Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022: The verdict

There’s not a bad egg among the seven contenders for carsales’ Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022, such is the super-competitive nature of the segment and our decision to whittle the field down to the most popular models.

These are the market-leading Toyota HiLux, the just-launched new-generation Ford Ranger, the ever-popular Mitsubishi Triton, the strong-performing Isuzu D-MAX and the related Mazda BT-50, along with the well-supported Nissan Navara and the fast-rising GWM Ute.

See our Best Dual-Cab 4x4 introductory page for full details on the selection process and judging criteria, but in essence our contenders for Best Ute are tightly matched in terms of size and specification.

As our benchmark for the award, which goes to the entire model range, we’ve homed in on four-cylinder diesel-powered mid-size utes with an automatic transmission – Australia’s most popular ute powertrain.

They have similar payload and towing capacities, and comparable model grades that place them as close as possible to the commonly targeted $60,000 mark (plus on-road costs).

Among those left off the list are the Volkswagen Amarok, which is in runout before launching early next year in its second generation (this time based on the Ford Ranger), along with harder-core and less-popular models and the bigger full-size American pick-up trucks.

The question many people are asking is where the new Ford Ranger now sits in relation to its major rivals.

You’ll have a good sense of that already if you’ve read each of our sections that dive into our Best Ute assessment criteria – safety, technology, comfort and convenience, on-road performance, off-road performance, towing and payload, and ownership costs.

But now we’ve tallied up the scores and the results are in…

That you find the Mitsubishi Triton in this position reflects just how strong a field we’ve gathered for carsales’ Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022.

The triple-diamond brand’s faithful workhorse remains a popular choice among buyers but is clearly showing its age, often losing marks across our assessment criteria for its relative lack of equipment and engineering sophistication that in many cases won’t be rectified until a generational change takes place in the next 12 months or so.

Triton wasn’t the lowest performer in areas such as comfort and convenience features, on- and off-road performance, towing and payload, and ownership costs, but it was below average.

It was also at the bottom of the pack in terms of safety, and on the lowest rung for technology too.

2022 Mitsubishi Triton GSR at a glance:
Price: $55,690 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 133kW/430Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 225g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)

The GWM Ute is continuing to build a strong following in the Aussie marketplace, where buyers see obvious value with its sharp pricing and high levels of standard equipment.

That is reflected by its excellent scores in key sections of carsales’ Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022, most notably safety and comfort and convenience.

It also performs well for ownership costs, although drill into the detail and you’ll find its running costs are on the high side.

That’s a factor in other areas of assessment such as cabin tech, where headline-grabbing features can divert your attention from shortfalls in spec, while getting out on the road and driving the ute exposes other shortcomings.

There is more work to be done here in terms of on-road, off-road and towing performance, but the signs are good and GWM could become a major threat to the big-name brands in time.

2022 GWM Ute Cannon-X at a glance:
Price: $45,490 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 120kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 250g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)

The Nissan Navara has come a long way since the D23/NP300 generation was released more than seven years ago, benefiting from many rounds of improvement that have kept it competitive.

It’s one of the better utes in this class for off-road performance, and you’ll not find Navara at the bottom of the pointscore list across our wide-ranging assessment criteria.

But nowhere does the Navara stand aloft as a class leader.

That’s reflected in its middle-ranking status for safety, on-road performance and payload and towing, while it scores below-average results for technology and comfort and convenience features.

A relatively high rate of depreciation also counts against it when calculating the total cost of ownership.

2022 Nissan Navara PRO-4X at a glance:
Price: $61,230 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder biturbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 208g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)

Considering Toyota’s long history of producing accomplished off-roaders, it comes as no surprise that the Toyota HiLux stands aloft as a leader in the 4x4 dual-cab ute class in terms of off-road performance.

But this is no one-trick draught horse. The HiLux also goes some way to justify its huge popularity in the marketplace by rating highly for safety and above-average in other key areas including towing, payload and cabin technology.

As you might expect, the HiLux hangs onto its value quite well over five years, but Toyota’s top-selling ute isn’t a standout performer for ownership costs overall. It’s smaller cabin also lacks comfort and convenience features.

It’s a close-run contest, but HiLux doesn’t make a podium finish in carsales’ Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022.

2022 Toyota HiLux SR5 at a glance:
Price: $61,930 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 150kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 207g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

Mazda might have lost its connection to the Ford Ranger (which was previously the donor model for the BT-50), but picking up Isuzu as a partner for this new generation has helped it maintain a strong showing among the leading utes in Australia.

Given that the BT-50 is identical to the D-MAX in almost every area that counts, it’s unsurprising that it performs equally well in six of the seven criteria used to determine carsales’ Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022.

That means the BT-50 is a consistently high achiever where safety, technology and comfort and convenience features are concerned, while hitting the streets and pushing out into the country shows it to be a similarly strong performer on-road, off-road and for payload and towing.

The exception to the rule comes with ownership costs, where the BT-50 is hurt by a high rate of depreciation over the first five years.

2022 Mazda BT-50 SP at a glance:
Price: $66,390 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 207g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)

The Isuzu D-MAX has helped achieve new sales records for the Japanese brand since the third-generation model’s arrival in 2020 – and with good reason.

As you can see from our pointscore table below, the D-MAX rates highly across almost every area of assessment, most notably safety, technology and, when loading up, towing and payload.

It doesn’t disappoint with its on-road and off-road performance either, all executed in a cabin that’s also well kitted out with comfort and convenience features.

The cost-of-ownership equation is the one facet where the D-MAX fails to shine, but in overall terms the Isuzu remains a standout performer.

2022 Isuzu D-MAX LS-U+ at a glance:
Price: $63,500 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 207g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)

The previous Ford Ranger was a multiple carsales Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute winner, including late in its model life, so this new ute has a lot riding on it.

The generational change is comprehensive, and in some cases quite radical, which means the Ranger might just as easily have lost some of its lustre than added to it.

But after being put through its paces across our thorough testing regime, the latest Ranger emerges not simply as good as ever but a ute that hits new highs for this segment almost everywhere that counts.

There are many elements to its superior capabilities, from refinement and ride quality to technology and clever and practical elements like a handy tailgate ruler and smart towing assistance features.

Overall, the Blue Oval’s new ute has a clear points margin over the competition in almost all areas of assessment, outmuscled only by the Toyota HiLux for off-road performance.

It shares top billing with the Mazda BT-50 for comfort and convenience features, but otherwise the Ranger leads the pack for safety, technology, on-road performance, towing and payload, and ownership costs.

It’s a clear-cut decision. The new Ford Ranger is carsales’ Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute for 2022.

Check out lots of Ford Ranger reviews on carsales

2022 Ford Ranger XLT 2.0 at a glance:
Price: $61,190 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder biturbo-diesel
Output: 154kW/500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 201g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

carsales Best Dual-Cab 4x4 Ute 2022 – Final standings