When you think of Australia, you think of kangaroos, meat pies, footy… and utes.
The utility vehicle is a staple of our automotive landscape; with tradies, adventurers and families alike flocking to the trusty dual-cab in record numbers of late – in fact, two of the most popular new vehicles in Australia are utes.
Not only do utes offer an unrivalled load-carrying flexibility, but they also serve as the perfect platform for off-road excursions and long-distance towing trips.
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Ford Ranger -
BYD Shark 6 -
Isuzu D-Max -
Toyota HiLux
Now is a great time to be in the market for a new ute. Several fresh nameplates have landed over the last six months, including the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon.
Facelifts and updates have also been plentiful, improving the value proposition of familiar models.
The Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux remain the clear best-sellers, but do they deserve to be? Are some of Australia’s less popular utes being slept on? We asked the CarExpert team, and here’s what they’d pick.
Let us know your pick in the comments below!
Marton Pettendy: Ford Ranger
Despite being released in 2011, the old PX Ranger remained the ute benchmark long after the current Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara and the previous-generation Mitsubishi Triton were launched years later in 2015.
And now the new-generation Ranger – based on the same Australian designed and engineered T6 ladder chassis – has moved even further ahead of the pack, delivering unrivalled refinement, technology and ride/handling.
Combine that with family-friendly safety, practicality and capability; it’s no wonder this Aussie success story has shot to the top of the sales charts (or that quite a few 3.2-litre Puma diesel-powered PX Rangers have had problems).
With a wider lineup than any other ute and a new variant seemingly announced every week, there’s a Ranger for everyone – including the all-conquering Raptor and, soon, both plug-in hybrid and Super Duty versions.
But I’d settle for an off-road ready Tremor or a lusty XLT V6, both for under $70k plus on-roads.
Interested in buying a Ford Ranger? Get in touch with one CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Ford Ranger
James Wong: Ford Ranger Platinum
I’ll choose one of these if I must…
As someone that would never need a truck for truck things, my go-to choice is basically a luxury 4WD with a tray.
The Ranger Platinum is basically the excellent Everest Platinum with a rear tub instead of a third-row cabin. Niceties like quilted leather, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and blingy chrome accents make this look and feel unlike any other dual-cab on the market.
For those that want the look of the ute but won’t be doing too much of the dirty stuff, this is a very happy middle ground while retaining the Ranger’s punchy V6 turbo-diesel engine and capable 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity.
It’s no secret the Ranger is the dual-cab benchmark thanks to its local design and engineering input, as well as class-leading technology that’s head and shoulders above every one of its rivals, perhaps bar the related VW Amarok which shares its running gear.
A workhorse in a dinner suit…
Interested in buying a Ford Ranger? Get in touch with one CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Ford Ranger
William Stopford: Ford Ranger
There’s been a decent amount of activity in the ute segment since we last shared our recommendations, but my answer remains the same: the Ford Ranger.
It seems to be the default choice for many ute buyers today, and for good reason – it’s a brilliant thing. It makes the Toyota HiLux, now firmly Australia’s second best-selling ute, feel positively ancient.
There’s a wide range on offer, with the off-road-ready Tremor; the twin-turbo petrol V6 Raptor which has no real rival; and the posh Platinum.
The latter is very much my speed, being someone who admittedly has never been a huge ute guy; and while the Ranger’s four-cylinder engines are good the turbo-diesel V6 – the only choice in the Platinum – is on another level.
There are other options though. Chief among them is the mechanically related Volkswagen Amarok, which has a more stylish – if less user-friendly – interior and more European exterior styling. The turbo-petrol TSI452 is also a rather left-field choice.
Similarly specified Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 models are typically cheaper, and though there’s nothing to match the Ford’s turbo-diesel V6 these are solid, dependable utes.
After a brief stint with a BYD Shark 6, I came away impressed with an interior that absolutely blows its rival utes out of the water, and a superbly refined powertrain. But it does fall short in terms of towing capacity, and it doesn’t quite offer SUV-like ride quality to make up for this.
I can understand why these are quickly becoming a common sight on Brisbane roads, though, and I’m keen to see how it goes in the sales race moving forward against the Ranger PHEV and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV.
Of course, if your wallet is fat enough you could step up to the full-sized American pickup trucks, and there’s not a loser among them.
Interested in buying a Ford Ranger? Get in touch with one CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Ford Ranger
Jack Quick: Isuzu D-Max
Many Australians are now buying utes because they claim to be able to do it all, from a weekday work commuter to a loaded-up weekend adventure chariot and everything in between.
