The Ranger just retook No.1 in Australia with 5,062 September sales, but the new HiLux, BYD's Shark 6 and a pack of hungry rivals are closing in. We pick a winner in every round.
By Varun Punyamurtula ·
The Ranger is still the best all round ute in Australia, and the V6 remains the towing benchmark. Rivals now beat it on price, warranty, payload and running costs, so it has to be bought for its breadth of ability rather than as the obvious default.
From $37,130 plus on road costs (dual cab 4x4 from $51,400)
The Ford Ranger is back on top. In September 2026 it found 5,062 buyers, enough to reclaim the title of Australia's best selling new vehicle after the Toyota HiLux had beaten it to the 4x4 crown in July and August.
But read the fine print and the picture gets more interesting. The 4x4 ute market shrank 13.1 per cent on September last year, a plug in hybrid from BYD is now the third best selling ute in the country, and Toyota has an all new HiLux in showrooms. The Ranger is winning a smaller fight against tougher opponents.
So is it still the ute to buy? We lined it up against the HiLux, BYD Shark 6, Isuzu D-Max, GWM Cannon Alpha and Mitsubishi Triton across price, engines, towing, payload, running costs, safety, warranty, tech and resale. Here is who wins each round.
Quick answer: The Ford Ranger is still the best all rounder, especially the 3.0 V6 for towing and the 2.0 for value. But it is not the best at everything. The new HiLux has the freshest safety rating, the Triton has the longest warranty, the Cannon Alpha gives you the most kit for the money and the Shark 6 is the cheapest to run if you can plug it in.
September 2026 VFACTS 4x4 ute sales, with the year to date in brackets:
The Ranger's 5,062 total includes its 4x2 versions. The real story sits below the top two. The Shark 6 has gone from curiosity to genuine contender in under two years, and it is now only a whisker ahead of the D-Max for third.
The Ranger range runs from $37,130 for an XL 4x2 single cab chassis to $90,690 for the Raptor, plus on road costs. Ford held prices for the MY26.5 update even though it added a new engine and a 10 speed auto across the board. The dual cab 4x4 sweet spots are the XL 2.0 pickup at $51,400, the XLT V6 at $67,990 and the new Wolftrak V6 at $70,990.
How the rivals line up for a well equipped dual cab 4x4 (prices checked October 2026):
Winner: GWM Cannon Alpha. A drive away price under $60,000 with a 3.0 diesel, a 14.6 inch screen and a 7 year warranty is hard to argue with. GWM is also offering a $2,000 bonus until 30 October 2026.
This is where the Ranger earns its crown. The 3.0 V6 turbo diesel makes 184kW and 600Nm, runs a 10 speed automatic and pairs with a full time 4WD system you can leave engaged on wet bitumen. Owners and testers commonly report it is the smoothest, most relaxed diesel in the class with a big van on the back.
The MY26.5 update also fixed the Ranger's most talked about weakness. The 2.0 litre four is now a single turbo with a timing chain instead of the old belt in oil, making 125kW and 405Nm. Every diesel Ranger is now rated to tow 3,500kg. There is also a Ranger PHEV (207kW and 697Nm, 3,500kg towing) with drive away deals from about $59,000.
Winner: Ford Ranger V6. The Shark 6 Performance is quicker in a straight line and the Cannon Alpha has more torque on paper, but no rival matches the V6's blend of grunt, refinement and proven towing manners.
Payload matters more than towing for many tradies, and here the Ranger is solid rather than standout. Dual cab 4x4 pickups generally sit in the 900kg to 1,000kg range depending on grade and accessories, so check the exact figure on the compliance plate of the one you want.
Winner: Mitsubishi Triton. Its best variants carry more than anything else here, and the Shark 6 pickup trails the field because the battery adds weight.
Ford claims 6.8 to 7.2L/100km for the 2.0 Ranger and 8.3 to 8.4L/100km for the V6. GWM claims 7.3L/100km for the new Cannon Alpha 3.0 and it does not need AdBlue. The Shark 6 claims as little as 1.3 to 2.0L/100km on the official test, but that assumes you start with a charged battery. Early reviews report that on longer runs with a flat battery it uses noticeably more fuel than a diesel.
Winner: BYD Shark 6, with an asterisk. If most of your driving is short trips and you charge at home, it is by far the cheapest to run. If you tow long distances, a Ranger 2.0 or Cannon Alpha 3.0 will be cheaper at the bowser.
