CROWN DUALS

IT'S THE NEW FORD RANGER VERSUS EVERYTHING. AND, YES, THERE ARE SOME SURPRISES IN THE RESULTS

- ALEX INWOOD, CAMERON KIRBY, ANDY ENRIGHT, TRISTAN TANCREDI, JEZ SPINKS, DANIEL GARDNER, KATHRYN FISK

WE ARE A nation of dual-cab drivers. That's the inescapable conclusion from poring over Australia's new-vehicle sales data. What's more, we are increasingly enamoured of a brawny ute. A decade ago, the Toyota HiLux was pipped by the Mazda3 in the sales charts. Last year we saw the Ford Ranger and the HiLux occupying the top two spots, with the Isuzu D-Max and the Mitsubishi Triton also figuring in the top ten.

This year has seen the launch of the new Ranger, with early reports suggesting that the game has changed as a result. And with the Ranger's bones underpinning the next-generation Volkswagen Amarok, due here at the end of the year, the whole ute division could well be in for a thorough shake.

But rather than fall back on any assumptions of the current pecking order, why not gather the current crop of dual-cabs and put them into some sort of order? Is there a true correlation between what you pay and what you get? Which brands are building their reputations and which are leaning on their bank of brand equity?

Last year's ute showdown majored on off-road ability, but this year we're keeping things on the bitumen. The vehicles are ranked according to their driving dynamics, tray practicality, interior finish and space, infotainment sophistication, safety and, in recognition of the fact that many dual-cabs are now bought to perform family duties, child-friendliness of the rear seats.

There's a vast spread across our field in terms of pricing, and obviously this is factored into the value equation. At the top sits the Ranger V6 Sport, that, with on-road costs factored in, sits deep into the $70K bracket.

At the opposite end is the LDV T60 Max Lux, available for just $41,568 drive-away, so well over a $30K gap. Point being, there really is a ute for all budgets here.