2019-06-20 16:15
Pick-up trucks are a popular buy for business users that need a practical vehicle that doubles as family transport at the weekends. But what is the best pick-up truck for sale in the UK today? Here we round up the runners and riders in a class that is closely fought by a variety of accomplished opponents.
The big players in the market for 4x4 pick-ups are Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota, but other manufacturers are getting into the pick-up truck game. Volkswagen changed the face of the class when it launched the Amarok, while the Mercedes X-Class moved the category even further upmarket. Then there are models such as the Isuzu D-Max and SsangYong Musso, which deliver utilitarian function as well as SUV style.
Why are pick-up trucks popular in the UK?
We're used to seeing pick-up trucks on UK roads, and they are popular here for one chief reason: tax. Double cab pick-ups that can carry more than one tonne of payload in the bed are classified as commercial vehicles, and as a result they qualify for a fixed rate of Benefit In Kind tax: for the 2019/20 tax year that's calculated at £3,430, with 20 per cent taxpayers liable to pay £686 and 40 per cent payees owing £1,372. Compared to a similarly specced SUV, that is a significant saving in BIK costs.
And that's not the only tax benefit of a pick-up truck. As of 2019, Vehicle Excise Duty, or road tax for a light goods vehicle not weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, is set at £260, and this rate applies to those pick-up trucks that cost more than £40,000. So if you choose a pick-up over an SUV, you could save around £200 on road tax for the first five years you pay it, as the SUV would be subject to the additional £320 (as of 2019) that cars over £40,000 face.
Of course, there's also the image that pick-up trucks project that appeals to buyers. With SUVs becoming more common, the pick-up has a rugged, workhorse attraction, and in some ways this echoes the popularity of pick-up trucks in the US, although of the pick-ups sold in the UK, only the Ford Ranger is also sold in the States.
But which pick-up trucks for sale in the UK are the best? Here we list all the trucks currently in dealers, with 8 models available, after the demise of the Fiat Fullback, while the Renault Alaskan has still to make it across The Channel to dealers.
Mitsubishi L200
The Mitsubishi L200 is in its fifth generation, and steady improvements have seen it remain as one of the most popular pick-ups on the market. The latest version adds car-like sophistication, distinctive styling and a long list of kit, including dual-zone climate control, touchscreen infotainment, lane-departure warning and powered, leather seats.
The 2.4-litre diesel pumps out 178bhp and a muscular 430Nm of torque, delivering strong performance and refinement. Head off-road and four-wheel drive can be engaged with a twist of the Super Select 4x4 control, allowing the L200 to explore places where other trucks can’t reach. Stick to the tarmac and you’ll discover direct steering and a composed ride while the manual gearbox is light and easy to use - for a truck.
Extensive use of aluminium and other lightweight materials in the design of the L200 helps it achieve 42.8mpg on the combined cycle. This is a good showing and the truck’s generally low running costs are matched to attractive up-front pricing even on the higher spec Titan, Warrior and Barbarian models.
The cabin is spacious and durable. Some of the minor switchgear is dated and the quality of the plastics wouldn't stack-up well in a passenger car company, but the materials are adequate for the pick-up market with some nice detailing thrown in. The neat Super Select 4x4 control dial sits behind the gearlever and there's a large touchscreen in the centre of the dash in higher spec models.
Passenger space is fine, with room for a six-foot adult to sit comfortably behind a similarly sized driver, but the low seat does mean they have to bunch their knees up a bit. The load bed is 1,470mm square and can take a 1,050kg maximum payload but if that's not enough, you can tow a 3,100kg braked trailer to carry any extra.
Ford Ranger
Past versions of the Ford Ranger were solely focused on practicality and usability, but the current version has gone some way to ditching this perception and there is now a sense of style to go with the workhorse image. It’s closer than ever to an SUV for mechanical sophistication, but it’s built to last, has excellent off-road ability and can tow 3,500kg in some guises.
In a bid to keep rivals at bay, Ford has modernised the styling inside and out, adding a clutch of the latest technology and safety features. Engineers also moved to improve the driving experience with engine and suspension upgrades.
The 158bhp 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel has plenty of punch, pulls smoothly and has lots of low-down torque. The 5-cylinder 3.2-litre range-topping unit is among the strongest in the pick-up class but it's also noisy.
