OF THE YEAR

ISSUE 66 JUNE / JULY 2016

2016

SMALL VAN OF THE YEAR

Delivery Magazine is an AfMA Strategic Alliance Partner

the award winning

top lcvs for 2016

TESTING

TESTING

TIMES It’s the annual Delivery Magazine light commercial vehicle of the year awards where our judges seek out the best of the best

T

hey say a week is a long time in politics.

Well, a year in the light commercial vehicle industry brings forth all sorts of changes, and, just when you think you’ve got a handle on everything that’s competitive, another manufacturer throws a curve ball into the equation and once again the game changes.

Delivery’s representative 25 km assessment loop in the beautiful NSW Southern Highlands lets our judges experience each contender back-to-back, which really is the way to do it. The discipline of stepping from one vehicle to the next, then driving at identical speeds over the same roads, is invaluable.

The combination of uphill slogs, flat 80 and 100 km/h runs over variously smooth and bumpy bitumen, and one notoriously unsettling bump on a left-hander before the climb up the aptly named Mount Misery, soon shows up each contender’s highlights.....and lowlights. The only thing that’s missing is urban traffic, the odd laneway, and, hallelujah, inner-city stress.

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Our judging panel was drawn from experienced motoring writers such as Chris Gable, well known for his work with Wheels Magazine, and Stuart Martin, for many years the motoring editor of the Adelaide Advertiser. PowerTorque and Delivery’s own road test editor Dave Whyte joined in the fray, as did local motoring enthusiast and magazine staffer, Rob Randazzo.

It was our pleasure to welcome back Kurt Grossrieder, national fleet and equipment manager of TNT, joined this year by Terry Bickerton, responsible for the fleet and equipment management of Australia Post and StarTrack.

Finally, making up the team was managing editor of the Motoring Matters Magazine Group, Chris Mullett, who admits to preferring to drive a B-double than a Ferrari or McLaren on any day of the week, with a motoring industry background spanning over 40 years.

In the Best Small Van category we once again enjoyed the delights of the 2015 winning vehicle, the Renault Kangoo Maxi Crew, which was challenged this year by the petrol-engined version of the Volkswagen Caddy, the Fiat Doblo and the Citroen Berlingo. Not competing for line honours was the Suzuki APV, which also fits within the sector.

The well-publicised emissions concerns afflicting the range of Volkswagen vehicles has resulted in the company withdrawing diesel engines from the Caddy range, at least for the near future, leaving only petrol power – not always the ideal option for the fleet market.

Despite VW’s current emissions woes, Caddy remains the segment leader in terms of vehicle registrations (VFacts), with 40.7 percent, versus the 30.5 percent of the Kangoo. The diminutive Renault is definitely finding new friends, boasting a growth rate of nearly 20 percent for the first quarter of this year.

TESTING TIMES

Toyota was offered the opportunity to compete in this year’s awards, but chose at the last minute to withdraw, possibly in the hopes of minimising attention as a form of damage control to cover the declining sales figures.

As an indication of just how importantly the vehicle makers view the Australian ute market, the quest for Best Ute of the Year resulted in Delivery Magazine judges evaluating 12 different models. Into the arena came the Isuzu D-MAX LS-Terrain 4x4 crew cab, Holden Colorado LTZ, Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Mazda BT-50 2.2-litre 4x2 single-cab/chassis, the Mazda BT-50 3.2-litre dual-cab GT 4x4, the Mitsubishi Triton 4x2 GLX single-cab/ chassis diesel auto, the Mitsubishi Triton 4x4 GLS doublecab pick-up auto, and the Nissan Navara DX 4x2 singlecab/chassis with manual gearbox and Navara 4x4 RX dual-cab automatic, both with leaf spring rear suspension.

Volkswagen entered the contest with an Amarok dual-cab ute to its CORE specification with automatic transmission, and, finally, as Toyota declined our invitation to take part in the event, we obtained a current spec high-level HiLux, independently, from one of Australia’s leading fleet and leasing franchise operators. Last, but certainly not least, we included the latest version of the Mahindra Genio in 4x2 dual-cab version. This was the surprise of the event, with all judges commenting on how they were impressed by the performance and ability of the little Indian load carrier as it punched way above its weight in the ute category.

