The best utes on the market have been reviewed by motoring experts with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak rated the best, and it is the top seller in recent sales data. The dual cab chassis segment is second only to SUVs in the Australian motor vehicle market.
When it comes to deciding which dual cab to buy, Australians have a plenty of choice. The market favourites and perennial top sellers – Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, are being challenged by many new brands and electrification. In particular, the Chinese brands such as BYD which offer extremely affordable pricing.
What are your buying criteria – price, performance, brand loyalty? When deciding what new ute to buy, who do you consult – mates, family, colleagues, reviews, car dealers? Fortunately, for the multitude of dual cab chassis buyers tossing up which vehicle will be their next, the experts at Drive offer guidance with the results of their mega ute test. Buyers can also refer to the sales figures to see what is selling best and compare finance options where the outlay is crucial to the decision.
The Best Utes Test
After the long domination of diesel models and Ford and Toyota, the market for cab chassis utes is seeing a challenge from new brands and electrified and hybrid models. The experts at Drive put some of the most popular models to the test to decide which was the ‘best’, focussing on higher spec, crossover variants.
The models tested were the Ford Ranger V6 Wildtrak, Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain, Nissan Navara ST-X, Toyota HiLux Rogue, BYD Shark 6 Premium, Kia Tasman X-Pro, Mazda BT-50 GT and the Triton GSR from Mitsubishi.
The experts provide detailed reviews of each model, which buyers can read at Drive.
For those that just want the bottom-line decision – all models tested were seen to offer differing weaknesses and strengths at their various price points. But it was the Ford Ranger coming out as the overall best of this bunch for the driving experience, strength of the V6 and all-round polish.
Best Utes by Sales Figures
The experts have made their decision, and it seems that buyers concur with their verdict. Ford’s Ranger once again topped the sales charts in June for the best-selling vehicle overall, according to figures released by the FCAI. Other utes in the top 10 best-selling model list when all new cars are included were the HiLux and the BYD Shark 6.
Delving into the specific ute segments for sales and you’ll find that for 4x2s the best-sellers were the D-Max, HiLux and Ranger. For 4x4s under $100,000 the top 3 were Ranger, HiLux and Shark 6. Over the $100,000 price point and buyers were drawn to the RAM 1500, Chevy Silverado and Ford F-150. Note that these US vehicles were not included in the Drive ute test.
BYD has emerged as a significant brand in the Australian market both for utes and cars. The brand was second in the June sales results, splitting Ford and Toyota. The attractive price points for the Chinese brand may be a factor in attracting buyers, especially in the current challenging economic conditions.
Secure Best Utes with Best Finance
While the performance, workability, towability and ability to meet work and lifestyle of a cab chassis may be spot on, if the price and the loan payments don’t suit, then perhaps it’s not your best ute. The focus for many buyers will be on securing the best cab chassis finance.
Achieving the best possible loan for a ute can start with securing the lowest possible interest rate and by using finance experts to source and structure the loan for you. Whether requiring a personal Secured Car Loan for a private vehicle, or business financing for a workhorse, our rates are highly competitive. Ensuring the repayments are the most affordable possible and the total interest the lowest possible. Keeping the total outlay to a minimum.
With our best possible rates, that top-rated, best-selling Ranger may be in your affordability zone. Use our Finance Calculator to work up repayment estimates based on the advertised pricing of different utes on the market. See how the high-spec models compare with the more budget-friendly priced BYD models.
When using the Calculator to plan your purchase, vary the figures entered to work out your preferred loan structure. Consider making a higher downpayment or trade-in, to reduce the loan required. A lower loan amount compared with the purchase price, not only reduces the monthly payment but may also attract a lower interest rate.
The term along with the rate determine the monthly payment. A longer term will provide a lower monthly repayment, but a larger amount of interest may accrue compared with a shorter-term loan. The calculator is a great tool to use while considering the expert vehicle reviews to decide which ute stacks up as your ‘best’ buy. Our experts are available to assist you in securing the best financing when you are ready to purchase.
Contact a Jade Car Loans broker on 1300 000 003 to discuss personal and business financing on the best utes on the market.
DISCLAIMER: IN REGARD TO MISREPRESENTATIONS AND ERRORS CONTAINED IN THE MATERIAL AS PRESENTED, LIABILITY IS NOT ACCEPTED. THE DETAILS AND CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR CAR BUYERS AND INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESS SEEKING FINANCE PURELY AS GENERAL INFORMATION. THIS IS NOT PROVIDED AS THE ONLY SOURCE OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION. ANYONE THAT CONSIDERS THAT NEED FINANCIAL ADVICE ABOUT THEIR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS SHOULD SEEK THEIR OWN FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
