Out now: Summer 2022 issue of 4X4 Australia

Our last issue of the year is officially out, with the Summer 2022 edition landing on shelves today.

The next-gen Ford Ranger may have received the lion’s share of coverage on these pages in 2022, but we’ve ended the year by planting its biggest rival on the cover.

The wide-body HiLux Rogue flaunts a new suspension package (at no extra cost, mind you), so we spent a few days getting the premium model dirty on some off-road tracks. It makes the incoming GR Sport variant scheduled for 2023 an exciting prospect.

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We also had an in-depth look at a no-fuss custom HiLux, in the form of a 2016 N80 SR5 variant. Specifically built for a lap of the map, this HiLux has been meticulously pieced together using first-rate equipment including an ARB Deluxe bullbar, Old Man Emu suspension, a Paul Paget Welding tray, a Bush Company AX27 Alpha rooftop tent, and a sophisticated electrical set-up.

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Bigger isn’t always better, but this custom 2021 Ford F-350 makes a compelling case for all things large. Spending its days lugging around a 4.5-tonne caravan means this F-Truck needs plenty of poke, and it delivers in spades with a high-performance tune netting a claimed 475hp (354kW) at the wheels. The big rig also received a complete suspension overhaul and features an AMVE canopy, among a long list of quality kit.

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We then lined up an all-new Everest in top-spec Platinum guise, against the segment-dominating Prado, also in top-spec Kakadu trim, to see if the Everest could be the vehicle to finally topple the Prado from the mid-size 4x4 wagon throne.

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Our MU-X build is almost complete, with the last few pieces of the puzzle coming together. This month, we installed a CTEK auxiliary battery system and Century Lithium Pro secondary battery, to keep our campsite set-up humming long into the night.

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Deputy editor Evan Spence also spent a week doing what most of us dream of: Driving a Can-Am Maverick X3 side-by-side buggy from Finke to the Simpson Desert. Yep, the rest of us were a little bit jealous. Read all about it in this issue.

What else is there?

• Travelling the Western Deserts, SA to WA
• Exploring Yunta to Wilpena Pound, SA
• Companion lithium power station tested
• New 4x4 products on the market
• Opinion columns, latest news and more

The Summer 2022 issue of 4X4 Australia is OUT NOW.