benchmark diesel

Ah, the elusive "benchmark diesel"—a phrase that screams, "I want the best diesel engine money can buy, but make it snappy!" In Australia, the crown jewel often goes to the Ford Ranger Wildtrak's 3.2L five-cylinder turbo diesel, boasting around 147 kW and 470 Nm of torque. Alternatively, the Toyota Hilux's 2.8L turbo diesel flexes slightly less power but compensates with legendary reliability.

New diesel utes in this league typically start around $45,000 AUD and can stretch beyond $70,000 AUD for fully loaded trims. Used models on Tradingpost or CarShowroom might shave off a good $10k to $20k, depending on age and condition.

Choosing your benchmark diesel depends on your priorities—power, torque, fuel economy, or the ability to shrug off a decade of hard yakka. For the full specs and up-to-date pricing, poke around official brochures or ServiceCentral.