best utes 2021 australia

Looking back at 2021, the ute pile-on was fierce and very Australian.

• Ford Ranger (PXIII): Pros—sweet steering, comfy ride, broad lineup; Cons—showing its age by year’s end, some spec quirks.
• Toyota HiLux: Pros—legendary durability, huge dealer network, stellar resale; Cons—firmer ride, not the punchiest.
• Isuzu D‑MAX: Pros—strong 3.0‑litre diesel, top-tier safety kit, 3.5‑tonne towing; Cons—firm unladen ride, prices crept up.
• VW Amarok V6 (old-gen): Pros—thumping V6 and best on-road performance; Cons—older cabin and safety spec, fewer variants.
• Nissan Navara (facelift): Pros—coil-sprung rear comfort, improved safety; Cons—less shove than the big hitters, payload varies by trim.

No winner picked—because pub debates need fuel as much as utes do.