Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2021: On-road performance

The 2021 Ford Ranger has clearly benefited from its intensive Australian development program; this is still the best 4x4 dual-cab ute to drive due to its superb ride and handling blend and useable, strong performance.

The Ranger’s steering is direct and its ride supple, despite commendable levels of body control, allowing the homegrown ute to navigate corners with surprising agility, stability and confidence.

Its tried and proven 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel is a gem of an engine, too. While it doesn’t sound sexy nor spin freely in the top half of its rev range, it provides punchy and accessible performance right from idle while reliably consuming close to its reasonable 8.9L/100km claimed fuel average.

On the road, the 2021 Volkswagen Amarok comes a very close second to the Ranger, blending a plush ride with solid handling and performance very well. But while its steering is more direct, its suspension is not quite as supple as the Ranger’s.

The 3.0-litre V6 diesel tied to a seamless eight-speed auto makes the Amarok the fastest ute in this group, although it does suffer turbo lag off the mark. While by no means thirsty for a diesel six, its real-world fuel consumption is a touch higher than the Ranger’s too.

The new 2021 Isuzu D-MAX has come a long way since the previous model, with a far better ride/handling compromise.

The slightly more refined and more powerful yet still efficient engine and smooth six-speed auto rounds off a pretty good driving package. While steering is pleasingly direct, the D-MAX’s ride quality, refinement and engine performance could be better. 

Its equally-new twin-under-the-skin, the 2021 Mazda BT-50 GT, is at first blush (unsurprisingly) a repeat performance of the new D-MAX.

Yet in back-to-back driving we found the BT-50 a touch firmer and in some cases a bit more unsettled than the D-MAX, putting it just behind D-MAX in the rankings.

The facelifted 2021 Toyota HiLux had a power, torque and suspension tweak last year. The HiLux rides and handles better than it did, but it still gets a touch of body flex and its steering isn’t especially direct.

While the HiLux has a gained an extra 10kW and 50Nm, it’s hard to pick any extra go when rummaging around the engine’s rev range. It drives much like before – that is, quiet and fairly responsive at lower rpm but relatively loud and harsh as revs rise.

Despite another update, this time bringing improved payload, fresh looks and more tech, the 2021 Nissan Navara drives much as before.

The 2.3-litre engine and seven-speed auto work smoothly, but the now slightly heavier Navara is still very much middle of the pack when it comes to performance. Fuel consumption is up, but at a claimed average of 7.9L/100km, the Navara still (just) leads the rest of our contenders for efficiency.

On smoother roads the Navara rides, steers and handles quite well, but on rough roads the ride quality deteriorates and the steering feels indirect.

One of the better-value utes on the market, the 2021 Mitsubishi Triton throws in some clever core technologies such as the Super Select 4x4 system that provides both full-time and part-time four-wheel drive, giving good traction options for all surfaces.

This translates to a ute that can be driven on slick city roads or transition from bitumen to slippery dirt roads without having to think about what 4WD mode you’re in.

While the 133kW 2.4-litre four-cylinder is not the slowest in the pack, it does lag behind the heavy-hitters in this group for flexibility and outright acceleration and gets harsh when revved.

Despite this, the engine teams well with its smooth six-speed auto and stays close to the claimed 8.6L/100km fuel consumption average.

Ride and handling is not especially endearing, with sharp bumps felt all too easily, although the steering is quite communicative – and at 11.8 metres, the Triton’s turning circle is among the best in this group.

While it’s a dual-cab ute like the other contenders here, the all-new 2021 Jeep Gladiator is very different in style and execution.

The Gladiator is the only petrol-powered ute here, which you might think would make it an excellent performance ute. The high-revving 3.6-litre V6 and super-smooth eight-speed auto would be an ideal combination in a light sports sedan, but in this 2100kg ute application it feels breathless and restless.

Even when revving to redline, it’s not that quick, either. It’s a fair bit thirstier than the others too, at a claimed 11.2L/100km average.

A lanky wheelbase and coil-sprung suspension front and rear do make for a stable and relatively supple ride, but with live axles both front and rear the Gladiator is prone to causing a fair bit of head-toss for occupants.

While the steering isn’t prone to kick-back even on rough, stony tracks, it is vague compared to anything else here.

Drive off down a smooth road and you can’t help but be really impressed with the jet-smooth ride and impressive refinement and quietness of the 2021 SsangYong Musso. And at first glance (or short drive), you might wonder why it isn’t further up the ladder here.

However, when challenged by sharp bumps and lumps on the road, the SsangYong can quickly lose its composure. Its supple ride on good bitumen doesn’t quite translate when pressed onto rough dirt roads, where the Musso’s ride becomes noticeably brittle.

While it’s no fireball, the 2.2-litre four-cylinder is willing, smooth and quiet right across the rev range and achieves a reasonable claimed fuel average of 8.6L/100km.

As the long-anticipated replacement for the forgettable Great Wall Steed, boasting a long list of tech and features, the 2021 GWM Ute brought high hopes.

But while it has all the ride and handling basics well covered, it lacks polish. Ride can be jittery at lower speeds and harsh on bigger bumps, while steering gets heavier as speeds increase.

The engine is a smooth and willing unit, but its response to throttle inputs are delayed, resulting in sluggish initial response.

Despite a reasonable 400Nm to play with, the auto also hunts excessively on climbs, and fuel consumption is on the higher end of the turbo-diesel scale with a claimed average of 9.4L/100km – just under the average for the Amarok’s 3.0 V6 diesel.

The 2021 LDV T60 was the first of a new wave of well-priced, tech- and feature-laden Chinese utes when it arrived three years ago.

And today, the T60 generally acquits itself well on the road, with accurate steering and a generally acceptable ride. However, it has a fairly stiff initial suspension compliance and can wallow on fast, open-road undulations.

The engine is not the smoothest of diesel fours and is certainly not keen to rev much beyond 3000rpm. The LDV gives an acceptable push when rolling with the traffic, but its much lower peak outputs compared to the rest of the class are obvious on the open road when climbing hills or overtaking.

It’s on the thirsty side too, with the highest official combined fuel consumption of the diesels here, at 9.6L/100km.