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A new buff, tough contender joins the highriding dual-cabs that dominate the landscape

Like action heroes on a blockbuster set, the latest tough trucks have to look ruggedly handsome while performing their own stunts. Chrome has been banished in favour of charcoal tones and orange is the new black for manufacturers trying to tempt people into ever more expensive dual-cab utes.

It’s not news that the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are the best-selling vehicles in Australia and that high-riding machines have replaced Falcons and Commodores in many family driveways.

What’s news is Nissan’s Navara Warrior. Burned by poor reviews and a lukewarm response from buyers, Nissan rejuvenated the NP300 Navara with a series of running changes culminating in its answer to the toughest ute of all, Ford’s Ranger Raptor.

NISSAN NAVARA WARRIOR

Tougher than a $2 steak. Nissan nailed the Tonka-truck brief with new bumpers, body armour and fat all-terrain tyres mounted on appropriately menacing matt black alloys.

Better yet, it has locally tuned suspension for off-road running, benefiting from softer springs, firmer shocks and increased ride height to get you off the beaten track.

Priced from $65,490 drive-away, it easily undercuts Ford’s range-topping Raptor but lines up directly with the Wildtrak X here.

Standard kit includes leather trim with orange stitching, satnav, smart keys, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and 360-degree camera.

Its five-star safety rating is from half a decade ago, when you could get full marks without driver aids such as autonomous emergency braking and active cruise control (present in the Ford and Toyota but not in the Warrior). It also misses out on a household power point in the cabin.

Its five-year warranty is common to this trio but the Nissan is the most expensive to service at $1816 for three years.

It matches class leaders with 3500kg towing capacity and a maximum payload of 724kg — 189kg less than the Ranger — which looks paltry when you consider it does not include fuel or passengers.

Five burly anglers with a tray full of gear could find themselves channelling Rex Hunt and tossing the day’s catch back into the sea. Nissan’s 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel (140kW/450Nm) drives all four wheels through a seven-speed automatic. More efficient than most, the engine provides adequate go — as with most cars in this class, the urge doesn’t quite match the promise of the looks.

Those massive tyres and reworked suspension make the Warrior a better bet than the regular Navara off-road, improving traction and compliance over bumps.

Better to drive than the Navara siblings, the Warrior feels comparatively skatey and topheavy on loose gravel, relative to the heavier Ranger. Beefy rubber also produces more road noise than you might expect and widens its turning circle by a noticeable margin.

TOYOTA HILUX RUGGED X

Recognising the average HiLux buyer spent at least $2000 on accessories — some much more — Toyota introduced the Rugged X in April 2018.

Based on the high-grade HiLux SR5, the Rugged X adds a steel bullbar with LED lights, snorkel intake, reinforced side rails, extra tow points and exterior graphics. It builds on standard kit such as heated leather seats, satnav, smart keys and climate control.

Safety-conscious buyers will appreciate active driver aids but the lack of Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto is frustrating.

Priced from $63,990 drive-away in automatic form, the Rugged X costs $10,000 more than the HiLux SR5. As with most in this class, it comes with a five-year, unlimitedkilometre warranty but servicing due every six months is inconvenient and costly.

Minimal hardware changes result in the same fundamental driving experience as the regular HiLux, which is impressive when loaded but a little tricky without a payload. The HiLux can be a handful in rough territory and some owners may be disappointed by the 3200kg towing limit on automatic models.

You could say the same of the 2.8-litre engine with its claimed 130kW of power, which looks undercooked in theory but works well in the real world.

Stiff suspension makes the HiLux the least stable on gravel routes and its road-biased tyres can’t match the Navara’s purchase at low speed.

There’s also less cabin space than you will find in rivals. In common with the Navara, the weight of its accessories seriously compromises its maximum payload.

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK X

Australia’s best-selling 4WD ute is impressive on paper. It can tow as much as any diesel ute, cop an extra 180kg in the tray, is the cheapest here to service and has the most tech.

Priced from $65,490 drive-away, the Wildtrak X adds a new bumper, light bar, wheels and snorkel to the best-selling Ranger Wildtrak. The Blue Oval brand reckons it represents $6000 in extras for a $2000 outlay, the sort of man-maths to gain approval from the Minister for Finance.

Spend another $2000 and you can get a more powerful and efficient twin-turbo four-cylinder engine, paired with a 10-speed auto (shared with the Ranger Raptor). The Wildtrak X, like the others, has leather trim with electric eight-way driver’s seat adjustment. The Ranger matches the finer points of the rivals: Nissan’s superior infotainment and Toyota’s active safety suite.

Stronger 147kW/470Nm outputs from its 3.2-litre five-cylinder engine are blunted somewhat by the Ranger’s extra weight, though the mass helps the Ford feel planted off-road.

Adventurers will be disappointed to see it has the least ground clearance but the others can’t match its 800mm maximum wading depth.

Its 18-inch wheels (the others have 17s) limit the options for off-road tyres.

Secure over bumps and capable in the rough stuff, the Ranger feels almost as able as the Warrior, is more comfortable on-road and is quieter on the highway. The cabin is plush and spacious but misses out on rear air vents.

For the tub, the lockable tonneau cover and 240V power point are handy.

VERDICT

People will buy the Navara Warrior purely for its rugged looks, even if they never approach its impressive limits. Urbanites should remember it lacks the latest safety gear. The HiLux gets the job done thanks to strong resale, reputation for quality and peerless service network. The Ranger Wildtrak X is our pick: brilliant to drive, ready to work, loaded with the latest tech and has leading-role looks.

DAVID McCOWEN