Ute Drivers Multiplying, Bigger Spenders

Australian ute – aka pickup – drivers are becoming more common and wealthier.

The latest Roy Morgan automotive data shows there are nearly 300,000 more ute drivers on Australian roads today than five years ago and Australians are more than a third more likely to be driving one of these vehicles than they were in 2008.

In the same period, the profile of the average driver also has changed. Five years ago only about one in five ute owners earned more than A$70,000 ($68,187) a year. Now more than one in three do.

The increased earnings also has resulted in a change in outlook on spending.

In 2008, ute owners were less likely than the average driver to self-classify as big spenders. Now they are more likely.

Over the five years, the group has gone from being more likely to have read a newspaper in an average week to less likely.

And while drivers of utes remain less likely than average to be heavy Internet users with more than 15 hours a week on the Web, the gap nearly has halved.

Roy Morgan Research Industry spokesman Norman Morris says these are only a few of the changes to the profile of the average ute driver over the past five years.

“It is notable that some of the biggest changes have been in these areas of income/expenditure and media consumption, which often indicate or trigger many other demographic and lifestyle shifts,” Morris says in a statement.

Ute offerings have been enhanced with improved interior features and styling, attracting a more sophisticated buyer, he says, and their rising popularity is reflected in monthly sales data showing models such as Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux consistently rating among the top 10 models.