4wd Ute Shootout

Work/life balance

Turbo-diesel double cab utes now rival conventional

‘cars’ for a place in the heart (and garage) of the

average Kiwi buyer. Our annual Shootout pits Toyota’s

new Hilux against five other top sellers.

Story by Ross MacKay, photos by Graham Hughes

JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 25 24 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

It ’s the gif t, that for ‘car’ makers with a suitable model, just keeps on giving. I’m talking, of course about the ‘4x4 double-cab ute’ phenomenon, the one which has seen what was once a humble workhorse morph into a versatile work/life option for farmers, tradies and urban-based adventurers.

Driving the demand is a similar ‘sea-change’ in the way we work, and see ourselves... and with it our wants and needs when it comes to a vehicle. In no particular order we desire something safe, roomy, grunty, not too hard on the eyes or wallet, and which as well as performing the primary role of ‘work’ vehicle Monday to Friday can also double as a recreational tool come the weekend.

It should come as no surprise then that the top three selling models in March this year were double cab utes. That’s right, the top selling models period, not just top-selling utes or commercial vehicles.

And that that was for the second month in a row. Ford’s Ranger continued to lead the way with 661 units sold for a five percent overall share of the market with Toyotas new Gen 8 Hilux next on 601 units (also five percent) and Mitsubishi’s Triton third (462 units for a four percent share).

Though sales of new double cab utes are going to plateau at some point, that point doesn’t look like it is going to come any time soon.

After three months of sales in 2016, Ford’s Ranger remains the top-selling commercial vehicle with 17 percent market share, followed by Toyota Hilux with 15 percent and Mitsubishi Triton with 12 percent.

Sales growth is not just limited to the volume end of the market either.

March was also a good month for Foton, sales of its price-leading Tunland ute up 66.7 percent on the same month last year.

2016 SampleOur 2016 multi-ute comparison test ‘sample’ was effectively chosen for us when Toyota launched its long-awaited Gen 8 Hilux (we asked for and got an SR5 6-speed auto with a launch RRP of $66,490) in November last year, two months – give or take – after Ford unveiled a comprehensively upgraded Ranger.

That RRP is now $55,990, with the Ford Ranger XLT 4WD auto remaining at a

The testersPublisher Adrenalin Publishing has a wealth of experienced testers on staff in former NZ4WD mag editor John Oxley and long-time contributor Damien O’Carroll so after enjoying working with them on the mags’ Annual and SUV Buyers’ Guide they were at the top of my list.

It also would have been rude not to include mine host Duncan Munro on the roster. And with fellow comparison veteran Kevin Isemonger living just down the road, that made five.

Last year’s test also showed videographer Ian Rawkins to have hitherto undiscovered talents as an incisive analyser of the good,

bad and otherwise points of a vehicle he would be driving at some point anyway so we added he and sidekick Simon Bennett to the mix and we were ready to go ‘hunting bear‘ as our American cousins might say.

starting RRP of $63,040.

Having been well impressed by the capabilities of his Isuzu D-Max when we did one of 4WD instructor Colin Burden’s courses late last year we asked for and received a top-of-the-line LS-T model which has an RRP of $60,990.

with more and more appearing on our roads there was real interest around the NZ4WD office in the model and when Nissan NZ found us a top-of-the-line (complete with sunroof and with an RRP of $62,990) ST-X our ‘six-pack’ was complete.

The venueLast year we gathered up a posse of testers and headed to Tect Park between Tauranga and Rotorua. This year we decided to stay closer to home, asking long-time NZ4WD associate Duncan Munro if he could put together a suitable ‘tagalong-style’ drive programme on his farm.

What I wanted was a mix of motorway, county seal, country gravel and farmland and track, the latter steep enough to require low range and test performance both and downhill.

As you can judge for yourself by the photos, Duncan and his property – Pukerau, near Kawakawa Bay in Auckland’s south-east – provided all that and more. Though overnight rain rendered one part of Duncan’s planned course off limits, the rest was testing enough for your typical owner using Low range and/or the electronics now par for the course with these 4x4 utes with the option (if more grip was needed) of dropping the road tyres pressures.

Duncan even marked out a small gymkhana type course for us to slalom through.

Coincidentally I had a new Yamaha Wolverine UTV to test so a tow to and from provided some valuable bonus data for the comparison.

“We desire

something safe,

roomy, grunty, not

too hard on the

eyes or wallet”

Mitsubishi and Volkswagen were also happy to sort out Triton and Amarok demonstrator models.

