2013 4wd action ute of the year web

5/22/2018 2013 4wd Action Ute of the Year Web

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THE4WDERS

2013


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Seven utes, seven real

4WDers one winner!

WORDS BY STEVE COLLINS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT SHEARER BROUGHT TO YOU BY:


3/9

Here at 4WD Action, wehave a knack forconvincing carcompanies to handover the keys to their

latest releases, often before theirdealers get a chance to see them.Now, when it comes to testing, weknow our readers (thats you!),4WD enthusiasts in your ownright, want to know how far a4WD can be pushed off-road.

While other mags cruisealongside cotton farms taking notesabout the fancy leather interior, wepush off-road testing to theextreme. The difference is we testthem like a real 4WDer would usethem. We camp in the bush and liveout of the 4WD, while others bookinto fancy accommodation and sipexpensive chardonnay.

Now, for this years 2013 Ute

Of The Year, we couldve taken abunch of the industrys finest tothe middle of the outback, butthat real seat-of-your-pants feelwouldve been lost in confusingpolitical jargon. So, we got tothinking and came up with theperfect answer. Why not take youguys, real 4WDers, along to sayexactly how it is? No industrynonsense, no hiding behindalliances or brand names. Justplain-old honest feedback. Sothats what we did. We roundedup seven utes, seven real 4WDersand headed into the scrub.

Dont suppose we have to tellyou how much fun we had? Youknow what the best part is,though? You can join us in thepassenger seat. Just buckle in, sitback and check out all the actionfrom the test.

JUDGING CRITERIA

As 4WDers, we look for a unique set of features in a 4WD. The oldANCAP safety ratings a good indication of how well its built, andanyone can compare a specs sheet, but we wanted to see how theyperformed off-road.

We broke the off-road performance portion of the judging downinto five categories and scored each based on how they performedoff-road. We then compared and scored fuel economy (as tested),purchase price, running costs per year (comprehensive insuranceand servicing) and payload to determine the final outcome.

Full points were awarded to the best performers in eachcategory, while the runners up scored their points depending onhow far behind the top position they had come - much like splittiming in a rally.

THE CONTENDERS

In selecting the seven dual cabs, we asked ourselves one question.What would any 4WDer whos looking for a work truck, daily driver,weekend warrior or long-distance tourer want to spend their cashon? Lets say the budget is $60,000, after all, not everyone is on apoliticians salary.

What this meant was that if we thought a manufacturer wascharging too much for a certain model, it would miss the cut. Tocompare oranges with oranges, all utes tested had turbo-dieselengines and autos where possible, except for the BT-50 that was amanual. Turns out Mazda didnt have an auto in stock. Suppose, ifyou walked in off the street you could be faced with the samedilemma with any manufacturer anyway so we pressed on.

emma w any manu ac urer anyway so we presse on.

YEP, WE POINTED$350,000 WORTH OF UTES

AT THE FIRST OFF-ROADTRACK WE COULD FIND!

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COOPER DISCOVERER A/T3S

CONTROLLING THE VARIABLES

When it comes to 4WDing, a good quality set of tyres is arguably themost important purchase youll ever make. Think about it, your tyresare the only thing that keeps you in contact with the ground, and

without them, your engine, brakes and even lockers are useless.Now, considering we were putting these utes head-to-head, it onlymade sense to throw on a set of control tyres.

For the testing we were planning, we knew the factory highway-terrains wouldnt cut it and so we ordered replacements. Thatswhen we got in touch with our mates over at Cooper Tires, whosorted us out with seven sets of Cooper Discoverer A/T3s.

Being a light truck all-terrain tyre, the A/T3s are designed for70% road and sand, and 30% for dirt and mud. Their super-tensilesteel belt offers higher impact strength and puncture resistance.Adding to the A/T3s ruggedness is its unique silica compound,which is engineered to resist cuts and chips over rocky terrain.Cooper claims the new increased cord strength carcass makes it33% stronger which means less damage and a higher load carryingcapacity. Not hard to see why we went with these tyres. And were

glad we did too because after days of tackling harsh terrain, not oneof the 28 tyres got a puncture.

OFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE

A vehicles off-road capability is what truly makes or breaks it as at4WD. It might have fancy gadgets and a 4WD badge, but if it doesntperform in the bush, what good is it?

