Our judges have slashed the 18 contenders down to six finalists. The Toyota Hilux SR5 and Ford Ranger XLT will battle it out for Best Ute; while the Toyota Prado VX, Nissan Patrol Ti-L, Land Rover Defender 110 D300 and Toyota LandCruiser 300 VX will clash for Best Wagon.

Toyota Hilux SR5

As the overall winner of 4X4OTY in 2021, the SR5 was a walk-up start in 2022 and it edged its way through the first stage of testing with the same 'does everything well but nothing exceptionally’ manner.

VALUE FOR MONEY

For a four-door 4x4 ute that starts at less than $60K and does everything you ask of it so well, you can see why the Hilux SR5 remains so popular with buyers both in town and out in the bush.

Our car was fitted with an automatic transmission and the Luxury pack, which adds leather-covered power seats and some fancy interior trim – but even with these additions and their cost, the Hilux remains strong value.

In fact, we reckon the lux-pack really adds to the SR5’s interior, giving it a more premium feel and finish that was appreciated by the drivers. It was certainly something you noticed when switching between it and the Ranger XLT.