The Aussie ute or utility is undoubtedly an Australian outback icon, particularly when you consider that Holden and Ford have been creating their own ute to appeal to the Aussie public for many decades now.

So what exactly defines a utility (or ute)? A ute is a motor vehicle that has the seating area enclosed as a passenger cab area. The enclosed cab area can be:

* just the front seats designed to seat two.

* just the front seats designed to seat three in a bench seat arrangement.

* either of the above plus back seats.

A ute is designed for being a load-carrying vehicle, and so it is a vehicle that doesn’t have an enclosed boot space like a sedan, neither is it similar to a station wagon where the load area has access to the seating space.

A utility has, behind the enclosed passenger cab, a separate cargo tray where the load can be placed. A ute is very capable of carrying heavy loads and therefore the rear suspension will have upgraded components to handle the extra weight.

Cast your eyes through the list of utility vehicles or utes that Private Fleet offer and you will find some very quick and sporty utes designed by Holden and Ford as well as some very work-hardened, rugged designs created by many respected manufacturers.

The Ford Ranger, Holden Crewman, Mazda Bravo, Mitsubishi Triton, Toyota Hilux, and Nissan Navara are some of the very best, and would be worth a look if you are in need of a utility vehicle. Many of the models can be pushed over rugged terrain with heavy loads, and yet inside the cabin you can be wallowing in total luxury.We hope that helps answer the question ‘What is What is a Utility – Ute?’!

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