For that reason we scrutinised each utes low-range ability.Things such as ground clearance, the location of vital componentslike the alternator and air intake where are they located, are theyprone to damage? Are the off-road angles generous? How muchwheel travel did the suspension offer? Did the manufacturer fittraction aids, and did they actually work?

TOURING ABILITY

Because Australias over 7.5 million square kilometres in size,theres no point owning the biggest, baddest 4WD in the country ifits a pain to drive long distance. Thats why were judging each uteon long-distance touring ability. That means, seeing how ithandles long stretches on dirt roads, what the noise levels are likeand how useable it is in terms of liveability, storage, payload andtowing capacity.

MECHANICALS

Its not how big it is, its how you use it hey? We wanted to see howmuch punch each engine offered, how the gearbox used that power,and if they were working together to get it to the ground. Being a

4WD, we were looking for low-down power delivery does it come innice and low in the rev range? Is it smooth, or laggy? And is iteconomical? But, thats not all. We also wanted to test how thebrakes, steering and suspension perform both at speed and overundulating obstacles.

PRACTICALITY

Considering were going to crown the Ute Of The Year, we neededto know how useful each one was as a real utility vehicle. Practical-ity, useability and brute strength are what scored well here. Afterall, what goods a ute if you cant load it up, slam the tailgate and hitthe tracks?

Things like tie-down points, tub dimensions and power outletswere all given a closer inspection, and truth be told, youll besurprised at the differences.

ABILITY TO MODIFY

Whether its for performance reasons, or you simply want to standout from the crowd, we all like to modify our 4WDs. Given how muchmanufacturers cram into 4WDs today, theres often little room tomove when it comes to fitted aftermarket gear. So, we want to seehow each ute stacked up in terms of modifiability. Is there enoughspace in the engine bay to fit a second battery? Or room under theguards for bigger tyres? Was a suspension lift feasible, or did itrequire an engineering degree?

No one was goinganywhere

withouta snag intheirbelly!


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JEREME LINDSELL

As it turns out, Jeremes an experi-enced hand behind the wheel. Thererarely a weekend that goes by wherehes not camping or 4WDing up themountains near his home in CoffsHarbour. He works as a surveyor duthe day, which means he actually gpaid to go 4WDing every day.

Jeremes daily is a 2007 ML Tritonfitted with a rear locker, a truck-load obarwork, winch, 2in lift and 33in BFG

muddies. Suppose you need a capabletruck like his Triton if youre going to hwith rescue efforts during times of crislike Jereme does.

STEVE ROSIE ROSENSTRAUSS

Gee, three Steves on one trip thisis going to get confusing! Now, donthold this against him. Steve RosieRosenstrausss a taxation adviser byday, but its what he does in his sparetime that makes him more thanqualified to be a judge. Rosies thetreasurer of the Nissan Patrol 4WD Clof NSW and ACT. Hes seen moremodified 4WDs, led more convoysthrough the outback, and done more fthe 4WD community than most of us.

STEVE ZAMO ZAMMIT

Truth be told, Steve ZamoZammits a bit of a keen fisho. Andof course, to get to the best fishinspots, you need to know how tohandle a 4WD.

These days he runs a scaffoldinbusiness, but in a past life he usedwork for Mazda, so you could say hknows a thing or two about tradiesutes. Zamo has been to every parof this country, from Cape York toAlice Springs, down to Yalata and uto Broome all in his 4WD on thehunt for that next big fish.

THE TEST ROUTE

To truly score these utes, we needed to test them in the real world.Whats the point in testing them empty if the second you get it homeyoure going to load it up with camping gear and head bush, right?To simulate a family of five with all of their camping gear, or a tradiewho needs to carry a tray-load of tools to a job site each day, weloaded each one up to their respective GVMs by strapping barrels ofwater into the trays.

We needed a variety of terrains to really put these trucks throughtheir paces, and what better than a region that offers sand, mud, ruts,rocks, steep terrain and corrugations to boot? We high-tailed it north outof Sydney, topped up the fuel tanks and hit reset on the utes odometers.Starting off with sand, we pointed the utes towards Blacksmiths Beach,north of Lake Macquarie. Here wed see how each truck, fully loaded,handled arguably the softest sand on the NSW coast.

