Best of 2024 - 4x4 & Adventure

This year we’ve reviewed dozens of cars to bring you the best content. Now we’re giving you the highlights, picking the best of the best so you can learn about the cars that made an impact in 2024.

Today we’re taking a look at the best offerings in the 4×4 and Adventure category. This is a broad range of vehicles, from luxury SUVs to hard-working utes. At the end of the week we’ll be picking our Top 5 Best Cars of 2024, so stay tuned.

Lexus LX600

What’s better than a Toyota LandCruiser? A luxury version of a Toyota LandCruiser. Lexus takes the basics of the 300 Series and gives it a plush upgrade to make an incredibly comfortable but still incredibly capable off-roader.

The LX600 we tested is powered by the 305kW/650Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, that’s new to Toyota, but you can also opt for the LX500d with the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel if you prefer.

As we concluded in our original review, there are arguably more luxurious SUVs on the market, but none we’d feel as confident taking into the outback as the LX.

Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

The Ford Ranger Raptor has had the high-speed, high-performance off-road ute market to itself in recent years (since it invented it in 2018)… until this year. The arrival of the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 gives buyers looking for some loose surface thrills a new option.

It’s not a direct rival, as it costs nearly $50,000 more, but it does provide high-speed, high-performance off-road thanks to its 6.2-litre V8 and Multimatic DSSV dampers. This is no shrinking violet, it’s loud, in-your-face and huge, rolling around on 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Mud Terrain tyres.

Subtle it ain’t, but it’s fast and fearless.

Ford F-150

After a lot of hype and years of planning the iconic Ford F-150 made it to Australia as an official Ford product in 2024. Originally built in North America and then converted to right-hand drive at the former Broadmeadows factory where the Falcon was produced, this is a true ‘dual citizen’ in the automotive sense.

While Ford’s decision to skip the V8 and opt for a V6 engine instead was questioned by some, when you drive the 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and experience its 298kW/678Nm you understand why they went down this path.

As we noted in our review, driving this new US-style ‘pickup trucks’ is a strange experience in Australia, especially our urban centres, as the infrastructure is simply not designed for these behemoths in the same way the US is. Still, it’s an exciting addition to the Ford range and provides another choice for local ute buyers.

Mitsubishi Triton

Few vehicles arrived with so much pressure and expectation as the new Triton. This was Mitsubishi’s most crucial model, both from a sales perspective but also its image and identity as a brand.

While it failed to convincingly beat the class-leading Ford Ranger, it did impress us with its overall level of improvement from its predecessor. A fresh look, a more polished interior and an enhanced powertrain all made for a more complete and compelling ute.