WHEELS UTE OF THE YEAR




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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.