The Holden Colorado Z71 is an example of the modern ute's versatility, illustrated here when we took one camping.

There was an extraordinary statistic contained in New Zealand's new vehicle registrations for 2016 - and it dramatically underlined the increasing popularity of one-tonne utes.

The figures showed that of last year's seven biggest-selling new vehicles, five of them were utes.

Only the Toyota Corolla hatch and sedan, and the Toyota RAV4 SUV stood in the way of these five utes making a clean sweep, and the pair of Toyotas were in there primarily because half their sales were to rental companies.

ROB MAETZIG/FAIRFAX NZ The Ford Ranger was easily New Zealand's top-selling ute last year, and its doing the same this year.

The top-selling ute, the Ford Ranger, was so popular that its 8478 registrations represented a 6 per cent share of New Zealand's total new vehicle market - which, if it were a stand-alone vehicle marque, would have put it in 7th place overall, just behind Nissan but ahead of the likes of Hyundai, Suzuki and Kia.

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SUPPLIED Interesting additions to the Toyota Hilux lineup this year are TRD variants.

So this is how the 2016 sales race ended: Ranger roared home in first place, well ahead of the Corolla which achieved 6274 registrations - 3166 of them as rentals.

In third place was the Toyota Hilux with 8187 sales, followed by the Holden Colorado on 3739. Then came the RAV4 on 3612 - 1593 of which were rentals - followed by the Mitsubishi Triton on 3183 and the Nissan Navara on 3094.

Among the others, the Isuzu D-Max enjoyed a good year with 2386 registrations, and Mazda's BT-50 was fairly close behind with 1814 sales. Also up there with sales better than two a day were the SsangYong Actyon Sport and the Volkswagen Amarok.

SUPPLIED The Great Wall Steed, which replaced the ute we previously knew at the V240.

It all added up to a very healthy commercial vehicle sector in New Zealand.

Traditional passenger vehicles, including SUVs, enjoyed their strongest-ever year with a total of 102,514 registrations which easily eclipsed a record that had dated back to 1973. But commercial vehicles - utes and vans - also did very well with total sales of 44,239 units - more than 5100 better than the previous year.

So why are one-tonne utes so very popular?

ROB MAETZIG/FAIRFAX NZ Another Nissan Navara-based ute - the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, due to arrive next year.

Holden New Zealand's general manager of marketing Marnie Samphier says it is because utes are like Swiss army knives - vehicles such as the Holden Colorado are no compromise solutions, capable of answering questions asked of them by people who need a versatile vehicle capable of performing multiple tasks.

And the highly specified, car-like qualities of the higher-specified models are finding favour. That probably explains why, of the total 31,538 ute sales last year, almost 58 per cent were four-wheel drive models, and a majority of those were high-grade double-cab versions.

There are some beauties on the market. Ford is represented by the 4x4 double-cab Wildtrak which is one of the most popular models in the 16-version Ranger fleet, while Toyota has the SR5 which is also popular in both 2WD and 4x4 forms.

SUPPLIED Renault will enter the ute market this year with the Navara-based Alaskan.

And in the true tradition of blinging-up utes, that company has also just introduced a TRD Special Edition version which offers real street presence thanks to such goodies as a nudge bar, over-fender flares, 18-inch alloys, a black sports bar, and even a motorised hard deck lid.

Holden's top-spec Colorados are the LTZ and the Z71, which are proving to be the most popular models thanks to their levels of luxury, safety specification and technology. Mitsubishi is also playing the special edition game with VRX models in a recently upgraded range that has been increased from 11 to 14 models. Nissan has done the same, adding Warrior Special Edition models to its range of ST and ST-X models via such features as black alloys, black sports bars and black front grilles.

Meanwhile, Isuzu has just facelifted its popular D-Max ute with the big change being to its engine, which has been upgraded so it now offers considerable more torque and meets new Euro exhaust emissions. Transmissions are now six-speeders.

SUPPLIED The Chinese-built LDV T60 ute, scheduled for launch at Fieldays.

Volkswagen has added a V6 variant to its Amarok range, which gives it outstanding on-road performance. Chinese carmaker Great Wall is back on the scene with its ute, which is now called Steed.

This year is going to see the arrival of further product into the already crowded ute market.

First to arrive will be Chinese firm LDV's first foray into utes, the T60. One left-hand drive example of this vehicle is already in New Zealand for evaluation, and it will be officially launched at the annual Fieldays in June. The T60 will be available in single cab, crew cab and double cab body styles, 2WD and 4WD, and with petrol and diesel powertrains.

FAIRFAX NZ Isuzu D-Max has just been facelifted for the model year 2017.

Next up will be the first Renault ute, which will be called Alaskan. Thanks to the Renault-Nissan Alliance it will be built off the platform of the Nissan Navara. It's expected here towards the end of the year.

Another ute to be built off the Navara platform is the first-ever luxury ute - the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. This new model, which is expected to arrive in New Zealand next year, will use engines, all-wheel drive systems and interior componentry from other Mercedes- Benz product particularly the C-Class and V-Class.

Pickup/Chassis Cab 4x2

DAMIEN O'CARROLL/FAIRFAX NZ Mazda's BT-50 remains very good value, both in price and scheduled after-care.

Ford Ranger

Foton Tunland

Great Wall Steed

Holden Colorado

Holden Commodore

Isuzu D-Max

LDV T60

Mahindra Genio

Mahindra Pikup

Mazda BT-50

Mitsubishi Triton

SUPPLIED Special edition VRX versions of the Mitsubishi Triton are now on the market.

Nissan Navara

SsangYong Actyon Sport

Toyota Hilux

Volkswagen Amarok

​​Pickup/Chassis Cab 4x4

Ford Ranger

Foton Tunland

Great Wall Steed

Holden Colorado

ROB MAETZIG/FAIRFAX NZ Nissan's Navara is a big seller - and the basis of other new utes arriving soon.

Isuzu D-Max

LDV T60

Mahindra Pikup

Mazda BT-50

Mitsubishi Triton

Nissan Navara

SsangYong Actyon Sport

Toyota Hilux

Toyota Land Cruiser 70-Series

Volkswagen Amarok