2021 Ford Ranger vs Isuzu D-Max

What's the difference?

You want a Ford Ranger Raptor, but you can’t quite justify the extra expense.

You want a Ford Ranger Raptor, but you need more towing capacity.

You want a Ford Ranger Raptor, but you need better payload capability.

You need to take a look at the 2021 Ford Ranger FX4 Max, which takes some of the stuff we love about the Raptor, but has better towing, load and pricing. 

And in this test, we’re checking out how it handles towing.

Utes – especially dual-cab utes – occupy the hallowed turf that lay between being purely a work vehicle and being a daily driver/recreational vehicle. But in attempting to strike the right balance between the two purposes, utes end up being a bit of a compromise in one direction or the other – as in it’s ultimately better suited to work duties than it is to being a people mover, or vice-versa.

Well, some utes don’t need to compromise all that much, because some utes, such as the Isuzu D-Max SX space-cab cab chassis, for instance, are unashamedly purpose-built for work: carrying loads, driving big distances, towing heavy trailers, doing long days.

But that doesn’t mean this sort of ute is not capable of taking on an adventure or two, especially when the ute in question is a 2021 4x4 version of the aforementioned D-Max variant.

So, how does it go? Read on.