In this case Mitsubishi initially offered us a GLS (which comes with the company’s new and very good) four-mode Super Select traction package at an RRP of $57,490. We couldn’t complain when the demo unit was sold, however, it did mean by taking a GLX spec model at $53,990 we weren’t quite comparing apples with apples.

The Amarok we were offered, for instance, was a twin-turbo 4Motion with an RRP of $65,990, meaning we had a price span of just over $12,000.

Which just left Nissan.

We missed out on the test cycle when the all-new, all-coil spring suspension NP300 model was officially launched last year but

The testersKevin IsemongerKevin is a telecommunications contractor who covers big kms in all sorts of 4WDs each year.

Damien O’CarrollAt home on or off the road, motoring writer Damien is a handy person to have on any test team.

John OxleyPrevious but one Editor now presiding over NZ Company Vehicle magazine and Motor Equipment News.

Ross MacKayBig fan of today’s do-anything, go anywhere double cab utes… but which one?

Duncan MunroMine host for our ‘Ute day in the dirt’ this year and a regular on previous test ventures.

Ian RawkinsVideographer Ian proved so useful last year we promoted him to a full tester role this time around!

When considering a towbar for your vehicle, don’t settle for second best.

Any compromise could put you and your precious cargo at risk. Best Bars

design, testing and engineering are trusted by new vehicle distributors

to deliver you the safety and reliability you demand. Best Bars approved

accessories are available through leading new vehicle dealers nationwide.

0800 BEST BARS | www.bestbars.co.nz | info@bestbars.co.nz

BEST BARS. BY FAR.

TOWING SOLUTIONS

& AUTO ACCESSORIES

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 27 26 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

King of the Hill. If Ford’s Ranger isn’t that yet it must be getting very close.

In a sector where the previous incumbent – Toyota’s venerable Hilux – reigned supreme for 32 years Ranger arrived like a bolt from the blue (oval!) and proved that tradition, and product/marque/dealer loyalty (to Toyota) only went so far…Sure the lack of a high-rolling 2WD auto hurt Toyota in the city and rural fringe, but the lesson Ranger has brought to the market is a simple one, “build it and (if it’s good enough, and what punters want) they will come!”

Not only that, but just when Toyota was finalising worldwide launch details of its all-new Gen 8 model, Ford announces a major mid-life Ranger facelift.

That facelift included a new, tougher, more assertive nose, a new electric power steering system, a sleek new interior complete with new dash (including a new eight inch screen and reversing camera at XLT spec level this time around) and a host of fine-tooth-comb refinements to the chassis, suspension, running gear and spec.

Unchanged, for good reason, was the Ranger’s signature 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and matching six-speed (in our case) automatic transmission.

It’s the ride quality that really sets the Ranger apart in this company though. On or off the road, ride is really in another – SUV-equalling – league. Yes it is that good; as controlled, composed and compliant as you could wish for, yet untroubled by a cabin full of family and/or friends, a load of hay, scaffolding or bags of cement in the tray or trailer full of dirt bikes or jet skis hooked up to the tow bar.

As Damien O’Carroll said in his summing up: “Superb ride and handling. Comfortable, compliant and brilliantly absorbent. Simply shouldn’t be this good!”

SPECIFICATIONS Ford Ranger XLT ENGINE: 3.2 litre (3198c) common rail injection 5-cylinder turbo-diesel TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic POWER: 147kW@3000rpm TORQUE: 470NM@1500-2750rpm ECONOMY: 9l/100KM SUSP FRONT: Coil SUSP. REAR: Leaf BRAKES: Disc front, drum rear WHEELS/TYRES: Alloy/Dunlop GrandTrek A/T 265/65 R17 TURNING CIRCLE: 12.4m LxWxH: 5362x1860x1848 WHEELBASE: 3220mm APP/DEP ANGLES: 29/28 degrees GROUND CLEARANCE: 237mm WADING DEPTH: 800mm KERB WEIGHT: 2246kg LOAD BED: 1549 (l) x 511 (d) PAYLOAD: 954kg TOWING: 750kg (ub), 3500kg (b) TRACTION: ABS, EBD, EBA, ESP SAFETY RATING: ANCAP 5 stars WARRANTY: 3 year/100,000km RRP: $63,040

John Oxley agreed, complimenting the new electric power steering system for being positive and light and the suspension for the way it “soaked up the bumps off-road” yet at the same time, provided “car-like handling on the road, particularly for such a big and comfortable truck.”

Ride quality is not the Ranger’s only strong suit either. The power plant remains one of the best in the (car AND commercial) business.

“What a wonderful engine, “enthused John. “While the rest seem noisy and (distinctively) diesel, the Ranger’s purrs like a petrol with huge torque and flexibility.”

