Five of the most popular fleet vehicles in Australia

Pinning down the right vehicle for your business is no easy task. As well as gaining a basic understanding of the complexities of today’s cars and how they all relate to your operation, you’ve got to sift through one of the most varied and hyper-competitive car markets in the world. Despite there seeming to be a different car available for every different business, Australian businesses flocked to some models more than others in 2021. Here are five of the top choices.

Ford Ranger, from $35,083 drive away

This Ford ute is on the cusp of replacement, but remains a benchmark for car-like driving while still offering the hauling and off-road abilities buyers crave.

While no longer a technology standout, it still offers plenty of modern in-car toys and safety aids such as auto emergency braking. Buyers have several body styles (single cab, super cab, dual cab), three diesel engines (including a class-benchmark 2.0-litre twin-turbodiesel), 4X2 and 4X4 options and multiple trims to choose from, all backed by a five-year warranty and lifetime fixed-price servicing plan with yearly/15,000km intervals

Hyundai i30, from $25,490 drive away

Hyundai’s small car was updated for 2021 with sharpened styling, various revisions and a new sedan option, bolstering its already wide-ranging appeal.

Regardless of model, you can expect a solid combination of space, performance and economy, as well as auto emergency braking and other safety tricks. It also drives sweetly thanks to an Australian-tuned suspension setup, with sporty ‘N’ models renowned for its fun-driving qualities. A lifetime service plan with yearly/15,000km service intervals and five-year warranty sweetens the deal.

Mazda CX-5, from $35,567 drive away

Mazda’s medium SUV was another contender to be updated for 2021, introducing a fresh sporty model (the GT SP), new infotainment setup and other changes.

While some rivals can beat it for space or price, the CX-5’s cohesive blend of style, driving flair, quality and mandatory auto-emergency braking – and other safety gizmos – elevate it beyond the humdrum. With four engines (three petrol, one diesel), 2WD/AWD models and myriad trim levels on offer, it also caters to all kinds of buyers. A five-year warranty and fixed-price servicing deal are included, though the latter’s yearly/10,000km intervals are shorter than some.

Toyota HiLux, from $29,825 drive away

Australia’s top-selling vehicle as this was written picked up an updated 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine this year, making it a newfound class front-runner for performance and economy.

As always, the HiLux ticks the boxes for off-road ability and towing, and allows you to choose the engine (one petrol, two diesels), cab (single, extra, double), drivetrain (4X2, 4X4) and trim (from basic to luxurious) you want, with auto-emergency braking and other desirable safety tech part of its armoury. Strong resale and a five-year warranty are ownership tempters, but it does ask for six-monthly/10,000km servicing, and costs are only fixed for the first three years.

Toyota HiAce, from $48,246 drive away

The HiAce transformed from an outdated one-box design with sub-par safety to a modern two-box van with auto-emergency braking and other to-the-minute safety aids in 2019. That sea change also brought more space, load capacity and car-like driving, as well as a punchy new 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine.

Toyota has kept tinkering, dropping slow-selling petrol V6 models, bumping up the cabin storage and adding a system that allows the vehicle to be tracked if stolen or make automatic emergency calls. Like the HiLux, it has a five-warranty and gold-standard resale but asks for six-monthly/10,000km servicing, and costs are only capped for three years.