Why the Ford Ranger is a CarExpert Choice winner

Australia has one of the world’s biggest ute markets and Aussie ute buyers are among the most discerning globally, whether they’re tradies who require a reliable workhorse, outback adventurers who need a capable trek truck, or families who want utility, practicality and versatility all in the one vehicle.

So it’s perhaps no surprise that the latest generation Ford Ranger, which improved almost every attribute of its already class-leading predecessor, is the nation’s top-selling new vehicle.

A true Aussie success story, this country’s only locally developed ute is sold in more than 180 markets including Australia, where it’s available in every conceivable guise from the entry-level rear-wheel drive Ranger XL single-cab/chassis to the range-topping, desert-crushing Ranger Raptor dual-cab 4×4 pickup that has no rival.

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Annual tech updates and the routine addition of new variants including the Platinum luxury flagship, the tough Tremor off-road specialist, and no fewer than four grades of the new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) have kept the Ranger relevant and fresh in the face of new rivals.

And whether it’s powered by one of two four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo-diesels, a lusty 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, or the ferocious 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 in the Raptor, the Ranger has its competitors licked, thanks to class-leading safety, technology, performance, capability, refinement and ride/handling offered by each variant.

That’s why we gave it the title of Best Ute in our inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice awards.

“There are plenty of utes that can offer 3500kg braked towing capacity, or a long list of standard safety equipment, or a torquey turbo-diesel engine,” said CarExpert news editor William Stopford.

“The Ford Ranger, however, meets all the essential criteria of a ute in 2025 while also besting its rivals in driving dynamics and in-car tech. It’s a ute that works well as a ute, but is also capable as a family vehicle. Not to mention that turbo-diesel V6 is a gem, and the Raptor is a hoot.”

“The Ford Ranger has been designed and developed by Australians, for Australians,” said marketplace editor James Wong.

“That’s very evident in its confident and capable all-round performance, which blurs the lines between commercial workhorse and family passenger vehicle. It’s still the best in segment.”

“Ranger is the category benchmark – by some margin – because of the way it drives, its capabilities on- and off-road, its rugged looks, its smart cabin design, its solid resale values, and its wide choice of model grades, each backed by a five-star ANCAP rating,” said deputy news editor Damion Smy.

“Despite the emergence of competitive new players in the ute market, Ford’s Ranger remains the segment benchmark,” said deputy marketplace editor Josh Nevett.

“It’s a sophisticated workhorse both on- and off-road, with all the requisite capability and features that Australian buyers expect. There’s something for everyone across the model range, from the rough-and-ready XL right up to the versatile PHEV and go-fast Raptor.”

“Ford’s Ranger is undeniably the ute benchmark, thanks to its upmarket interior, punchy engines and a chassis tune designed in Australia to tackle the worst of Australian conditions,” said CarExpert journalist Max Davies.

“It’s now more versatile than ever too. With three diesel engines, a potent petrol V6 and an efficient PHEV, there’s something for everyone.”

MORE: Explore the Ford Ranger