“Easily the best in class,” agreed Damien. “Massively powerful and torquey, brilliantly flexible and strong everywhere in the rev range. While it doesn’t exactly rev to very high, the big, meaty mid-range does all the work while the low down grunt is fantastically fun. Brilliant transmission as well.”

That said, the Ranger isn’t perfect. The sleek new dashboard with large centrally-mounted speedo and (if you can work out how to call it up) rev counter is not everyone’s cup of tea. I know I preferred

the old, twin dial, one. It would be nice at popular XLT level as well to have an electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

Retaining a key (and an ignition switch) also seems a bit of an anachronism when you look at all the other driver aids (rear view camera, parking sensors, dual zone climate control, cruise control, USB and iPod plus, 240V inverter and 12V socket and light in the tray) that are standard at XLT level.

There’s no escaping the sheer size of the thing either, particularly when you are off-piste.

“Probably a little big for me,” is how our resident diplomat Duncan put it. And for all his high praise Damien identified its size as the Ranger’s weakest point.

“So very damn big that it can be hard to place (and) it was the only ute in our sample that I regularly clipped the markers in…”

Experienced off-roader Kevin didn’t mention size or footprint in his off road notes but did when he was commenting on what it was like on the road.

“(I was) very conscious of the size of the vehicle,” is how he put it.

“Superb ride

and handling.

Comfortable,

compliant and

brilliantly

absorbent.

Simply shouldn’t

be this good!”

Ford Ranger XLT

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 29 28 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

Isuzu D-Max LS-T

After being favourable impressed by 4WD trainer Colin Burden’s D-Max when he gave me some off-road driving pointers late last year, I made it my mission to include an Isuzu in this comparison test.

The D-Max is very much the quiet achiever in the 4x4 double cab ‘gold rush’, currently (March 16 registrations) seventh in the ute top ten.

The LS-T is Isuzu NZ’s top-of-the-line model with our five-speed automatic transmission-equipped test unit having an RRP of $ 60,990.

That’s a fair old whack of wedge in this day and age of dealers asking YOU what you would like to pay then working back from there! But to be fair it is one which gets you leather seats (the driver’s six-way electrically-adjustable) , a touch screen and reversing camera, and one of the simplest and easiest to use (check out the central rotary dial in the cab pic) climate air conditioning systems on the market at the moment.

The D-Max has also earnt a reputation for being able to rack up the kilometres on road and take the knocks off it. Though in this company it is now one of the older designs on sale here.

The engine harks back, for instance, to a day when you expected to hear a diesel engine – particularly such a large capacity in-line four – chatter away as it went about is work. For all its capacity (at a full 2999cc the second largest engine in the sample) the 130kW/380Nm four is only a modest performer.

Ian – who reckons the Ranger still has more power and torque than it has any right to – felt the D-Max had ‘enough

SPECIFICATIONSIsuzu D-Max LS-TENGINE: 3.0 litre (2999cc) common rail injection 4-cylinder turbo-dieselTRANSMISSION: 5-speed automaticPOWER: 130kW@3600rpm TORQUE: 380Nm@1800-2800rpmECONOMY: 8.1l/100KMSUSP FRONT: CoilSUSP. REAR: LeafBRAKES: Disc front, drum rearWHEELS/TYRES: 17”Alloy/Bridgestone Dueler H/T 255/65 R17TURNING CIRCLE: 12.6mLxWxH: 5295x1860x1845mmWHEELBASE: 3095mmAPP/DEP ANGLES: 30/22.7 degreesGROUND CLEARANCE: 235mmWADING DEPTH: 500mmKERB WEIGHT: 1943kgLOAD BED: 1552mm (l) x 465mm (d)PAYLOAD: 1007kgTOWING: 750kg (ub), 3500kg (b)TRACTION: ABS, EBD, BA, TCS, ESC, SAFETY RATING: ANCAP 5 starsRRP: $60,990

power and torque but was just a little noisy.’ And Damien was of the opinion that it could do with more, particularly off-road.

“It certainly feels like it is down on torque compared with the others, particularly in the mid-range, the deficit is nowhere near as noticeable on the road where the smooth and fast transmission helps out a lot.”

The lack of any sort of push-button electronic hill descent control was noted by all our testers when we were off-road. Yet once over the fact, the Isuzu was one of the better, more assured performers on our downhill section.

“Excellent engine braking helped here,” said John. And even Kevin, who never really gelled with the D-Max, admitted that “the low box worked really well.”

Getting it in and out of Low range took longer than it did using the similar rotary-dial-based systems on the other utes so-equipped, but once in I know I was impressed with the sure-footed way the D-Max worked through our course.

