Best 4x4 Utes
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Ford Ranger XLT double cab
Luckily, utes are cool because they have a hell of a time when it comes to customer expectations. Utes should be everything to everyone: daily driver, family carrier, trader's workhorse, weekend backpacker.
But what worries some traditionalists is that as modern cars get closer to cars in terms of style and sophistication, their old-school roots are being lost.
No fucking chance. Despite what old cruiser-loving Reg rants in the pub, Utes are still great work trucks—strong and versatile, with very comfortable towers. The bonus is that they are now also comfortable and equipped with more protective equipment, passive and active, than ever before - well, there are a lot of them.
If you're looking for a versatile vehicle that's big enough for friends and family, good for work and play, and capable of going off-road when needed, spend your money on a double cab ute. Here are the top five.
01 Ford Ranger XLT double cab
The Ranger is a big truck, but it never feels cumbersome to drive.
The Ranger has set the gold standard for modern motorcycles in everything; comfort, fit and finish, design, ride and handling, safety… like I said, everything.
When it comes to fighting, it's not yet in the same field as the HiLux or the 70 Series for absolute off-road unstoppability, but it's very close.
The Ranger is a big truck (2202kg, 5355mm long and 3220mm wheelbase), but it never feels bulky to drive. Its 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel engine (147kW/470Nm) pushes the hefty unit at knot speed with ease.
It's a handsome and roomy car with a slightly stylish feel to the cabin. It can tow up to 3500 kg (with brakes). Cool, stylish, and capable, the Ranger ($57,600 plus on the roads) is also rugged.
Ford Ranger
3.9
Ford Ranger
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$29,190
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The Ranger has set the gold standard for modern motorcycles in everything; comfort, fit and finish, design, ride and handling, safety… like I said, everything.
When it comes to fighting, it's not yet in the same field as the HiLux or the 70 Series for absolute off-road unstoppability, but it's very close.
The Ranger is a big truck (2202kg, 5355mm long and 3220mm wheelbase), but it never feels bulky to drive. Its 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel engine (147kW/470Nm) pushes the hefty unit at knot speed with ease.
It's a handsome and roomy car with a slightly stylish feel to the cabin. It can tow up to 3500 kg (with brakes). Cool, stylish, and capable, the Ranger ($57,600 plus on the roads) is also rugged.
Frustrated Series 70 fans gave me both barrels when I called them "ugly as sin" in a story about their 2016 launch. Well, the idiots obviously didn't wipe their tears to read the next snippet, where I described his appearance as "fucking cool".
He is tall and square, but looks businesslike. With a powerful 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel engine (151 kW/430 Nm), a five-speed manual transmission and a 130-litre tank, it's comfortable for work and travel.
It can tow up to 3500 kg (with brakes). Sure, it's very low in the security department (three ANCAP stars) and lacks amenities (air conditioning is a $2761 option!), but it makes up for it in hardcore credibility in the bushes - and we're not talking about Kate. Bush ... or George W. Bush.
Prices are high ($68,990 for the GXL) and Toyota always makes just enough to keep buyers coming back, nothing more, but with something this good it doesn't matter.
03 Toyota HiLux SR5 double cab
HiLux tops the car sales charts in Australia for a reason.
The HiLux tops the car sales charts in Australia for a good reason: it embodies many of the elements of a modern car (refinement, style, comfort) without ever turning away from those who love it for its all-terrain capability.
Toyota is at the forefront of a wave based on high quality product and unwavering brand loyalty. The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel (130kW/450Nm) is a real winner, pairing well with the six-speed automatic transmission.
The HiLux is well suited for construction site work and is capable of towing 3200kg (maximum with brakes). The HiLux ($55,990) is better than the previous generation model - it's better looking, smoother and quieter - but not the best of the bunch. The hard ride is still not as perfect as the Ranger, Amarok, etc.
A full array of off-road technologies, as well as a five-star ANCAP rating, partially eliminate any shortcomings.