Despite this, virtually every ute is compromised in some way, shape or form. The only real exception to this is the Ford Ranger, which verges on offering a car-like driving experience, but you pay for this privilege.
With this in mind, I’m taking it back to what a ute is meant to be all about: Utility. Specifically, those on a budget.
One of the best choices for this is the entry-level Isuzu D-Max single-cab chassis 1.9-litre manual 4×2 at $32,990 drive-away. You can buy three of these for the price of a Ranger Raptor, which is astounding.
While it may have a smaller and less powerful 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine with a 2.5-tonne braked towing capacity, it still has a large tray and a circa 1.0-tonne payload for hauling stuff. It’s also a hoot to drive with the six-speed manual transmission.
Interested in buying an Isuzu D-Max? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Isuzu D-Max
Josh Nevett: BYD Shark 6
I’m afraid I have to run it back this week and choose the BYD Shark 6, as it’s my pick of both the FBT-exempt PHEVs as well as the current ute market.
The basis for my selection? Daily driveability and value.
I doubt I’ll ever have any use for a big dual-cab, but if I did it would be for lifestyle reasons, not towing or hauling loads to and from the worksite. As such, the well-documented weaknesses of the Shark 6 aren’t dealbreakers for a city slicker like me.
And its strengths are well worth the bargain $57,900 plus on-road costs asking price. On the road, the Shark 6 performs like a Ranger Raptor with the quiet refinement of an EV.
The interior is comfortable and well-equipped, with soft-touch surfaces everywhere and a modern technology suite that dates other dual-cabs by up to a decade. Another point of difference the Shark 6 boasts is V2L charging capability.
Interested in buying a BYD Shark 6? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything BYD Shark 6
Max Davies: Isuzu D-Max Blade
I chose the Blade for one of these articles following its launch event a few months back, and after another quick spin recently I was reminded that I simply like it.
Jeremy Clarkson once remarked, “This is brilliant, but I like this” about a Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Up respectively, and I could say the same about a different Ford and the D-Max Blade. Practicality (and a degree of logic) aside, I’m glad a ute like the Blade exists.
Not only is it Australian-developed and built (ignoring the D-Max’s Thai assembly), but it’s also given Walkinshaw another chance to stretch its legs on a ute that was otherwise another fish in the sea for a utility-focused runabout.
Built on Walkinshaw’s experience with toughened-up utes like the Volkswagen Amarok W580 and Mitsubishi Triton Xtreme, the Blade feels like a routine exercise.
It helps that its utility-focused runabout roots are already quite strong, as the D-Max itself is already a great choice.
It may look a little gaudy to some, but its new suspension and handling are a noticeable improvement over the standard vehicle – greater body control and smoothness are headlining traits.
Having had the chance to learn about the Blade’s extensive development gave me a greater appreciation for the vehicle too; helped by the fact it looks incredibly beefy because of its new bumper, body protection, black wheels and chunky all-terrains.
At $76,990 drive-away, it’s this or a Ranger Sport V6/Wildtrak Bi-Turbo. It’s a little different and certainly not for everyone, but I like this.
Interested in buying an Isuzu D-Max? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Isuzu D-Max
Jordan Mulach: Ford Ranger
The ute market keeps improving with more quality products turning up on local shores, but it’s the ute which has been designed and developed here which takes my pick.
Ford has invested heavily in the Ranger and it shows, becoming a favourite among local buyers – not something which happens by accident.
A solid lineup of engines, a well-appointed interior, a great ride (for a leaf-sprung vehicle) and good looks means it stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Interested in buying a Ford Ranger? Get in touch with one CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Ford Ranger
Sean Lander: Ford Ranger
I know this article probably reads like a Ford post, but it’s impossible to not appreciate how good the Ranger is. I’ve long been a fan of the Ranger, having first driven a PX2 years ago with the 3.2L diesel and enjoying the experience.
The next-gen Ranger went where no midsize pick-up had gone before, delivering the promise of comfort, technology and practicality more in line with cars and SUVs – I make no bones about it, I’m a Blue Oval fan and I love the Ranger.
If they can make a variant that has the practicality of the XLT but with cooled seats I’d buy it tomorrow. In fact, I’m very tempted to order a Super Duty just because it is exactly what I want in a truck if I can’t have one of the big Americans.
But at the end of the day, more than anything else, I just enjoy driving the Ranger. And that’s really what matters most when buying a car.
Interested in buying a Ford Ranger? Get in touch with one CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Ford Ranger
