Buying a second-hand vehicle comes with a lot of benefits. You get a car that’s still got plenty of life in it way cheaper than what you’d pay for a brand new one. Not only is that true for passenger vehicles and bikes but also for utes.
Like cars, pickups or utes come in all shapes and sizes, and each model has its fair share of strengths and drawbacks. So, before choosing the best ute for work or personal use, you’ll want to do due diligence to see which make and model will suit your needs the best.
That’s precisely what this article is all about. We’re going to save you plenty of time by highlighting the best of the best: that is, the best ute for families, value for money, resale value, fuel economy, and the overall best work ute.
So, without further delay, here are some of the best used utes that you can buy in Australia these days.
Best Ute for Families: Ford Ranger
Suppose you’re the kind of person for whom a work vehicle also doubles as a personal vehicle. If that’s the case, then you’ll want a truck that’ll drive well to the worksite while also offering plenty of comfort inside for your partner and maybe even a couple of kids.
The Ford Ranger makes an excellent second-hand pickup for two main reasons.
Excellent Safety Record
Firstly, it has an excellent safety record regardless of which year or version you choose to buy. To give you an example, the 2021 Ford Ranger scored a 5/5 on its ANCAP Crash Test, something that’ll provide you with plenty of peace of mind when transporting your family around.
In-Car Entertainment
Many utes tend to be very minimal when it comes to interior comforts. That's certainly not the case with the Ford Ranger. Sure, the cab might not be very spacious, depending on how many kids and adults you might have in there. But it certainly makes up for it with comfortable seats and impressive in-car entertainment system, especially on the more recent models.
Best Value Pickup: Mitsubishi Triton
If your priority is to get the biggest bang for your buck when shopping for the best used utes, then you can’t go wrong with the Mitsubishi Triton. Year after year, the Triton remains one of the top names for pickup trucks, whether in the brand new or used category.
The top three areas where the Mitsubishi Triton excels are in its interior, off-road performance, and safety.
Spacious and Quiet Interior
Firstly, the Triton is known for offering plenty of space inside. Whether you’re transporting workers, tools, or even your wife and kids, ample interior space is a valuable quality for pickup trucks.
The interior is relatively quiet, with less noise getting into the cabin from the engine or external sources.
Performs Well Off-Road
The Mitsubishi Triton also comes with stability and traction control, making it the kind of ute you can take on- and off-road without a problem.
Plenty of Safety
Of course, the value of an excellent second-hand pickup must also include its ability to provide safety. The Mitsubishi Triton’s five-star ANCAP rating says it all.
Ute with the Best Resale Value: Toyota Hilux
Many people buy their vehicles with resale value in mind. Sure, they want to enjoy what the vehicle has to offer. Aside from that, when the time comes to dispose of the pickup truck, they’ll want a ute that still retains most of its value and can fetch them a fair amount.
The Toyota Hilux, another name you’ll see in almost any list about pickups, is our choice for the best second-hand ute in terms of resale value.
Look around, and you’ll see many automotive reviewers, bloggers, and experts talk about the Hilux’s ability to retain its value. But why is that?
Tough & Enduring
We see two reasons for the Toyota ute’s high resale value. Firstly, the truck lasts very long. Hilux will outlive most cars and trucks. Even if you bought an older version from a decade ago, you’d still get a powerful workhorse that won’t let you down.
High Demand
Secondly, resale value is demand-driven. The Hilux is Australia’s bestselling vehicle for many years now, and this stellar reputation precedes it. No matter when or where you’ll sell it, finding a buyer (who’s willing to pay top dollar) will never be a problem.
Best in Fuel Economy: Nissan Navara
Utes are known for being gas guzzlers, regardless of their make, model, or newness. Still, among all the big names on this list, the Nissan Navara comes out on top for being the best when it comes to fuel economy.
The fuel consumption for the Nissan Navara is about 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres. The lower this figure, the more economical is the vehicle. To put that into perspective, several versions of the Toyota Hilux have a fuel consumption of above 10 litres for the same amount of distance.
So, if you’re looking to save on your fuel costs, the Navara is your best bet.
Best Work Ute to Buy: Volkswagen Amarok
All of the trucks mentioned above have a strength that makes it stand out from the rest. But if you’re looking for an excellent all-rounder that’s perfect for work use, then you’ll want the Volkswagen Amarok.
Here’s where this ute outruns the others:
- Want plenty of cargo space? The Amarok offers more cargo space than most others.
- Need a spacious interior to make your passengers comfortable? The Amarok can give you that.
- Need an excellent engine with pretty good fuel efficiency? You got it, with the Volkswagen Amarok.
Depending on which feature you’re willing to pay premium for, you’ve got these 5 best used utes to choose from.
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By Ray Hasbollah