Is it a ute or a truck?

[Rallye Sport]

I'm noticing that what we Australians call a ute is starting to be referred as a truck?
To me a ute is based on the layout and driving dynamics of a passenger car with a load capacity of roughly 1 ton.
A truck on the other hand is generally a bit more agricultural in construction, built for the purpose of hauling large loads and is designed for functionality and durability... They can't be driven on a 'basic' licence either.
So whats the consensus guys and girls? Ute or Truck?

[Express]

You should hear what I call mine when its playing up.


I'm a Ute man but I don't really care as soon neither Ford or Holden will be making what I call a Ute anyway, which is half a sedan in front and tray in behind.


.

[bernbo]

My opinion is a ute is short for coupe utility which is a two door vehicle based on a sedan but with a tray instead of two doors an a boot. With the demise of falcon and commodore utes the term ute is also set for retirement. These trucks are by my definition pickup trucks, with us in aus using the word truck instead of pickup.

[Mercury Bullet]

Ute.

But truck it will be...cos the hottie in the ad says so.

I guess that means we are now going to get, just because..

Hood
Trunk
Fender
Gas
Tire

[Brazen]

Funny thing is Mercedes said they will call their new dual cab a ute.

[tranquilized]

I think truck is an appropriate term for the dual cab ranger/hi-lux type vehicles we're seeing everywhere these days. Their design, handling, dynamics, drivability in general have more in common with a truck than car.

Having said that, "ute" is short for utility, so is also an appropriate term.

[Lunch]

I drive a falcon ute, a truck is a vehicle that you need to climb up into that can take a load ( insert joke here ) Those Rangers and Navaras and such, that's just what guys buy when they've got/have kids and don't wanna be seen driving an "SUV" aka pretend 4x4 but they aren't fooling anyone! I don't care that it's got all terrains, it's still a Toorak tractor buddy, just without the boot

[Raptor]

Ute = derived from a passenger car (Holden/Commodore, Falcon, Brumby, Jumbuck, Dato 1200 etc)

Pick-up = light duty commercial (not derived from a passenger car) (F100/150 etc and current crop of locally available units such as Ranger, Navara etc) - May have SUV (not Crossover) sibling.

Truck = carries real loads, special license required. Not Rangers, Navaras, Tritons etc. Has nothing to do with carrying passengers. Priority is freight.



End of discussion



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[LG17]

My dual cab gets driven like a ute and used like a truck.

[ronwest]

Well, in a few short years Halloween has become a thing in oz.

I guess we'll forever be trying to keep up with the Kardashians so truck it will become...

[Tassie f100]

Well generally Aussies call them utes,although years ago the QLD lads called them Tillys and the Sth Africans call them Backies,but the yanks call them Trucks,possibily bacause they can't spell utility.

[pursuit57]

Originally Posted by bernbo

My opinion is a ute is short for coupe utility which is a two door vehicle based on a sedan but with a tray instead of two doors an a boot. With the demise of falcon and commodore utes the term ute is also set for retirement. These trucks are by my definition pickup trucks, with us in aus using the word truck instead of pickup.

Noooo ! wash your mouth....

[jmack]

its a truck when you need an endorsed license ,anything else is a ute or pie cart

[Loonar]

Just as a side note :- Canadians at my place of employ call Hi-Luxs " Whoopees " or their own derivation of spelling !!

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by ronwest

Well, in a few short years Halloween has become a thing in oz.

I guess we'll forever be trying to keep up with the Kardashians so truck it will become...

People always say this yet Halloween has been a thing since as long as I can remember. People were trick or treating 20 years ago.

[Ben73]

Some people ask me how my ute is going. Some ask how my truck is going, I answer both questions the same way because I really don't care what it's called.
I personally say ute, but meh. Some people are really precious about it.

[bungarra]

Originally Posted by Raptor

Truck = carries real loads, special license required. Not Rangers, Navaras, Tritons etc. Has nothing to do with carrying passengers. Priority is freight.

.

Not all freight carrying motor vehicles (trucks) require special licences, anything below 4.5 T can be driven on a car licence in most states.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Some people ask me how my ute is going. Some ask how my truck is going, I answer both questions the same way because I really don't care what it's called.
I personally say ute, but meh. Some people are really precious about it.

Agreed, far better to go by pragmatics than semantics. I don't care if people call my Silverado a car, ute, truck, or pickup. Call it by the brand if you want, I will know what you're talking about and won't have my feelings hurt. Heck I have used all of those terms to describe it. If people start lecturing me that they have to use the terminology they prefer, that's when I get annoyed. People need to stop lecturing others on what words and phrases they can use or can't use.

