Utes or cab chassis are some of the most popular motor vehicles for work and recreation. Their strength, performance, flexibility and durability have made utes a favourites with business operators across many industries and with boat and caravan owners as a trusted towing vehicle. The local market for utes has grown significantly in recent times, especially with the emergence of brands such as GWM and the massive RAM trucks from the USA. While the choice of which ute is the one to buy, buyers are also faced with decisions around ute finance to be made.
Buyers may turn to the announcement of best utes awards from motoring experts to assist with selecting a make or model. With interest rates on the rise, those considering purchasing a new cab chassis will making cheaper ute finance a key priority in the buying process.
To assist ute buyers, we bring results of the latest ute awards and news of upgrades to a popular cab chassis model as well as how to get cheaper finance to make one of these models your new vehicle.
Best Utes for 2022
Trying to select a winner from all the great utes on the market is a challenge and one that is taken annually by motoring experts. The Carsales team undertake this task as part of their annual car awards program and recently announced the winners for the dual cab 4x4 category.
The long list was cut back to just 7 final contenders and a comment from the judges worth noting was that they decided there wasn’t any ‘bad eggs’ amongst those finalists. So buyers, the final decision may be yours.
There was a detailed criteria for all finalists to be 4 cylinder, have similar capacities for towing, diesel powered, mid size range, auto and in the $60,000 ex on roads price range.
The winners as judged by carsales for 2022 are (drum roll)….
Winner – Ford Ranger. Then followed in order – Isuzu DMAX, BT 50 from Mazda, the iconic HiLux, Nissan’s Navara, GWM Ute and coming in seventh place was Mitsubishi’s Triton. To read all the reasons why the judges made their decisions, visit the carsales announcement.
So that is just one of the awards and accolades that buyers may like to consider. The team at Drive announced its winner of Dual Cab of the Year to Isuzu’s D-MAX while the HiLux dominates the top selling utes month after month.
While award winners may provide information for buyers, there is the issue of availability to also be considered. If the need is now for that new ute, whether it is available to drive away today or soon, may be more of a deciding factor.
Upgrade News
Something else for buyers to consider in the ute market may be the recently announced upgrades for 2023 models of the Isuzu D-MAX. Upgrades which are coming without any upgrade in pricing and with stock due at Isuzu Ute dealerships this December. That ticks two important boxes to go with the Drive Ute of the Year 2022 award.
Upgrades are considered, as note by MD Hiroyasu Sato, as the most notable since the D-MAZ range was introduced. There are four new model variants and a new aesthetic amongst many other changes.
For serious buyers that are ready to talk dollars, the prices of the different new D-MAX models range from the $32,000 mark up to the $65,000 mark for the top level X-Terrain model. To start thinking finance, put those numbers into our Car Finance calculator for repayment estimates.
Ute Finance
Now we’re on to talking finance, which let’s face it, can be THE deciding factor when it comes to any motor vehicle purchase. Purchase prices don’t have as much relevance as the finance payment per month figure. With interest rates on the way up and more on the horizon, the key priority will be securing the cheapest interest rates. Rates on car finance do vary across banks, finance companies and dealer finance. Despite the RBA increasing the cash rate significantly since May this year, we maintain our cheaper car loan interest rates policy.
That includes rates for both Secured Car Loans for private buyers and across our Business Vehicle Finance products. Business buyers may consider achieving a better overall outcome from their ute purchase with Chattel Mortgage and temporary full expensing.
Private buyers can ensure their credit profile is in the good range as lenders assess this as an important part of the application assessment and deciding what interest rate will be attached to nay loan offer.
The RBA is strongly tipped to raise rates possibly several more times in coming months. So to secure your ute finance ahead of the next hike, contact us now for pre-approved finance.
Contact Jade Finance 1300 000 008 for better finance on ute and cab chassis purchases.
DISCLAIMER: NO LIABILITY IS ACCEPTED IF ERRORS OR MISREPRESENTATIONS ARE FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE. THE ARTICLE IS PREPARED AND PRESENTED FOR GENERAL INFORMATIVE PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE THE SOLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR MAKING FINANCIAL DECISIONS. THOSE REQUIRING GUIDANCE AND ADVICE SHOULD CONSULT A FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