Next up, we made our way west to the Watagans National Park.The red cedar forests are littered with a bunch of white-knuckle firetrails, so over the following days we tackled nearly every terrainimaginable. If you want to gauge how tough this place is for yourself,just throw the DVD from issue 173 into the DVD player and watchRoothy, Shauno and the crew tackle one of the toughest tracks thisside of Coffs Harbour.

THE JUDGING PANEL

STEVE COLLINS

I reckon Editor Brenno mustvehad a hot date down at the bowloor something, because one arvo hethrows me seven sets of keys.Round up some honest 4WDersand put these utes through theirpaces, he says. Come back andtell me which ones the best. Itwas sort of like winning Lotto, onlyseven times better!

Maybe he thought cause Im aNissan owner, I know when Imlooking at a good thing? Whatever itwas, I knew I needed truly experi-enced 4WDers to help test em, thatis, without breaking em.

We didnt just pick people at random. We specifically chose sixother expert 4WDers who themselves knew what a good dual cabute is made of. As you run down the page each judge eithercurrently owns a ute, is looking to buy one, wants to upgradetheir old one or drives one on a daily basis for work, so we knewthey were more than qualified. There was only one thing left todo. Yep, we pointed $350,000 worth of utes at the first off-roadtrack we could find!

CHRISTIANBITZNow,Christiansaquietsortabloke.Hesitsback,takesit allinandmakesacalculateddecision.Hesinthemarketfor anewutehimself, whichmeans heslookingforvalueformoney. Workingasalandscaper,Christianknowswhatheslookingfor

inagoodtradiesute.

NATHANGIBBSTalkabout ablokethatsdownforthecause.WhatNathanlacksinmechanical know-how,hemakesupforinlifeexperience.Hepracticallylives outof hisswagandwasntabouttopassupthe opportunitytosharehisloveforthebushwiththerestofus.

Nathandrivesatough-as-nailsspace-cabHiLux,andboycanhehandlehimself ina4WD. By dayNathansanarborist, sohisLuxcomesinhandyluggingaroundallofhistree-loppingequipment.

lALANCOLLEYTheres only one way tosum

Alanup.Hesakeen bushie

whosnot afraid togiveanything

ago. Alans a telecommunica-

tions techie,whichmeans he

practically livesout of his2011

Mazda BT-50.Allanandhis son

havedone afairbit inthe way of

touringandhe waskeenas

mustardtogetbehindthe

wheel. Whenhe told ushed

clockedupover 35years of4WD

experience, weknewhe was the

right bloke forthejob.

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When it comes to the Amarok, youve got to forget everything you knowabout a conventional 4WD. It has all the features of a rugged off-road-er, like a military-grade front bash protection plate, traction controland a rear diff lock, but off-road its missing something a traditionallow-range gearbox.

Before we go any further, we need to make one thing clear theAmarok we tested was the 4Motion (AWD) model. And while thisVee-dub does have a selectable off-road mode and a super-low firstgear, once loaded up it was lacking a little, particularly in the sand.

Once you get used to the Euro engineering and get over the facttheres no low-range you start to notice all the standout points. Likethe fact the pint-sized 2.0L engine delivers a bucketload of power. Infact, it has more power and torque than both the 3.0L D-MAX and HiLux.Same goes for the payload. Yeah, we were surprised too! You will needto budget for a snorkel, though, as the air intake is positioned just abovethe radiator and will swallow a gulp of water given the chance.

Touring wise its comfortable to drive, the suspension works andtheres plenty of room under the hood for a second battery and aircompressor (again, due to the small engine). If you plan on capitalising

on the 1014kg payload, you might

need to look at the tie-downpoints as theyre not in the mostpractical position, and theres noheadboard. But otherwise, its ascapable a tourer as any.

The D40 Navaras been around for a while (approaching eight years),but in that time it has undergone a pretty hefty transformation.Sporting a brand-new 3.0L V6 common-rail diesel and seven-speedauto, the D40 is jam-packed full of grunt. Unfortunately, not much hasbeen done about the low-slung transfer case, however. All youve got todo is remember back to the 2008 UOTY, where Roothy cracked thehousing while driving over a rock.

There is a noticeable advantage in the pulling power over any otherute we tested, but sadly the D40 is let down by the auto. On the sand,its forever shifting between gears, and its much the same on looserocky tracks too, although less noticeable.