With the high roof heights of some van models preventing access into underground car parks by forming a physical barrier to their entrance and exit, we moved some of what might be considered to be medium-van sized models into the large-van category.

Delivery Magazine has taken the decision not to include any representative models from Chinese manufacturers due to concerns over product support, lack of availability of genuine parts within an acceptable timeframe, and the generally poor quality of assembly and durability levels.

Thus, our contenders for the Best Large Van of the Year Award comprised the Renault Master L1H1, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 MWB, the IVECO Daily 35S17A8, and the huge IVECO Daily 50C21A8 with 19.6 cubic metres of cargo space.

Buyers of some Chinese products found they were faced with a vehicle that offered almost zero resale value when the brand slid from the market, and, in much the same way, the South Korean SsangYong brand has suffered a similar fate through a lack of commitment on the part of the importers or the original manufacturer.

For the hotly contested Best Medium Van of the Year Award for 2016, Delivery Magazine welcomed the inclusion of the all-new Mercedes-Benz Vito 114 LWB, the all-new Volkswagen Transporter T6, the highly popular Hyundai iLoad (a past three-times winner of this category), the relatively new Fiat Ducato low-roof version and the Ford Transit Custom. These five contenders lined up to show if they could prove their superiority over the 2015 winner, the Renault Trafic.

Interestingly, as the market leader in this segment, the Toyota HiAce is actually the least impressive to drive but boasts high-volume cargo carrying as its appeal.

HiAce sales have been hit hard due to the increased availability of the iLoad from Hyundai as this South Korean contender has sliced away at Toyota’s historical lead, closing rapidly on the HiAce’s 36.1 percent of market share by scoring 29.9 percent for the first four months of the year (VFacts).

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TESTING

(L TO R) The judging panel, Chris Gable, Terry Bickerton, Kurt Grossrieder, Stuart Martin, Chris Mullett, Rob Randazzo and Dave Whyte.

Mahindra remained the only Indian brand to be included in the test programme, with rival TATA seemingly in a state of frozen animation. Another Chinese brand, that of Foton, was also left out of the evaluation through concerns over its brand longevity on the Australian market, together with Chinese van maker LDV. With nearly 14,000 4x2 utes or cab-chassis variants, and a further 46,000 4x4 ute and cab-chassis models, sold in the first four months of this year, the competition in this segment is very fierce.

An onlooker might assume that as each of the various models bears a similarity to the other members of the pack that they all behave in a similar fashion with indistinguishable ride and handling differences, and common power and performance issues. As the Delivery Magazine judges confirmed throughout the test programme, each model performs to very different standards, making it vitally important for a buyer to choose the product that best fits the intended purpose. If you are in the market for a new ute, you’ll find the views of our judges may well set you off in a different direction.

In the 4x4 ute and cab/chassis segment, the traditional leader has been the Toyota HiLux, currently showing a 20.4 percent market share against the second placed Ford Ranger, which trails the HiLux sales performance by just 0.4 percent. In third position is the Mitsubishi Triton at 13.7 percent, ahead of the Holden Colorado in fourth place and the Nissan Navara in fifth position.

With the largest number of vehicles ever participating in the Delivery Magazine Light Commercial Vehicle of the Year Awards, this year we still have another two categories to mention.

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People movers in our definition are more than the transport provided by a seven-seat SUV. The contenders in this category included the all-new Mercedes-Benz V-Class, competing against the Volkswagen Multivan and the Mercedes-Benz Valente, and going head to head with the Hyundai iMax. Out there in a league of its own was the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Transfer Bus, as a more utilitarian bulk passenger transport option. We had hoped to pit the Sprinter against the recently released Renault Master bus, but the French importer was somewhat short of available vehicles, prior to the general release of the product on a national basis.

