When I was a little kid, Mum took me down to the local Holden dealership and, for the first time, I got to sit in a Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) Maloo utility, or better known here in Australia as a ute.
I loved the styling, the tough looks, the muscular presence and of course, the sound of the V8 under the bonnet. At that stage, I never thought I’d be able to drive or afford one for myself. I was probably 10 years old at that stage.
Fast forward to now and I have been lucky enough to drive many utes for my day job. Funnily enough, I still haven’t actually driven a HSV Maloo from my childhood yet, but I’ll get there!
Over the past three months, I’ve been able to live with a brand new, 2024 Ford Ranger Wildtrak V6 dual-cab Ute, to really test it properly and understand why it’s one of Australia’s best-selling vehicles.
It’s a pretty Aussie thing to do to drive a Ute for a few months, or one at all. We love utes here in Australia and have for a very long time.
And because I’m from the Ute state of Queensland, I have felt right at home.
While the Ranger is certainly no Maloo, I’ve had a great time with it.
But I have to hand it back tomorrow, which is more than a little depressing.
It hasn’t just been about the car itself, but the adventures we have been on:
- Driving to Brisbane from Sydney (twice)
- Driving on the beach in Noosa
- Tackling some tough tracks near the Blue Mountains
- Commuting through Sydney every single day
- Doing numerous coffee runs to Palm Beach, north of Sydney
I’ve been fortunate to have multiple long term test cars with my work with Chasingcars.com.au, including a Kia Picanto GT, a Subaru Crosstrek SUV and a Kia Sportage Hybrid.
None have matched the Ford, however. Fun, punchy, practical and with good looks, I totally understand why the Ranger is as popular as it is.
I know this is a blog about mental health, but cars can be good for your mental wellbeing.
This is example number one. Cars are good for us.
Kindest,
Zak
Tales from a Bruised Mind 
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