I was also pleasantly surprised with the ride quality on the road when I first climbed aboard. While it is definitely firmer – and therefore quicker to

telegraph road and/or track surface irregularities to your butt – it had real compliance, and would have been a candidate for top of the class before Amarok and new Ranger came along.

“It’s pretty traditional,” offered Damien, “but still good on the road and decent though not the most refined, off it. The steering is nice too, if a bit distant.”

Handling itself is a mixed bag with a nose-heavy feel, strong understeer and more body roll than I’d ultimately prefer. This means that on the road you are naturally limited in how quickly you want to corner by the lack of lateral support from those firm, leather-trimmed seats as well.

The front seats are also set quite high with limited vertical movement, great for when you are craning your neck to see beyond the bonnet off road but not really necessary on it.

As Damien said in his summing up: “Good seating position but the seats are flat and unsupportive. (However) Excellent visibility and very easy to place accurately on the track. (In this it is) a better size than the Ranger and an easier shape to see the extremities of.”“The D-Max is

very much the

quiet achiever

in the 4x4 double

cab ‘gold rush’,

currently (March

16 registrations)

seventh in the

ute top ten.”

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 31 30 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

SPECIFICATIONSMitsubishi Triton GLXENGINE: 2.4 litre (2442cc) common rail injection 4-cylinder turbo-dieselTRANSMISSION: 5-speed automaticPOWER: 135kW@3500rpm TORQUE: 437Nm@2500rpmECONOMY: 7.6l/100KMSUSP FRONT: CoilSUSP. REAR: LeafBRAKES: Disc front, drum rearWHEELS/TYRES: 16”Alloy/A/T 245/70 R16TURNING CIRCLE: 11.8mLxWxH: 5280x1815x1780WHEELBASE: 3000mmAPP/DEP ANGLES: 30/22 degreesGROUND CLEARANCE: 205mmWADING DEPTH: 500mmKERB WEIGHT: 1930kgLOAD BED: 1520mm (l) x 475mm (d)PAYLOAD: 970kgTOWING: 750kg (ub), 3100kg (b)TRACTION: ABS, EBD, ASC & ATC, SAFETY RATING: ANCAP 5 starsWARRANTY: 5yr/130,000km powertrainRRP: $53,990

Mitsubishi Triton GLX

Mitsubishi pushed out the boat last year, securing one of the first of its then only-just-launched new-look Triton GLS models.

A year on and JAM490 was still doing sterling service on the test fleet and I was looking forward to getting back behind the wheel when word came that demand was such that it had been sold.

With no other GLS (top spec complete with four-mode Super Select drive mode system, dual zone aircon and 17-inch alloy wheels) models available the company found us a GLX auto demonstrator which we gratefully accepted.

In theory we would be comparing apples (the $53,990 GLX 4WD auto) with oranges (the $65,990 Amarok and $63,040 Ranger) but bar some bells and whistles they are essentially the same vehicle.

Last year we all – to a man – raved about Mitsubishi’s all-new MIVEC-equipped 2.4 litre turbo diesel engine (very much ‘the little engine that could!’) and well-matched 5-speed auto transmission, were well impressed by the dynamic handling on road, agreed that the new, edgier styling was a definite improvement on the old… but were not so keen on the rather unruly (read bouncy) ride off road and the time it took for the transmission selector to engage.

A year on, and on a lower spec model, we could have been singing from the same songbook.

Though – like both Kevin and John – he grumbled about the 2WD/4WD selector (“annoyingly slow and clunky, the worst aspect of Mitsubishi’s otherwise excellent 4WD system”) Damien certainly didn’t hold a grudge.

“The Triton had always been the quiet achiever in the ute segment, and that

remains the same for the new one. Pretty damn good at pretty much everything without being a big show off about it, the Triton is a very convincing ute indeed.”

It’s not as if you are missing out on anything which is going to compromise your everyday driving experience if you plumb for a GLX rather than a GLS wellside.

You still get Mitsubishi’s coordinated suite of electronic traction aids which include ABS, BA (Brake Assist), EBD, ASC and ATC (see glossary) plus Trailer Stability and Hill Start assistance.

If you’re trying to weigh up the difference, think about your intended use. If a lot of it is on farm or off-road, for instance, Super Select with its four modes – 2H, 4H and 4HLC (where LC denotes locked central diff) and 4LLC – is probably worth the extra beer vouchers being asked.

If you’re a tradie or urban lifestyler though, the three Easy Select options (2H and 4H and 4L) plus manual rear diff lock at least give you the option of taking your truck off-road.