When it comes to touring ability the Navara is hard to beat. It offersplenty of storage options inside and a versatile tie-down track system inthe tray. The interiors a little dated, but quite comfortable and practical.The dual-zone climate control means all occupants can tailor their air-conto suit. And like any good tourer, the Navara requires no special tools towork on even the radiator cap is a standard metal twist-lock type.

NISSAN NAVARAST-X dual cab auto

CLEARANCESGROUND CLEARANCE:228mmAPPROACH:30DEPARTURE:24RAMP-OVER:n/a

CLEARANCESGROUND CLEARANCE:192mmAPPROACH:28DEPARTURE:23.6RAMP-OVER:21.4

The Navara seems to sit lowerthan the other utes. The seatsare comfortable and offeradequate side support. Theengine is no doubt the standoutfeature. However, being a V6 itleaves little room in the enginebay for fitting aftermarketaccessories. Nathan

RUNDOWN

ENGINE3.0L V6 intercooled turbo-diesel, DOHC,170kW@3750rpm and550Nm@1750rpm

TRANSMISSION7speed automatic withmanual mode

4WD SYSTEMTransfer case dual range4WD with electric 4WD selection

DIFFERENTIALSMechanical limited-slipdifferential

FUEL TANK80L

BRAKESFRONT:ventilated discsREAR:drum

TYRES255/65R17 tyres with 17x7inalloy wheels

TOWING (BRAKED)3000kg

LIST PRICE

$57,290*As tested

RUNDOWN

ENGINE2.0L, 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC,bi-turbochargers, common-raildirect injection, 132kW@4000rpmand 420Nm@1750rpm

TRANSMISSION8-speed automatic

4WD SYSTEM4MOTION permanent

DIFFERENTIALSMechanical rear differential lock

FUEL TANK80L

BRAKESFRONT:303mm ventilated discREAR:292mm drum brake

TYRES245/70 R16 111T, steel 16x6.5inwheels


MAX WADING DEPTH500mm

LIST PRICE$48,990*As tested

SCORECARDOFF-ROADPERFORMANCE:9.3/10TOURING

ABILITY:9.2/10MECHANICALS:8.9/10PRACTICALITY: 10/10ABILITYTOMODIFY:8.4/10FUELECONOMY:8.4/10PAYLOAD:8.7/10RUNNINGCOSTS:4.8/10VALUEFORMONEY:15.2/20

TOTAL:83/100

SCORECARDOFF-ROADPERFORMANCE:8.3/10TOURINGABILITY:9.9/10MECHANICALS:7.8/10PRACTICALITY:9.4/10ABILITYTOMODIFY:7.5/10FUELECONOMY:8.5/10PAYLOAD:9.3/10RUNNINGCOSTS:7.7/10

VALUEFORMONEY:18.9/20

TOTAL: 87.4/100

VW AMAROKTrendline TDI420 4MOTION dual cab auto

VERDICT:LOWESTPURCHASEPRICE

VERDICT:BESTTRADIESTRUCK

RUNNINGCOSTSPERYEAR

$1760.79

PAYLOAD:1014KG

FULLYLOADED FUELFIGURES21.74L/100KM

RUNNINGCOSTSPERYEAR

$2184.13PAYLOAD: 950KG

FULLY LOADED FUEL FIGURES21.90L/100KM

7thPLACE!

6thPLACE!


7/9

CLEARANCESGROUND CLEARANCE:215mmAPPROACH:30DEPARTURE:23RAMP-OVER:n/a

RUNDOWN

ENGINE3.0L, 4-cylinder, 16-valveDOHC, common-rail,126kW@3600rpm and343Nm@1400rpm


4WD SYSTEMPart-time 4WD system,selectable H4 or L4 ,electronic traction control

DIFFERENTIALS

4X4 differential gear ratio 3.727 front and rear

FUEL TANK76L

BRAKESFRONT:disc 297x25mmREAR:drum

TYRES265/65 R17 on 17x7.5in alloys


LIST PRICE$53,490

*As tested

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SCORECARDOFF-ROADPERFORMANCE:9.4/10TOURINGABILITY:8.7/10MECHANICALS:9.6/10PRACTICALITY:9/10ABILITYTOMODIFY:9.6/10FUELECONOMY:9.4/10PAYLOAD:7.7/10RUNNINGCOSTS: 10/10VALUEFORMONEY:18.6/20

TOTAL: 92/100

The long-time class leader HiLux is now the oldest in its category. TheHiLux is previous generation compared to the rest of the utes in itsclass, with it now being some eight years since its last (mechanical)redesign. Sure, the D-4D is a pearler of an engine, but buying what isnow the oldest new ute on the market may be hard to swallow for anew vehicle purchaser.

