What are the best utes for families?

We know that dual-cab utes are popular vehicles for families because they offer enormous storage in the tray and flexibility for work and play.

You can use them for work vehicles throughout the week, fit the kids’ bikes, surfboards etc in the back at the weekends without any problems and they’re perfect for the family camping trip in the holidays too.

While at carsales we don’t recommend utes as the first choice for family buyers, the horse has bolted. Thus Aussie parents need utes to have the same practicality and ease of use as we ask of a family SUV, including:
• Flexibility of seating
• Ease of installing child seats; and
• Good legroom for front passengers when child seats are installed in the back.

Comfort for all passengers is important, ceiling height, having air-conditioning vents in the rear as well as storage in the cabin and easy use of the tray too for everyday family life.

You need somewhere convenient to put prams, school bags, the weekly shop – and the family dog.

You have to think about the weather too. If you are using the ute daily, you’ll need a cover or lid on the tray because in all the years I have been testing utes with my family, I’ve had it rain on my pram and weekly shop in the tray without a cover a few times!

Another important consideration is the height and ease of reaching into the tray. Being 162cm tall, I struggle to reach over the sides or past the tailgate into the tray of a lot of utes.

We want a ute that is enjoyable to drive and doesn’t feel too big so that we are confident to drive it around town, on the school run and on the highway too.

When it comes to family holidays we want the ute to be capable off-road. Some families may want to tow caravans and camper trailers so towing capacity is important too. Not to mention storing everything including the kitchen sink in the tray on family camping trips!

As parents, safety is forefront in our minds, so considerations are rear airbags and the same crash avoidance technology as we would expect from a family car.

Only in the past couple of years utes have been subject to the same regulations as passenger vehicles when it comes to installing child seats. Classed as ‘light goods vehicles’ they now have to comply with ADR34 rules around child seat installation.

However, compared to cars and SUVs, utes have various methods of top tether anchorages with varying ease of use.

Often referred to as dual-cab, crew-cab and double-cab utes, the vehicles we’re looking at here have five full-size seats in the cabin.

Many brands also offer a space-cab or extra-cab, but this body style only has a small-fold down bench seat in the back and is not meant to hold child seats.

Also, not all dual-cab utes have four-wheel drive, despite styling that may make you think otherwise!

For ability off-road – especially if you are planning on spending your school summer holidays beach driving and camping away from the beaten track – make sure you choose one that has four-wheel drive. It’s also important to know that most utes operate in two-wheel drive unless you activate the 4x4 system, which in many cases must not be used on sealed roads.

There are some fantastic dual-cab utes out there that I have tested with my family over the past seven years as a mum of two, family car journalist and founder of BabyDrive.com.au.

So here’s my pick of the best dual-cab utes for families…

The Ford Ranger is among the safest dual-cab utes available on the Australian market, featuring a broad range of active and passive safety features and carrying a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating awarded in 2022.

Importantly, the Ranger is currently among the safest utes for kids in the second row, scoring 93 per cent for child occupant protection as part of its ANCAP assessment. Out on the road, its driver assist safety systems – such as lane keeping and traffic sign recognition – are among the best-calibrated in this segment, too.

The Ranger’s cabin is spacious and comfortable like an SUV, with rear air-con vents and good headroom and legroom when two Infasecure child seats are installed in the outer rear seats. The Ford Ranger has ISOFIX in the two outer rear seats and top tether metal anchorages behind the rear seatback for both the outer rear seats too. (Not all utes have metal anchor points; some are fabric, for example.)

You cannot install a tethered child seat in the central position, but for families that need to, you can put an Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat in that spot for children aged 4-8 because it doesn’t require a top tether strap.

Internal features that make the Ranger especially comfortable for families are the dashboard cup holders, the specially designed large fries holder in the front and large door bins throughout.

Externally, the built-in steps behind the rear wheel-arches are very helpful for reaching things in the tray and round on the tray door is a ruler, G-clamp mounts and cup holders so you have a workbench on the move!

For families wanting to tow, the braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes is sufficient for most campers and caravans. The tray is large enough for a twin prams, shopping and the family dog, or there’s room for the tent and camping gear for family holidays.

A comfortable cabin for families and a practical ute for everyday work and life, the Ranger is also a super-confident 4WD for off-road driving and family camping trips.

