Five cars that can perform well in Australia

The Australian car market is exceptionally diverse, with a staggering number of brands competing for sales of around one million units per year.

But while we have plenty of brands here, we’re still missing out on countless vehicles that can perform well here – you only have to look at Ford’s global product portfolio to prove this.

Looking back over the past 20 years, there are many vehicles that stand out as being particularly suited to our market but that we sadly missed out on. Here are some.

Dodge Challenger

After a short time switch to the right steering wheel Mustang From 2001 to 2003, Ford finally introduced the factory right-hand drive wagon in 2015 with the sixth generation model.

But there’s a Mustang rival (well, there’s also the Chevrolet Camaro, but we’ll cover that in a separate article) that was introduced before the sixth-generation Mustang and could be a star in Australia: Dodge Challenger.

The Challenger was never offered with right-hand drive from the factory, which is disappointing because it could have been a strong model for the Dodge brand globally.

It also uses a platform that is closely related to that of Chrysler 300 sold in both left hand drive market and right hand drive market like ours.

Unlike the 300 or the related Dodge Charger and Magnum, you can get the V8 with a manual transmission.

There are actually two V8 engines available with a manual transmission: the 5.7-liter in the R/T and the 6.1-liter in the SRT8. The base engine is a 3.5-liter V6.

Does the Challenger get the Mustang’s name recognition? Absolutely not. In fact, Dodge might not even call it that here, because Mitsubishi’s Pajero Sport predecessor bore this name.

But considering the Chrysler 300 has been popular for a while, largely due to its American styling and available V8 engine, there’s a reason the Challenger was able to beat the Mustang and become a bestseller – at least Especially for a coupe.

The Challenger actually grows more popular in the US the older it gets, surpassing the Camaro. It’s never been as nimble as its rivals, but it has a back seat that can actually fit adults.

Dodge gave the Challenger various performance upgrades during its run, including a more powerful base engine (displacing 3.6 liters) and a torquey 6.4-liter V8 for the SRT8 in 2011.

2015 brings an interior with improved material quality and a new design. The exterior also received detailed changes.

More interesting was the launch of the SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat that year. The former replaces the SRT8 and has a more powerful 6.4-litre V8, while the Hellcat features a supercharged 6.2-litre engine with 527kW of power and 881Nm of torque. This engine was also offered in Australia in 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.

Dodge isn’t done tapping into the Challenger’s performance potential, introducing the Demon in 2018 with 603kW on 91-octane fuel and 626kW on a full 100-octane fuel tank. Next up is the Demon 170 in 2023, which produces a dizzying 764kW and 1281Nm.

Even if these wild Hellcat and Demon models don’t make it here, it’s not hard to imagine the Challenger competing with the Mustang in Australia with its classic American styling and available V8 power.

Kia Borrego/Mohave

The Jeep Grand Cherokee passes quickly Toyota Prado popularity is largely due to the availability of a V6 diesel engine.

That’s something Toyota still doesn’t offer – at least not in the Prado – while it won’t be until late 2022 that Ford introduces a V6 diesel engine in its model. Everest.

But did you know Kia has offered a similarly sized body-on-frame off-roader since 2008, which since 2010 has been offered with a V6 diesel engine?

The Mohave was first introduced in 2008 and was initially offered with the option of a 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine and a 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine.

It was developed for the US market, where it was called Borrego (after another American national park, although they spelled it correctly).

Kia launched it in the US in 2008, at the worst possible time. There has been a financial crisis and rising fuel prices, leading to a sharp decline in sales of these large SUVs. Kia finally discontinued the Borrego after a single model year.

But the off-roader lives on in Korea, receiving an even bolder facelift in 2019 that messes only slightly with the clean look of the Peter Schreyer-penned vehicle.

Its 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine produces 189kW of power and 560Nm of torque – 5kW more than the Everest with the same engine but 40Nm less.

If Mohave had come here with a gasoline engine it probably wouldn’t have been successful. However, with a diesel engine, it could be a modest success for the brand. Alas, it was only produced in left-hand drive form.

The Mohave continues to be offered in Korea and it is unclear if and when it will be replaced.

Honda Pilot

Not since the 2003-2007 MDX, a rebranded high-priced Acura, has Honda been able to offer buyers a larger SUV to top the lineup. CR-V.

That means if you want a Honda with a third row of seats that can fit small children, you have to get one. Odyssey. Convincing SUV buyers to buy a people-mover instead is a tough sell, even if they’re often more practical, and now Honda doesn’t even offer the Odyssey here.

The US has always been an important market for the US and the country has long offered vehicles suitable for that market. That includes the unibody Ridgeline ute (since 2006), a unique, larger Odyssey (since 1999), various high-end Acura models, and the Pilot crossover.

The Pilot was first introduced for the 2003 model year as a rival to the Toyota Highlander (Kluger) and underpins the more luxurious Acura MDX.

The original model had a rather bland look, was replaced in 2008 by a much bolder looking model… and then replaced by a blandly styled model in 2015.