With that said, the common consensus among the judges is that theHiLux is the quiet achiever. It doesnt excel at anything, but it will doeverything with ease. What it lacks in diff locks, it makes up for withsuspension travel. The HiLux walked straight up sections of track whereothers had spun wheels.

Now, how does it stack up in terms of touring ability? Well, itd behard to beat from a simplistic point of view. Toyota hasnt overcompli-cated any aspect of the HiLux, which means everything falls to handfrom the comfortable driving position, and should something fail on thetracks, you can still swap parts out using basic hand tools. In the backyou get the most usable tie-down points out of all seven utes. Whilethere are only four and they dont slide like the Navara, they are large,strong and well-positioned.

TOYOTA HILUXDouble cab turbo-diesel SR5 auto

RUNNINGCOSTSPERYEAR

$1432.30

PAYLOAD:835KG

FULLYLOADEDFUELFIGURES19.95/100KM

5thPLACE!

Something every one of usnoticed about the HiLux is thatit just got in and did what ithad to do. Its the real quietachiever. This is the type of4WD you just know will bethere at the end. Steve

Obviously coming from the same stable as Fords infamous F-Seriesutilities, we had high expectations of the Ranger. But, did it deliver? Inshort yes it did, but like anything, there are a few things youll need come to terms with before laying down a deposit on one.

The first thing thatll grab your attention is the pin you back in youseat performance of the hefty 3.2L diesel engine. It really was astandout performer, and went about its business unfazed by the tonnof water strapped in the tray. All this power does come at a price,though, clocking up the highest fuel usage of all utes tested.

The Ranger ticks a lot of boxes touring-wise. It offers ample storagsix rear tie-down points, a 12V power outlet in the tray, a spacious ancomfortable interior, sharp steering and a sure-footed ride.

Now for those shortcomings. The front lower control arms areexposed, more so than others, and will get hung up on rocks quiteeasily. While it does afford class leading towing capabilities, the factotowbar is quite bulky and sits low. And finally, its all put together withtorxs bolts not bad in itself, but you might have to budget for a newset of tools if you want to service it yourself.

FORD RANGERXLT double cab turbo-diesel auto

CLEARANCESGROUND CLEARANCE:228mmAPPROACH:29DEPARTURE:20RAMP-OVER:24

RUNDOWN

ENGINE3.2L 5-cylinder turbochargeddirect-injection common-raildiesel, 147kW@3000rpm and470Nm@15002750rpm

TRANSMISSION6speed auto

4WD SYSTEMPart-time

DIFFERENTIALSRear: LRD locking reardifferential

FUEL TANK

80LBRAKES

FRONT:Ventilated discREAR:Drum

TYRES265/65R17 on 17x8in rims



FUEL ECONOMY (CLAIMED9.2L/100km

LIST PRICE

$53,390*As tested

RUNNINGCOSTSPER YEAR

$ 1511.57PAYLOAD: 1041KG

.

FULLYLOADEDFUELFIGURES23.56L/100KM

4thPLACE

SCORECARDOFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE:9.9/10

TOURING ABILITY: 10/10

MECHANICALS:9.6/10

PRACTICALITY:9.7/10

ABILITY TO MODIFY:8.4/10

FUELECONOMY:7.5/10

PAYLOAD:9.6/10

RUNNINGCOSTS:9.4/10

VALUE FOR MONEY:18.8/20

TOTAL: 93/100

3

d

SEEITLIVE!Seethewordscome

outof JeremesmouthaboutwhathethoughtoftheFordRanger.Justscanthecodeorheadtowww.4wdaction.com.au/uotyresults.