Speaking of which, if you don’t mind admitting that the sheer size and presence of a Ranger or Amarok leaves you worrying about getting either in your garage or out of a tight spot off-road, both the Triton and – to a point the Isuzu D-Max – offer a more compact (shorter,

narrower, better view over the bonnet) alternative.

Though Mitsubishi have increased cabin space and with it leg and head room the Triton is 100mm shorter overall than a Ranger and 200mm shorter in the wheelbase. To keep the tray in proportion there’s more overhang behind the rear wheels – which means the tow bar fitted to our test ute was constantly digging in on our test course.

That’s a minor annoyance though in the general scheme of things

As Damien said: “Triton tied with the D-Max as the easiest to place on the track (and) probably offered the best visibility of the lot.“

Like all the high-riding 4WD utes in its sample you still have to climb up to, then into, the Triton cabin.

Once there the ambience and ergos are definitely more car or SUV than (traditional) ute-like. As are the driving dynamics once you are up and running.

“Surprisingly lithe and nimble – not something you could usually accuse a ute of being,“ was how Damien put it. He also liked the “nicely-weighted and accurate steering,“’ which he stated, “goes nicely with the impressive (on-road) handling.“

“Pretty damn

good at pretty

much everything

without being

a big show off

about it, the

Triton is a very

convincing

ute indeed.”

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 33 32 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

SPECIFICATIONSNissan Navara NP300 ST-XENGINE: 2.3 litre (2298cc) common rail injection 4-cylinder twin turbo-dieselTRANSMISSION: 7-speed automaticPOWER: 140kW@3700rpm TORQUE: 450Nm@1500-2500rpmECONOMY: 7.0l/100KMSUSP FRONT: CoilSUSP. REAR: CoilBRAKES: Disc front, drum rearWHEELS/TYRES: 18”Alloy/Toyo A25 Open Country A/T 255/60 R18TURNING CIRCLE: 12.4mLxWxH: 5255x1850x1840mmWHEELBASE: 3150mmAPP/DEP ANGLES: 32.4/26.7 degreesGROUND CLEARANCE: 228mmWADING DEPTH: 450mmKERB WEIGHT: 1921kgLOAD BED: 1503mm (l) x 474mm (d)PAYLOAD: 930kgTOWING: 750kg (ub), 3500kg (b)TRACTION: ABS, EBD, TCS, VDC with BLSD, ABLS, BA, HAS. HDC SAFETY RATING: ANCAP 5 StarWARRANTY: 3yr/100,000kmRRP: $62,990

Nissan’s all-new NP300 model is certainly different, mixing a tough, albeit evolutionary look, with a new (shorter by 50mm in the wheelbase) chassis, a positively revolutionary new five-link coil-sprung rear end and equally radical single or twin-turbo (depending on the spec) 2.3 litre in-line four diesel engine mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission.

Nissan NZ must have been well-pleased, too, when in March, dealers delivered 234 of the things for sixth spot in the commercial sales charts, just one unit behind Toyota.

Our line-topping ST-X test unit came with all the fruit including leather-accented (i.e. part leather) seats – the driver’s being eight-way electrically adjustable – as well as a seven inch touch screen complete with reversing camera (as well as sensors), dual zone climate air and a steel slide in/out sunroof.

It also comes standard with a rear diff lock.

You’ve got to love a company, too, that still includes a wee sliding square porthole insert in the rear screen. Not to mention one that includes a 12V socket for the tray (as well as the two inside).

Like the other ‘new’ models in the sample, the Navara also boasted a sleek SUV-like interior, a far cry from the vinyl-and-rubber

of the old n/a 3.0 I was driving up until two or three years ago.

I’ll go first here because I also spent a week driving an ST-X on the road ahead of the comparison test.

Where I noticed the biggest improvement in ride was on gravel, in particular on the corrugated uphill exits of corners.

Every gravel road gets these, especially through the dry summer months and with traditional leaf rear sprung rear ends you often find yourself kicking and bucking sideways as the wheels scrabble for traction.

Not the NP300. The loooong, Pre-Runner truck-style trailing arms and coil/damper combo soak those puppies up like litmus paper, leaving you pondering why the only leaf-spring rear end to get close to the same response is that of the Ford Ranger.

But that’s where the proximity ends.

On the road the steering lacked the sharpness, precision and instant response to tiller input of its Ranger and Triton rivals, moving Ian to comment that “half a turn is needed for even slight corners.”

Ian felt that the ride itself – we’re talking on the road here – “wasn’t bad,” though John spoke for most of us by saying that though “quite compliant, this makes (the ride) a bit soft and bouncy and the handling compromised by a lot of body roll.”

