Utes vs Wagons......for touring

Did a three week trip in a Hilux ute with SWMBO ( around 8,000ks). Comfortable enough for the two of us and all our gear without having to resort to roofracks etc.

A wagon would be more comfortable but as you've said, storage can be a problem

sudsy, we recently bought an 05 Hilux dual cab specifically for big trips. The new daul cabs are just as comfortable as the wagons (IMO) and have the additional carrying capacity, both volume and weight. Another advantage is that they use less fuel than the big wagons.
The only restriction is they are not really suitable for older kids in the back (although the Hilux has more room than most). They also have a lower towing capacity.
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It comes down to personal preference, but for us, the dual cab does the job. Apart from the space, we like having a totally separate cargo area.

You might think that a ute will take more than a wagon however I reckon you would fit just as much if not more gear into an equivalent sized wagon with the back seats removed since you are only travelling with two people. The best thing you could do is install some sort of organisation system in the back such as drawers. It's a pita when you have to remove heaps of stuff to get to something. In our Rodeo I remove the back seat now and put the fridge there on long trips. Frees up the back for other stuff.

We'll be changing to a wagon soon but for other reasons.

I think DC utes are less easily overloaded... LC100 has a carrying capacity of 580kg(before you add BBar, roofrack, rear bar), including occupants. My Triton has 1120kg(down to 995kg after BBar, rear step & canopy) including occupants. Guess it depends on how many people and how much crap you want to take away.

Aside from the obvious space considerations, wagons are popular because most have long travel coil sprung rear suspension which aids in the comfort factor for long distance touring. Most dual cab utes share the nickname of the MU Shortie - Piledriver. JMHO.

One real good point why utes are better than wagons is that you can't smell or hear the smokey cooking gear banging around.

Allan

Does much dust get in to the tray of the ute through the tonneau cover? I know the trailer can get pretty dusty but it is exposed to a lot more dust than the back of a ute.

G'day Sudsy,
I used to own a V6 Triton 4WD Dual Cab, and now own a 100 Series Landcruiser T/D. I have done a few trips in both now, and here are my observations.
The Dual Cab can swallow more gear, but getting access to the stuff towards the front can be a real pain in the D/C (I didn't have drawers installed, since I used it as a ute whilst not travelling)
The T/D L/C is a more relaxed vehicle when loaded due to the T/D (I would be interested to ride in a Rodeo T/D, or a Hilux T/D for a performance comparison)
More internal cabin space in the Landcruiser. This makes a difference when you're on the road for a while.
Economy: The Triton was an excellent vehicle, and returned about 14-15L/100km cruising at 110-120km/h. The L/C T/D does about 13-16L/100km at comparable cruising speeds, dependent on headwinds, in my experience.
I will say that the L/C is a MUCH safer vehicle for overtaking. Mine has a D-tronic EMS fitted and the torque for overtaking those long road trains is a godsend.
This makes driving less stressful = more enjoyable driving. It's good to know that you've got it there if you need it.
Cost: Triton (or most D/C, except for T/D Hilux) purchase price is much cheaper than the L/C. After you fit them both out you have more "travel cash" available if you get the D/C
Offroad ability: I don't buy a $40K+ (or $50K+ with the cruiser) vehicle to rock-hop in it, so for soft sand, and general offroad stuff, both vehicles are capable enough for my purposes. The L/C has better suspension fitted than I had in the Triton, plus I think the extra weight of the L/C helps a little with the corrugations.
The width of the Landcruiser is a concern on tight tracks. Mine's scratched to buggery already.
The Landcruiser swallows a fair bit of gear, and as time has progressed we have continually re-evaluated what we take away. I also like the security of the Landcruiser versus the canopy setup. As mentioned previously, a good set of roller drawers will make loading, and general access to your gear a lot easier. Being able to access your load from the back seats is a big plus. You can still achieve this by packing your gear smarter.
Towing capacity: Probably not that important now from your query, but I will say that having the extra towing capacity is important to me. We hired a camper trailer about two years ago, and it was great. The Triton will still tow okay, but you just can't beat a T/D/ for towing in my opinion.
Because we're not travelling 365 days a year, and only travel for 2-3 weeks at a time, the requirements for "the ultimate touring setup" are always a compromise between a good car for everything and getting away.
It's hard to beat the D/C utes for this flexibility.
At the end of the day, so long as you're out there doing it, that's all that matters in my opinion. As you travel more, and see what other people travel in, you can then decide on what suits what best, and if you decide to upgrade.
Just check out the backpacker, and students doing the lap in a HZ Station Wagon, or 40-series, or 75-series troopies. It's all do-able, it just depends on what comfort levels and "fruit" you want.

Cheers,
Davo

I got sick of the poor access to gear in the wagons. That was despite having well setup vehicles with custom made drawers, removing rear seats, and fitting rack setups.

So 12 months ago I made the move to the traytop. The canopy I had built is fully sealed and because there is no back door, no dust wants to get in. The side doors are each about 6 foot wide - so I have a total of 12 foot of unobstructed access to the rear - so much better than the 4 foot of access the station wagons give you. The side doors lift up to provide shade and shelter - better than the barn doors I've used before. And theres a million options to fitting it out - had to change my thinking - simple things like fridges don't need slides - just secure them inside, and leave the space above them vacant. Plastic water tanks go nicely under the tray.

Main downside is the cost, but your setup can be moved to the next vehicle.

And when it comes to camping, its relaxed - there is pretty much nothing to unpack - just stop, get the chairs and a beer out and enjoy the evening. We roll out swags.

And the other downside is that you can't take the in-laws or the kids :-((
Mmmmm maybe thats not a downside :-)

cheers
phil

Hi sudsy

we've compromised, we had a LC 100 wagon, that Al converted to a dual cab ute, so we have the same cabin space, which is great for the kids, and for those people with longer legs - for both back and front seat passengers, and it carries heaps of stuff.

cheers

Lyn