[ebv8]

i think in the US they call lightweight ute a pickup and a HD ute a truck
ie: Ranger is a Pickup and a Tundra is a Truck
but i'm no yank i just watch TV

really they should be called Sports Utility Vehicles, but no we call Hyundai's SUV's when they is no sports or Utility about them

p.s. the RMS think my 2 door Vitara is a UTE when clearly its not, but I have to pay double for the Greenslip....thanks

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by ebv8

i think in the US they call lightweight ute a pickup and a HD ute a truck
ie: Ranger is a Pickup and a Tundra is a Truck
but i'm no yank i just watch TV

really they should be called Sports Utility Vehicles, but no we call Hyundai's SUV's when they is no sports or Utility about them

p.s. the RMS think my 2 door Vitara is a UTE when clearly its not, but I have to pay double for the Greenslip....thanks

Technically in the US, all pickups (classes 1-3) are light duty trucks. Heavy Duty (Ram and Silverado) and Super Duty (Ford) are marketing names, they are heavy duty pickups, but only light duty trucks. The class is based on GVWR, not style or how many doors it has.

Light duty: Class 1: Ranger, Tacoma, Frontier, Colorado
Class 2A: F150, Tundra, Titan, Ram 1500, Silverado 1500
Class 2B: F250, Silverado/Sierra/Ram 2500
Class 3: F350, 3500


Classes 4-6 (Medium Duty): F450-F650, Ram 4500-5500

Classes 7-8 (Heavy Duty): F-750 (Class 7)
Class 8: Semi trailer/18 wheeler etc).

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

People always say this yet Halloween has been a thing since as long as I can remember. People were trick or treating 20 years ago.

It's fair to say that I can remember longer than you.

People may have been trick or treating twenty years ago but I'll bet you it was a fringe activity.

I don't recall Coles and Woolies stocking up on Halloween stuff until the last three or maybe four years.

Anyhoo, I'll continue to drive around in my ute while the trendsetters and their trucks gain popularity.

[2011G6E]

It's. A. UTE.
Full stop.
Things like F100's were called utes. I would allow that vehicles like F250's, Dodge Rams, and Chev Silverados and the like are "trucks". But come on...do we have to Americanise everything? It just grates on the nerves to hear them constantly saying "truck truck truck" at every opportunity in the adverts.

Especially, dare I say it, the truly ****y "Science Of Truck" Ford ad's...*cringe*...

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

do we have to Americanise everything?

There's an inevitability to to it. Nearly all our tv, movies, etc, are American so that culture gradually infuses itself into ours.

I remember before "guy" was a common word in oz.

It was always "fella" or "chap" or "bloke". (My dad went crook on me as a young fella for using "guy" - "you're not a bloody American" he said. He was involved in "The Battle of Brisbane" so probably fair enough from his pov.)

Anyway, I'm not into shouting at clouds but it's a shame when words peculiar to our culture disappear.

[Sabantien]

While Falcon/Commodore utes are utes in the strictest sense, I've known things like hiluxes to be called utes, even when I was a kid. Basically if it's got a tray, and isn't... well, the size of a truck. A truck being bigger, and generally requiring a truck licence (although not always if it's a small truck).

Toyota still use the term! http://www.toyota.com.au/ute-car

[Giant Cranium]

I like the word ute so that's what I use and always will. The blokes at work are used to me calling my f350 a ute and some have adopted the word

[Ben73]

Let's just call them backies so we don't have to argue about whether it's ute or truck.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by ebv8

i think in the US they call lightweight ute a pickup and a HD ute a truck
ie: Ranger is a Pickup and a Tundra is a Truck
but i'm no yank i just watch TV

really they should be called Sports Utility Vehicles, but no we call Hyundai's SUV's when they is no sports or Utility about them

p.s. the RMS think my 2 door Vitara is a UTE when clearly its not, but I have to pay double for the Greenslip....thanks

The Aussie Ranger is referred to as a truck by Ford themselves, go read the Ranger brochure as it is advertised as a truck.

[rattusbaggus1]

The official definition of a utility says that it uses CAR panels to the Back of the front seat. Aft of that is up to you . A panel van, tray top, pickup etc. They are all Utes.

[LG17]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

It's. A. UTE.
Full stop.
Things like F100's were called utes. I would allow that vehicles like F250's, Dodge Rams, and Chev Silverados and the like are "trucks". But come on...do we have to Americanise everything? It just grates on the nerves to hear them constantly saying "truck truck truck" at every opportunity in the adverts.

Especially, dare I say it, the truly ****y "Science Of Truck" Ford ad's...*cringe*...

Effies were always called F trucks.

[rattusbaggus1]

Words are made by people! Do you call a kilometre a 'kilo - meter' (offical pronunciation ) or kill-omm-erta. If you want to call it a truck, then it's a truck.......... No people were killed or injured making this post