Ford Ranger vs Toyota Hilux comparo: Who makes the best ute?

Thursday, 28 September 2023

The Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux is the closest current-day equivalent to the tribal Holden vs Ford rivalry that once prevailed.

Utes, then. Depending on who you’re talking to, they’re either a climate change nuisance or a hard-working job site necessity. Regardless of where on the divide you stand, there’s no denying that these tray-laden double-cabs are immensely popular in New Zealand – with the charge led by Ford’s all-new Ranger and Toyota’s trusty Hilux.

The Ranger was given a huge refresh last year. Whilst it’s still built on Ford’s proven T6 architecture, just about everything else is brand new. It even has a completely different wheelbase; Ford’s engineers pumping the wheels further towards the corners whilst also adding a gruntier (and thirstier) V6 diesel offering to the mix.

The Ranger is on track to once again be New Zealand’s most popular vehicle overall at the end of the year.

The Hilux, meanwhile, got its own update earlier this year – Toyota adding this new widened ‘wide track’ trim level to its SR5 range, with a more powerful off-road-oriented GR Sport model now beginning to pop up on local roads, too. Neither update can claim to be as grand as that of the Ranger, with the majority of the rest of the Hilux remaining unchanged.

To the end of August, the Ranger still held firm as the country’s most popular ute; 7,229 registrations to the Hilux’s 6,308. Perhaps the bigger point is that these two utes are the two best-selling new vehicles in New Zealand. The nearest passenger car rival, the Toyota RAV4, isn’t even close.

Which is the better looker? The new-look Ranger wears its American influence on its sleeve. The ‘wide track’ Hilux SR5 Cruiser’s widebody, meanwhile, has its own rugged charm.

So to the obvious question … which one’s best?

The pictured $75,990 Ranger Wildtrak bi-turbo and $63,390 Hilux SR5 Cruiser are pseudo rivals in that their pricing and spec doesn’t necessarily match up neatly. They’re similarly positioned towards the top of their respective line-ups, but the SR5 is more than 10 grand cheaper at retail (how many ute buyers pay retail is, of course, a big caveat here).

Ford has electrified the Ranger, and it's coming to New Zealand.

Some of that price deficit comes from standard gear. Out of the box, the Wildtrak gets a tow bar, tray liner, and an electric retractable hard-lid for the bed. Tally how much those options cost to add to a Hilux, and it takes a big bite out of the price gap.

The Wildtrak has been a mainstay in the Ranger line-up for years now. The wide track SR5 Cruiser on the other hand effectively replaces the SR5 Cruiser of old – bringing 140mm of extra width at both ends, 20mm more ride height, an extended suspension arm and stabiliser bar up duo front, a rear stabiliser bar, ventilated rear disc brakes, larger front discs, and big black fender flares.

Under the bonnet of each of these contestants sits a very different powertrain. The vast bulk of Toyota’s Hilux models, including this one, utilise the same 2.8-litre turbodiesel making 150kW/500Nm. The Ranger on the other hand has four different engine options at the minute, with the 154kW/500Nm bi-turbo 2.0-litre being the best seller of the bunch. First introduced as an exclusive to the Raptor in 2018, it has trickled down to almost all models.

The Hilux’s cabin’s simplicity is both the best and worst thing about it ...

If you told me five years ago that utes would soon come with huge tablet touchscreens like this, I’d have laughed. But, here we are.

The power and torque figures from these two paint them to be quite a close match, but things are a little different in reality. Those who wince at the thought of a tightly wound 2.0-litre charged with the duty of towing their boat (both utes are rated to tow 3,500kg braked) will likely find comfort in the Hilux 2.8’s added displacement. But, it’s hard to ignore the fact that 2.0 feels every bit as quick while also being much more smooth and refined.

The Hilux hasn’t yet inherited the updated infotainment software seen in some other MY2023 Toyotas.

There’s also the matter of the Clean Car Discount levy (oft lovingly referred to as the ‘ute tax’) to consider. For all the talk of the Ranger being a poster child for emissions, its 2.0-litre is admittedly one of the cleanest engines on the market with one of the lowest levies, $5,232 in this 4WD Wildtrak. The Hilux’s older 2.8, in 4WD SR5 Cruiser situ, cops a heftier $6,440 whack – although still less than what you’re pinged with if you buy either of Ford’s V6-powered Rangers.

Note, by this time next year the Hilux’s first hybrid model should have landed, and Ford will be gearing up for the arrival of its Ranger PHEV.

The Ranger is the more refined drive of the pair, but that doesn’t necessarily make it more fun behind the wheel.

