I believe the equivalent USA term is "truck". Pretty sure "ute" comes from "utility vehicle".

http://images01.olx.com.au/ui/11/57/56/1297037279_164475156_2-toyot-hilux-ute-Bundaberg.jpg of a proper one. http://www.desktopcar.net/wallpaper/5818-2/Holden_ute_96.jpg of the style you see the most of these days.

My first car was a manual (and I lived in the country so it was fun). Automatics are much, much better than they used to be. I much prefer them now, especially in heavy traffic. Manuals are a right pain in stop-and-go traffic or steep hills (like in San Francisco). My current car has a CVT with a sport shift mode plus paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Basically have three ways to shift vs. one. I've also never had a mechanical problem with an automatic. Just change the fluid regularly and they'll be fine (I go a bit overboard - about every 20K miles).

I'm of the opinion that you can't drive if you don't know how to drive a manual.

If this were Facebook I would click "like" on this.

Yeap, it's from 'utility.'

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i169/Groodle/Moop.jpg (that parking is deliberate)

It has enough ground clearance to get over the curb without loosing precious, precious paint, and it's tyres aren't so thin that they die as soon as you even think about that*, so it'll do .

*Can't remember what they're called, but those ones are very silly for road driving.