...if you can't make up your mind after going thru all this information, going on test drives and talkin to your bank....

...then confine yourself to public transport


NAVARA

Pros:
- 2nd most comfortable interior
- good for prettying up
- POWERFUL engine (the most torque of them all)
- fast and smooth on the highway (will leave behind all other vans, once it gets to stretch its legs. Not the fastest off the line but best top speed - you know, like Bowser and Wario in the game "MarioKart").
- good resale value
- car-like ride, driver's sitting position is more like a car than a truck
- lots of space in the back seat for mid-sized adults, children and midgets.

Cons:
- Electronically controlled diff - not a "real" LSD like the purists on this forum would tell you >>>> Less grip in slippery conditions / offroading.
- lowest ground clearance so no offroading unless you get a lift-kit
- large size makes it a beeyotch to park in Port of Spain


HILUX


Pros:
- exceptional resale value, EXCEPTIONAL!
- most comfortable interior of them all (even though the styling sucks, at least the materials are good).
- high ride, good visibility (so you can see and dodge the dead dogs on the highway)
- also good for prettying-up - the original gangsta with de 20-inch chromes. Back in 2007 when they first started appearing, every man wanna see a hilux with 20-inch crims.
- good all-round performance in every category - power/performance/features/safety

Cons:
- EXPENSIVE (to buy and to maintain too)
- questionable safety when turning corners, more susceptible to roll over - if you ask the hilux to take a corner too hard, it will say "no" and take a lie-dong on its side instead.


L200/SPORTERO


Pros:
- powerful engine
- 3rd most comfortable interior
- the new 2.5L engine actually makes more torque than the 3.2L engine
- car-like ride (just like the Navara)

Cons:
- Styling - the damn thing's shape looks like a huge Slipper or a huge loafer's shoe
and the tray, wah' happen to de lower tail-end of the tray? They run out ink when they was drawing the design, and the design sheet accidentyally went to the factory as it was..... half-drawn????
- large size makes it difficult to park
- powerful engine but power isn't available readily until mid-high rpm.


RANGER

Pros:
- Powerful engine
- sporty and aggressive interior
- gearbox is perfect for the engine - pulls out the power just perfectly (the power comes immediately, unlike a Navara where you have to rev hard)
- Bulletproof reliability and durability
- Can carry heavier load than the navara and hilux (and tow too)

Cons:
- Softer suspension than the BT-50
- smaller tray than the navara
- styling of the newer models not as masculine as the older models
- smaller back seat than the Navara and hilux



Mazda BT-50


Pros:
- See above (same truck as the ranger - same designers)
- Longer tray than the ranger?
- One website says it can carry 2-tons in it's tray and then tow 1-ton at the same time
- Interchangeable parts with the Ranger
- Also the cheapest pickup even when fully loaded (180K or so for a 4x4, 2.5L, manual, fully loaded A/C, double cab, mp3 stereo, and so on) - possibly the best bang-for-your-buck in an all-rounder performance truck. You get the performance and awesome gearbox of the Ranger, with stiffer suspension - all for a much lower price!

Cons:
- See above under "ranger" (same truck!)
- Need to get the 3.0L to get a tray without the tie-hooks on the side
- SSL has questionable after-sale service, but at least they not as retarded as N&M. Seems like SSL favourite three words are "no" "parts" "available". Solution - buy parts from the Ranger instead.



Isuzu DMAX

Pros:
- powerful engine
- will haul and carry heavy loads like the ranger and bt-50
- aggressive styling, actually looks good when dressed up with 20's and a rollbar to the back
- does everything well (drive, haul, tow, comfort) but not exceptionally well

Cons:
- that engine NOISY!!! I find it sound like a maxi engine
- Nothing special about the truck's features - it doesn't stand out in any category, so it's just "good enough" all around
- low ground clearance, so watch out when off-roading or trying to drive over them dead-dogs on the highway - you'll still end up hitting it with the undercarriage.


WINGLE

Pros:
- it cheap!
- looks decent when dressed up (almost like a DMAX and Ranger had a baby and named it Wingle) - but from the back and sides only. Just don't watch the Wingle from the front, and you'll be ok.

Cons:
- it's chinese >>> it's a knock off (it's like buying a "rollecks" compared to a Rolex)
- it's a frigging chinese piece of crap
- otherwise unknown performance, not many reviews online for it.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Horsepower ranking top three:
1st - Navara 4x4 2.5L TD - 187 HP
2nd - Hilux Doublecab 3.0 TD - 173 HP
3rd - Triton 3.2L - 162 HP. (*edited)



Next, the REAL power - *torque* - top three rankings:
1st - Navara 4x4 2.5 TD - 331lb/ft
2nd - Ranger 3.0 TD - 280lb/ft
3rd - Triton 3.2L TD - 275lb/ft


- The 3.0L ranger puts out a higher torque than the 3.0L Hilux. Seems that Ford is fast overtaking it's rival in power and perhaps features too? Just the interior cabin styling alone is a lot more industrial and perhaps more aggressive in the '09 ranger than the overly stylized lines of the '09 Hilux dash & cabin. But I can't deny the Hilux's cabin materials are high-calibre though.

