Best 4WD and off-roaders coming to Australia in 2024 and 2025

UPDATED, 10 December 2024: Australia is a vast continent, with lots of adventures awaiting those with the right type of car.

While Aussies have always had a love affair with the four-wheel-drive – being one of the key markets for models like the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol – the popularity of off-road capable vehicles is on the rise, with even more models set to enter the segment in 2025.

Interestingly, the trend now seems to be for four-wheel-drives to be pushing into the luxury space, offering owners a high level of comfort with the ability to drive through sand and mud.

However, for those who just want something capable without needing lots of extras, there are still a handful of brand-new traditional off-roaders on the way.

Here's Drive's list of the best 4WDs and off-roaders arriving in Australia – in no particular order – in late 2024 and 2025.

It's the vehicle of choice of the rich and famous, and in late 2024 the facelift of the range-topping Mercedes-AMG G63 is due to arrive in Australian showrooms.

First shown in March 2024, the updated G63 will continue to be powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 making 430kW and 850Nm, but will be mated with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system – adding up to 15kW and 200Nm under hard acceleration – while also improving fuel consumption and improving emissions.

Despite being a luxury performance SUV, the G-Wagen comes standard with a low-range gearbox, three locking differentials, a solid rear axle, and approach and departure angles of 31 and 30 degrees respectively – and the ability to drive through water crossings up to 700mm deep.

The V8-powered Mercedes-AMG G63 will soon be joined by the battery-powered Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology – the first electric G-Wagen.

The G580 uses four electric motors – one for each wheel – to produce a total of 432kW and 1164Nm, with the 116kWh battery pack allowing for a rated driving range of up to 473km (WLTP).

While torque vectoring provides for 'virtual' differential locks, each motor has its own two-speed transmission – allowing for low-range in off-road environments. The body has approach and departure angles of 32 and 30.7 degrees respectively, with a wading depth of 850mm.

Kia is taking the fight directly to Toyota and Ford, releasing a brand-new dual-cab ute called the Tasman – and it's aimed at Australian buyers, with much of its development taking place locally.

The Tasman will be powered by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, making 154kW and 441Nm, with buyers able to choose from a dual-cab body with either a tub or tray.

The Tasman X-Pro variant has been designed with off-roading in mind, with extra ground clearance and an electronic locking differential to provide additional traction – as well as Sand, Mud, and Snow modes, and a Ground View Monitor showing what the front wheels are doing.

The Kia Tasman is expected to arrive into showrooms in mid-2025.

The dual-cab ute from Jeep will soon undergo a facelift, with the Gladiator to receive a mild exterior facelift and a much larger infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Safety will also be a focus, with the Gladiator to gain curtain airbags for both rows of seating, along with radar cruise control (with stop and go) and forward collision warning on some variants.

Details of the updated Jeep Gladiator, including price and local specifications, will be announced closer to the ute's launch in early 2025.

Australia's first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute will arrive in early 2025 in the form of the BYD Shark 6, priced from $57,990 before on-road costs.

Being a PHEV, the Shark 6 is rated to allow up to 100 kilometres of driving in pure-electric mode, before the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine kicks in – with "more than" 316kW of power reported from the hybrid powertrain.

Local buyers will receive the recently-facelifted Yukon, with exterior LED lights, a new 16.8-inch portrait infotainment screen, interior wood trim, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Powered by a 6.2-litre petrol V8 making 313kW and 624Nm and matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission, the GMC Yukon is expected to target traditional Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol buyers who prioritise on-road comfort and towing over off-road capability.

However, the Yukon is still made for off-road tracks, with its Air Ride suspension raising the vehicle by up to two inches to improve ground clearance.

Available as the range-topping GMC Yukon Denali, the SUV is priced from $169,990 before on-road costs, with deliveries to begin in the second quarter of 2025.

Certainly one of the most anticipated vehicles in recent years, the 2026 Nissan Patrol will swap its V8 engine for a new 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 – improving both power and fuel consumption.

The Patrol is also bigger than the outgoing model, with up to 30 per cent more interior space, and now features a double-wide screen ahead of the driver – incorporating a 14.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.3-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While the Patrol appears more luxurious than ever, the vehicle features a locking rear differential, a wading depth of 700mm, air suspension to increase the ride height, and six drive modes for different environments.

Details including local pricing and specifications will be released closer to the Nissan Patrol's Australian launch in late 2026.

For those who don't want to sacrifice comfort without losing any off-road capability, Lexus recently launched the GX in Australia – a luxury four-wheel-drive based on the new Toyota LandCruiser Prado.

The range-topping Sports Luxury is set to join the rest of the range in late 2024, priced from $128,200 – featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, 14-inch infotainment screen, heated and ventilated front seats with massage function, Mark Levison audio system, a panoramic glass roof, and road-oriented 22-inch alloy wheels.

As with its siblings, the GX Sports Luxury is powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 making 260kW and 650Nm, powering all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Powered by a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine with a form of 48-volt mild-hybrid system – the same found in some versions of the HiLux ute – the engine produces 150kW and 500Nm and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with full-time four-wheel drive.

Buyers will be able to pick from five model grades: the GX, GXL, VX, and Kakadu model – with the Altitude now joining the line-up as a permanent member.

The Toyota Prado is priced from $72,500 before on-road costs, with deliveries already begun.

The Ranger PHEV will allow owners to drive an estimated 45 kilometres on battery power alone before the petrol engine is needed.

Unlike the rest of the Ford Ranger line-up – which is made in Thailand – the Ranger PHEV will be sourced from the company's South African factory.

Ford is set to introduce the facelifted F-150 in Australia in the first half of 2025, just 18 months after the American pick-up went on sale locally.

While prototypes have been spotted on local roads, final pricing and specifications for the updated Ford F-150 are expected to be announced closer to the model's launch between January and March 2025.

The Dacia Duster is hugely popular in Europe, offered as a budget off-road alternative to the Suzuki Jimny XL and the likes of Toyota Yaris Cross.

Local specifications have yet to be released, but it's likely Australian buyers will get a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with hybrid technology and a four-speed automatic transmission.

Off-road-oriented variants offer increased ground clearance, a centre-locking differential, selectable driving modes, and approach and departure angles of 31 and 36 degrees respectively.

Expect pricing to be announced closer to the Renault Duster's Australian launch in the third quarter of 2025.

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Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.

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