We’re always hearing how Kiwi buyer preferences are changing, but for many, a double-cab ute with a go-anywhere 4x4 drivetrain is still a highly aspirational vehicle – whether it be for work, play… or just looking like you’re ready for either of those things.
Utes with all the gear have traditionally been fairly big-ticket items in New Zealand. But with the rise of new brands (especially from China), you can now get a pretty luxurious and capable off-road pickup for less than $50,000.
No, it won’t be a really big-name model like a Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux (at least not if we’re sticking to that double cab/4x4 requirement). But the quality and ability of budget-newcomers from the likes of Jac and GWM is now quite impressive; you’re getting a lot for your $50k.
Here are 5 double-cab 4x4 utes for $50k (or much less in some cases) that we reckon you should consider.
JAC T9
Chinese brand Jac is fairly new to the ute thing (it made its first in 2015) and extremely new to the ute thing in NZ (it only launched here this year), but it carries a fair bit of cred: it’s been making heavy trucks for over 60 years.
There’s just one specification of the Jac T9 available here and for $49,990 (a “launch price” says the company, but it still stands) it’s fully loaded: leather upholstery, power front seats, a 360-degree camera and a heated storage bin that Jac conveniently calls a “pie warmer”.
But Jac is also adamant that the T9 is designed to be a proper workhorse. It has a mechanical specification that will appeal to truck types, with big-name components like ZF, Borg Warner and Eaton included.
GWM CANNON
GWM was the first Chinese maker to sell utes in NZ – back in 2009 when we knew it as Great Wall Motors. But while the vehicles were certainly cheap, they weren’t that… great.
How things have changed with the GMW Cannon. Launched here in 2020 and now upgraded with a larger 2.4-litre engine, tow-rating increase and fancy new interior, the Cannon is a serious contender. The single Cannon-L specification offered in NZ is nowhere near $50k even with the full 4x4 drivetrain, yet it’s truly impressive in terms of presence, quality and ability. Full retail is $43,490, but it’s on special this month for $40,490.
The upsized 2.4-litre engine has improved driveability significantly and the increased 3.5-tonne tow rating means the GM is now up with the segment best.
KGM MUSSO
The first thing you need to do when considering this Korean light-commercial is get your head around the names. The brand now known as KG Mobility (KGM) was formerly SsangYong, with the big change/takeover coming last year.
And the Musso ute you see here was formerly known as Rhino in NZ (which is actually what “Musso” means in Korean anyway), although prior to that it was called… Musso. Okay then.
Despite all the recent change, the Musso is something of an old friend to us. It’s far from the latest thing in the segment, but it’s strong, capable (3.5t towing) and has a unique look.
The range has been rationalised and the prices have dropped considerably: even the top Sachi version is under $45k. KGM NZ lists these as “limited time” figures, but there’s no full retail mentioned, so that’s good enough for us.
LDV T60
We wanted to have the LDV T60 Max Plus in this list: it’s a worthwhile upgrade to the standard T60 with different styling, a new interior and significantly upgraded safety and driver-assistance technology. But just prior to the time of writing, the sub-$50k launch price came to an end, and the Max Plus is now $55,990. Hey, we’re strict about our budget-rules.
So it’s back to the standard T60, which lacks polish compared to its rivals here but looks decent, serves up good power/torque and can still do all the utey stuff. It’s also cheap as chips, starting well under $40k, and you cannot argue with a 7-year warranty.
We’d still go for the top Lux, which has a better look with blacked-out exterior details, more driver-assists (autonomous braking and 360-degree camera among them) and more luxury.
NISSAN NAVARA
Call this a wild card if you like, but the current Nissan Navara is now on runout ahead of an all-new model, so prices have been very publicly slashed. If the new-gen budget brands don’t appeal, this is your chance to get an established name and known-quantity ute for a similar same price – as long as you don’t mind driving what’s soon to be a previous-generation model.
Nissan’s website tells prospective buyers to contact their local dealer about pricing, so who knows what incentives await. But the indicative discounts from the brand for the Navara 4x4 put the SL at under $40k and the ST under $45k (you can have either in manual or automatic, by the way).
The best news is that $50k will get you into the tricked-up ST-X (pictured), and that can’t be considered anything other than a budget-bargain.