Mega tow test: Dual-cab 4x4 utes

As dual-cab utes move further upmarket, appealing more to families and outdoorsy types – including owners of big caravans and trailer boats – it's no surprise ute manufacturers have increased towing capacities accordingly.

As a result all eight dual-cab models in this comparison for the first time boasted maximum tow ratings ranging from 3000-3500kg; previously the preserve of large 4WD wagons.

Our ‘closed circuit’ tow-test saw each ute pulling a 20ft (6.0m) tandem axle caravan weighing 2215kg (and with a ball weight of 195kg) around a smooth, flat but fairly twisty bitumen circuit.

While there were no hilly sections or speeds above 80km/h as you might experience in 'real world' towing, the exercise did provide an opportunity to directly compare each model in regards to stability, acceleration and other towing-related features.

All utes were fitted with standard 50mm ball hitches and all but two had electric brake controllers fitted.

First up was the Ford Ranger; one of five on test with the maximum 3500kg tow rating. Surging away from standstill, the Ranger with its 147kw/470Nm 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed auto immediately impressed as a tow tug.

It pulled strongly at low revs, with the sort of relaxed performance and civilised growl that made us quickly forget we had a big trailer behind.

It also felt stable, partly due to the hefty 2137kg tare weight (the highest on test), which also made it the best match, kilo for kilo, for the caravan.

The Ranger was also one of six utes on test with trailer sway control (only Navara and D-MAX missed out on this important safety technology).

While all the utes had a reversing camera to assist backing up to the trailer hitch, the Ranger's was the most helpful with its adaptive guidance line connecting the tow ball to the trailer hitch.

Not surprisingly the mechanically identical Mazda BT-50 felt just as relaxed with a two-tonne-plus van out back. In fact, the BT-50's slightly firmer suspension tune made it feel even more rock-solid than the Ranger, especially around corners, with equally fluid transmission shifts keeping revs to a minimum.

The BT-50 also scored points for its flush-fitting, dash-mounted electric brake controller – the only ute to offer an EBC as a factory accessory – but lost points for the tiny reverse camera screen located in the rear view mirror.

The Holden Colorado also came with a decent reverse camera display but with less information than others including the tow ball not being visible when backing up.

The Holden pick-up had more of a tendency to sway and pitch, which made the caravan a greater burden than it should have been considering the 500Nm of torque (highest on test) available from the 2.8-litre four-cylinder engine.

While delivering more pulling power than the Ranger, the Holden's engine felt like it was working harder, with peak torque at a relatively high 2000rpm and a six-speed transmission holding onto gears longer. There was also more noise across the rev range.

It may have been more agricultural than some of the others, including a 'wallowy' ride similar to the Colorado's, but the torquey 3.0-litre engine in the Isuzu D-MAX got down to business when towing. There's just 380Nm of torque available from 1800-2800rpm, but it’s delivered so effortlessly you wouldn't know. The only negative was a bit of extra noise in the cabin.

Arguably the most car-like ute on test, the Amarok doubles as a silky smooth tow tug. That's despite the lowest tow rating (3000kg) and smallest capacity engine (twin turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder). All eight gears were put to good use on our challenging little circuit, but the gutsy little engine revved highest under heavy throttle; all the way to 4500rpm, or just shy of the petrol-like 5000rpm redline.

It was always smooth and refined, but its high-revving tendencies when towing 75 per cent of its maximum puts a question mark on overall efficiency when hauling a big load.

The latest Toyota HiLux boasted a 3500kg tow rating, but only with the manual transmission. That said, the 3200kg rating of the auto-equipped HiLux was still 700kg more than the previous model offered.

The first thing we noticed was how much quieter, more refined and more willing the new 2.8-litre engine was, although it still needed a few revs to accelerate with any urgency, and was noisier than the Ranger, BT-50 and Amarok.

While a tighter package overall, there's still some of the old Hilux 'jiggle' in the rear, and some minor swaying and pitching was evident. But the new model shaped up as a much better tow tug than the old one, which could only tow 2500kg and had one less gear to play with.

Another model that's taken big strides in towing is the new Triton. Towing capacity was a relatively low 3100kg but the smooth, steady delivery of torque from the 2.5-litre engine impressed, and it didn't have to work as hard as the HiLux engine.

While lacking the over-taking punch of the Colorado or Ranger, the Triton remained pleasantly refined and composed, with only minor pitching. It's one of few utes to come with steering wheel shift paddles; handy for engine braking down steep descents.

As the only ute on test with a coil sprung rear suspension, there’s a fraction more rear suspension 'droop' after hitching up the Nissan Navara compared to its leaf-sprung rivals – although it didn't seem to affect handling or stability too much once up and running.

However, the twin-turbo engine and seven-speed auto did appear a slight mismatch, at least on our test route, with some dramatic kick-downs and high revving accelerating out of corners which made the transmission ‘busier’ than others. Once on song the engine offered plenty of grunt and tolerable levels of engine clatter and turbo 'whistle', though.

So while all the utes made light work of the 2200kg, some did it easier and more comfortably than others.

Most impressive was the Ranger and BT-50, with their confidence-inspiring composure and punchy performance despite 2.2 tonnes out back. The D-MAX, with its under-stressed, never-say-die engine, was less refined but also excellent, as was the ultra-civilised albeit high-revving Amarok.

That left the Triton (not enough grunt), Navara (over-eager gearbox) and Colorado (wallowy ride) as solid tow tugs with minor deficiencies, while the HiLux was a big improvement over the old model but still felt underdone in the towing stakes compared to the Ford and Mazda.

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Read more about the latest dual-cab utes:

>> Off-road comparison
>> On-road comparison
>> Payload and dimensions
>>

Safety and technology
>>

Overall verdict

2015 Ford Ranger XLT pricing and specifications:

Price: $54,590 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 147kW/470Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.8L/100km (ADR Combined) / 10.7L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 230g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3500kg
Ball loading: 350kg

2015 Holden Colorado LTZ pricing and specifications:

Price: $53,190 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 147kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.1L/100km (ADR Combined) / 10.4L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 245g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3500kg
Ball loading: 350kg

2015 Isuzu D-MAX LS-Terrain pricing and specifications:

Price: $53,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/380Nm
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (ADR Combined) / 11.2L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 213g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3500kg
Ball loading: 350kg

2015 Mazda BT-50 XTR pricing and specifications:

Price: $51,700 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 147kW/470Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.2L/100km (ADR Combined) / 12.0L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 246g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3500kg
Ball loading: 350kg

2015 Mitsubishi Triton Exceed pricing and specifications:

Price: $47,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 133kW/430Nm
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.6L/100km (ADR Combined) / 10.6L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 201g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3100kg
Ball loading: 310kg

2015 Nissan Navara ST-X pricing and specifications:

Price: $54,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/450Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined) / 10.2L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 186g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3500kg
Ball loading: 350kg

2015 Toyota HiLux SR5 pricing and specifications:

Price: $55,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (ADR Combined) / 13.2L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 223g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3200kg
Ball loading: 320kg

2015 Volkswagen Amarok TDI420 4MOTION pricing and specifications:

Price: $55,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel
Output: 132kW/420Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined) / 10.2L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 219g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Braked towing capacity: 3000kg
Ball loading: 300kg