Review: Holden Rodeo vs Toyota, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan & Mazda's Utes

[JoeT]

New Car Comparison: Utilities
Ford Ranger v Holden Rodeo v Mitsubishi Triton v Nissan Navara v Toyota Hilux v Mazda BT-50

Joshua Dowling
20 April 2007
www.drive.com.au

Sales of utilities to city slickers are booming, as buyers embrace new levels of comfort and practicality. Joshua Dowling tests the new-wave utes that become weekend escape machines.

Trading-in a Range Rover for a ute might make as much sense as switching from a thoroughbred to a mule. But that's what Sydney businessman Perry Smith did. Based in the concrete jungle of North Sydney, Smith sold his luxury four-wheel-drive and replaced it with a Toyota HiLux.

"I got sick of paying big money for luxury cars and having them get bashed around," the television executive says. "The ute is great for carrying the kids' bikes in the back on weekends and it's handy in the city because you can park in loading zones."

Smith is not alone. Sales of 4WD utes are booming - up 30 per cent in the first three months of 2007 compared with the same period last year, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. There are now three ute brands in the top 15 vehicle sales - two of them in the top 10. The HiLux is the third-best-selling vehicle in Australia after the Holden Commodore and Toyota Corolla - and ahead of the Mazda3 and Ford Falcon. Nissan has sold more Navara utes than Toyota has sold Camrys. Holden's Rodeo outsells Ford's Territory.

So what's the appeal? Today's four-door utes - or "crew-cabs" - have car-like cabin space and creature comforts (most have power windows, air-conditioning and remote central locking, although vanity mirrors are still only found on the passenger's side) as well as the practicality of a large cargo area and go-anywhere 4WD ability.

However, these new-wave utes are not perfect. Commercial vehicles aren't required to meet the same safety standards as passenger cars. Most are exempt from a side-impact test and offset front crash test.

Given that vehicles such as these are increasingly being used as family transport, perhaps government regulators ought to review this policy. Should the occupants of utes be valued any less than those of a sedan?

Click here to continue article

Related Thread: First Drive: New Holden Rodeo Turbo-Diesel Light Truck Range

Holden Rodeo (above), and with the other Utilities

[stevecmh]

why cant the Colorado get the turbo diesel.. i will never know

[Aych Es Vee]

its funny how people think the meaning of ute is a car with a tray, but all these are referred to as utes aswell, and they're not cars.

[JoeT]

Over time anything with a tray, car-based or not, have come to be known as Ute's by most Aussies.

[genjy]

What's with the truck bars?

Are they really popular in Australia?

[Robert Ryan]

its funny how people think the meaning of ute is a car with a tray, but all these are referred to as utes aswell, and they're not cars.

It is probably more correct to call the Japanese "utes" Pickups as they are not true Coupe Utilities. Even F250's are referred to as "Utes" which they are not. Marcos Ambrose racing in the Craftsman series regularly called his Pickup racer a "car", as the Coupe Utilities are derivative of cars. I guess in his mind the Pickups were not Trucks therefore they were cars.

[Aych Es Vee]

Originally Posted by genjy

What's with the truck bars?

Are they really popular in Australia?

truck bars? You mean the roll bars?
heaps of utes have them, I have them on my own ute.


Japanese style pick-ups/utes such as these are very popular.
(I say Japanese style, because the only utes we get like this are from Japanese companies)
Toyota Hilux is in the top 5 or top 10 selling vehicles in the country I think

[Robert Ryan]

What's with the truck bars?

Are they really popular in Australia?

Ute "Culture" in Australia is not the same as what you would experience with Pickups in the US. The Car based Utilities (Ford and Holden)are either Outright work vehicles: Sportscars;Customized street vehicles or "coming of age" vehicles in country towns Ute Musters.
Japanese Pickups are treated the same way as mid sized PickUps in the US. There is NO market for Large Pickups as in the US.

[JoeT]

Top Australian Vehicles April 2007

Vehicle - Month
1. Holden Commodore - 4,724
2. Toyota Hilux Ute - 2,999
3. Mazda 3 - 2,438
4. Toyota Yaris - 2,325
5. Ford Falcon - 2,255
6. Toyota Corolla - 2,202
7. Toyota Camry - 1,905
8. Toyota Aurion - 1,715
9. Hyundai Getz - 1,640
10. Holden Rodeo Ute - 1,470
11. Nissan Navara Ute - 1,443
12. Ford Focus - 1,381
13. Holden Astra - 1,198
14. Honda Civic - 1,180
15. Honda Jazz - 1,157
16. Ford Falcon Ute - 1,145
17. Ford Territory - 1,104
18. Mitsubishi Lancer - 1,097
19. Toyota Prado - 1,075
20. Toyota Rav4 - 1,043

[Robert Ryan]

Coupe Utilities as "Sportscars" firstly a Holden Ute:

A Ford Falcon Sportscar:

[Aych Es Vee]

the wheels onthat fake Maloo = spew

EDIT: no, wait, I think its a real one

[tgagneguam]

I think it'd be great if GM designed and engineered a great compact pickup/"Ute" to be built in one factory and marketed globally. Just because NA buyers have turned their nose up to compact pickups-or at least Detroit's offerings-doesn't mean that GM should abandon the market completely. Think globally, GM.

Besides, no market should be left for Toyota to dominate!

[Buick61]

I'll never understand Australians' taste in vehicles.

[Cabana Boy]

Originally Posted by stevecmh

why cant the Colorado get the turbo diesel.. i will never know

Few will spend thousands more to get it.

[Aych Es Vee]

Originally Posted by Buick61

I'll never understand Australians' taste in vehicles.

Reasons why certain cars sell so much in Australia:

- best bang for your buck is what rules here....
- fleet sales
- 'Toyotas are reliable' stereotype (and rightfully so, i guess)
- local pride, Aussies will always be buying Aussie cars.
- practability. Space = win. Easy to park = win. Low, easy access tray = win. Power = win
- Good reviews in the media = more sales. A lot of people actually really do their study before buying new cars.
- Japanese/Korean and Aussie cars are far better priced than Euro, or the little amount of American cars we have.