WAGON OR UTE?

LAST month I was tossing up the pros and cons of a 4x4 ute or their wagon brethren. Think Toyota Hilux versus Fortuner, Isuzu D-MAX versus MU-X, and Mitsubishi Triton versus Pajero Sport. Each of them have for-andagainst points when building an off-road adventure rig.

The two modified 4x4s featured in this issue both bring up a wagonversus-ute argument again, but this time it’s slightly different. Are the modern mid-size 4x4 utes better vehicles than the manufacturers’ long-established full-size wagon models?

In the feature on Blake Mills’ Hilux – as seen on the cover of this issue – we ask: is the modern Hilux a better fourbie buy than an equivalent vintage Landcruiser for young blokes like Blake? While in the feature on Brendan Rogers’s D23 Navara, the owner states that it is as good a vehicle if not better than his previous GU Patrol.

Are these guys on to something here, or are they just on something? I mean, Landcruisers and Patrols are the best of the best when it comes to 4x4s, right?

When you take a step back and look at these two cars and what the owners have achieved with them, you can get an idea of where they are coming from with such statements. The initial purchase price of a new or three-year-old ute like a ’Lux or Navvie will always be a lot less than the price of a Cruiser or Patrol of the same vintage, and this leaves the buyer with plenty of money to spend on kitting their ute up before they even get near the price of the big wagons.

Both Brendan and Blake’s utes have been loaded up with all the usual bits such as wheels, tyres, suspension and bar-work. And as they are utes it was also easy to fit a custom tray or canopy, allowing plenty of storage and a rooftop tent for accommodation, no matter where your ute takes you.

We’re not saying that either of these cars are budget builds, but it all shows that smart buying and careful planning allows you to create a vehicle that delivers more bang for your bucks and will get you out exploring the tracks sooner.

And isn’t that what we’d all be rather doing?

It’s no wonder that mid-size 4x4 utes are such hot property in the market right now, no matter your age, budget or intended vehicle use.