VERDICT:MOSTBUSH-READY

VERDICT:MOSTTOWINGPOTENTIAL

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Theres no doubt the BT-50 is adventurous and in a lot of ways similarto the Ranger. As soon as you hit the dirt, it becomes even morepredictable and very easy to control. We werent scoring it anydifferently because it was a manual, but its still worth noting that itshifts faultlessly and smoothly, and manages different loads well (itllcrawl comfortably uphill in second-low all day). The factory rear difflock, hill decent control and EBD all work well together off-road,particularly down rocky descents. The rear diff lock engages surpris-ingly quickly too.

In the sand the BT-50 offers plenty of grunt and a broad gearselection, making it very easy to drive. Vision from the drivers seat is alittle restricted, which makes it hard to see when tackling technicalsections of track. That said, the factory diff means you dont have to beas selective when picking your lines.

MAZDA BT-50Dual cab utility XT manual

CLEARANCESGROUND CLEARANCE:232mmAPPROACH:27.6DEPARTURE:27.1RAMP-OVER:24.4

RUNDOWN

ENGINE3.2L in-line 5-cylinder,20-valve DOHC, intercooledturbo-diesel, 147kW@3000rpmand 470Nm@17502500rpm


4WD SYSTEMElectronically controlled,shift-on-the-fly transfer case

DIFFERENTIALSLocking rear differential (LRD)

FUEL TANK80L

BRAKESFRONT:302mm ventilated discREAR:295mm drum

TYRES255/70R16




RUNNINGCOSTSPERYEAR

$1622.06PAYLOAD:1139KG

FULLY LOADEDFUEL FIGURES20.13L/100KM

2ndPLACE!

SEEITLIVE!Want toseewhat Steve Zamo

Zammit thinksof theBT-50?

Justscanthecodeor head to

www.4wdaction.com.au/uotyresults


RUNDOWN

ENGINE2.8L 4-cylinder Duramaxturbo-dieseldirect common-rail injection,132kW@3800rpm and470Nm@2000rpm (auto)


4WD SYSTEMElectronic shift-on-the-fly;2-speed transfer case

DIFFERENTIALSRear LSD

FUEL TANK76L

BRAKESFRONT:300mm ventilated discREAR DRUM:295 drum

TYRESLTZ: 255/65R17 tyres, 17inalloy wheels




isc

SCORECARDOFF-ROADPERFORMANCE:9.3/10TOURINGABILITY:9.2/10MECHANICALS:9.4/10PRACTICALITY:8.5/10ABILITYTOMODIFY:8.5/10FUELECONOMY:9.6/10PAYLOAD:9.6/10RUNNINGCOSTS:9.5/10

VALUEFORMONEY:20/20TOTAL:93.6/100

To get into a Colorado, youre looking at $49,990, which puts it insecond place price-wise after the Amarok. That price positioningmakes it an attractive buy in anyones book.

Were big fans of the engine, and while the transmission is a litt le

slushy, its an overall tough package. Its also good to see the engineand front diff are well-protected, but like a lot of full-length utes, thetransfer case is exposed. In particular the shifter solenoid, so fitting abelly-pan bash plate would be worthwhile.

The Colorado has a shorter top A-arm within the front suspensionset-up. Couple that with generous-sized guards and theres no doubtyoull be able to fit big rubber without the need for spacers a big pluswhen it comes time for a new set of wheels.

All in all, with a bit of barwork, a suspension lift and bigger rubber,youve got a truck thatll keep up with the competition off-road. Itsalso worth noting that the Colorados traction control system actuallyworks off-road!

HOLDEN COLORADOLTZ Crew Cab turbo-diesel auto

RUNNINGCOSTSPERYEAR

$ 1498.71PAYLOAD:1047KG

FULLYLOADED FUELFIGURES19.71L/100KM

3rdPLACE!

The Colorados very easy todrive. Its sure-footed and offers

plenty of ground clearance. Therear end is soft, so if you plan oncarrying this sort of weight allthe time, youll need to upgradeit. Allan

e

SCORECARDOFF-

ROADPERFORMANCE:10/10TOURINGABILITY:8.1/10MECHANICALS:9.8/10PRACTICALITY:9.3/10ABILITYTOMODIFY:8.8/10FUELECONOMY:9.3/10PAYLOAD: 10/10RUNNINGCOSTS:8.7/10VALUEFORMONEY:19.8/20

