The end-of-year ute war is heating up. Toyota has put a $4,000 finance deposit bonus on its diesel HiLux 4x4 SR5, and Ford has countered with a $5,000 fuel card and sharp drive-away pricing on the Ranger. The two best-selling vehicles in Australia are now separated by barely 1,200 sales for the year, and both brands want the lead heading into Christmas.
The deals on the table
Toyota's $4,000 finance deposit bonus applies to diesel HiLux 4x4 SR5 dual-cab pickups and cab/chassis models ordered by 31 December 2026. It cuts the effective cost of the SR5 manual pickup to $59,990 before on-road costs, the automatic cab/chassis to $60,490 and the automatic dual-cab pickup to $61,990. It runs through approved Toyota Finance for private, Bronze and Silver fleet buyers, with a minimum $10,000 financed. Ford is running a $5,000 fuel card (or an equal discount) on MY26.5 Ford Ranger XLT, Wildtrak and Tremor grades, with $4,000 on the MY27 versions, plus a drive-away deal on the MY27 Ranger Black Edition V6 at $59,000.
Cartell Assessment
This is a straight fight for the number one spot. The Toyota HiLux SR5 brings 150kW and 500Nm from its 2.8-litre turbo diesel (now with 48-volt mild-hybrid help on the automatic), 3,500kg braked towing and up to 1,000kg of payload. The money is real, but read the fine print: Toyota's offer is a finance deposit bonus, not a cash discount, so you need to take the finance to claim it.
AU Outlook
Expect the back and forth to run to 31 December, when Toyota's bonus ends and the summer plate-clearance deals begin. If you are cross-shopping the Ranger and HiLux, this is the strongest buying window of 2026.