The final category is the light-truck segment, and this focuses on the vehicles that cover the bandwidth between car and light-rigid driving licences. Once almost the complete domain of the Japanese cabover manufacturers, there’s now an influx of European manufacturers such as Renault, IVECO, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen to compare against Isuzu, Hino and Fuso. For reasons already mentioned, we do not recommend any Chinese low-cost alternative to the well-established Japanese or European cabover manufacturers.

In the first paragraph, we mentioned how the industry can throw a curve ball into any vehicle evaluation process, and, during the week of our testing, Volkswagen announced the launch at the end of this year of the 3.0-litre V6-powered diesel upgrade for the Amarok, which will bring with it 555 Nm of torque.

Too late for inclusion in this year’s testing, it will certainly add significant interest into the ute segment for next year, along with new products from General Motors, Renault and Mercedes-Benz, all keen to compete in this growing market.

UTE AWARDS

UTILIT

OPTIO FORD RANGER WILDTRAK the thriving segment of the light commercial vehicle industry and utes figure large in the buyer’s mindset as a bridge between workhorse and status symbol. But just which models work better than others can only be debated after extensive comparison testing running at the same laden weight and over the same course.

IT S

JUDGEMENT

DAY Stuart Martin leads the evaluation team as the contest begins.

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The defending titleholder, in its new brutish suit, picks up where its predecessor left off and tops the table yet again.

Park it next to the BT-50 and it’s not hard to see why it outsold the Mazda so comprehensively despite the Japanese brand’s better value equation. That dollarsfor-sense argument goes on unabated, but it boasts the strongest list of active safety equipment you can find in the segment.

The Ranger also offers a genuine one-tonne payload and with 400 kg on board its road manners are second only to the Amarok in terms of ride, but corners with slightly better behaviour than the VW. The smart six-speed auto and the 147 kW/470 Nm five-cylinder turbodiesel form a smooth, quiet and effective pairing, the only problem perhaps being too much torque on slipperier surfaces, waking the traction control more often than most.

UTILITARIAN OPTION

TARIAN

ON

Delivery Magazine’s Ute of the Year contest promotes some interesting results in the fit-for-purpose equation

HOLDEN COLORADO LTZ The dual-cab from Holden is a price-point fighter at $50,490 and in possession of some good numbers on the spec sheet, but it is still a little rough around the edges.

The six-speed automatic 2.8-litre turbodiesel lays claim to 147 kW and 500 Nm, but its torque spread is not that of the Ford's five-cylinder with Ranger’s transmission.

The hard-plastic dated interior doesn't score, but the features list is within the segment's acceptable level with some worthy safety features. Its ride quality isn't to the level it needs to be, nor does it steer or handle well enough to topple the others. It will carry a decent load without complaining and its transmission does try to assist with down changes. Payload isn't quite up to the top of the table but braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes is.

ISUZU D-MAX LS-T One of the more honest machines of the ute field, the interior is on the cheap and dated side (like the Colorado) and its drivetrain has been around for some time as well, but the Japanese load-lugger wears that as a badge of honour. It retains the 3.0-litre turbodiesel, which produces 130 kW and 380 Nm, neither of which is class leading, and it feels a more solid, if unspectacular, unit.

Understressed and flexible, the D-Max goes about its chores with a slow-n-steady demeanour; a five-speed auto isn't cutting edge either but it beats its GM cousin for payload.

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UTE AWARDS

MAHINDRA GENIO 4X2 DUAL-CAB CHASSIS The surprise packet of the group, my time behind the large plastic steering wheel of the Mahindra yielded a pleasant ride and determined power plant.

Encumbered with small wheels and a large overhang from the rear cab-chassis tray, the proportions were a little askew but it completed the rough bitumen section with unexpected aplomb. An odd-shaped gear shifter, which tickled the left knee on a regular basis, and some cabin layout quirks that had pedals a little out of ideal placement and switchgear in odd places were all that bothered; cabin space for leg and head was among the best of the competitive set.

