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Toyota Hilux
The Hilux has been around for many years and is still a favourite among the farming sector. The Hilux was second on the list of pickup sales this year with over 5,000 sold to date, although it has had some serious competition in recent years.
Driving the most recent version with the new 2.4-litre D4-D turbo diesel engine (replaces the 2.5-litre and 3-litre) pushes out 150hp and 400nm and has an ‘‘eco’’ or ‘‘power’’ push button setting.
Power makes the accelerator very responsive and quite lumpy to drive if the Hilux has little weight in it, while the eco default setting of the Toyota is far more agreeable for daily driving.
Towing capacity is an impressive 3,200kg.
There is a single cab version that is certified to tow 3,500kg and its prices start from €29,250 with €36,500 the entry point for the double-cab version.
Three grades make up the specifications on offer with DLX the entry point, next is the SR5 (from €39,895) and Invincible is the top spec from €45,850.
Ford Ranger
The Ranger is a relative newcomer to the market. With its manly styling and powerful engine options, it has become a top contender in the pickup league. So far in 2017, it has topped the table with a sales figure of 351 units.
Driving the big Ford is an experience. During the year, I was given the top-spec version with the 200hp, three-litre engine and found it to be a serious piece of kit. It has a towing capacity of 3,500kg across the range even with the smaller 2.2-litre engine, which is by far the more commonly purchased variant.
The most common specification level is the Ranger Limited. A new 2.2-litre diesel Limited will cost €36,000 including VAT. Values don’t quite perform at HiLux levels but they don’t plummet either.
Mitsubishi L200
The latest L200 came on the market in 2015 and was a major step forward from the previous version, which at best could have been seen as a little rough around the edges. Driving the new one is a far more refined experience and brings the L200 up to the standard of its counterparts with decent road manners.
The 2.4-litre engine connected to the in-house-built six-speed gearbox is very good and works both on the twisty stuff and on longer motorway runs.
The other massive step forward is the turning circle, which is now similar to the others on the market and much improved from the Titanic-sized turning circle of the original.
All models have a towing capacity of 3,100kg. Pricing starts from €30,250.
Nissan Navara
The Navara is an imposing beast, with its flat-faced grill and wide stance. It is a big jeep, only outdone by the Ranger for size. The Nissan is powered by a 2.3-litre turbo-charged engine (one or two turbos depending on your power requirement) The twin-turbo version produces 190bhp and the single produces 160bhp.
The Navara has a towing capacity of 3,500kg, up there with the class leaders in this department. Sales of the Navara have been good in 2017 with Nissan shifting 220 units so far this year.
On the road, the bigger-powered version has plenty of power and gets the big jeep down the road with great ease.
The Nissan feels big on the road and there are some issues with noise from the engine and transmission but nothing that would drive me away from buying one.
The ride in the Navara is very good and that, along with it spacious cabin, makes it a contender in this class. Pricing starts at €34,995.
Volkswagen Amarok
The Amarok is now in its second iteration and this version is a very polished machine.
During the year, I drove the new three-litre V6 version of the German pickup and found it to be the perfect partner for getting around the country and doing the dirty work that is sometimes required. This high-specification version is probably out of the price range of the majority of buyers but the fit and finish and the comfort and agility of that Amarok is available with the more sensible engine at a more sensible price point.
Driving the VW is a simple as driving any car and it amazed me how it handled bumpy Irish roads and I never felt as if it was going to spit me off the road into a hedge if I didn’t add ballast to the load bay.
Volkswagen has the suspension sorted in the newest version of its load lugger and the company has sold 99 units so far this year.
This number seems low in comparison to others on the market but I suspect that the pricing of the Amarok is putting off some buyers.
Pricing starts at €36,675 which is a touch more expensive than the competition. Towing Capacity is 3,000kg or 3,100kg depending on the engine choice.
Isuzu D-Max
Isuzu knows its stuff when it comes to pickups as that’s all the famous Japanese manufacturer sells. What it sells is the D-Max, a rugged all-rounder, and the Isuzu range is made up of six different models. Up first is the entry-level Utility, then there’s the Eiger, the Yukon, Utah and range-topping Blade.
The D-Max has always been a great-looking machine but it is back with a fresh new look and that’s not all.
It’s powered by a 1.9-litre, turbo-diesel engine that produces a healthy 162bhp and a generous 360Nm or torque. Pricing starts from approximately €35,000.
Fiat Fullback
The Fiat arrived on thwse shores last year and has moderate success with sales for 2017 so far coming in at 21 units.
Having driven the Fiat for a week I found it to be a very capable performer both on and off road. It is basically a rebadged Mitsubishi, sharing the same engine, transmission and nearly all the body panel, except the Fiat grill has been added.
The interior has been given some touches of Italian flare, some good and some bad – the good in the form of some really nice colour accents on the dash to break the grey monotony, the bad being the very odd Kenwood Infotainment system which took a couple of days to master.
Simple things such as connecting a phone became a struggle with this system. Despite this issue, the
Fullback is very good and is competitively priced and is based on a very solid performer in the L200. The Fullback is rated to tow 3,100kg and pricing starts at €30,699.
Mercedes X Class and Renault Alaskan
These two will arrive in Ireland in 2018 and will add to what is already a crowded market.
Both are based on the Nissan and with the extra bit that both Mercedes and Renault will add to the mix they will be interesting additions to the market.
As I haven’t had a chance to drive either for an extended period of time I will leave them out of the final reckoning.
Having driven the latest version of all of these pickups the one that stands out to me as the one that I would most like to look out the window and know that I was the proud owner of would be the Volkswagen Amarok.
During the week that I drove it, the car’s equal levels of comfort and drivability were a stand out and the lack of pickup bounce was a pleasure. The interior finish is very good and solid as you would expect from a Volkswagen.
I know that the Volkswagen is not the cheapest pickup available but if your pockets are deep enough to buy this vehicle, you won’t be disappointed.
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