Your questions answered: Should I buy a Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series V8 or a Ford F-150?

We’re going big this week, starting with someone wedded to the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series workhorse but who’s now considering a switch to the mighty Ford F-150.

It’s the start of a diverse week of questions from carsales readers that sees us looking at utes, more comfortable seats and even Holden Commodores that weren’t true Holdens.

And, yes, there’s an EV or two thrown in for good measure.

Those EV questions even stretch up to the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series…

Question:

It will cost me $135,000 but by the time I remap the motor, replace the clutch and exhaust, upgrade the GVM to 4.1-tonne, add a bull bar and tray, and tow bar, plus Cruiser console, and will have a 3.5-tonne towing capacity.

The F-150 has that already plus 4.5-tonne towing capacity but it has the V6 petroleum 3.5-litre twin-turbo and cost $125,000.

I’m an electrician in my mid-60s and want to start travelling with my wife and our 22-foot caravan. I tow a three-tonne work trailer at Moree and can go 150km on gravel roads to jobs.

I know the F-150 is more comfortable than the Cruiser but just have in the back of my mind it is not a LandCruiser and it is petrol. What are your thoughts? – Bruce

Answer: You’re right, the Ford F-150 is definitely not a Toyota LandCruiser! It’s one of the few vehicles that can make a LandCruiser feel small. That’s good or bad, depending on your perspective.

Obviously, you’re talking about the 70 Series LandCruiser with the manual gearbox. It’s a rudimentary car and the engine is seriously undernourished by V8 standards, which is obviously why you’re looking to the aftermarket to give it the muscle people expect of a V8.

If you need a ute, then the F-150 is definitely going to be a lot more comfortable for cruising around Australia. And its V6 petrol engine has serious muscle.

Expect it to use more fuel, but anything towing 3.5 tonnes – even a LandCruiser diesel – is going to slurp through plenty of fuel getting the job done.

The biggest issue you’re facing is reliability and that’s where Toyota’s reputation shines bright. That said, the mods you’re talking about could take their toll on long-term longevity, depending on how far you push it.

Still, with all that in mind and a five-year factory warranty on the Ford it’s the F-150 we’d be going for.

And if you feel like being opportunistic then have a look at used LandCruiser V8 prices when you’re car is ready to be collected. It could be a good way to make some quick money by selling it straight away.

Question:

I am wondering if there are any EVs that would be comparable in storage space, features and drive as the LC300? Is the autosteer package on the Tesla better again than lane keeping and is any other company doing it?

Would any of these EVs have issues with occasional gravel roads and how would back-up/parts work, particularly panel beating for incidents with kangaroos? – Phill

Answer: The EV most likely to tick the boxes for you in terms of space is the Kia EV9. It’s a sizeable seven-seater that will easily accommodate your family and do the drive comfortably. It’s not cheap, but it delivers on substance.

However, there is no spare wheel, something that will be an issue if you get a puncture. While the Kia EV9 would be fine going on light-duty gravel, like anything with road-biased tyres it creates a potential safety issue when (if!?) you do get a puncture.

For that reason you’d want to investigate a proper spare wheel – and somewhere to mount it.

The upcoming Hyundai IONIQ 7 will be similar in size and price and use the same basic electrical architecture, although we haven’t got full details yet; it’s due later in the year. There’s also a Genesis GV90 due next year that could do the trick. Beyond that, expect plenty of seven-seat options as more vehicles pile onto the market.

If you can do with a five-seater with a bit of space, then the Tesla Model Y represents terrific value. Its driver assistance systems generally work well (like the Ford) and are among the better systems on the market, although like all of them it’s not perfect.

And, yes, pretty much every brand is doing some sort of self-steering and lane keep assistance, with varying levels of success. BYD, GWM, LDV and Isuzu have some very average systems, whereas Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Ford and Tesla do it very well.

Also, for planning that 280km route you’d want to have an EV with at least 20 per cent more claimed range, because EVs use more electricity on a freeway than they do pottering around town. So look for something with at least 350km of claimed range, which is pretty much everything these days.