This was also evident off-road.

“Good visibility and easy to place,” John started with a positive in his summary, “but… the new rear coil suspension doesn’t make ride quality as good as expected.”

All our testers rated the Nissan’s simple, effective driver selector dial and the rocker switch for the Hill Descent and our off-road specialist Kevin rated the Hill Descent System the best.

But the new twin-turbo 2.3 litre diesel engine and seven-speed auto transmission also received mixed comments.

While Ian reckoned that “there were no problems with the power or torque… plenty of both, good transmission ratios as well,” Damien was of the opinion that it was “not as powerful as the best in the segment but (it has) enough grunt to do the trick in pretty much every situation.”

You have to work the (nice and responsive) throttle to keep those turbos spinning, and with higher revs comes more noise and vibration than you would ideally like, but one thing the new engine/coil-spring rear end combo does brilliantly is find grip off-road.

“Where I noticed

the biggest

improvement

in ride was

on gravel, in

particular on

the corrugated

uphill exits

of corners.”

Nissan Navara ST-X

That said, the trim and in particular the fit and finish was not – quite – in Hilux, Ranger or Amarok league. The plastics appeared thinner and sharper-edged, and the cabin itself felt like it was put together from several different, rather than the same, kitset.

The big news as far as the NP300 model is concerned, of course, is the coil-sprung rear end. And – to a man – we were all keen to see if we could ‘spot the difference.’

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 35 34 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

Toyota Hilux SR5

Meanwhile, at Toyota NZ HQ in Palmerston North, company sales and marketing executives wait expectantly for the Motor Industry Association to publish the latest registration results.

Having virtually created – then nurtured – the success story that is the current double-cab turbo-diesel ute category, it must have been particularly galling to see rivals first catch then pass you for the number one spot.

They must be nervous times at the moment as well, as demand for Ranger shows no sign of waning and despite new Gen 8 Hilux being a massive step forward, critics like us, keep banging on about ride quality…

So let’s at least start with some positives...like the price of one of the most popular versions, the 4WD Double Cab SR5 auto which was at $63,990 but is now listed at $55,990.

Then there are the interiors of the new Gen 8 models, all 21 of them!

We’ll start with Damien.

“Excellent seats and a brilliant seating position make the Hilux extremely comfortable. An attractive and well laid-out cabin makes it very pleasant indeed.

“The new diesel engine is (also) thoroughly excellent. Smooth, refined and powerful, it is a highlight of new Hilux and it is hooked up to an equally excellent transmission.”

Damien also came away from our test happy that new Hilux hadn’t lost any of its legendary abilities off-road.

“Absolutely brilliant off-ride ride and steering – a huge leap over the last Hilux which was excellent here as well.”

New Hilux is also “very easy to see out, despite it still being quite big, with excellent clearance and approach angles aided, in this regard, by that slightly awkward pointy nose!”

John Oxley was also positive about

the interior, the steering and the new 2.8 litre engine.

“A big improvement over the old version in every way,” is how he kicked off his comments.

“Great driving position, quite comfy and love the iPad-like central touchscreen and downloadable apps.

“Excellent power/torque, with delivery from way down the rev range. Smooth and quiet.”

Kevin also had good things to say about the seats, the engine, the steering and handling on road and off – particularly off.

“It’s definitely a big improvement over the last model. Good even power when needed from down low with no sudden surges. And push-button start and no more levers to get it into Low ratio. We also have Hill Descent with an easy-to-select button on the dash and a good display on the instrument panel.”

But. And there’s always a but, isn’t there?

“Hilux has come a long way,” said John at his most diplomatic best, “but it still doesn’t like bumpy roads, even around town at low speed. (The new model is) chalk and cheese over the old one, but ride quality is still not what you get from some of the others.”

Kevin raised a chuckle in the office when he

described it as “good old-fashioned firm ute ride” adding that it would be “great for the farm hand, maybe not so great for the ‘weekend warrior.”

And to be fair, it did come into its own on Duncan’s farm.

“As always,“ said John, “the Hilux comes into its own off-road where the ride feels good, the steering positive and the very flexible engine gives torque from really low in the rev range, making off-road driving easy and smooth.

“The rotary dial makes going from Hi to Lo range easier, there’s good engine braking and now hill descent, which makes things easier. Traction off-road is also very good. (In fact) Hilux creamed it when others in the group were battling a bit.

Current Hilux owners won’t be disappointed when they trade up to a new one. It’s better, smoother, and a lot easier to drive off-road.

