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When Ford introduced its all-new and game-changing Ranger ute in late 2011, much of the sales push focused on heavy-duty towing. That was because this big muscular Ford could tow 3,500kg, whereas the sales-dominant Toyota Hilux of the time was only good for 2,500kg. The Ranger’s under-the-skin-twin, the Mazda BT-50, also came with a 3,500kg towing rating in that year, as did the new-generation Holden Colorado that arrived the following year.

Now, 3,500kg is the norm, at least with the 4WD versions of all the popular utes, which are the mainstay of the ute market