It's the battle of the mid-tier double cabs as the top three best-selling bakkies battle in a running cost comparison. Which one will claim victory, though?
The double cab bakkie has evolved from a workhorse to a go-anywhere-and-do-anything vehicle loved by many South Africans. The top three best-selling bakkies locally are the Toyota Hilux, the Ford Ranger and the Isuzu D-Max. While objectively, the latest Ranger is the newer and more advanced bakkie, that doesn’t guarantee its victory in a comparison such as this, where the total running costs for the vehicles are involved. The model we have chosen is one of the more attainable Hilux models given the high price of new vehicles, but how do this more basic model’s running costs compare with two key rivals in the form of the Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max?
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The figures
Toyota Hilux |
Ford Ranger |
Isuzu D-Max |
|
Engine size |
4-cyl, 2.4-litre turbodiesel |
4-cyl, 2.0-litre turbodiesel |
4-cyl, 1.9-litre turbodiesel |
Power/Torque |
110 kW/400 Nm |
125 kW/405 Nm |
110 kW/350 Nm |
Gearbox |
6-speed auto |
6-speed auto |
6-speed auto |
Seats |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Airbags |
7 |
7 |
7 |
Driven wheels |
Rear |
Rear |
Rear |
Braked towing capacity |
2 750kg |
3 500kg |
2 100kg |
Fuel capacity |
80-litres |
80-litres |
76-litres |
Claimed consumption |
7.3 L/100 km |
7.5 L/100 km |
7.3 L/100 km |
CO2 emissions |
192 g/km |
197 g/km |
192 g/km |
Service plan |
9-services/ 90 000km |
Optional |
5-yr/90 000km |
Price |
R623 200 |
R632 000 |
R586 000 |
Comparing the trio
Purchase price
The models we have chosen for this comparison are competitors from a pricing and body-style perspective. Monthly instalments are calculated throughout 72 months with a 10% deposit and no balloon or residual. The interest rate is set at 12%.
Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD-6 double cab Raider auto
With the instalment parameters, the Hilux will work out at R10 965 monthly over 72 months.
Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT double can XLT
With the instalment parameters, the Ranger will work out at R11 120 monthly over 72 months.
Isuzu D-Max 1.9 TD double cab lS auto
With the instalment parameters, the D-Max will work out at R10 311 monthly over 72 months.
Fuel consumption
The Toyota and Isuzu have the lowest claimed fuel consumption; however, from our experience, there is very little difference between our trio regarding real-world consumption.
Service plans
Both the Toyota and Isuzu come with service plans spaning 90 000km; however, with Ford having unbundled its plans, you’ll have to pay extra if you’d like a competing service plan.
Verdict
Having looked at the data in the first five years of ownership, we would be confident that the Isuzu, with its lower list price, competitive fuel consumption and reasonable service plan, will be the cheapest product to run in the first five years of ownership.
Keyword: Toyota Hilux vs Ford Ranger vs Isuzu D-Max: Which one has the lowest running costs?