Best 4x4, off-roaders and light-commercial vehicles arriving in 2023

Peugeot e-Partner – First half

The Partner line-up is expected to expand in 2023.

Peugeot's passenger car and SUV line-up might look ultra-stylish thanks to models like the 308 hatchback, 508 wagon and 5008 seven-seater, but the French brand also serves up light commercial vans to take on the best from Ford and Toyota.

Sadly, there's no ute for Australia, but the Partner line-up is expected to expand in 2023 with an all-electric version that was revealed back in 2021 for international markets.

Powering the e-Partner is a 100kW/260Nm electric motor, while its 50kWh battery allows up to 275km of driving range on a single charge - which should be enough for most operators to do the rounds for the whole day before need a plug.

Ford E-Transit – April

Ford originally had plans to bring the E-Transit to showrooms in 2022.

Ford Australia's first electric car might not be as exciting as something like the Mustang Mach-E, but the importance of the E-Transit cannot be understated as the Blue Oval brand doubles down on commercial vehicles for its future.

The E-Transit large van will have up to 317km of driving range thanks to its 68kWh battery, which Ford claims is more than two-and-a-half times the average distance a van like this will make in a day.

Ford originally had plans to bring the E-Transit to showrooms in 2022, but with its delay to 2023, the Blue Oval brand has been beaten to market by the Mercedes-Benz eVito.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe– Q2

There will be a plug-in version of the Grand Cherokee.

Sorry diesel and V8 fans, Jeep's new Grand Cherokee won't be offering those powertrains - at least not in Australia.

Instead, the plug-in hybrid 4xe will be the new flagship for the Grand Cherokee line-up, but just because the Jeep large SUV is now electrified, doesn't mean it will lose its off-road edge.

Because the Grand Cherokee will still be 'trail-rated' and wear the coveted Trailhawk badge that denotes its ability to tackle tough tracks like the Rubicon trail, while also serving up 40 kilometres of all electric driving range thanks to its 17kWh battery.

Mahindra Scorpio-N – Q2

The Mahindra Scorpio-N sports a ladder-frame chassis and four-wheel-drive system.

Toyota's LandCruiser Prado might reign supreme when it comes to off-road family SUVs, but Mahindra wants a piece of that pie and will likely differentiate itself with a lower pricetag.

Known as the "big daddy of all SUVs" in its overseas marketing materials, the Mahindra Scorpio-N sports a ladder-frame chassis and four-wheel-drive system, while the diesel engine is good for 128kW of power.

Full Australian specifications still to be confirmed, but expect to see the Mahindra Scorpio-N arrive in the second quarter of 2023.

GWM Tank 300 - January

The Tank brand is expected to launch sometime in 2023.

Great Wall Motors already has the competitive Ute and hot-selling Haval crossovers, so its next conquest will be tough, off-road-ready SUVs.

Launching in 2023, the Tank brand will encompass two models, the 300 and larger 500, designed to take on models like the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest.

And if GWM can replicate the success it has had with the Jolion and H6, the Tank brand has a real shot of shaking up the established players in the off-road market.

Nissan Patrol Warrior - 2023

Nissan is partnering with Premcar to create a Patrol Warrior.

After teasing another model in its Warrior program for years, Nissan has finally confirmed the flagship Patrol for 2023.

Like the Navara program, the Patrol Warrior will see local outfit Premcar bolt on extra bits to a production Patrol to produce a punchy off-road prodigy.

And if sales of the Toyota LandCruiser and vanilla Patrol are anything to go by, expect the Patrol Warrior to be a common sight on Australian streets.

Porsche 911 Dakar - H2

Despite its off-road intentions, the 911 Dakar can still accelerate to 100km/h from a standstill in less than four seconds.

In an absolute 'mad lad' move, Porsche has decided to put into production the 911 Dakar - an off-road-focused version of its perennial sports car.

Fitted with all-terrain tyres, jacked-up suspension and extra underbody protection, the 911 won't be able to tackle the infamous Rubicon trail, but it will blitz a sand dune or unsealed road.

Fitted with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine, this off-road beast punches out a sizeable 353kW/570Nm to earn its Porsche badge.

Ford Ranger Wildtrak X - Second half

The Ranger Wildtrak X is for buyers that don't need the full-fat performance of the Raptor, but want a bit more 4x4 capability than the regular Wildtrak.

Priced from $75,990 (BOC), it gains a number of off-road-friendly features, and comes exclusively with Ford's 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine.

Hyundai Staria-Load Premium - February

Tradies after a delivery van with a ample safety gear can already count on the Hyundai Staria-Load, but the new Premium grade adds more safety gear, including a blind-spot monitor.

It becomes the flagship of the van range, but buyers also get LED headlights and some welcome comfort features inside.

Mazda BT-50 LE - January

Extras for the LE, such as the bullbar, fill a variant gap in the Mazda BT-50 range.

If you want your ute to look more ute like, then the Mazda BT-50 LE could be for you! Based on the XTR, it adds rugged features like a bullbar, a rear sports bar, and a heavy-duty tub liner.

Starting in the mid-$60k bracket, the LE sits under the GT and SP in the BT-50 line-up.

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport - April

An all-new Pajero Sport is expected to make its debut in the next year or so, but until then, Mitsubishi continues to introduce model-year updates to its rugged off-roader.

The 2023 version doesn't add too much, although a tyre pressure monitor is now standard across the range.