Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2021: Towing and payload

As we’ve detailed before, you have to read your vehicle’s load and towing capacity fine print so you don’t end up with an overweight and therefore illegal and potentially dangerous rig.

All the vehicles in Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2021 hold such a compromise, some more than others.

All but four utes of the 11 tested here have a maximum 3500kg towing capacity and a 350kg tow ball download maximum (except the Volkswagen Amarok with 300kg).

The 2021 GWM Ute and LDV T60 are both limited to 3000kg, the Mitsubishi Triton 3100kg and the Jeep Gladiator 2721kg.

Utes are a compromise when you need to carry people and their cargo, and tow a heavy trailer at the same time.

The weight of the trailer pressing on the tow ball (tow ball download mass, or TBM) is counted as the ute’s payload. If you accept 10 per cent TBM as typical, for the 3500kg utes you have 350kg of your ute’s payload taken up by the trailer.

For the utes with a 3500kg tow capacity, you would have around 300kg payload remaining before exceeding GCM.

The 2021 Nissan Navara has the lowest at 268kg, with the Volkswagen Amarok the highest at 353kg.

The LDV T60 is the only ute here that can carry its full (815kg) payload when towing to its (3000kg) maximum capacity and not exceed its GCM.

Some utes here are better than others at being able to lug a heavy trailer along well, when it comes to ride, stability and performance.

We have individually loaded up and towed with all 11 utes on test here, bar the GWM Ute. The specs of the GWM Ute, which has lower engine outputs and a lower towing capacity than the class leaders, knock it down the list. So while the jury’s still out on its towing performance, based on its specs alone it’s obviously not going to be class-leading.

Any ute here will tow a well-balanced trailer of up to around 2000kg without any problem. It is only when you put around 2800kg and up behind them that towing performance or stability diminishes for some utes.

The 2021 Ford Ranger still remains the benchmark for carrying stuff in or behind it. Despite the phalanx of newcomers threatening to outdo the Ranger, this wily ute still outmanoeuvres them all.

Having towed with multiple variations of Ranger and multiple heavy trailers over the past 10 years, we can confidently say that nothing else here is as convincing as the Ranger for ride quality, inherent stability and performance when laden/towing.

The Ranger really is the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series of utes when it comes to towing.

The 2021 Volkswagen Amarok comes close with stunning performance when laden and/or towing, presenting a planted chassis with a heavy trailer behind. Ride quality is supple when unladen, but a little brittle when towing.

The Amarok has the biggest tray, but a 300kg TBM instead of 350kg like its closest towing competitors.

From here on down the list, the contenders can be roughly divided into two camps: those that are stable tow rigs but don’t have the performance and/or economy for relaxed load/tow hauling; and those that have acceptable performance but are not inherently stable or comfortable to ride in when loaded/towing.

The LDV T60, SsangYong Musso and Toyota HiLux are relatively stable but lack performance compared to others. That’s baffling with the HiLux, given the increased power/torque it gained as part of last year’s update – but there you have it, based on two towing tests with heavy trailers.

The other utes here – the Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and the Isuzu D-MAX and Mazda BT-50 twins – do not have a rock-solid chassis for towing or providing a supple ride.

The BT-50 ranks slightly ahead of the D-MAX in this attribute only because of its slight advantage in maximum allowed payload.

While the GWM Ute is still to undergo a thorough towing test with a van on the back, but its low engine outputs and modest 3000kg tow capacity don’t give it a promising outlook as a tow/load king.

The Jeep Gladiator is a stable towing platform with enough get-up-and-go, but it’s thirsty and is very light-on for payload capacity.

Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2 key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 922kg
Kerb weight: 2278kg
GVM: 3200kg
GCM: 6000kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 350kg

GWM Ute Cannon-X key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 1050kg
Kerb weight: 2100kg
GVM: 3150kg
GCM: 5555kg
Max towing capacity: 3000kg
Max tow ball download: 300kg

Isuzu D-MAX X-Terrain key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 970kg
Kerb weight: 2130kg
GVM: 3100kg
GCM: 5950kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 350kg

Jeep Gladiator Overland key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 527kg
Kerb weight: 2104kg
GVM: 2631kg
GCM: 5080kg
Max towing capacity: 2721kg
Max tow ball download: 272kg

LDV T60 LUXE key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 815kg
Kerb weight: 2005kg
GVM: 2950kg
GCM: 5950kg
Max towing capacity: 3000kg
Max tow ball download: 300kg

Mazda BT-50 GT key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 1065kg
Kerb weight: 2035kg
GVM: 3100kg
GCM: 5885kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 350kg

Mitsubishi Triton GSR key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 901kg
Kerb weight: 1999kg
GVM: 2900kg
GCM: 5885kg
Max towing capacity: 3100kg
Max tow ball download: 310kg

Nissan Navara ST-X key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 1024kg
Kerb weight: 2142kg
GVM: 3150kg
GCM: 5910kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 350kg

SsangYong Musso Ultimate key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 790kg
Kerb weight: 2192kg
GVM: 2982kg
GCM: 5650kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 350kg

Toyota HiLux SR5 key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 1026kg
Kerb weight: 2174kg
GVM: 3200kg
GCM: 5650kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 350kg

Volkswagen Amarok Highline V6 TDI 580 key weight/towing specs:
Payload: 836kg
Kerb weight: 2147
GVM: 3080kg
GCM: 6000kg
Max towing capacity: 3500kg
Max tow ball download: 300kg