Dear Drive…. I need a dual cab for towing, but am on a limited budget. What can I get for under $35,000?
Dear Drive… Where we answer reader, viewer and listener questions. Something on your mind? Call in to the radio show or email us at contactus@drive.com.au.
Mandy called Denis and James on 3AW and asked:
I was looking at changing my car for a ute for towing horses, and I can’t afford something new like a Ford Ranger, so my budget is around $35k. What is your opinion on utes like the LDV?
The dual-cab segment answers a lot of different questions for buyers, with these multi-role vehicles able to work in a variety of ways for a variety of owners. Towing for work is one such use.
Here, the myriad off-road traction, assist and protection systems are less important. So too are passenger luxuries and cosmetic enhancement packages Towing prioritises usable torque, load control and touring economy, and conveniently for Mandy, these can all be had at the pointy end of the price spectrum.
There’s the GWM Canon, the LDV T60 Max Luxe and the Ssangyong Musso ELX. The GWM can be had as a 4X2 and the other two are available with a manual transmission if you want to sharpen the price further, but for the basis of this data comparison, we’ve elected the base-trim 4X4, automatic, dual cab options.
| GWM Canon 4X4 | LDV T60 Max PRO 4X4 | Ssangyong Musso ELX 4X4 | |
| Price | $35,990 (DA) | $37,884 (DA) | $36,990 (DA) |
| Engine | 2.0-litre turbo-diesel | 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel | 2.2-litre turbo-diesel |
| Power | 120kW @ 3600rpm | 160kW @ 4000rpm | 133kW @ 4000rpm |
| Torque | 400Nm @ 1500-2600rpm | 500Nm @ 1500-2400rpm | 400Nm @ 1400-2800rpm |
| Transmission | Eight-speed automatic | Eight-speed automatic | Six-speed automatic |
| Fuel consumption (comb. claimed) | 8.3L/100km | 9.3L/100km | 8.6L/100km |
| Tow rating (braked) | 3000kg | 3000kg | 3500kg |
| Mass (Tare) | 1880kg | 2078kg | 2192kg |
| Payload | 1050kg | 925kg | 790kg |
| Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) | 2985kg | 3050kg | 2880kg |
The newest kid on the block, the MY22 LDV T60 Max, has an all-new twin-turbo diesel engine, which offers the most power and torque, but it is the thirstiest of the trio. The Musso’s 2.2-litre unit strikes the best balance of performance and efficiency between this three.
The Musso, too, is the only one to offer a 3.5-tonne tow rating. And, at nearly 2.2-tonne itself, it’s a pretty sturdy rig on the road, but there’s limited payload allowance. This means it works well as a tow-truck, but less so as a hauler.
Looking to the Canon, that delivers a solid compromise in terms of load rating, but we’d suggest a drive of all of them, ideally with your float, to get a good feel for how they perform. Don’t hesitate to ask the dealer if you can hitch your trailer up to the demo vehicle, so you can make the best decision before you part with your money.
Have a question about your next set of wheels or just need some car advice? No query is too big, small or obscure! Call in to the radio show (Trent on 2GB Sydney 1:30pm Monday and 9pm Wednesday, 5AA South Australia 1:30pm Tuesday, and James on 3AW Melbourne 9pm each Thursday), or contact us by email here: contactus@drive.com.au.
The post Dear Drive…. I need a dual cab for towing, but am on a limited budget. What can I get for under $35,000? appeared first on Drive.