The Volkswagen Amarok has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2022.

Along with the related Ford Ranger, the Amarok is among the safest dual-cab utes on the Australian market for families, especially kids in the second row, scoring 93 per cent for child occupant protection as part of its ANCAP assessment.

A high level of safety equipment is standard across the Amarok range, starting with nine airbags – including front knee, front centre and full-length side curtain airbags that extend to the second row.

Volkswagen’s IQ.Light Matrix LED headlights help make night-time driving safer, and come as standard on the mid-range Style model and top spec PanAmericana and Aventura. A 360-degree camera is standard from Style grade and upwards, making parking and manoeuvring around school and kids much safer too.

The Amarok’s cabin offers families the personal space and comfort of an SUV with modern, off-road, rugged styling. With excellent storage for kids in the back, my kids especially like the map and storage pockets on the front seat backs and on the central seat base. These provide handy storage for little passengers’ tablets, books, toys and snacks.

Rear air-con vents allow parents to ensure their kids in the back are a comfortable temperature.

The VW Amarok has ISOFIX in the two outer rear seats that are easily connected and top tether metal anchorages behind the rear seatback for both the outer rear seats too. So you can install child seats in the two outer rear seats only.

With the Infasecure Cocoon Go Infant Capsule installed behind the driver, we found a 178cm-tall driver could sit in front. The forward-facing Infasecure Attain More child seat on the passenger side allowed for a 186cm-plus passenger in front.

Rear passengers not in child seats have good headroom and legroom throughout.

The ute’s tray is great storage for active families for transporting bikes, scooters and camping gear, and a double pram fits easily in the tub too, with plenty of room for the family dog.

For families wanting to tow their caravan or camper trailer, the Amarok’s braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes is sufficient for most. Or if your family want a 4WD for off-roading, the Amarok is very capable and enjoyable.

For families sharing the Amarok between work vehicle and family life, VW’s ute performs as well on school runs as it does as a work vehicle and then becomes the family ute at the weekend for the beach, holidays and kids’ sporting activities. The cabin is practical and safety and visibility are well taken care of.

For those looking for a second-hand ute – or who get in quick enough for one of these before the new-generation model arrives in February 2024 – the Mitsubishi Triton has THE BEST child seat installation method for families.

It has ISOFIX in the two outer rear seats and top tether anchorage metal bars behind the two outer seatbacks, so you can install tethered child seats in the two outer rear seats only. In the central seat back behind a fold-down arm rest are two zips that give excellent access to behind the seatbacks so you can fasten and tighten the top tether straps correctly.

Like the Ranger, for families that need to, an Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat can go in the central seat for children aged 4-8 because it doesn’t require a top tether strap.

Headroom and legroom are good in this model Triton, with room for a 180cm-tall driver in front of a rear-facing Infasecure child seat and space in the rear footwell for a compact stroller.

Large air vents in the ceiling ensure rear passengers are kept comfortable and these can be controlled by the adults in the front.

Tray space is ample for work gear, prams, dogs and camping gear for family adventures and a 3.1-tonne towing capacity is useful for those towing caravans or camper trailers.

Mitsubishi Tritons built from April 2015 to December 2022 have a five-star ANCAP rating, however this does not include child occupant testing. That’s because the assessment was carried out in 2015, when the protocols were much less stringent than they are today.

The Mitsubishi Triton is about to be replaced with a new-generation model that has a lot of positives such as improved safety and extra cabin space, but unfortunately doesn’t have the great child seat installation features of this outgoing model.

The GWM Cannon Ute is at the affordable end of the market, with the top-spec model costing much less than similarly-equipped dual-cabs from rival brands.

Child seat installation is good in the GWM ute too, with ISOFIX points in the two outer rear seats and top tether anchorage metal bars behind the two outer rear seatbacks. Two Infasecure child seats fit comfortably in the outer rear seats with space for an adult passenger between them. Alternatively, an Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat can go there as it does not require a top tether strap.

There is excellent headroom and legroom in the GWM Ute and a 186cm-tall driver can sit in front of a rear-facing child seat.

With good storage throughout the cabin and air vents in the back, passenger comfort is good, but the drive is less refined than other brands. It’s loud and a little rough around the edges, with quite a stiff ride. The indicators are also extremely loud, which is disturbing for little passengers and already frazzled parents!