- How the heck did Nissan get all that freakin' horsepower and torque out of the 4x4 2.5L engine? Here's the wikipedia link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_YD_engine#YD25DDTi
It's amazing how Nissan was able to massage such a high torque number from the same displacement engine.

According to http://www.4wdaction.com.au in their 2007 roundup of one-tonne trucks (Australia's pickup-truck market is VERY similar to Trinidad's so they have the same range of trucks as we do, at the same spec-levels and trim) - the Ranger tends to have more low-end torque (@ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_YD_engine#YD25DDTi
http://www.carshowroom.com.au/newcars/2 ... on/reviews
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_BT-50
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_D-Max
http://www.carshowroom.com.au/newcars/2 ... er/reviews
http://www.carshowroom.com.au/newcars/2 ... ux/reviews
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/ute2007_p1.php

And a converter to convert Kw - HP, Nm - lbs/Ft, etc.
http://www.mr2ownersclub.com/converter.htm

L200 -

Pros:
Most comfortable. Most legroom in the back. Feels like a big-car when driving, easiest to drive. Eligible for Ansa Mcal "In One" financing, insurance and maintenance package. Stylish cabin design, quality materials. Above average after-sales service at Diamond Motors.

Cons:
3.2L engine is the least responsive. New 2.5L engine is more powerful but still not as responsive as it should be. Exterior styling will not suit most people. Tray is smaller than most other pickups.

Ranger -

Pros:
Most responsive engine & well-tuned transmission. Very rugged, capable of taking more punishment than the average driver will ever throw at it. Excellent workhorse. Excellent for off-roading. Longest tray out of all the pickups. Eligible for Ansa Mcal "In One" financing, insurance and maintenance package. Excellent after-sales service.

Cons:
Not the most comfortable. Not enough legroom in the back for tall people. Ride quality isn't as soft as the Navara.


Navara -

Pros:
Very comfortable inside. Feels like a big car when driving, similar to L200. Styling is more masculine than most trucks nowadays. Very powerful engine (most powerful of all the local trucks). Good workhorse. Quality materials in the cabin. Good ride quality.

Cons:
Powerful engine but also not as responsive as the Ranger. Large body means less maneuverable in tight places. Hard to park in town, eg. POS. Ground clearance not as high as other pickups - limits the 4x4 off-road capability. Not eligible for the "in One" plan (N&M). Cabin styling is more plain than other pickups. After sales service at N&M sucks.


Here's a review of the 2009 Mitsubishi L200 GLX-R (L200 ML model)

And the new 2010 L200 GLX-R (L200 MN model)

A review of the 2009 D40 Navara

Here's a review of the 2009-2010 Ford Ranger XLT (Ranger PK model)

thanks 'hammer.

well alluh gorne and do it...

_________________
"2Pac."

Which one would you buy and why taking cost, durability, power etc in consideration...

btw, the answer is in my avatar

So nothing tangible has been changed in the new hilux?

_________________

Navara < ford < hilux.

_________________
Follow My Mom On Twitter. www.twitter.com/ladygaga

nope typical final of the three facelift run. just has a bigger hood scoop and the usual cosmetic differences

its all down to what you want from a pickup..............backseat space, towing power, offroad capability, an on road truck
btw do some test drives.........make a decision on your merit

Let me just take this opportunity to say that the Navara is tewts.
Not only is it tewts because it's a Nissan, but it sucks as a pickup. It's designed for speed and not stepping and pulling good. If you want a high car with 22's, then the Navara is for you though.

_________________
Coilovers + CD Playing = Jack Warner.

Aside from answering the OP, Navara still looks sexier than all though. I know you couldn't agree with me more.

_________________
regards,
shiv

Ford/Mazda ... work horse IMO

Ranger for teh winz

_________________
PSN: vrampersad14

Take note that a fully redesigned (and much bigger) Ford Ranger will be coming soon to Trinidad.

I heard the mazda vans were nice. The bt50. I know a guy that had one (showroom) that was getting countless issues with his though, he sold it and bought another one and that one has been running fine with no issues for the past couple of years.

_________________
Follow My Mom On Twitter. www.twitter.com/ladygaga

I personally find the Mazda vans fugly, but that's just me :/

_________________
PSN: vrampersad14

Hilux, all the time.. everytime. Sexiest one of all.

Ranger... not a hilux. Too meh looking.

Navara only good for road use, has horrible off road capabilities. Plus its huge and phaggy looking.

List is according to my opinion.