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If you’re looking to buy a new mid-size dual-cab ute, then chances are you’ve at least flirted with both a Ford Ranger and a Toyota HiLux. Let’s face it, these two are consistently Australia’s favourite cars for good reasons. They’re solid, dependable, comfy, economical, have excellent resale value and when was the last time somebody accused a Triton of having sex appeal?
The Luxy is the workhorse of tradies and farmers everywhere and the Ranger is not just for jetski owners either, they’re a mainstay on job sites and in parking lots of Outback pubs all over the country – so much so that they were 2022’s top selling vehicle.
Both ute’s owners love them and would rather punch on than admit their steeds have anything wrong with them. They’re like that, they evoke passion behind the wheel, which should tell you that both are pretty bloody good.
Let’s not sugar-coat things too much, however, both have their drawbacks and what may work for one person may not for the next. With that said, if you’re wondering which one you should go for and just want them both laid out for you side by side – look no further fam.
We’ll be comparing the top-of-the-line HiLux Rogue dual-cab and the similarly priced Ranger Wildtrak dual-cab.
Ok fighters, back to your corners, wait for the bell and come out ready to defend yourself. Let’s get ready to rumble!
Ding Ding!
2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue
Price: $70,760 (exc. on-roads)
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Warranty: 5 years; unlimited km (160,000km for commercial customers)
Engine: 2.8L 4cyl turbo-diesel; common rail injection; 16V DOHC; Euro 5
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Power: 150kW
Torque: 500NM
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel Consumption: 8.4L/100km combined average (claimed)
Fuel Capacity: 80L
Driveline: Part-time 4WD; Hi-Lo transfer case
Suspension: IFS with double A-arms and coilover-struts; rear solid axle and leaf springs and hydraulic shocks
Towing Capacity: 3500kg (braked)
Kerb Weight: 2110kg
GVM: 3050kg
Payload: 794kg
Interior Appointments: Heated leather seats; 9-speaker JBL sound system; 8in touch screen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto; Bluetooth connectivity; smartphone app connectivity; cupholders (front seats); marine-carpet lining in tray
Safety: ANCAP 5-Star rated; reverse camera; blind spot monitoring; rear cross traffic alert; 360deg. camera; lane departure alert; lane keeping assist (via braking input); electronic stability control; autonomous emergency braking; traffic sign recognition; 7 airbags
Tray Dimensions (mm): 1560Lx1520W (1000mm between wheel arches)
Overall Dimensions (mm): 5320Lx2020Wx1870H
Service Interval: 10,000km; or every 6 months
Built in: Thailand
2023 Ford Ranger Wildtrak
Price: $71,990 (exc. on-roads)
Warranty: 5 years; unlimited km
Engine: 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel; common rail injection; 24V DOHC; Euro 5
Power: 184kW
Torque: 600NM
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel Consumption: 8.4L/100km (claimed)
Fuel Capacity: 80L
Driveline: Part-time 4WD; Hi-Lo Transfer case with automatic full-time 4WD capability
Suspension: IFS with double A-arms and coilover-struts; rear solid axle and leaf springs and hydraulic shocks
Towing Capacity: 3500kg
Kerb Weight: 2399kg
GVM: 3350kg
Payload: 997kg
Interior Appointments: 12in Infotainment screen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto; heated leather seats; charge ports front and rear; rear vision mirror plug for dash cam; Bang & Olufsen Premium sound system with 10 speakers; Fordpass Connect app; 8in digital driver display; rear dual under-seat storage bins; drop-in tub-liner in tray
Safety: ANCAP 5-Star rated; reverse camera; blind spot monitoring; stop-and-go adaptive cruise control – linked to speed sign recognition; 360deg. camera; lane departure alert; lane keeping assist (via steering input); tyre pressure monitoring; electronic stability control; autonomous emergency braking; 9 airbags
Tray Dimensions: 1544Lx1138W
Overall Dimensions: 5370Lx1918Wx1884H
Service Interval: 15,000km; or annually
Built in: Thailand
Round By Round Post Fight Analysis
Engine Comparison
There really isn’t much of a comparison here. The Ranger’s V6 is bigger, stronger, faster and a whole lot nicer to drive than the aging 2.8L in the HiLux. It does use a little more fuel in the real world, especially when running around the ‘burbs, but overall, the four-banger doesn’t really even come close. The V6 tows better, carries a load better, sounds better and drives better. It’s not as fast as the Ranger Raptor, but that’s not what it’s designed for. Those 600 Newtons make life so easy for the user that it’s does not even seem fair to compare them. Not to mention the Toyota engine is mated up to a gearbox that’s, frankly, about a decade overdue for an update, whereas the Ranger 10-speed is as smooth as butter.