Toyota HiLux
3.6
Toyota HiLux
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$24,225
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The HiLux tops the car sales charts in Australia for a good reason: it embodies many of the elements of a modern car (refinement, style, comfort) without ever turning away from those who love it for its all-terrain capability.
Toyota is at the forefront of a wave based on high quality product and unwavering brand loyalty. The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel (130kW/450Nm) is a real winner, pairing well with the six-speed automatic transmission.
The HiLux is well suited for construction site work and is capable of towing 3200kg (maximum with brakes). The HiLux ($55,990) is better than the previous generation model - it's better looking, smoother and quieter - but not the best of the bunch. The hard ride is still not as perfect as the Ranger, Amarok, etc.
A full array of off-road technologies, as well as a five-star ANCAP rating, partially eliminate any shortcomings.
Cars Guide drove these bad guys through the guts of the South Australian desert; on sand, stones, hikers, a lot. The only time we managed to prevent it from moving forward was a driver error.
It's no fool when it comes to off-roading. The BT-50 is powered by a brisk 3.2-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel engine (147kW/470Nm) mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission - one of the smoothest of its kind - and the beefy Mazda moves just as effortlessly. and comfortable on dirt roads as well as on main roads.
It holds its speed on the twisty tracks, however there are some hits on the bumps while the Ranger and Amarok absorb them. The BT-50 has a five-star ANCAP rating. The steering is light for something so bulky.
It is designed to tow 3500 kg (maximum with brakes). The 2016 facelift version ($50,890) featured a flattened front end polarized in the past, but the rollover bar is still a worthy addition for this Mazda.
The magnificent Amarok has always had its fans.
The great-looking Amarok has always had its fans because it's a stylish yet highly functional car, but its 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged four-cylinder engine and lack of downshift (with automatic transmission) were factors that were a bit different from the traditional. road tourists just couldn't get over it.
Well, the new V6 Ultimate ($67,990) eliminates those baseless fears by simply riding full blast on top of them.
The 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel (165kW/550Nm) gave the 5254mm Amarok the ability to grunt on Fury Road; it really added the mongrel to the mix. (Not forgetting that those numbers jump to 180kW/580Nm when you're in overboost territory.)
It can tow 3000kg (max with brakes), which is 500kg less than its rivals, but the good news is that all the cool stuff from the 2.0-litre model remains: an eight-speed automatic, comfortable cabin, superb ride and handling, best-in-class tray and more. The Amarok V6 has not received an ANCAP rating yet.
Volkswagen Amarok
3.9
Volkswagen Amarok
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$45,890
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The great-looking Amarok has always had its fans because it's a stylish yet highly functional car, but its 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged four-cylinder engine and lack of downshift (with automatic transmission) were factors that were a bit different from the traditional. road tourists just couldn't get over it.
Well, the new V6 Ultimate ($67,990) eliminates those baseless fears by simply riding full blast on top of them.
The 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel (165kW/550Nm) gave the 5254mm Amarok the ability to grunt on Fury Road; it really added the mongrel to the mix. (Not forgetting that those numbers jump to 180kW/580Nm when you're in overboost territory.)
It can tow 3000kg (max with brakes), which is 500kg less than its rivals, but the good news is that all the cool stuff from the 2.0-litre model remains: an eight-speed automatic, comfortable cabin, superb ride and handling, best-in-class tray and more. The Amarok V6 has not received an ANCAP rating yet.
Wildcard. In terms of sophistication and safety, the Foton Tunland is no match for these other models, but it's the best of the budget models and it certainly packs a lot of good stuff in an inexpensive package ($30,990).
With a 2.8-litre Cummins turbodiesel engine (120kW/360Nm) and a five-speed manual transmission, the Getrag Tunland combines top-notch components in a neat and beautiful unit. Fit and finish have improved, as have ride and handling.
The 5310mm Tunland is one of the largest utes available here, but it never feels like you're driving a Titanic while driving. It is designed to tow 2500 kg (maximum with brakes). Tunland has a three-star ANCAP rating.
We just passed it, go here for the full review.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in July 2017 and has now been updated.