Even with some accessories – the tray, floor mats, a nudge bar, Bluetooth and a towbar among them – the Genio slipped in under $30,000, which makes it a lot of crew-cab ute for the money.

MAZDA BT-50 The Mazda reputation here was represented by two combatants – a 2.2-litre turbodiesel XT single-cab/chassis 4x2 with tray and racks, and the more-macho 3.2-litre dualcab GT 4x4 model.

The former works hard and toils diligently, getting from A to B in even time. It hovers around the $30,000 (before on-road costs) mark and its road manners are more than adequate – what works against it is the exterior, which remains in a fight with the Triton and Mahindra as the least attractive of the brigade assembled here.

The beefed-up $52,000 (before on-road costs) GT came complete with the Boss pack, which includes a solid bull bar to hide the facelifted but still unattractive snout.

That Ranger has outsold it despite sharing much of the mechanicals, but at a higher price, speaks volumes for the impact of the aesthetics.

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Once behind the wheel, the BT-50 is a firmer riding version of the torquey five-cylinder six-speed auto diesel drivetrain it shares with the Ford. Its cabin hasn't received the same comprehensive overhaul that has been wrought on the Ranger, but the BT-50 has been bestowed with an updated (if not as user-friendly) touchscreen infotainment system. A bronze medal winner for me.

MITSUBISHI TRITON The updated Triton was also delivered in two guises, a $30,490 (RRP) 4x2 GLX single cab chassis auto and the $43,490 (RRP) 4x4 GLS dual cab ute auto, with neither disgracing the triple diamond badge.

Quiet under acceleration and at cruise, the new diesel powerplant wasn't producing the highest outputs, but what was being delivered was used to good effect.

The ride quality was above average and the cabin was quiet and comfortable, but its exterior also put it behind the eight ball when it came down to competing with more handsome machines.

UTILITARIAN OPTION Ride quality is toward the top end of the field, but still afflicted with a bit of jiggle on the nastier bitumen sections, if anything the lower-spec model rode a little more compliantly on its loaded heavy-duty suspension than the GLS; both boast payloads over one tonne and braked towing capacity of 2500 kg and 3100 kg respectively.

Cabin space and comfort – if lacking a little personality – are also good, but the eight-speed auto does hunt up and down its gears a little as the small twin-turbo 2.0-litre sends its 132 kW and 420 Nm to all four wheels all the time, something only the Triton GLS can offer on sealed surfaces.

NISSAN NAVARA

It’s the only ute-bodied vehicle here that can squeeze a pallet between the rear wheel arches, not surprising given its the widest of the utes on test here. Payload is one tonne, and braked towing capacity falls short of the segment’s best at 3.0 tonnes, but, with around half of that maximum tray load on board, the Volkswagen remains a composed creature despite some seriously rumpled road.

The Navara duo – the petrol and diesel-powered leafsprung workhorses released after the coil-sprung flagship ST-X – offered useful drive lines but the suspension was once again the let down of the Nissan representatives.

Both claimed payloads just over 1.2 tonnes and didn’t appear to be lowered significantly in the rear by the load, whereas last year it was the coil sprung rear end that shirked such duties. It was ride quality that let this duo down, the leaf-sprung rear and double-wishbone front juddering and shimmying across bumpy stretches of bitumen at both suburban and highway speeds while under the same 400 kg load.

The Nissan pair – the DX 4x2 single-cab/chassis 122 kW/238 Nm 2.5-litre petrol and the RX single-cab/ chassis 4x4, share the same 120 kW/403 Nm 2.3-litre turbodiesel engine.

TOYOTA HILUX SR5 DUAL CAB AUTO 2.8-LITRE TURBODIESEL

With the 130 kW/450 Nm 2.8-litre turbodiesel hooked up to the six-speed multi-mode auto, the drivetrain is a solid step forward over the outgoing powerplant, so too is the touchscreen-controlled infotainment system within the much nicer cabin, which (while needing better cowling) is far easier to use.