TOTAL:93.8/100

VERDICT:BESTVALUEFORMONEY

VERDICT:BESTLOW-RANGEPERFORMANCE

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RUNDOWN

ENGINE3.0L, 4-cylinder turbo-diesel,16-valve DOHC,130kW@3600rpm and380Nm@1800-2800rpm (auto)

TRANSMISSION5-speed tri-mode automaticwith Adaptive Grade Logic,overdrive top gear and lock-uptorque converter

4WD SYSTEMConsole-mounted shift-on-the-fly4H selection at up to 100km/h.Ultra-low 40:1 manual first gearlow-range with stall-saver foridle speed crawl and maxengine-braking on steepdescent. With hill-ascent anddescent control

DIFFERENTIALSNot required with ESC and TCS

FUEL TANK76L

BRAKESFRONT:300mm ventilateddiscs with two-pot calipersREAR:295mm diameterABS with EBD/ Brake Assist,ESC and TCS

TYRES255/65 R17 on 17x7in alloys



REAL-WORLD RESULTS

Truth be told, youd be happy with any one of these utes. No longerare utes uncomfortable, agricultural workhorses. These daystheyre capable of taking on daily driving duties, theyll get you to thtoughest tracks on a weekend, or take you to remote parts of thecountry in comfort and without breaking a sweat. You can see theresults for yourself the numbers are that close it really is splittinghairs. But, when it comes down to it, you need to know youre gettinvalue for money.

The D-MAX deserves the crown, offering unsurpassed off-roadability, top-tier load carrying capacity, a comfortable ride, truck-loads of power all the while returning the most economical fuelfigures of all seven utes. Its so in tune with a 4WDers lifestyle, wedbe surprised if the chief engineer over at Isuzu didnt drive to work

in low-range.The Ranger, Colorado and BT-50 are also formidable fourbies.

Theyve got what it takes to last in harsh environments, like steelbashplates, a proven driveline, and suspension that just works. Youwouldnt think twice about taking one of these into the bush on yournext off-road adventure.

And while the HiLux, Amarok and Navara didnt score as many pointsyou wouldnt complain if you had one parked in your driveway. They reallyare bloody good trucks. You just might need to budget for a few mods,such as a decent set of tyres like the Coopers we ran, or in the case of theEuro-spec utes a new set of tools, before heading off-road.

RUNNINGCOSTSPERYEAR

$1933.58PAYLOAD:1010KG

FULLY LOADED FUEL FIGURES18.90L/100KM

They were all good for dirtroads, but the D-MAX justpipped the others at the post.Not for being a star, but fordoing everything in ano-nonsense manner. It istruly built for the Aussiebush. Rosie

ISUZU D-MAXLS-Terrain Crew Ute auto

1stPLACE!

The D-MAX has come a long way in recent years, and although it sharesa number of components with the Colorado, the engine and gearboxpackage is enough to clearly separate them. Its the little things likethree separate v-section drive belts, no exposed ECU in the engine bay,the alternators up high, and the transfer is protected by the cross-

member, which make it a pure-bred 4WD.Build quality is flawless, even after the off-road sections there wereno new creaks or groans from the interior. Visibility from the driversseat is unbeaten, though the top of the range LS-Terrain we tested hasnoticeably firmer seats than the others. Suppose, this is ideal for anyfull-figured bloke, but anyone with an average build may have to invest

in some sheepskin seat covers.All in all, the D-MAX would be

quite happy turning up to work ona Monday morning, but you justknow its begging to be put inlow-range!

SCORECARDOFF-ROADPERFORMANCE: 10/10TOURINGABILITY:9.4/10MECHANICALS:10/10PRACTICALITY:9.3/10ABILITYTOMODIFY:10/10FUELECONOMY:10/10PAYLOAD:9.3/1

0RUNNINGCOSTS:6.5/10VALUEFORMONEY:19.6/20

TOTAL: 94.0/100

VERDICT:MOSTECONOMICAL

VERDICT:BESTOVERALL

CONTACTS

COOPER TIRESPH: 1300 COOPER

W:WWW.COOPERTIRES.COM.AU

SEEALLTHEACTIONFROMTHETEST!Wanttoseehowtheutesperformedonthetracks?Headtowww.4wdaction.com.au/uotyresultstoseehowthejudgesscoredeachvehicle,wheretheydput theirmoney,andforawholebunchofvideosandhigh-resimagesfromthetest!

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