Although efficiency improvements have been made, including the addition of start-stop on most models, neither of the Ranger’s engines covers itself in glory when it comes to fuel economy. The 2.2-litre can return up to 43.5mpg on the combined cycle, giving CO2 emissions of 171g/km, but that’s still not quite up to what the best rivals can muster. The 6-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly but blunts economy to 35.3mpg.
Ford builds single cab, Super Cab and Double Cab versions of the Ranger, with the most popular Double Cab bodystyle offering four doors and five seats to the Super Cab’s suicide back doors and occasional rear seating. You can seat five at a squeeze too, with the Double Cab having just enough legroom for a 6ft adult to sit behind a 6ft driver. Headroom is OK in the back, so longer journeys with four on board are not out of the question.
The Ranger is also extremely capable in heavy-duty use on the road with the Double Cab offering a 1,199kg payload and a class-leading 3,500kg maximum towing weight. Ford’s added a load of advanced safety equipment too, including a stability control system with trailer sway control to keep everything in check.
Nissan Navara
The Navara is one of the best double-cab 4x4 pick-ups on the market. It’s not the cheapest, but the low-ratio gearbox helps provide a superb off-road experience and the steering is responsive, making cornering composed and the truck easy to control at speed.
Under the bonnet, the 2.3-litre diesel is smooth and refined, with the twin-turbo version boosting output to 187bhp. All models come with Nissan’s autonomous braking technology, which helps the Navara achieve low insurance groupings, while higher-spec models boast a touchscreen sat-nav.
The interior of the Nissan Navara has a lot in common with those of the latest Nissan passenger cars so materials quality and the level of equipment provided are first class. The wheel adjusts for rake only, but the powered leather driver’s seat – if a little short in the squab - provides a good range of movement. There’s a great view out over the imposing bonnet, and Tekna models are comfortable for long hours in the saddle. There’s room in the back for full-size grown-ups too, with a comfortable rake for the rear bench – also leather trimmed in this range-topping model – plus electric windows and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
Nissan reckons the Navara pushes the boundaries closer to a ‘crossover’ SUV driving experience than anything else in its sector. But while the advanced multi-link rear suspension does smooth the ride somewhat, it's not quite the revolution that Nissan hopes it to be. There's less rear end ‘bounce’, familiar to anyone who’s driven such vehicles, although the Mercedes X-Class does an even better job in this regard. Either way, it doesn't affect the way the Navara performs when you head off-road.
Mercedes X-Class
If you want to know how important the double-cab pick-up class is globally, then look no further than the arrival of Mercedes in the sector with the X-Class. This is arguably the world's first premium pick-up, with a price to match and plenty of switchgear inside inspired by the Mercedes car range.
Look past the three-pointed star on the grille, and what you see here is a badge-engineered variant of the Nissan Navara. The X-Class is largely identical to the Nissan under the skin, although Mercedes spent a lot of time and effort on the X-Class' suspension settings to give it the kind of comfort we get from its SUVs, as well as that more upmarket interior. On the whole it's successful, as the X-Class is the most comfortable pick-up truck for sale.
Power comes from the same 2.3-litre diesel as the Navara, but in two power outputs badged the X 220 d and X 250 d, which come with manual or auto gearboxes respectively. There's also the X 350 d, which features a 3.0-litre V6 diesel, permanent 4WD and an auto box as standard.
Power trim comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a top-spec Merc, while even the basic Pure model is reasonably well equipped. But with CV prices for the X-Class starting from just over £28k - which is more than the most expensive, non-limited edition Navara on which it's based - you'd expect to get some decent kit to go with that prestige badge on the nose.
Volkswagen Amarok
The Volkswagen Amarok is only available as a double-cab in the UK and it's relatively expensive, but like the X-Class it actually delivers on the claim that it feels ‘car-like’ from behind the wheel. Thanks to a great combination of rugged practicality and a quality feel, it remains one of the most desirable pick-ups on the market.
The latest version is powered by a punchy 3.0 V6 TDI engine that replaces the old 2.0-litre units. The most powerful 254bhp version has plenty of punch for overtaking and a stump-pulling 580Nm of torque from 1,400rpm for towing or tackling serious 45-degree off-road inclines. Economy of 34mpg economy makes it more expensive to run than 4-cylinder rivals though.
On the road it’s easy to forget that the Amarok isn’t an easy-driving SUV, although a hint of rear-end bounce that typifies the pick-up genre is evident. The hefty ladder-framed Amarok can’t truly match the poise, dynamism or comfort of contemporary road-focused SUVs, but with V6 muscle many more drivers should find the vehicle rewarding enough for that not to matter.