A standard rear camera, LED lights and seven airbags also scored well for the HiLux, but the improved ride quality has not gone far enough to put it at the top of the list for road manners – again, it’s a solid step forward over the superseded veteran, but not far enough.

Tray size is good but not great in comparison to the Ranger or Amarok either, nor is the payload or braked towing capacity of the auto, both of which fall just short of the aforementioned opposition. Resale and reputation are on the HiLux’s side and it is on middle step of the podium.

VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK CORE The biggest tray and a one-tonne payload are among the VW’s claims to fame, as is ride quality, which is the best of the vehicles here.

SECOND

OPINIONS As Rob Randazzo discovered, one of the biggest surprises of the pack was the Mahindra Genio. This little dual-cab/chassis was never going to be a winner, but the exclamation from most drivers was: “Well, I didn’t expect that!”

It is not a pretty ute, but it is extremely roomy and the 2.2-litre 88 kW/280 Nm diesel engine coupled to a great five-speed manual gearbox carried its 400 kg test load (payload is 1100 kg) around the loop with unexpected agility.

The Ford Wildtrak, at $66,345 (drive away), was the most expensive ute on test. Like our test HiLux, it was dripping with extras (if that is what you are in to) but was it fit for purpose?

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UTE AWARDS

In my opinion, no! By definition and construction (a tub or tray hanging off the back), a ute is a load carrier.

But the Wildtrak (and the two Mazdas on test) bottomed out on ‘the bump’ in our test loop with less than half its 907 kg payload sitting in the tub – and the top of that tub was a towering 1340 mm above the ground (loaded), making it impossible to reach the centre of the deck.

Sure, its 147 kW/470 Nm engine matched to a six-speed auto would make this ute capable of towing a (quoted) 3.5-tonne braked trailer, but there are plenty of other SUV and commercial vehicles that will do the same for a lot less money – and still be fit for their designed purpose.

Volkswagen’s Amarok made my top three. This ute was car-like to drive and its 132 kW/420 Nm, 2.0-litre, twin-turbo diesel engine was matched to one of the best auto gearboxes in the business, the ZF eight-speed.

At 100 km/h the engine and eight-speed kept things ticking over at just 1650 rpm. Its payload of 1051 kg is 144 kg better than the Wildtrak, and with 400 kg in the tub it shot around the test route, including ‘the bump’, like it was unladen. It’s plain to look at, and it’s rated to tow 500 kg less than the Ford, but it is fit for purpose as a load carrier, the top of the tub sits 100 mm lower than the Wildtrak, and at $51,540 (drive away) it will leave an extra $14,704 in your bank account (compared to the Wildtrak).

The final ute in my top-three was a tireless workhorse, the Isuzu D-Max. The D-Max has won Delivery’s award in previous years, and, after driving this great little truck around our real-world test loop, it was easy to see why. The LS-Terrain D-Max on test had plenty of added extras, including sat/nav, leather seats, alloys, side steps, reversing camera, climate control, airbags front and rear, roof rails, colour multifunction control screen, proximity ignition, tub liner, towbar, cruise, ABS and EBD just to name a few.

Its 130 kW/380 Nm turbodiesel engine matched to a very smooth five-speed auto gearbox will pull the same braked trailer weight as the Ford – but the Isuzu is also fit for purpose to carry a load. With our test load of 400 kg in the back, the D-Max manoeuvred our test loop smoothly and quietly, revving at just 1750 rpm at 100 km/h. The top of the tub sat just 1220 above the ground, making equipment retrieval from this ute a doable task.

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With an engine capacity of 3.0-litres, engine braking was up with the best, and Isuzu’s five-year/130,000 km warranty also adds gold stars to this ute. At $58,900 (drive away), this top-level D-Max is $7445 cheaper than the Wildtrak and $7360 dearer than the more basic model Amarok.

In all evaluations my selections are made with the view of finding the best ‘commercial’ vehicles. They must be fit for purpose, safe and have a competitive TCO (total cost of ownership), as these criteria form the essence of Delivery Magazine.

