Best performing ute revealed: Ranger vs HiLux vs RAM vs Silverado vs Triton vs BT-50 vs D-Max vs Cannon vs Navara vs Musso vs Gladiator

We’ve produced extensive ute tests focused on towing, off-roading, and straight-up unladen speed and braking tests.

But it’s time to crown Australia’s best performing utes and we’ve split this award into three categories – Best Ute Performance: Overall, Best Ute Performance: Four-cylinder and Best Ute Performance: Best Value.

As with the result of the written megatest content this is designed to support our videos hosted by Paul, which we strongly encourage you to check out.

MORE: Towing tests
MORE: Off-road tests
MORE: Performance tests and drag
MORE: Dynamometer tests

Performance tests unladen

To set some controls, we put all of our utes on a high-speed bowl and VBox-tested their 0-100km/h acceleration time and 100km/h to zero braking distance. We also gauged their overtaking ability (80-120km/h) and time over a standing quarter-mile.

0-100km/h

1. Ram 1500 TRX: 4.4 seconds
2. Ford Ranger Raptor: 6.4 seconds
3. Chevrolet Silverado LTZ: 6.5 seconds
4. Ram 1500 Laramie: 7.0 seconds
5. Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6: 8.9 seconds
6. Jeep Gladiator Rubicon: 10.3 seconds
7. Toyota HiLux Rogue: 11.2 seconds
8. Isuzu D-Max LS-U+: 11.3 seconds
9. Mazda BT-50 SP: 11.4 seconds
10. SsangYong Musso XLV Ultimate: 12.0 seconds
11. GWM Ute Cannon-X: 12.5 seconds
12. Mitsubishi Triton GSR: 13.1 seconds
13. Nissan Navara Pro-4X: 13.2 seconds

80-120km/h

1. Ram 1500 TRX: 2.8 seconds
2. Ford Ranger Raptor: 4.2 seconds
3. Chevrolet Silverado LTZ: 4.3 seconds
4. Ram 1500 Laramie: 4.8 seconds
5. Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6: 6.7 seconds
6. Toyota HiLux Rogue: 8.2 seconds
7. Jeep Gladiator Rubicon: 8.4 seconds
8. Isuzu D-Max LS-U+: 9.1 seconds
9. Mazda BT-50 SP: 9.3 seconds
10. SsangYong Musso XLV Ultimate: 9.8 seconds
11. Nissan Navara Pro-4X: 10.3 seconds
12. GWM Ute Cannon-X: 10.7 seconds
13. Mitsubishi Triton GSR: 10.7 seconds

1/4 mile

1. Ram 1500 TRX: 12.8 seconds @ 158.9km/h*
2. Ford Ranger Raptor: 14.6 seconds @ 154.5km/h
3. Chevrolet Silverado LTZ: 14.7 seconds @ 153.9km/h
4. Ram 1500 Laramie: 15.1 seconds @ 147.5km/h
5. Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6: 16.5 seconds @ 136km/h
6. Jeep Gladiator Rubicon: 17.3 seconds @ 126.3km/h
7. Toyota HiLux Rogue: 17.8 seconds @ 127.1km/h
8. Isuzu D-Max LS-U+: 17.8 seconds @ 124.4km/h
9. Mazda BT-50 SP: 17.9 seconds @ 124km/h
10. SsangYong Musso XLV Ultimate: 18.3 seconds @ 121.4km/h
11. GWM Ute Cannon-X: 18.4 seconds @ 118.7km/h
12. Mitsubishi Triton GSR: 18.6 seconds @ 118.8km/h
13. Nissan Navara Pro-4X: 19.0 seconds @ 119.7km/h

*Speed electronically limited to 160km/h due to tyres

Power-to-weight

1. Chevrolet Silverado LTZ: 126.1kW per tonne
2. Ford Ranger Raptor: 120.6kW per tonne
3. Ram 1500 Laramie: 114kW per tonne
4. Jeep Gladiator Rubicon: 95.2kW per tonne
5. Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6: 78.8kW per tonne
6. Toyota HiLux Rogue: 68.3kW per tonne
7. Mitsubishi Triton GSR: 66.5kW per tonne
8. Isuzu D-Max LS-U+: 66.2kW per tonne
9. Mazda BT-50 SP: 63.4kW per tonne
10. Nissan Navara Pro-4X: 60.9kW per tonne
11. SsangYong Musso XLV Ultimate: 60.2kW per tonne
12. GWM Ute Cannon-X: 59.3kW per tonne

Acceleration with dyno trailer

We got our hands on a state-of-the-art trailer dynamometer with a variable load retarder that allowed us to impart up to 10kN of resistive load to the tow vehicle.

What does this mean in real terms? Think of the trailer dynamometer as an anchor. Varying the dynamometer load allows us to change the weight of that anchor.

This weighted anchor allows us to simulate a long steep climb for the tow vehicle, which ultimately puts immense load on the engine.

This 1600kg trailer dynamometer is wirelessly linked up to a computer that lets the operator adjust the degree of resistance force as measured in kilonewtons (kN) – in our tests we set it to 3kN, which simulates a fairly steep ascent, but one that should be within each ute’s abilities.

With this trailer attached we measured the 0-100km/h time, as well as the 0-90km/h time, because as you’ll see not all of the competitors made it to three digits. Then we did another fuel economy lap to see how hard the engine was working with the load active.

Brake test

Fuel efficiency test: Control versus with trailer

We also measured the fuel economy at a constant 100km/h around the bowl – not to come away with a definitive efficiency number, but rather to set comparative figures. We then replicated this with the 3kN resistance trailer dyno.

Power claim versus dyno result

In this part of our 4×4 ute megatest, we took the group to a rolling dynamometer (dyno) owned by our friends at Maxx Performance in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong.

The goal was to see how claimed engine outputs on the spec sheet compared to the reality of how much power was measured at the rear wheels.

Standings

Overall winner: Ram 1500

Best four-cylinder: Isuzu D-Max/Mazda BT-50

Best value: Toyota HiLux

MORE: CarExpert Ute of the Year Awards