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Sorry Toyota LandCruiser and Hyundai Palisade: Record Ford Everest sales lead boom of ute-based SUVs like the Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport ahead of NVES roll out

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John Law
Deputy News Editor
9 May 2024
3 min read

Two of Australia’s 10 most popular cars in April 2024 were ute-based off roaders, with both the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X continuing to soar in popularity. 

As orders catch up to demand, Ford and Isuzu are delivering plenty of their ute-based SUVs, with the Ranger-related Everest finding a record 2400 homes (up 254.5 per cent) and the D-Max-underpinned MU-X 1876 buyers (up 71.3 per cent). 

These two were not outliers, either, with the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (up 130.7 per cent) and Toyota Fortuner (up 43.8 per cent) also selling significantly more than the same month last year. The new GWM Tank 500 hybrid found 179 homes. 

A Ford Australia spokesperson attributed the Everest's current success to a combination of increased marketing activity, improved supply and continued customer demand.

This style of vehicle is proving popular with Australians because they use sturdy ladder frames, offer seating for up to seven, stellar off-road capability and sturdy towing ability. Like a LandCruiser, a ute-based SUV is a perfect vehicle to get away from the beaten track.

It helps they are closely aligned in price with family trucks like the Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Kluger. The Ford Everest Sport V6, for example, is $72,490 where a Toyota Kluger Grande Auto is $75,650, both before on-road costs.

The Everest seats up to seven people.
The Everest seats up to seven people.

They both get leather upholstery, the same seating capacity yet the Ford has 1500kg more braked towing capacity, more ground clearance and a proven track record off road. 

The downside is that the ute-based SUVs are typically less advanced to drive with poorer passive safety. Their ladder frame construction increases the centre of gravity and dirt-biased tyres often fitted drastically increase braking distances.

There may be an element of ‘get in while you can’ as New Vehicle Emissions Standards (NVES) threaten to make this style of vehicle less attainable, too. These regulations are expected to come in force by mid-2025. 

The Isuzu MU-X is also proving popular.
The Isuzu MU-X is also proving popular.

The government has made the decision to reclassify ute-based SUVs (and standalone 4x4s such as the LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol) as commercial vehicles for emissions standards which will buy them more time. 

Little low emissions tech is available in this segment yet. Utes, still being the bigger sellers, are leading the way for hybrids and EVs, following the launch of GWM’s Cannon Alpha hybrid – and related Tank 500 – as well as the forthcoming Ford Ranger PHEV. Expect this tech to trickle into related SUVs eventually. 

The new-gen Toyota Prado hybrid might be accelerated to meet the new rules, too. Incidentally, it was the only mainstream large frame-based SUV to suffer, down 77 per cent compared to April 2023, but that’s due to the highly anticipated new model arriving very soon. 

Large off-road wagon sales in April 2024

ModelApril salesYTD sales
Ford Everest24006899
Isuzu MU-X18766730
Toyota LandCruiser wagon11695429
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport5492380
Nissan Patrol4602652
Toyota Fortuner3121219
GWM Tank 500179198
LDV D90173965
Toyota Prado1723382
Ssangyong Rexton102556

 

John Law
Deputy News Editor
Born in Sydney’s Inner West, John wasn’t treated to the usual suite of Aussie-built family cars growing up, with his parents choosing quirky (often chevroned) French motors that shaped his love of cars. The call of motoring journalism was too strong to deny and in 2019 John kickstarted his career at Chasing Cars. A move to WhichCar and Wheels magazine exposed him to a different side of the industry and the glossy pages of physical magazines. John is back on the digital side of things at CarsGuide, where he’s taken up a role as Deputy News Editor spinning yarns about the latest happenings in the automotive industry. When he isn’t working, John can be found tooling around in either his 2002 Renault Clio Sport 172 or 1983 Alfasud Gold Cloverleaf.  
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