Drive-away prices can also vary, as manufacturers or individual resellers introduce special pricing, usually short term and to vacate older or overstocked models.

My quoted prices all come from a single source on the same day. They do not include short-term special prices and are calculated by adding NSW on-road costs to the RRP (recommended retail price). This puts all makes on a level playing field for the purpose of this comparison, but could affect your buying decision if special prices are running at the time of your purchase.

For all the reasons above, my choice for Delivery Ute of The Year 2016 would be the tough and trusty Isuzu D-Max.

UTILITARIAN OPTION

FLEET

GLANCES Kurt Grossrieder splits personalities here into dual-cabs and single-cab traybacks and nominates a winner in each category, together with the outsider that got everyone talking.

“I liked the look of the new HiLux. The cabin was well appointed and, as with most Toyotas, nicely trimmed.

“On the road, however, there were a few things about the HiLux that threw me. In the car we drove there were driveline vibrations I hadn’t expected to find, and the transmission thumps into ‘Low’ after you stop the vehicle.

“And the little Mahindra Genio? I felt it was almost in its own category, and I was impressed. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I had expected it to be, the cabin was roomy, well laidout and well appointed. A real surprise package,” said Kurt.

FLEET “I’ve separated the dual-cab 4X4 utes and singlecab trayback utes because in my mind they really are different categories.

THOUGHTS With his bets laid on Ranger or new HiLux, Terry Bickerton gets distracted by a beguiling newcomer to Australia’s powerhouse 4X2 and 4X4 ute market.

“If it was my money I was putting it on the counter, in this category it would come down to either Ranger or HiLux. But I think that in the end, I’d buy the HiLux. Simply because of how good its fuel economy is, how good its resale is, and I know that I can get it fixed anywhere.

“In the dual-cabs, I still like the Amarok. It’s car-like to drive, the cabin is spacious, the dash is uncluttered and it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. Oh, and the drivetrain’s still superb. The Amarok as tested missed out on a reversing camera – really, they should be standard equipment in all vehicles.

“The Wildtrak is really well equipped, with things like its terrific sporty seats and matching orange stitching on the top of the dash. But I felt the HiLux was really plush inside.

The ride was fairly good, too. Being an SR5, Toyota’s gone for the softer handling option, and ours didn’t like the mid-corner bump that caught out just about everything.

“My pick for dual cabs remains the Ranger. Just about everything about it is on the right side of my ledger, from its killer drivetrain, to its appointments, drive quality, safety features and, hallelujah, a quality reversing camera.

“The Triton definitely gets my Most Improved Award in this category. The dynamics of that vehicle are vastly improved on what they were when that body shape first came out. So much so, the cabin now looks a bit dated as far as I’m concerned.

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UTE AWARDS “The Mahindra was so much better than I expected it to be, especially since it has looks only its mother could love.

It’s certainly not on par with any of the Japanese vehicles but, gee, considering where it’s come from and how it’s been built, it’s very good. But I think Mahindra has got the price point so wrong with this one,” said Terry.

The nameplate’s bulletproof reputation for reliability, fuel economy, resale and the rest should again help it dominate its segment, while in the process still taking chunks out of the passenger car market.

COUNTERPOINT

BY CHRIS GABLE The sales performance of last year’s Delivery Magazine Ute of the Year winner, the Ford Ranger, has now climbed to rival sales of the HiLux, and Mitsubishi’s Triton is now ahead of Commodore.

On the road, the HiLux was quiet and probably had the best cruise-control of all contenders. You felt the bumps throughout the test loop, and its 2.8-litre diesel felt a bit doughy up the Mount Misery climb.

The BT-50 tray back and 4X4 both impressed, and the D-Max and Amarok proved they were still capable of holding their own in the category. The Colorado LTZ 4X4, it must be said, didn’t excite too many judges, and last year’s winner, the Ranger, still impressed, although there were reservations expressed by some judges about its pricepoint and fuel economy.