Question: I was looking at the new Mitsubishi Triton but am now checking out the GWM Cannon Ute. It seems like great value and I like the look of it. Am I missing something? – Brian

Answer: If you want the best ute then the new Mitsubishi Triton is an easy winner.

The latest iteration of the Triton is a huge step up, and while it may not quite match the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok for outright driving nous, it’s still a decent thing that takes the fight to the Isuzu D-MAX and Mazda BT-50.

The GWM Ute fights back with lashings of equipment and sharp pricing, but its engine is undernourished and the driving experience generally lacks polish (not that any utes are particularly polished!).

Keep in mind that the biggest cost of owning a new car is depreciation and so far some of the newcomer brands haven’t performed as strongly in the used car market.

No one can say for sure what will happen in years to come, but it’s difficult to see the bulletproof residual values of the Toyota HiLux collapsing in a hurry.

Question: I currently drive a Subaru XV, 180,000km on the clock which I don’t what to run into the ground (drive about 30,000km a year). I have been ruminating about buying a new car and feel ownership of an EV would be the responsible thing to do.

I have decided to purchase an EV for driving around Canberra and keep my Subaru for longer trips. What small EV (similar size to the XV) would you recommend? I would like a car that is comfortable, quiet and reliable. – Karen

Answer: It’s difficult to talk about long-term reliability with EVs because so many of them are still so fresh on the market.

Tesla has the longest history, and while the brand had some sub-standard fit and finish on earlier cars (since 2021 when they were sourced from China they’ve been much better), the reliability of its batteries and electric motors is generally excellent.

As for options, the MG4 – carsales’ Car of the Year for 2023 – is your best bet at the compact end of the market. It’s a terrific little car to drive, although in entry-level guise it’s light-on for equipment. Step up through the model range and some of the value is diluted, although it’s still fairly solid.

If you’re happy with something larger it’s difficult to look past the Tesla Model 3. It’s a lot of EV for the money, currently starting from $58,900 plus on-road costs with the latest discount.

Question: I’m looking to buy a new car and have always been a Holden man. I like the look of the last of the Commodores but am concerned it may not live up to the hype of my VE Commodore (which has been an amazing car). – John

Answer: The last Commodore was the least Holden of all the Commodores. That’s because the so-called ZB model was the only one not to be built in Australia. And Aussie development was minimal.

It was an Opel that was rebadged as a Holden. And while it was inoffensive, it didn’t deliver on the traditional Commodore values and never felt like it had a whole lot of Holden DNA.

If you want more of the true Holden genes go for the VF Commodore, ideally a V8. While it was a heavy evolution of your VE, it was still a terrific car and one that showcased the best of Holden.

Question: I have a BMW X1, 2019, 25i. Until I had a right hip replacement, the seat was wonderful. I love this car, and it has only done 25,000km (lots of interruptions – three surgeries, COVID, etc). Now I cannot go for any distance without pain from the flared seat on my right side (the replaced hip). The seam in the leather stitching kills me!

What would you advise? I went to BMW and they only have a flatter seat in the top of the range car at $150,000. No way! Can someone change the seat, or do I need to look at other cars? If so, what do you recommend? I have a country property and need some four-wheel drive capability. – Miriam

Answer: Switching front seats isn’t easy because most now have side thorax airbags built into them. So you’re potentially tampering with a life-saving safety system by removing them.

That’s another reason you need to be careful using aftermarket seat covers.

One option is getting the seat repadded and trimmed. There are plenty of workshops that specialise in the retrimming of seats. Keep in mind it’s an industry that focuses on older and collectible cars, so in some instances it may not be a cheap exercise.

Looking at an alternative car is another option and one that’s obviously easier to try before you buy. It’s a bit tricky for us to recommend specific models because even within a model range some variants will have different seats. And we obviously can’t replicate your exact situation.

Have a look in a Mercedes-Benz showroom. While they do plenty of sports seats, they also cater for broader statures well. Similarly, Volkswagen could be a good place to test the seat shape.

As you can probably tell, you’ll have to do some legwork to figure out what works for your situation.

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