Utes are an iconic part of Australian life. One in every five vehicles on our roads is a ute, with tradies and businesses across the country turning to the iconic vehicles in huge numbers.
Not sure where to start? We look at the best utes (and best-selling utes), average costs and ABN financing options that could help you or your business afford a new ute more easily.
Best-selling 4×4 utes in Australia
Utes are so common in Australia that the Ford Ranger was the best-selling 4×4 ute and the best selling vehicle overall in Australia in 2024. According to the FCAI, the Ford Ranger was the second best-selling vehicle in January 2025, and the best-selling ute, behind the Toyota RAV4.
With close to 60,000 sales in 2024, the 4×4 version outsold the 4×2 Ford Ranger (just shy of 5000 sales) by huge amounts.
| Make/model | 2024 sales |
| Ford Ranger | 57,960 |
| Toyota HiLux | 45,839 |
| Isuzu D-Max | 24,031 |
| Mitsubishi Triton | 14,737 |
| Mazda BT-50 | 12,161 |
Like the Ranger, the Toyota HiLux is a hugely popular ute in Australia. In January 2025, it was the third best-selling vehicle in the country. For the seven years prior to 2024, it had been Australia’s best-selling vehicle (not just ute).
How much does a new ute cost?
While there are cheaper options available for second-hand utes, if you want to buy a new ute there’s a good chance you’ll need ABN financing to help you.
While prices may vary between car yards, in general you’re looking at paying (before on-roads):
| Make/model | 2025 price |
| Ford Ranger | $47,980-$90,440 |
| Toyota HiLux | $40,965-$74,310 |
| Isuzu D-Max | $42,700-$78,900 |
| Mitsubishi Triton | $50,490-$63,480 |
| Mazda BT-50 | $43,520-$74,095 |
Each ute has a range due to the different variations available. For example, the BT-50 at the lower end will be a single-cab chassis while the higher end will be a double-cab chassis with higher specs.
The price of utes may be set to change over the coming years too. Last year, the Albanese government announced a new ute tax that started in 2025. Essentially, it adds extra costs on to utes that emit higher levels of pollution. Every year after that, the target level of emissions gets lower so the fines are likely to get higher. The aim is for cleaner air in Australia and utes will either go up in price or need to be reworked so they have cleaner engines.
Best utes in Australia
Just because a ute is the best, doesn’t mean it’s the best-selling. The Triton, for example, is the only vehicle in the top five that has an entry point north of $50k. If that was lower, would it sell more?
So what is the most reliable ute? How you decide the best ute can change depending on where you live, what you need it for and what you’re used to, but there are plenty of awards given out that might help make the decision clear.
Carsales.com.au tested the higher-spec dual-cab utes in 2024. They compared versions of the Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Isuzue D-Max, Mazda BT-50, Toyota HiLux, the Nissan Navara and the Mitsubishi Triton.
The HiLux and Navara were immediately cut from consideration due to high prices that they felt didn’t bring in the required features, leaving five utes battling it out for best in field.
The winner, backed up by its impressive sales, was the Ford Ranger, which came first in all five areas tested: comfort, costs, safety, technology and overall driving performance. The others were ranked like this:
2. Volkswagen Amarok
3. Isuzu D-Max
4. Mitsubishi Triton
5. Mazda BT-50
What new utes are coming to Australia in 2025?
With the high demand for utes here, it’s no surprise that more makers are getting on board. In 2025, we’re expected to see a couple of new names on the market from Asia: the BYD Shark and the Kia Tasman.
The Shark is one of the many new Chinese vehicles coming to the Australian market and it’s one that stands on its own. Already launched in Mexico, this hybrid option is quicker than a Ford Ranger but lags behind in terms of payload and towing capacity. BYD claims it can go from 0-100 in 5.7 seconds — giving it the best acceleration in the Aussie market 0.4 seconds ahead of its nearest competitor.
The Tasman is Kia’s first-ever ute has taken a novel approach to its design, with features like sunken headlights not currently available on any other model. Single- and dual-cab versions are available and an electric version is planned for 2026, by which time Australia’s EV charging network should be well established.
Financing for utes in Australia
The best utes generally come with a high price tag and for many tradies and businesses in Australia it’s not the sort of money you have just lying around. If you need a bit of help buying a new ute, speak to us about ABN loan requirements and see how quickly we can get you the finance you need to get on the road.