The new Genio is less agricultural-looking than its predecessor, but nevertheless still looked ungainly…..until you drove it.

Perched on wheels that appeared to be way too small, the Mahindra’s bulbous body looked out of place between the slicker Japanese utes and traybacks. And a close look revealed that in some areas its build quality left something to be desired. But, gee, it was fun to drive.

Unfortunately, the cab-chassis Navara trayback was especially disappointing. Whereas most 4X2 and 4X4 utes suffer from front-end looseness over bumps, the bare-bones Navara RX with 400 kg onboard squirmed at both ends over Delivery Magazine’s test loop. Bumps were telegraphed through the seat and steering wheel, and, despite Navara’s drivetrain being pretty good, it’s just a shame about its chassis.

Mitsubishi’s Triton was impressive all round.

Smooth, car-like, well appointed and driverfocused, the Di-D commonrail-injected Triton was strong up the gradual Bendooley Hill section and relatively unfussed over the notorious mid-corner bump at Cordeaux Creek. The cruise control remained steady when set, too, even on the run down the other side of Bendooley, which wasn’t always the case in others.

The privately donated new HiLux on test put a lot of things in perspective as it brings new levels of cabin refinement to the 4X2 and 4X4 PU/CC market.

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2016

UTE OF THE YEAR

FINAL THOUGHTS

Chris Mullett puts his perspective into play

My Mahindra

CAN TAKE ON THOSE BIG JOBS

I’ve been a strong supporter of the Triton range and I find that in terms of value for money it sets a standard that’s hard to beat. The suspension settings give good ride and handling performance and the seats feel really supportive in a cabin that’s well laid out. The voice actuated Bluetooth for phone connection also works well and is a strong safety initiative.

As the owner of a D-Max, it’s the ute you buy to get the job done. Its 3.0-litre diesel is ultra-reliable and it matches the adaptive five-speed Aisin auto to form a very capable driveline. It’s not as flashy as some, but neither is it nasty, and it never makes claims it can’t substantiate.

Matthew Hayden

Whether it’s on the worksite or working out the back, the Genio’s 2.7 metre tray and powerful mHawk Turbo Diesel Engine make light work of even the biggest of jobs.

Mazda and Holden just fall short of the higher levels of ability achieved by the competition, but the big disappointment was HiLux. Toyota had the opportunity to set the bar far higher but sadly settled for lower achievement levels in ride and handling, and safety features. The engine felt doughy and the suspension was lumpy. The ‘trout snout’ is also less than attractive.

Ranger stays at the top of the tree with its 3.2-litre strength for those that like to tow, but Amarok climbs into second place for its excellent driveline and higher standards of ride and handling through having the best suspension of any contender. With the announcement of a new 3.0-litre V6 with 555 Nm of torque heading here before Christmas, it’s soon going to be a very tough act to beat.

2.70 METRE TRAY

1.2 TONNE PAYLOAD

#

For further information please visit

www.mahindra.com.au

#1.2 tonne payload for Single Cab 2WD Genio with standard light truck tyres at 60psi. Max GVM 2980 kgs for all models.

Photographs may show overseas models or illustrate non-standard equipment. DMM4724.

LIGHT TEST

s

ince the increasing availability of LED lighting systems hit the transport industry, we’ve seen the highways at night transformed into what some might describe as a parade of Christmas decorations, as trucks travel at 100 km/h towards their ultimate destinations.

There’s a high safety value in being seen, but there are also significant safety benefits in being able to see what lies ahead on our nighttime highways, in time to take evasive action where necessary.

As both Delivery Magazine and PowerTorque Magazine have reported recently, lamp performance and ability comes with a history that relates back to proven technology and known names in manufacturing.

The low-cost imports that are now finding their way onto the Australian market from China and other off-shore manufacturing centres are no match in quality terms when compared to the long-established leading global automotive lighting suppliers. The internal systems contained in some of these cheap Chinese imports are also in many cases inferior and could result in early failure.

The other requirement for maximum vehicle safety does not relate to nighttime vision at all, but relates to daytime running lights.

