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UTES DOMINATE SALE,
TRADIES CONTINUE TO
FAVOUR DUAL-USE VEHICLES
T
he popularity of the humble
dual-cab utility continues to
swell as tradies and business
owners – buoyed by the instant asset
write-off scheme – increasingly opt for
vehicles that can do double-duty as
workday hacks and weekend family
transport.
In all, the commercial vehicle
segment tallied 205,597 vehicles, with
roughly seven eighths of that being
made up of vehicles in the 4x2 and
4x4 utility category, both pick ups
and cab chassis. It’s the 4x4s that are
doing the bulk of the heavy lifting too,
with over 150,000 sales in that sub-
category alone, showing that buyers
are more than willing to deal
with the elevated price premium of a
4x4 to gain the off-road capability that
comes with it.
However, that capability isn’t
necessarily one that’s being sought
for the work site. Rather, the
recreational aspect of 4x4 utilities
has been a compelling lure for sole
traders and employees purchasing
through novated leases or user-
chooser fleets, with day-to-day driving
easily accomplished without locking
the front hubs while weekends and
holidays see owners take their work
utes far off the beaten track.
Other reasons are also driving
uptake. Circa one-tonne payloads
are common and the rugged ladder
frames of a 4x4 pick up are well suited
to carrying lots of weight, whether as
cargo, tools or in the form of a service
body or similar. Towing capacity is
another frequently-cited reason
for purchase, with the bulk of 4x4
dual-cabs able to tow at least 3.0
tonnes on a braked trailer, with
max tow ratings of 3.5 tonnes also
very common. Not only is it handy
for towing plant equipment
to a worksite, but those tow
capacities are also awfully
useful for taking a boat to the ramp or
a caravan across the Nullabor.
The Toyota Hilux was again
Australia’s most popular individual
model, racking up 52,801 sales
across all states and territories in
2021. Its nemesis, the Ford Ranger,
wasn’t too far behind the Hilux with
50,279 sales across the year, and
also capping off the year as the top-
selling vehicle overall for the month of
December.
Elsewhere in the top ten for
December 2021 were the Isuzu D-Max
and Mitsubishi Triton, though both
trail the Ranger and Hilux by a wide
margin. However, this year will be
an interesting one with the arrival
of the new-generation Ford Ranger,
which has caught plenty of attention
for its improved pallet-friendly
tub packaging, attractive styling,
thoroughly modernised interior, and,
crucially, the availability of a grunty
turbo-diesel V6 for the first time.
Provided Ford Australia can secure
enough production to take care of
demand, the new Ford Ranger could
very well snatch the crown of the
Hilux’s head as the country’s most
popular vehicle.