Ford Ranger vs GWM UTE

What's the difference?

VS
Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger

$37,130 - $90,690

2025 price

GWM UTE
GWM UTE

$29,990 - $46,500

2024 price

Summary

2025 Ford Ranger
2024 GWM UTE
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 2.3L

Diesel Turbo 4, 2.0L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded/Electric

Diesel
Fuel Efficiency
2.7L/100km (combined)

9.4L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Prohibitively expensive
  • Lacks truly usable EV range
  • Adds weight to already-heavy ute

  • Not as refined as it should be
  • Jittery ride on irregular surfaces
  • Overly busy transmission
2025 Ford Ranger Summary

Ford has been teasing the plug-in version of its sales chart darling for some time.

Long enough, in fact, that between the Ford Ranger PHEV program being confirmed in late 2023 and its 2025 arrival, two other plug-in hybrid utes have hit the market. 

While there’s some overlap between the aims and target market of the Ranger PHEV and its challengers from China, the BYD Shark 6 and the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, Ford claims the Ranger’s capability hasn’t been compromised for the sake of electrification.

Can a petrol engine and a big battery bring the same tough ute vibes as the rugged diesel variant that’s arguably become the segment benchmark? 

There’s a lot riding on the Ranger PHEV and Ford Australia invited CarsGuide to the updated ute's local launch, including a variety of situations you might expect a dual-cab to be found in - on and off the asphalt.

View full pricing & specs
2024 GWM UTE Summary

The Cannon XSR is GWM’s new top-shelf ute variant.

This dual-cab 4WD ute is intended as an off-road-focussed vehicle and has visual and mechanical upgrades over the rest of the Cannon stable, including part-time 4WD (not the full-time 4WD on GWM’s lower-spec Cannons), a front differential lock (in addition to the existing rear diff lock), raised air intake (aka a snorkel) and Cooper Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tyres.

It’s priced from $52,990 drive-away, so costs about $7500 more than you’d pay for the standard Cannon X on which this special edition ute is based. But it still undercuts similarly-equipped top-spec Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes by about $20,000.

So, with twin lockers, a snorkel, underbody protection and all-terrain tyres, is the GWM XSR worth the extra cash?

Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 Ford Ranger 2024 GWM UTE

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