When deciding on a ute or van, business owners need to weigh up numerous factors including suitability to the task, cross-over potential to rec and family use, reliability and very importantly price. But with these categories, some of the most competitive in the motor vehicle market, finding the time to study each 'contender' in detail can be a challenge too far. Fortunately, it's not too much of a challenge for the motoring experts at Drive who each year judge and release their Car of the Year awards.
These awards cover multiple categories, so many in fact, that we’ve split our coverage of the finalists and winners into multiple articles. As serious work vehicles are a major part of our market as a motor vehicle lender, we’re focussing on vans and utes solely here. But not solely on the vehicles. At Jade Car Loans we also cover finance options and assist in how you can secure the cheapest loans to own your car of the year.
Car of the Year – Dual Cab Chassis Utes
This is an extensive and growing market segment as the humble, workhorse ute has been elevated from the work site only to a luxury all-round vehicle for business owners and operators across multiple industries. The category is also favoured by many boat owners, caravan owners, mountain bike and off-road motorbike owners as much as for business purposes.
Discussion around which is the best make and model is sure to be robust between avid and loyal fans of one or another manufacturer. But many makers have lifted their game significantly in this category, adding tech, comfort, safety and luxury features to attract more buyers.
So which ones attracted the attention of the Drive judges and why?
From a large market, the intensive and exhaustive judging process finally narrowed the contenders down to the requisite three finalists – Mazda BT-50, Isuzu D-Max and Ford Ranger. No doubt contenders are becoming contentious in the minds of some owners, considering the Toyota Hilux regularly tops out the best-selling lists. But the Hilux narrowly missed out on Ranger as a finalist. But these judges have their own criteria.
The winner from this stellar line-up, by a nose, as noted by the judges, is Isuzu D-Max.
Commercial Vans
The humble white van is another vehicle that has morphed from simple practicality into a more stylish and image-conscious personality. The makers in the category have also upped their game and buyers have several great options to consider.
So what did the awards judges consider the best?
The finalists for car of the year in the commercial van category are Toyota Hiace, Peugeot Expert and the iconic Ford Transit Van. The judges deemed the Hiace as the 2021 Winner. Always a top-selling and now another award to the collection of accolades for the manufacturer.
Of course, buyers will make their judgements and no doubt consider many of the others in this category before deciding on their purchase. Awards aside, for many buyers, it will come down to price, or more specifically, affordability.
While judging winners is difficult, comparing prices is easy. You can use our Business Car Loan Calculator or Business Car Loan Interest Rates Comparison to derive estimated repayments on any number of van makes and models. The loan product calculator allows you to also see the different repayments for our range of finance products.
Winning Finance Options
We judge our Jade Car Loans commercial finance deals as winners in the affordability as in interest rates stakes. We vie for the cheapest interest rates across our portfolio so our customers are the ultimate winners. With no apology for that cliché statement as it is a reality.
But we don’t have favourites or winners in terms of which of our loan products is the best. That decision is based on which finance product will deliver the most benefit and optimal outcome for your business.
The choices include:-
- Car Chattel Mortgage
- Vehicle Leasing
- Vehicle Commercial Hire Purchase
To decide on a ‘winner’ for your business, consider the treatment of GST and tax, balance sheet approach, suitability to accounting methods and other factors and speak with your accountant on these aspects. Interest rates also vary across commercial finance facilities but we offer no deposit business car loans on all commercial vehicle loans.
If getting behind the wheel of the COTY is on your schedule, just contact Jade and we’ll get onto arranging your finances so you can realise the tax benefits before EOFY. IAWO and temporary full expensing are available for eligible businesses and eligible asset purchases so you could realise that tax deduction in 2020/21 if you move now.
Contact 1300 000 003 to discuss how we can assist you with a great deal on a car of the year.
DISCLAIMER: IN REGARD TO MISREPRESENTATIONS AND ERRORS CONTAINED IN THE MATERIAL AS PRESENTED, LIABILITY IS NOT ACCEPTED. THE DETAILS AND CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR CAR BUYERS AND INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESS SEEKING FINANCE PURELY AS GENERAL INFORMATION. THIS IS NOT PROVIDED AS THE ONLY SOURCE OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION. ANYONE THAT CONSIDERS THAT NEED FINANCIAL ADVICE ABOUT THEIR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS SHOULD SEEK THEIR OWN FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