As long-term supporters of daytime running lights (DRLs), also known as Safety Daylights, Delivery and PowerTorque have for several years now been retrofitting all our fleet vehicles with DRLs. The justification for this is based on well-established data that shows a significant reduction in accidents can result from making the vehicle stand out on the road, even in broad daylight.

Hella has released a set of ultra-slim DRLs that can be fitted to bullbars or any flat surface simply by drilling two holes for self-tapping screws or small bolts. The strip light LED assemblies fit almost flush with the surface of the vehicle bodywork and come complete with a relay for the connection to a power source. The lens is formed from Hella’s almost indestructible Grilamid compound and it transforms the front of the vehicle into something that really stands out from the crowd.

While the opportunity to light up the horizon may be a distinct advantage for an aircraft trying to land at night, most truck, ute or van requirements are for highperformance lighting systems that project a strong beam to give clear vision over the distance required for bringing the vehicle to a complete halt if necessary.

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LIGHT AT NIGHT There’s a major difference in driving with headlamps on during the daylight and running with DRLs. Firstly, the DRLs are pointed at oncoming traffic, whereas dipped headlamps are pointed at the ground. Secondly, the current draw of a DRL LED is minimal, compared to that of a pair of headlamps.

When coupling up DRLs to a vehicle’s electrical system, Hella has developed a “Smart Controller” that simplifies installation by eliminating the need to connect the lamp or changeover relay to the ignition terminal. The Smart Controller connects straight to the vehicle battery terminal and uses advanced electronics to detect when the ignition has been turned on, at which point it activates the DRLs. When the headlamps are operated the Smart Controller deactivates the DRLs. There’s a wide range of DRLs in varying sizes and formats with mounting systems that include flush, surface and compact options. As well as making your vehicle stand out from the crowd, it’s a proven benefit to reducing the accident rate.

When it comes to driving lamps, our choice for ute and truck driving, as opposed to finding a light suitable for the Le Mans 24-hour race, is to go for the Hella Luminator LED series of driving lamps. These are multivolt units that operate anywhere between 9-33 volts and use three high-powered LEDs, a triple high boost, free form (FF) reflector, hard cased polycarbonate lens, in-built LED position light, all contained within a heavyduty, die cast aluminium housing with bracket.

The light emission from the Luminators is quite amazing, with a clean white beam extending up to 540 metres or 1 lux ahead of the vehicle.

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LED lighting has dramatically improved night driving DELIVERY

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The Bushranger Nighthawk anti-vibration mounting system reduces light shudder on dirt roads while the Hella LED light bars improve localised spread patterns.

The standard Luminator is quite a large diameter lamp at 222 mm. For fitment where space is at a premium, or where airflow into a radiator can be obstructed, Hella has now released a compact version, which pretty much offers all the same benefits, but within a lens diameter of 181 mm.

Although the lights themselves appear to be virtually indestructible, for those travelling on dirt roads or corrugations we would advise mounting additional lamps by using Nylock nuts rather than standard nuts. In our experience, vibration occurring across a bullbar can result in additional lamps becoming loose after time, whereas a Nylock nut fixes the problem.

It was a recurring problem with vibration running through the bullbar on our Isuzu D-Max that resulted in our trying a pair of Bushranger Nighthawk LED driving lamps.

The base mounting system is claimed by Bushranger to be specifically designed to resist vibration and it does so by having the foot of the mounting bracket sitting on a rubber non-slip base. The adjustment of the beam angle is completed by unlocking two Allen key bolts on each side of the lamp housing.

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Each Nighthawk lamp features 16 x 3-Watt LEDs supplied by German manufacturer Osram contained within a die-cast aluminium body that is then powder coated.

It’s waterproof, and with its vibration damping system and stainless steel bracketry it’s pretty much indestructible.

The advantage of the Nighthawk is with its compact external dimensions combined with its high level of performance. This is a unit that is well acceptable for light commercial use with utes and vans, and with realistic pricing it’s certainly worth considering.