Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the obvious, but when I realised the other day that I’ve written over 1000 posts and not mentioned the ute once, I was shocked.
Actually, that’s not true, I checked using the Google search on the right hand side of every page of my website and after punching in ‘ute’ I have discovered I’ve mentioned them nine times.
But these were only passing mentions of the ute, time I gave this Australian icon its own page. So, first, I’ll need a picture of a ute. How am I going to get one of those? I know, I’ll stand by the side of the road with my camera and wait around 30 to 40 seconds for one to drive by…
Too easy. Yes, that’s how popular utes are in Australia.
That one was a Toyota HiLux I believe, currently Australia’s top selling ute.
What is a ute?
Ute is short for ‘utility vehicle’. In a nutshell, a ute is a standard passenger car on the front half, which has a cargo carrying tray on the back half. So it drives like a passenger car, has suspension like a passenger car, but can carry stuff like tradies tools in the back.
The classic Australian ute is almost certainly the Holden Ute. Not difficult getting a photograph of one of those either, seems there is one parked down every road, like this one…
Some are two seaters, some are four seaters, some are two wheel-drive and some are four-wheel-drive. Other companies that make them include Ford, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mazda and Isuzu.
Australians love utes, some think they are sexy. Don’t believe me? Watch this…
See, told you.
You can do lots of things in a ute, like this…
And this…
And you can even do this…
…although I am really not sure why you would want to. If you are going to do it though, you’d better make sure you know what you’re doing…
Utes even have their own musters, this one looks quite fun…
You don’t see ‘white van man’ so much in these parts, but we do have these utes instead. Yes, utes are definitely an Australian icon.
Want to buy a ute?
Sorry, it’s already sold. Told you they are popular here.