On-road though, there is still the day-to-day issue of the hard, springy ride, as if there are dual rate springs front and rear with the top two or three coils 25 percent stiffer than the rest.

As Damien concluded:

“Ride on the road is the new Hilux’s biggest weakness – it’s bouncy and wearing – and is the single worst aspect of an otherwise excellent ute.”

SPECIFICATIONSToyota Hilux SR5 ENGINE: 2.8 litre (2755c) common rail injection 4-cylinder turbo-dieselTRANSMISSION: 6-speed automaticPOWER: 130kW@3400rpm TORQUE: 450Nm@1600-2400rpmECONOMY: 8.5l/100kmSUSP FRONT: CoilSUSP. REAR: LeafBRAKES: Disc front, drum rearWHEELS/TYRES: Alloy/Bridgestone Dueler A/T 265/65 R17TURNING CIRCLE: 12.4mLxWxH: 5335x1855x1815mmWHEELBASE: 3090mmAPP/DEP ANGLES: 31/26 degreesGROUND CLEARANCE: 225mmWADING DEPTH: 700mmKERB WEIGHT: 2090kgLOAD BED: 1525 (l) x 480 (d)PAYLOAD: (auto) 910kgTOWING: (auto) 750kg (ub), 3200kg (b)TRACTION: ABS, EBD, BA, EBA, TRC, VSC & TSC, ESP, HSC & DACSAFETY RATING: ANCAP 5 starsWARRANTY: 3 year/100,000kmRRP: $55,990 (was $65,290 at launch)

“Excellent

power/torque,

with delivery

from way down

the rev range.

Smooth

and quiet.”

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 37 36 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

Volkswagen’s Amarok majors on size, comfort and build quality and though sales this year are down on last that doesn’t mean Amarok is any less worthy a vehicle. In fact, with its excellent full-time 4Motion 4WD system, eight-speed transmission and push-button off-road mode it is one of the easiest to live with full-size (and it IS big!) 4WD double cab utes on the market.

VW’s 4Motion 4WD system means it is the only ute in our sample with full-time 4WD via a Torsen diff which distributes drive 40/60 to the front and rear wheels. It also has the biggest (longest, deepest and widest between the wheel arches) tray and is one of the only utes in the sample to come complete with tray lights.

Like the Nissan Navara we got to test, the Highline TD1 auto is the priciest Amarok available here, its RRP of $65,990 putting it in Ford Ranger Wildtrak territory.

No one aspect really stands out, but combined the interior, driving dynamics (steering, handing and ride) and engine/transmission/drivetrain provide a driving experience that is more than a sum of the individual parts.

It’s not perfect, and in this company and the conditions we put the utes through off-road it wasn’t as fully-rounded in its

capabilities as those with transfer cases. On-road – be it seal or gravel – however, it was a contender for the top spot.

Starting with comments about its abilities on-road Damien, was unequivocal.

“Superbly comfortable seating and nicely sensible German ergonomics impress. Excellent visibility all round and absolutely amazing ride quality which is truly almost car-like. The pleasant steering is a little over-assisted and light, but nicely accurate and quick.“

John was more succinct but backed Damien up 100 percent.

“Comfortable and well-built and the ride is the best of the bunch on road. Comfy, quiet, but a bit pricey for what you get.”

The pair also agreed that though the 2.0 litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine made impressive power (132kW) and torque (420Nm) it didn’t have the reserves of the ‘brutishly powerful’ Ranger or, for that matter, the smooth, measured delivery of the Hilux of Mitsubishi.

Ian picked up on this theme suggesting that: “it just needs a little more torque lower down in the range to be perfect.”

Before we got to our designated test area high on Duncan’s property most of us thought that Volkswagen’s ultra-wide range transmission and one-touch ‘off-road’ button was a master stroke.

So – to a man – we all expressed surprise when Damien slithered and slid down our grassy chute, then had to take two or three goes to get up the following (slippery long grass covered) hill.

Once the rest of us had worn through the grass, the Amarok found grip in the soil. But as Damien concluded: “Grass would seem to be the otherwise amazing off-road electronics’ weak spot.”

In its defence like the other utes, the Amarok was running on its standard OEM tyres (Bridgestone Duelers) and at uniform (32psi) pressures.

But so were the other utes and it would appear that the long, moist grass stalks in the unmowed and only lightly grazed paddock confused the HDC (Hill Descent Control) function of the off-road electronics.

Someone who spends as much time off road as he does on it, Kevin, should – in theory at least – have turned his nose up at this point.

Instead he brushed off what he considered was a minor issue in the overall scheme of things.