Off the line, the more refined Ford bi-turbo is quicker to act than the Toyota 2.8. On top of its dual-turbo set-up dishing up power more efficiently, the Ranger’s excitable 10-speed automatic (neither of these utes can be had with a manual) switches through its shortly-geared cogs at a rapid rate. Once you’re up to speed, the two engines have a fairly comparable mid-range. The Ranger is, predictably, more economical. We saw 9.8L/100km in it, with the Hilux recording 11.1L/100km.

Refinement isn’t merely an apt descriptor for the Ranger’s 2.0-litre. It’s a word that applies to elements all over Ford’s shiny new pick-up.

The SR5 Cruiser is outplayed by the Wildtrak. But, it’s not the walloping you might expect it to be.

Its cabin is quieter, with comfier seats and more room in the back seat thanks to larger doors than the Hilux – and the decision to shift each wheel 50mm outwards in both directions. On the road it rides smoother, too, such is the slick way it handles corrugations that you might think you’re driving something tethered to a monocoque.

And then there’s the tech. Anyone that hasn’t sat in a ute in the last 10 years or so is likely to get the shock of a lifetime. Branded audio (Bang & Olufsen in the Ford, JBL in the Toyota), big touchscreens, and comprehensive active safety tech have well and truly infiltrated the ute segment. Little wonder that so many ute owners merrily use these as daily runabouts.

But whilst both are impressive with their toys, the Ford goes the extra mile. Its full-width digital cluster and enormous 12.1-inch portrait touchscreen, when combined with the bevy of different materials and orange contrast stitching, make the Wildtrak feel properly premium – not just compared to the Ranger, but to all of its peers. The electric parking brake and dinky gear lever make the cockpit feel airy, and the touchscreen’s SYNC4 interface is loaded with customisable bits and a very crisp reverse and 360-degree camera.

The Hilux’s rear seats are slightly more upward and have less legroom. Both utes feature storage underneath their rear seats.

Growth to the Ranger’s wheelbase has improved its interior packaging, namely how easy it is to get in and out of the second row.

No such digital theatrics in the Hilux, although these traditional gauges will likely have their fans amongst the ute audience.

The Ranger’s 12-inch touchscreen and digital cluster are class leading in the ute space.

The Ranger’s rear box steps make getting into the tray a breeze.

Both utes feature surprisingly punchy sound systems featuring more speaker units than other models.

The Ford’s big tablet is home to some very clear cameras, and doubles as a massive fingerprint magnet.

Toyota’s trusty 2.8-litre will gain a hybrid variant in 2024. Watch this space.

Ford’s 2.0 was updated with more robust pistons, a new oil filtration system, and several vibration and harshness improvements for this new generation Ranger.

Frankly, with features like the box steps in the rear bumper for accessing the tray and the genuinely intuitive ‘smart’ door handles, it feels like Ford’s thought of everything.

The Hilux’s equipment levels are still competitive and admirable, but in this company it feels in need of a proper comprehensive update. A grainy reverse camera, less soft-touch surfaces, and ride quality that is amongst the best in class but still a step behind the Ranger, all point to a ute that is simply not as impressive as its core rival.

The thing is, for every ute buyer wanting to submerge themselves in toys to play with, there’s a ute buyer that just wants something to get the job done. Here, the Hilux claws back a few points.

For one, it features a larger rear bed with no clunky rolled up electric tonneau cover stealing valuable space up front. Its simpler dashboard, in my experience, is less prone to squeaks and rattles than Ford’s more intricate dash. And traditionalists will prefer its proper old-school handbrake and gear lever. The Ranger’s stubby little gear selector can grab Park instead of Reverse all too easily, but no such dramas in the Toyota.

I’ll also give the Toyota this; it’s probably the more enjoyable drive. Around town and on long-haul trips, the Ranger’s comfort and lighter steering is a winner. But in the paddock or on one of those lovely flowing Kiwi rural roads, the Hilux is favoured for its engagement and feel. A fair chunk of this, I suspect, links to the new Cruiser’s revised damping and suspension tuning.

The fact that this Cruiser is much better to drive than the first of the current-era SR5s I tested many moons ago is a good story of growth and development, with surprisingly tangible improvements to areas that were once the Hilux’s Achilles heel. Overall, this package is still mighty competitive relative to the Navaras and Tritons of the world, but the Ranger and its Volkswagen cousin have really moved the game forwards. The next all-new Hilux is rumoured to be coming in 2025, and we’re on the edge of our seat.

No surprise then, it’s the Ranger Wildtrak that takes this fight. More comfortable, easier to live with, cheaper to run, and brimming with technology, it’s no wonder why these are so blimmin’ popular. More than any other ute, the Ranger shows that this segment’s ‘billy basic’ lineage is well and truly in the rear-view mirror.

Bonus images