Truck vs ute: What is the better choice for tradies and business

Which is the better choice, if you could only choose one, as an all-round workhorse, tow vehicle and cargo-carrying runaround: a light-duty truck or dual-cab ute?

The default choice for many tradies is a dual-cab ute that doubles as a weekday workhorse and week-end wheels. But what if you need to carry a lot of gear as well as tow a big trailer (often at the same time), and a one-tonne ute doesn’t quite cut the mustard?

A light-duty truck with its superior towing and vehicle weight ratings, that you can also drive on a car licence, could be the answer, but they're not generally perceived as being as comfortable, safe or user-friendly, as smaller dual-cab utes.

To shed some light on this dilemma, we ran an Isuzu NPR medium wheelbase Tradepack and a Toyota HiLux SR dual-cab through a number of real-world tests, to see which one adds up as the best all-rounder for the money...

Toyota HiLux SR dual-cab ute
Engine/transmission: 150kW/420Nm 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel with six-speed auto
Weights: 2115kg (Tare), 3050kg (GVM), 5850kg (GCM), 3500kg (towing)
Length: 5230mm
Price: $56,210 plus on-road costs

Isuzu NPR 45-155 MWB Tradepack single-cab light truck
Engine/transmission: 114kW/419Nm 5.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with six-speed auto
Weights: 3105kg (Tare), 4500kg (GVM), 9000kg (GCM), 4500kg (towing)
Length: 6645mm
Price: $72,381 plus on-road coasts