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There's no stopping the Ford Ranger’s dominance of the local dual-cab ute market, and as our Best Dual-Cab Ute under $90K.
The Ford Ranger's grasp on the Australian dual-cab ute market can't be loosened, even in the face of newer competition, and it's now a Drive Car of the Year category award winner for a fourth consecutive year.
The Ford Ranger is now about halfway through its product cycle, but the brand has issued a multitude of updates that bring year-on-year improvements, and it's clear that this car's unassailable lead is untouchable by newcomers. Ford recently launched the Ranger plug-in hybrid, which can operate (effectively) emissions-free, and the Super Duty variant, which turns the capability dial to 11.
While Ford's been going hell for leather in fine-tuning its Ranger, the competition hasn't been standing still either...
The last 12 months have seen new launches like the Kia Tasman, as well as the MG U9 – two very different takes on what a dual-cab ute should be.
It's no surprise that utes are the do-everything Swiss Army knife of the automotive world, and this corner of the market contains several suitors for the buyers' varying needs.
The Kia Tasman came the closest to knocking the Ford Ranger off its perch. It's generally more affordable spec-for-spec than the Ford Ranger, and comes with a brilliant cabin filled with features that the Ranger misses out on.
But, at the top end of the ute segment, you're spending big on a challenger option that misses out on key features buyers want in a top-grade ute – no side steps is a big strike, plus the lack of a sports bar is a shame. It also misses out on grunt compared to the Ranger, down 30kW and 160Nm compared with a Ranger V6.
In the MG U9's corner, it impressed judges with its sheer value for money and impressive aftersales support. But, it didn't compare with the other finalists on cabin presentation and build quality, while the large exterior dimensions don't translate to good second-row space.
While we've paid the award to one of the highest-spec versions, the Wildtrak V6, the Ford Ranger is a fantastic thing throughout the showroom line-up.
Drive's pick: Ranger Wildtrak V6 priced from $75,090 plus on-road costs.
Ford Ranger key facts:
- Priced from $37,130 + ORCs
- 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo diesel six-cylinder
- 8.4L/100km (claimed)
Why the Ford Ranger won:
- Incredible levels of refinement
- Ergonomic interior works for the whole family
- V6 powertrain a true point of difference
It was only last month that we found out it was the country's best-selling car outright, but now Ford can rightfully add yet another award to its trophy cabinet: Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute Under $90K.
It's now a staple of the Australian road network, so many people will have had the chance to be up close and appreciate its well-roundedness in person. However, for those who haven't, let's explain why it's won for the fourth-year running.
Starting with its off-road capability, the Ford Ranger comes with a plethora of off-road driving modes to make even the most daunting hills that much easier to tackle. What's better, this drive mode selector is easily accessible through a dial on the centre console, and the car independently changes its settings on the fly.
While it's impressive at going bush-bashing, the true brilliance of Ford's Ranger lies in its ability to work with you every day of the week. Ford has been able to refine the Ranger's NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) down to a quieted hush, far beyond the levels experienced in its peers.
It's a clear winner for engine outputs in V6 guise, too. With 184kW and 600Nm on tap, you'd have to go to the next-size ute, above this class, to find something with more grunt. Though we didn't have it at Drive Car of the Year, the brand has recently introduced the Ranger Super Duty, which is capable of towing up to 4500kg.
Another version we didn't have on test this year was the new Ranger Hybrid, with its 2.3-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain. It has impressed us with its no-nonsense approach to improving fuel efficiency, but we felt that plug-in hybrid utes were better represented by the GWM Cannon Alpha and BYD Shark 6.
We're big fans of the way you can tailor much of your driver assistance software to your liking, and for the fact that these rarely intrude on your drives. All too often cars will beep and carry on until they drive you crazy, but the safety systems offered in the Ranger are calibrated to work in local conditions.
Under the $90,000 barrier, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6 remains our favourite pick of the entire line-up. It blends the best equipment with the best powertrain for an all-you-can-eat package that can't be stopped.
At the same time other brands have been launching new ute products, Ford has distilled continual updates to the Ranger platform to ensure it remains the best in its class. This is why the Ford Ranger is the Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute Under $90K for the fourth year in a row.
Tom started out in the automotive industry by exploiting his photographic skills but quickly learned journalists got the better end of the deal. With tenures at CarAdvice, Wheels Media, and now Drive, Tom's breadth of experience and industry knowledge informs a strong opinion on all things automotive. At Drive, Tom covers automotive news, car reviews, advice, and holds a special interest in long-form feature stories.
