Best Ute Starting Under $85K revealed! 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year: Kia Tasman, Ford Ranger and BYD Shark 6 in dual-cab duel to take top honours

Our 10-strong shortlist for one of the most competitive segments has been whittled down to a top three, and – of course – a winner. But not before plenty of healthy and sometimes pretty vibrant debate between the members of the CarsGuide Editorial team.

In the end, though, the choice seemed obvious, and overwhelming. So read on to find out the winner of the 2026 CarsGuide Car of The Year – Best Ute Starting Under $85K category.

But first, a note. The runners-up are listed in alphabetical order based on the model name. There's no traditional podium here, just three finalists and a winner. 

Now, on with the show.

Want to know just how strong an offering the Ford Ranger is? Every single CarsGuide judge voted for it in one way or another. It didn't score enough first-place votes to take the top prize, but it was in every single judge's top three.

Our judging panel praised its capability and the breadth of its offering (especially now with Super Duty and plug-in hybrid variants).

Admittedly, some suggested the plug-in Stormtrak variant felt a little "cynical" for its underwhelming EV performance, while others loved it, but all agreed the Ranger remains among Australia's best utes.

"It might no longer be the outright benchmark, but it is superior to almost every other ute in lots of ways," said Managing Editor Tim Nicholson.

First year on sale and first appearance on the CarsGuide COTY podium! Not a bad effort for Kia's first-ever dual-cab offering, the Tasman.

Our judges agreed that while the styling might be controversial, there is nothing opinion-splitting about the way the Tasman drives, or the attention its designers have paid to its cabin, which is by far the best in the business.

"It does the workhorse thing really well, and with a long warranty. It's big inside. It has got a stunning interior. It has a big tub. Kia has come from nowhere and they have swung really hard at this," said CarsGuide Contributing Journalist Byron Mathioudakis.

No single ute had a more significant impact on Australia's dual-cab market than the BYD Shark 6 last year, which not only attracted more than 18,000 customers across 2025, but did it without some of the key weapons in the traditional ute arsenal.

To succeed in Australia, utes must be powered by a diesel engine. They must be able to tow 3.5 tonnes. And they need to be able to carry a tonne. But it seems nobody issued these three commandments to BYD, because the Shark 6 can't do any of that, and it was the fourth best-selling ute in the country last year – with, it must be pointed out, just the one body style and trim. 

In place of the diesel donk is a plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain that has seriously resonated with Aussie consumers – forging a path other manufacturers far more established in the ute scene are now scrambling to follow – and it scored big on style and technology with our judges, too.

"The big thing for me is the ambition of the product, and the way that it's just turned the segment upside down," said CarsGuide Deputy News Editor Tom White.

"You could argue the segment had become a bit stagnant and boring, and I think Shark 6 just overhauls it completely."