The Ranger drivetrain is something you’d expect in a 2023 vehicle. The HiLux would have been good in 2006. Today, it’s ok, but it’s like that 80-year-old guy you see running in the City to Surf Marathon every year. You’re impressed by his longevity and perseverance, but you know he ain’t a threat to the front runners.
Interiors side by side
The HiLux has never really been sold as a comfort vehicle. They’re workhorses, through and through, and in many ways that’s actually a great thing. Aftermarket gauges or interior upgrades would fit neatly onto the hard plastic dash, and the upkeep on the on-or-off heated leather seats would be comparatively minimal. Toyota have even thrown some new-school tech in there, with an 8in touchscreen infotainment unit, a 9-speaker JBL stereo and a whole suite of safety items like a 360-deg. camera, traffic sign recognition, 7 airbags and Bluetooth connectivity including a smartphone app that allows you to monitor your vehicle remotely.
The thing is, the Ford has all of that too, and more. It’s like they looked at everything the HiLux had then decided to one-up them across the board. The heated seats have several warmth settings; the infotainment unit is newer, better and bigger; the stereo has 10 speakers, there are 9 airbags; there’s more safety inclusions, the 360-deg. camera is crisper and more useful; there are more charging ports, more cupholders; more room in the rear seats… you get the idea.
It’s not that the HiLux is a terrible place to be, far from it, it’s just that the Ranger offers a lot more without a significant price jump. And that’s difficult to argue with (and I’m speaking as a die-hard `Yota guy here).
Heavy Lifting and Towing
Both utes can pull the industry benchmark 3500kg (in stock form at least), but as mentioned, the extra 100NM available to the Ranger means it’ll do it a lot easier and likely use less fuel while doing so. The Ranger GVM is also some 300kg higher as well as having nearly 200kg more in payload, although it does have a slightly smaller tray than the HiLux, which is an important consideration for a lot of tradies who will be looking at these vehicles.
All in all, if you’re chasing a tow vehicle or tool-hauler, either will do the job without undue effort, but the Ranger will just do it that bit easier.
Touring & Off-road
In terms of off-road credentials, the HiLux has around 30mm more ground clearance than the Ranger and has long been the ute to beat when it comes to getting off the beaten track. To be fair, it’ll hold onto that title for a while to come as there’s every mod under the sun available for them and they really do offer a fantastic platform from which to build your dream 4X4 tourer or even hardcore play toy. The transfer case and diffs have remained largely unchanged, at least in terms of function, for decades now and they just flat out work.
The Wildtrak does offer AT tyres as standard which may give it the edge in slippery terrain in a stock-against-stock shootout, but most serious tourers would be looking at a suspension upgrade anyway so having to throw on a set of more aggressive rubber is not exactly a deal-breaker.
The Ranger’s transfer case has been slightly updated with the addition of 4A mode, which essentially allows it to function as an AWD vehicle, apportioning drive to whichever axle needs it the most. While a nifty innovation, it should be noted that Mitsubishi has been doing this with their Super-Select transfer cases since the 90s, but still, max points for versatility go to Ford.
It also has to be said that these Rangers are available in America too, meaning their aftermarket support is not far off that of the HiLux.
For a dedicated touring rig though, we have to give the nod to the Rogue. They’re a well-trodden path and the age of the model actually works in its favour for this one.
And the win goes to…
…the Ranger. Sorry Toyota fans, but the model is too old, too out of date and is in desperate need for a major revamp to bring it up to fight fitness. There is very little that the Ranger does not simply do better. It’s more powerful, it’s more advanced, it drives better, it can handle larger loads, it’s more modern, it’s at least a generation (probably two) ahead in comfort and daily liveability. It’s just a nicer ute – and the real kicker is – it’s not significantly more expensive. Toyota really need to stop relying on their name alone to charge its customers a premium and get the passion fire re-lit if they don’t want to continue losing whole swaths of market share to a ute that’s really just superior. Even with the imminent release of the GR, they’re still pushing a platform that has sadly run its course.
When Toyota releases a HiLux that’s modern and comfortable, with an engine that’ll put a smile on people’s faces and that does not cost a kidney to buy they won’t won’t be able to keep it in showrooms and will almost certainly regain that number one spot in sales for the next decade (if not two).
Until then, the Ranger will reign supreme on paper.
Side Note:
Just for the record, the Ranger Raptor is an extra $15K (and not diesel) on top of the Wildtrak, and the Platinum pushed the price up a bit far too so we thought we’d keep things as even as possible doing it this way.
Also, at the time of writing, the HiLux GR was yet to be released, although it was due any second (Ed note – we’ll be at the media launch next month). Let us know if you think the Luxy got cheated and want us to run it back and compare the GR to the Ranger Platinum.
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