The current fourth-generation model was launched in late 2022. As with every generation of Pilot, the sole engine is a V6 petrol – somewhat surprising given Honda’s long history with hybrids.

This V6 produces 212kW and 355Nm, and is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Pilot is offered with front- or all-wheel drive.

Like Subaru with its rival Ascent, Honda doesn’t even sell its flagship SUV in the Japanese market. There’s never been a right-hand drive Pilot, which means that like the Japanese market, we’re always missing out.

Mercedes-Benz GLK

Why Mercedes-Benz didn’t design the GLK for right-hand drive is puzzling.

The GLK entered production in 2008 as a rival to the BMW X3was introduced here in 2004.

Mercedes-Benz is already late to this segment, but skipping the GLK in right-hand drive markets is even late.

By the time its GLC successor arrived here at the end of 2015, Mercedes-Benz was not only beaten by BMW but also by Audi and Volvo with their powerful punches. Q5 And XC60respectively, both arrived here in 2009.

The GLK actually began life as an SUV for the Smart brand, nearly two decades before that brand introduced its first SUV.

The reason the GLK only has left-hand drive is because the location of the drive shaft also makes it impossible for 4-wheel drive versions of other Mercedes-Benz models to come here.

But while, for example, the car is four-wheel drive Grade C At best it will be a niche model, the GLK will certainly be a bestseller.

At the time, Mercedes-Benz admitted that it was a mistake not to develop the GLK in right-hand drive, especially when luxury SUV sales were booming. Although there was discussion during the GLK’s lifecycle about a potential right-hand drive version, this was apparently ruled out for cost reasons.

When the GLK debuted in 2008, it sported the edgy styling the brand was known for in this era… and had the same sophisticated, button-heavy interior as other contemporary Benzes.

Although based on the same platform as the W204 series C-Class, the GLK is shaped more like a smaller GL – similar to the shape of today’s GLs. GLB has similarities with GLS (née GL).

Completely opposite to today (second generation) GLCGLK has a product line equipped with six-cylinder engines. There’s only one engine with four cylinders (a 2.1-litre turbo-diesel), with other options being a 3.0-litre and 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine along with a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. .0 liters.

Dodge Durango

Dodge comes to Australia at a terrible time, at least from a product perspective.

Oh, sure, its cars have unmistakably bold styling and neat features like cooled cupholders and rear door speakers, but they’re hampered by weak engines (left contrasted with the cars’ muscular styling) and cheap, plastic interiors.

The good news is that in the early 2010s, Dodge – the parent company of Chrysler that divorced Mercedes-Benz and went through bankruptcy proceedings – overhauled its lineup.

This included the introduction of a more powerful V6 engine and the introduction of a much higher quality interior. By this point, however, Dodge’s global efforts were waning.

We received the updated Journey, but as of 2013, it’s the only Dodge left in Australia. What could have been an American muscle brand in Australia ended up being the brand of a somewhat forgotten family SUV.

One vehicle that could be really useful not only for Dodge but also for FCA Australia is the Durango.

This is the third generation of Dodge’s full-size SUV, but unlike its Dakota pickup-derived predecessors, it shares its unibody platform with the WK2 series Jeep Grand Cherokee.

It was introduced in 2010 and offered FCA’s new Pentastar V6 with 216kW and 350Nm along with an optional 5.7-litre Hemi V8 with 268kW and 530Nm.

Jeep has sold like crazy in Australia during this period, even surpassing the Toyota Prado to become the best-selling large SUV on the market in 2014.

However, it lacks one thing: a third row of seats. And that’s what Dodge had (and does – it’s still in production today!)

After production of the Commander in 2010 – a vehicle that Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne later said was “unfit for human consumption” – Jeep did not offer a three-row global SUV until when the WL Grand Cherokee L arrives here in 2022.

So having the Durango here could give FCA Australia a larger SUV to offer in Chrysler Dodge Jeep showrooms, to slot in above the Journey which is only sold here with the manual transmission. anterior drive.

FCA Australia executives have confirmed that there have been discussions with headquarters about a right-hand drive Durango, but like the discussions surrounding the RHD Challenger and Charger, these This argument leads nowhere.

The Durango was never offered with a diesel engine like the related Grand Cherokee, but that hardly affected cars like the Toyota Kluger.

Dodge finally has something other three-row SUVs can’t match, unless you’re looking at luxury brands: a massive V8 engine.

In addition to the 5.7-litre V8, Dodge added an even larger 6.4-litre V8 in 2018 with 354kW and 637Nm. Not content with leaving it at that, Dodge even put the Hellcat engine in the Durango for two separate short runs. This produces 529kW and 875Nm – that’s quick!

While we’re talking about Dodges of the 2010s, the updated Avenger might have had a better chance against its rivals after a significant facelift in 2011. It still has that squared-off American look but has a much better quality interior and is available with a Pentastar V6 engine.

There’s also the Charger, but it will compete with the Chrysler 300.