“No low box and only two buttons to push, ‘Off-Road’ and Stability Control? ’ This is good and aligns with where I feel the market is – weekend warriors – where inexperienced people head out into the back country for other activities and may need some assistance to get back out again, but they are not really sure what is needed. (So) they just bung it into ‘off road’ mode and away they go. They don’t have to worry about what is displayed on the dash or what you have or have not pulled, they just drive away, and it works.”

“Instead he

brushed off what

he considered

was a minor

issue in the

overall scheme

of things.”

Volkswagen Amarok Highline 4Motion

SPECIFICATIONSVolkswagen Amarok Highline 4MotionENGINE: 2.0 litre (1968c) common rail injection 4-cylinder twin-turbo dieselTRANSMISSION: 8-speed automaticPOWER: 132kW@4000rpm TORQUE: 400NM@1500-2000rpmECONOMY: 8.3l/100kmSUSP FRONT: CoilSUSP. REAR: LeafBRAKES: Disc front, drum rearWHEELS/TYRES: Alloy 17”/Bridgestone Duelers A/T 245/65 R17TURNING CIRCLE: 12.4mLxWxH: 5254x2228x1834WHEELBASE: 3095mmAPP/DEP ANGLES: 28/23.6 degreesGROUND CLEARANCE: 192mmWADING DEPTH: 500mmKERB WEIGHT: 2111kgLOAD BED: 1555 (l) x 508 (d)PAYLOAD: 929kgTOWING: 750kg (ub), 3000kg (b)TRACTION: ABS, EBD, EBA, ESPSAFETY RATING: ANCAP 5 starsWARRANTY: 3 year/100,000kmRRP: $65,990

June 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ 39 38 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ

HOW THEY SCORED • 6 testers/10 pts per category • Perfect score would be 60 pts per category or 300 all up Ranger D-Max Triton Navara Hilux AmarokExterior: 55 45 41 46 47 50Interior: 52 43 47 44 51 47Ride/Refinement: 52 42 44 43 41 52Fitness for purpose: 54 46 43 42 51 47Value for money: 54 44 42 42 46 43TOTALS 267 220 217 217 236 239

TOP SIX1. Ford Ranger XLT 267 points2. VW Amarok Highline 4Motion 239 points3. Toyota Hilux SR5 236 points4. Isuzu D-Max LS-T 220 points5=. Nissan Navara ST-X 217 points5=. Mitsubishi Triton GLX 217 points

Once again, Ford’s Ranger XLT was a clear winner of our annual 4WD Ute Comparo.

Put simply, on every objective, and most subjective, criteria (see table) Ranger again came out on top.

Second was Volkswagen’s Amarok, third Toyota’s new Gen 8 Hilux. Isuzu’s D-Max found itself fourth while Nissan’s new Navara and Mitsubishi’s Triton shared fifth place.

To be fair each model has its strengths and weaknesses, and our rather catholic testing procedure does not take into account important but otherwise hard to quantify factors like brand loyalty, dealer loyalty, residual values and servicing and long-term ownership costs, let alone all those enticing finance deals you see advertised at this time of year.

What we do, though, and do well, is drive the things on and off-road in as-delivered condition, just like an owner would.

The Ranger was not everyone’s favourite. But it won because it was the best all-rounder of the bunch.

For Duncan, it was simply too big for him to be completely comfortable in. For the rest of us it was the ute to beat.

VW’s Amarok is due for a Ranger-like freshen up but it earned its second spot despite some reservations about its

performance off the road, at the expense of Toyota’s all-new Hilux.

No matter how good, how accomplished and how much better new Hilux is over the model it replaced it still lacks the on-road suspension compliance which is one of the Ranger’s top two (the other is the engine) selling points.

To give you an idea of how different Ranger and Hilux ride on the road, more than one of our testers compared Isuzu’s D-Max to a Gen 7 Hilux…’but with a better on-road ride.’

Like the new coil-sprung Nissan, the D-Max polarised our testers, Duncan voting it his favourite, while others had it at the bottom of their lists.

The Nissan surprised some and frustrated others, not quite in equal measures. The ride on the road, as well as grip off it is fine, but the balance front to rear could be better. The engine’s a cracker though, and like Ranger it has the fresh, aggressive look favoured by ute buyers the days.

The Mitsubishi also has a great, willing, perky, engine, fresh, easy to live with interior and benefits on and off road from being slightly smaller and with it more nimble than Ranger and Amarok. But when push comes to shove, ride, particularly off-road, gets a bit loose.

These, of course, are just our opinions. If you want to air your own email the Editor on editor@nz4WD.co.nz

And the winner is…

40 JUNE 2016 WWW.NZ4WD.CO.NZ