Want one? Tell us what you're after and we'll use our network to find the best deal anywhere in Australia, on a new, demo, near new or used Ranger or any of its rivals. Get the best deal. Got a ute to move on first? We can help you sell your car too.
The Ranger now has a 12 inch touchscreen as standard on every grade, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring and front and rear parking sensors are standard from the base XL, while the Wildtrak adds matrix LED headlights and a 10 speaker B&O sound system. The cabin still feels the most car like of the diesel utes.
The new HiLux finally catches up with a 12.3 inch screen across the range. The Cannon Alpha has the biggest display at 14.6 inches, and the Shark 6 feels like a tech showcase with standard 360 degree cameras. The D-Max and Triton are more conventional inside.
Winner: Ford Ranger, narrowly. The Cannon Alpha has more screen, but the Ranger's software, layout and driver assist tuning are more polished.
Every ute here wears a five star ANCAP rating, but the dates matter. The new HiLux was tested under the latest protocols and scored 84 per cent for adult occupants and 89 per cent for children, with a front centre airbag and improved AEB (the Rugged X is unrated). The Ranger's five star rating dates from 2022 and does not cover the Raptor or PHEV.
Winner: Toyota HiLux. It is the most recently and most toughly tested ute in the group.
Ford's capped price service costs for the MY26.5 Ranger were not published at the time of writing, so ask your dealer for the current figures.
Winner: Mitsubishi Triton. Ten years of cover is unmatched, as long as you stick with dealer servicing.
The Ranger and HiLux have long held their value better than any other ute in Australia, and used buyers trust both badges. The Shark 6 is still new and BYD's price moves make its future values harder to predict. GWM, Isuzu and Mitsubishi generally sit a step below the big two.
Winner: Toyota HiLux, by a nose over the Ranger.
Our desk scores, out of 10, from specs, price and published data:
Others worth a look: the Kia Tasman is the newest arrival, the Volkswagen Amarok is built alongside the Ranger and shares its engines, and the Mazda BT-50 is the D-Max's sibling with different styling.
For tradies: Mitsubishi Triton or a Ranger XL 2.0. The Triton carries more and comes with a 10 year warranty. The Ranger XL is the nicer place to spend a working day.
For families: Ford Ranger XLT or the new HiLux SR5. Both have comfortable cabins, strong safety and resale you can bank on.
For towing: Ford Ranger V6, no contest. Full time 4WD, 600Nm and a 10 speed auto make heavy towing easy.
On a budget: GWM Cannon Alpha 3.0 Lux at $58,990 drive away, or a Ranger XL 2.0 4x4 pickup if you want the safer bet on resale.
If you can charge at home: BYD Shark 6. Just check the towing and payload figures suit your needs.
Buy the Ranger if: you want the best all rounder, you tow regularly, or you value a polished cabin and strong resale.
Skip it if: you need maximum payload, want the longest warranty, or your budget stops under $55,000 for a well equipped dual cab.
The Ford Ranger. It led September 2026 with 5,062 sales and is ahead of the Toyota HiLux year to date on 4x4 sales, 35,744 to 32,238.
For towing and tech, yes. The HiLux has a newer safety rating, slightly lower prices and historically stronger resale. Both are excellent, so drive them back to back.
Yes. The MY26.5 Ranger's 2.0 litre diesel now uses a timing chain instead of a belt in oil, and the old bi turbo version is gone.
Every diesel Ranger and the PHEV are rated to tow 3,500kg braked. The Raptor is rated at 2,500kg.
It can be, if you mostly do short trips and charge at home. Payload is lower, and only the Performance version tows 3,500kg.
Prices checked on 7 October 2026 and exclude on road costs unless stated as drive away. Sales figures are from September 2026 VFACTS. Scores are our desk verdict, not a road test. Images: Isuzu UTE Australia, GWM Australia and Mitsubishi Motors Australia (manufacturer media). Other images from Wikimedia Commons: Ford Ranger Wildtrak front by Calreyn88 (CC0); Ford Ranger Wildtrak rear by Alexander-93 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Ford Ranger Wildtrak X interior by Ethan Llamas (CC BY-SA 4.0); Toyota HiLux by TTTNIS (CC0); BYD Shark 6 by iMoD Official (CC BY 3.0).
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Sell your carTags: Comparisons, Towing, 4x4
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