Ute Reviews

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UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Volkswagen Amarok PanAmericana

Volkswagen’s new Amarok is a Ranger under the skin, with vastly improved safety and second row comfort compared with the original.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: MG U9

MG has no intention of missing out on the dual-cab fever currently running wild in Australia. Enter the new U9, which has more than a few party tricks to reveal.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Mazda BT-50 GT

The Mazda BT-50 hits a lot of the right notes in the dual-cab segment, but there are some crucial areas where it falls a little short.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: KGM Musso Ultimate Luxury XLV

The ‘other’ challenger brand in this segment is one that some of you might not immediately think of – South Korea’s first dual-cab entrant, the KGM Musso.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Kia Tasman X-Line

It might have a face only a mother could love but underneath that Ugly Duckling exterior lives a refined and well-sorted dual-cab.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Isuzu D-Max Terrain

Updated and tweaked recently, the D-Max continues to appeal to buyers looking for rugged reliability and all-round capability.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, 3rd: Ford Ranger V6 Sport

The Ford Ranger redefined the segment when the latest-gen launched in 2022, establishing itself as the best-selling vehicle of any kind over the last two years.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, 2nd: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV

The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is disrupting the dual-cab universe with larger overall dimensions and its fuel-sipping plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

UOTY

2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year Winner: BYD Shark 6

In a first for Wheels, dual cabs get their own segment and new yearly award – with a razor sharp focus. And it’s one of the newer brands taking out our first-ever Ute of the Year award, the BYD Shark 6.

Reviews

2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty: Wheels’ in-depth review of the Blue Oval’s hardcore work truck

Ford’s Ranger has dominated sales charts as objectively the best dual-cab ute available. Now, in an appeal to fleet and rural buyers looking for the ultimate work truck, there’s a new big dog in town…

Reviews

2026 Toyota HiLux in-depth review: New, or just improved?

Toyota’s ninth-gen HiLux sticks closely to a proven formula, mixing modest structural tweaks, mild-hybrid tech and cabin updates with familiar underpinnings to keep Australia’s top-selling ute on track.

Comparisons

2026 Ford Ranger XLT vs Toyota HiLux SR5: Spec Battle 

A deeper dive into the pros and cons of Australia’s two most popular vehicles.

Reviews

2026 Nissan Navara review: Triton DNA combined with local tuning – will it still appeal to ute buyers?

The new Nissan Navara is a Triton twin, but Premcar’s outback-tuned suspension and Nissan styling aim to keep loyalists happy when the rebadged dual-cab arrives early in 2026.

Reviews

2026 Toyota HiLux Wheels review: First drive of the updated version of Australia’s favourite workhorse

Toyota’s updated 2026 HiLux launches into a crowded segment and a sea of challengers, the likes of which it has never had to deal with before. Can the new model’s significant tech updates, specifically, ensure it keeps pace with an ever-changing dual-cab segment?

Reviews

2025 GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV review: New contender arrives in the best value-for-money dual-cab showdown

GWM has counter punched the BYD Shark with its own take on the modern dual-cab in the shape of the Cannon Alpha PHEV… plus its sharp pricing promises to appeal to buyers.

Reviews

2026 KGM Musso EV ute: First impressions from pre-production model drive

The KGM Musso EV is comfortable, well-equipped and capable of 380-plus kilometres per charge, but its payload may work against it.

Reviews

2025 MGU9: Wheels’ first drive impressions of the latest entrant to our hyper competitive ute market

The contest for market share in the dual-cab segment is a drag ’em out, bare knuckle fight for the wallets of Aussie buyers. Chinese giant, MG, is the latest to join the fray with its new U9.

Comparisons

Ford Ranger Super Duty vs Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series: Spec Battle 

Ford’s Ranger Super Duty takes aim at Toyota’s long-serving LandCruiser 70-Series, promising greater towing capacity and modern features while challenging the LC70’s rugged, no-frills appeal.

Reviews

2025 Kia Tasman review: Will Kia’s big gamble on the Aussie ute market pay off?

Now available in Australia after a high-profile, sports star-led media campaign, Wheels can now give a proper assessment of the Kia Tasman after hopping in some of the main variants at the official launch.

Reviews

2025 Ford Ranger XLT: What makes the dual-cab such a reliable volume-seller?

Despite increasing competition, the Ford Ranger remains top of the pile among dual-cab utes in Australia. Here’s a deeper look at the popular XLT variant.

Reviews

KGM Musso: Value-packed ute offers more than just low pricing

It recently won Wheels’ Best Dual-Cab Ute 2025 – Under $50K, but there’s more to the KGM Musso than just its excellent pricing.

Reviews

2025 Ford Ranger PHEV: Lots of hype, but what’s the reality of the new hybrid?

Ford electrifies the Ranger but could it have done with turning up the juice a bit?

Reviews

KGM SsangYong Musso dual-cab ute: Style and comfort for a winning price

The KGM SsangYong Musso is one of Australia’s best value utes, with low pricing and a solid equipment list. Do you need more?

Reviews

BYD Shark 6: The Wheels verdict on the category-busting ute

The BYD Shark 6 has already made an impact in Australia, taking market share off the likes of Ford and Toyota. Andy Enright discovers what all the fuss is about…