The interior fit and finish is excellent, including a handsome new fascia design that looks and feels better screwed together than any rival bar the Mercedes X-Class. The front seats offer loads of adjustment, and with full steering wheel adjustment, the driving position is more car-like and comfortable than you might expect from a pick-up.
Toyota Hilux
Over 18 million Toyota Hiluxes have been built since 1968, making it one of the best-selling trucks in the world. It’s an icon of the pick-up world, with owners in some of the most inhospitable places on earth relying on its durability.
The latest HiLux is bigger in every dimension than before, benefiting that all-important load bay, which is a full 130mm wider than the old Hilux’s. It can also tow up to 3,200kg - a strong figure, but behind that of the Nissan Navara.
Inside, it’s a huge improvement over the last model. Gone are the flimsy plastics and dated switchgear, replaced by a dashboard which looks and feels like it’s from one of Toyota’s passenger cars.
There are plenty of hard plastics to remind you you’re in a pick-up, but it’s now on par with the car-like Nissan Navara for fit and finish. The Invincible-spec model has a decent kit tally, too, with a seven-inch touchscreen with DAB and Bluetooth, cruise control, climate control and keyless start, while the Invincible X gets even more kit and a unique looking front end, too.
Power comes from a 2.4-litre diesel engine with a healthy torque figure of 400Nm. That’s 60Nm more than the 3.0-litre unit in the old Hilux delivered, but it’s down on the top spec engines offered by rivals.
Still, despite the rear leaf-spring layout, the Hilux is surprisingly good to drive. There’s lots of tyre squeal but the ride is comfortable, the steering is accurate and body control isn’t too bad considering the elevated stance. As with any pick-up, if the load bay is empty, the ride can be a little bouncy and there's flex detectable in the chassis.
Isuzu D-Max
Constant evolution means the Isuzu D-Max is still a top pick-up choice on the market, even though there are plenty of newer rivals out there. It’s still a solid choice though, offering low running costs, a five-year warranty and a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, and the broad range of models means there's a truck to suit all sorts of jobs.
All models use the same 1.9-litre twin-turbo diesel engine, which develops 400Nm of torque, but is more efficient than the 2.5-litre diesel it replaced in 2017.
The load bay in the single cab model measures at 2,305mm by 1,570mm, with a payload capacity of 1,128kg or 1,136 depending on the drivetrain. Head up to an extended cab for dimensions of 1,795mm by 1,530mm and a payload capacity of 1,085kg.
The double cab gets a load bay of 1,552mm by 1,530mm, but the payload capacity varies based on the model you choose - with the maximum being 1,096kg. The towing weight for 4x4 models is 3,500kg, dropping to 2.500kg otherwise.
Not surprisingly, the Utility specification models are very basic inside the cab, with easy-clean trim and plenty of hard plastics to stand up to work use. However, even the most basic models have air-conditioning, front electric windows and height-adjustable headrests.
Opt for the Eiger trim, the lowest of the premium double-cab models, and you get a height-adjustable steering wheel, driver and passenger reading lights and manual air-conditioning, plus a stereo with Bluetooth connectivity and USB-iPod interface.
Move up to Yukon spec and you can add 17-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo system, a leather steering wheel and daytime running lights. The Utah model also comes with electronic climate control, leather seats with electric adjustment, courtesy light delay, parking sensors and roof bars. The Arctic Trucks AT35 is also based on this spec, with few changes inside, but a dramatic external makeover, with 35-inch Nokian off-road tyres, flared wheelarches and a lofty ride height.
SsangYong Musso
The SsangYong Musso is now in its second generation, and this time around it's a variant of the Rexton SUV. That means it has tough ladder frame construction, but more importantly it has a plush interior and kit list that's on a par with the Rexton.
There's a 2.2-litre diesel under the bonnet, and selectable four-wheel drive allows you to drive in 2WD mode to help save fuel. There are six-speed manual and auto gearboxes offered, too. The Musso's load bed isn't quite as large as those of some rivals, but it still meets the tax-friendly one-tonne payload limit.
SsangYong offers EX, Rebel, Saracen and Rhino trims, and all models are well equipped, featuring plenty of kit taken straight from the Rexton SUV. We'd go for a Rebel at least, because then you get kit such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated and cooled seats and a heated leather steering wheel.
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