The GWM Cannon Ute has seven airbags as standard, and models from August 2021 onwards have a five-star ANCAP safety rating, scoring 87 per cent for child occupant crash testing (based on 2021 testing protocols).

Models built from 2022 onwards have a 3.0-tonne braked towing capacity for families wanting to tow caravans or trailers.

The tray of the GWM Ute has a built-in step that you can slide out of the top of the tailgate. This is really useful being able to get up and down into the tray to reach prams, shopping, etc on a daily basis.

The Toyota HiLux is a comfortable dual-cab ute for families.

There are ISOFIX points in the two outer rear seats and two Infasecure child seats fit in the back. Like all the other utes with just two top tether anchorages, you can put the Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat in the central position because its lightweight design means it does not require a top tether strap.

The HiLux uses a different top tether attachment system to what you’d find in cars and SUVs. You thread the top tether strap through a woven fabric loop behind the seat headrest and across to an anchor point behind the central seat headrest.

It can be a tricky system for parents to use, difficult to tighten the top tether straps correctly and allows movement of the child seat.

This method is catching on among other brands of dual-cab ute, including the Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-MAX and Mazda BT-50, although the HiLux still makes it onto our list in terms of ease of use because the fabric loops in those other utes are so small that it’s hard to physically fit the top tether straps and adjusters through.

In the HiLux, the fabric loops are larger so at least you can get the tether straps through them relatively easily. This does allow greater flexibility of movement in the child seat, though.

Interior space is good in the HiLux and a 180cm-tall driver can sit in front of a rear-facing child seat.

Storage is good throughout and passengers are comfortable with dash cup holders, rear air vents and hooks on the back of both front seats, which are great for hanging kids’ school or kindy bags so they’re not rolling around in the tray!

The tray is ample in size for work gear, prams or the dog! In the high-spec HiLux Rogue, it even has marine-grade carpet lining which prevents the pram getting scratched when loading it in and out. I also found the Rogue has better suspension than most HiLux models, which can feel quite jittery.

You can also tow up to 3.5 tonnes with the HiLux, which is great for families wanting to tow for holiday adventures.

Seven airbags come as standard in the Toyota HiLux and it was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating from July 2019 onwards, with 87 per cent for child occupants. The testing standards back in 2019 were not as tough as they are today, however.

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon has some pros and cons attached to it, but still makes it onto our list.

Situated behind the rear seatbacks are three clearly labelled metal anchor points for securing child seat top tether straps, and there are ISOFIX points in both of the outer rear seats too. For families that need to, this means you can fit three Infasecure child seats across the back.

Headroom is good in Jeep’s dual-cab although legroom is tight and the cab feels surprisingly cramped for such an enormous vehicle.

Forward-facing child seats allow legroom for a 186cm-tall front passenger, however rear-facing child seats only leave space for a 170cm-tall front passenger, which is smaller than most SUVs.

From a family perspective it feels like fashion over function in the Jeep Gladiator. The Gladiator is a seriously cool-looking dual-cab ute for families and you will be rocking the school drop-off in this!

Removeable roof panels and Bluetooth speaker behind the back seat (remove it before you install your child seats or you’ll never get to it!) add to its street cred, and the off-road possibilities for family adventure make it very tempting!

Rear passenger comforts in the Gladiator include air-con vents, charging sockets and good cup holders and hooks in the back of the front seats for hanging school bags.

A 2.7-tonne braked towing capacity makes the Jeep Gladiator less suitable for towing bigger trailers or caravans than the other dual-cab utes here.

Tray space is decent enough for fitting prams, shopping or dogs back there, or your swags, tents and fridge for family camping trips.

The major sticking point with the Jeep Gladiator is that it only has a three-star ANCAP safety rating, based on testing conducted in 2019. No local crash testing was carried out on the 4x4 dual-cab, with ANCAP instead applying the same rating it awarded the closely-related Jeep Wrangler in December 2019.

The Gladiator’s child occupant protection rating was 80 per cent, but adult protection just 60 per cent. The ute comes with dual front airbags and front side airbags designed to protect both the chest and head of occupants, however there is no airbag protection for rear seat occupants.