[Aditya]

Toyota Hilux Review

Toyota Hilux Pros

• Macho styling & incredible street presence. Turns heads wherever it goes
• Tough build. Toyota body-on-frame UVs are known to have very long lives
• Proven and powerful 2.8L diesel engine with user-selectable driving modes
• Impressive offroad capability and proper 4x4 system with low range transfer case, limited slip differential, electronic differential lock, hill assist control (up/down) and tyre angle monitor. Water wading depth = 700 mm
• Excellent cargo capacity makes it a talented work truck
• Loaded with features like auto LED headlamps, heat rejection glass, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, 220V AC socket, etc.
• Top-notch safety kit includes 7 airbags, ESP, TC, hill assist, ISOFIX & 3-point seatbelts for all. 5 star ASEAN NCAP rating
• Toyota's excellent after-sales quality, fuss-free ownership experiences, low service costs & up to 5 years of extended warranty coverage

Toyota Hilux Cons

• Sheer length (longer than even the Fortuner), heavy steering & large turning radius make it cumbersome in the city
• Bumpy ride quality, especially at the rear (due to leaf springs)
• Expensive! Its closest rival - Isuzu V-Cross - is substantially cheaper
• Cost-cutting in a couple of areas; some interior plastics, ICE audio quality, camera display…
• Uncomfortable rear seats with limited rear legroom
• The same money can buy you a proper 7-seater SUV
• Missing features such as TPMS, 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, rain-sensing wipers, seat lumbar adjustment, paddle shifters like the Fortuner etc.
• No petrol engine (Fortuner offers one) for customers from Delhi-NCR, or those with low running

This review has been jointly compiled with Khan_sultan. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

In India, pickup trucks have not been a big hit with private owners. While Tata Motors and Mahindra tried their hand and exited the segment many years ago due to poor sales, Isuzu seems to have had a better run with its V-Cross, which was introduced in 2016.

Since 2016, the V-Cross had the market all to itself and it was only in March 2022, when Toyota decided to launch the Hilux that it saw some competition. Like the V-Cross, the Hilux is contemporary and is aimed at enthusiasts, small business owners, rich farmers & land owners. In fact, worldwide, the Toyota pickup has a bigger fan base than the Isuzu. It has been on sale for more than 5 decades and has gone through 8 generations. More than 20 million units have been sold in over 180 countries. Toyota was hoping to see some success in India as well. However, our sales charts reveal that under 600 units of the pickup truck have been sold in the country since its launch.

There is only one engine on offer and it's the same 2.8L diesel unit that does duty in the Fortuner. It’s offered with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 201 BHP and 500 Nm in the AT variant (420 Nm in the MT variant). All variants come with four-wheel drive.

Toyota Hilux Price & Brochure

The Hilux is available in 3 variants - STD MT, High MT and High AT priced at Rs. 30.40 lakh, Rs. 37.15 lakh and Rs. 37.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) respectively. This makes it substantially more expensive than the V-Cross which is priced at Rs. 19.50 - 27.00 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

You can download the Toyota Hilux brochure here - Toyota Hilux Brochure.pdf

Exterior

Design & Styling

Being related to the Fortuner and Innova Crysta, the Hilux shares some similarities with them when it comes to styling. Look at the Hilux from the front and you will notice that there is a slight resemblance to the Innova Crysta. However, the pickup truck body style means that the similarities don't go too far and there are many differences between the Hilux and its siblings. Apart from the body style, the difference in size is huge. This pickup measures a massive 5,325 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 3,085 mm. Overall, the Hilux is a very handsome vehicle with immense road presence.

Notable features include LED headlamps with integrated DRLs & LED tail-lamps, LED foglamps, rear foglamp, 18-inch super chrome alloy wheels, steel step chrome rear bumper and chrome door handles. The vehicle is available in 5 single-tone body colours - Emotional Red, White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Grey Metallic and Super White. While the first three are available only in the High grade, the last one is available only in the STD grade.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The Hilux uses a body-on-frame construction. It is built on the IMV platform that underpins the Fortuner and Innova Crysta. It feels solidly built & you just know that it can handle any kind of abuse one throws at it. The doors have a fair deal of weight to them, while the bonnet and tailgate are quite heavy. The fit & finish are good with tight and uniform panel gaps all over.

Wheels & Tyres

The base STD MT variant gets 17-inch machine finish alloy wheels shod with 265/65 section tyres, while the High AT and High MT get super chrome 18-inch alloys wrapped in 265/60 section rubber. The wheel and tyre combination looks nice and proportionate.

Ground Clearance

Toyota has not revealed the ground clearance of the Hilux, but we took the truck off-roading and it did not scrape its undercarriage anywhere. We can tell you that the ground clearance is adequate and more than you'll need in the real world.

Standard & Extended Warranty

It is a well-known fact that Toyota body-on-frame diesels have a stellar reputation for durability and the Hilux is no different. These are incredibly robust trucks. The company is offering a warranty of 3 years / 1,00,000 km, which can be extended up to 5 years / 1,50,000 km. Additionally, you can avail of 8 years roadside assistance with the first 3 years being free. There are Smiles maintenance packages that can be purchased as well.

Safety

The Hilux is equipped with safety features such as whiplash injury lessening concept seats at the front, 7 airbags, traction control system, ABS + EBD, vehicle stability control, brake assist hill assist control, emergency brake signal, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and ISOFIX child seat anchors. Considering the price of the vehicle and the sort of features available on cars from lower segments, we would have liked to see some more safety features such as TPMS, 360-degree surround view monitor and blind view monitor in the Hilux.

That being said, in 2020, the Hilux scored a 5-star rating in the ASEAN NCAP crash tests. In 2019, it had received a 5-star safety rating at the Australasian NCAP.

[Aditya]

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

The Hilux gets an all-black dashboard with silver inserts which is similar in design to the Fortuners, but not identical. It's more modern compared to the V-Cross, but still utilitarian and certainly not premium. Overall, the cabin feels fairly airy with a whitish grey roof liner and large windows.

There are no soft-touch plastics on the dashboard. You do get silver and piano black inserts on the dashboard, center fascia and center console that attempt to make the interior look less utilitarian. The doorpads too are all-black with silver inserts and chrome door handles and leather cladding on the armrests. While the quality of most parts is acceptable, there are certain bits that feel out of place in a vehicle this expensive.

Space & Comfort

The Hilux's floor is a long way off the ground and one needs to properly climb into the cabin by using a grab handle provided on the A-Pillar along with the side step. It's not senior-citizen friendly. The pillars and roof liner are whitish grey and the glass area is large enough to ensure that adequate sunlight enters the cabin. The cabin is sufficiently wide and occupants won’t feel too close to one another. The driver’s seat is good overall & slides back sufficiently even for 6+ footers to feel comfortable. The front seats are firm & wide and offer good support, but the leather upholstery is hard and plasticky.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

Ergonomically, we found the Hilux to be user-friendly. The steering has thumb contours and is good to hold. The hornpad is easy to press. The horn itself is a dual-tone unit and the cabin insulation is so good that you can barely hear it on the inside! The steering wheel is adjustable for height and reach and the instrument cluster is clear and easy to read. Coming to frontal visibility, you sit tall and have a lovely, commanding view of the road ahead (you can even see the bonnet). Rearward visibility is pretty good too. The auto-dimming IRVM is large enough to cover the small rear windshield, and the ORVMs are well-sized as well. The driver-side footwell is wide and the pedals are spaced out well. There's also a very useable dead pedal.

Cabin Storage

The Hilux does alright in terms of cabin storage. There is a spot to park your smartphone at the base of the center fascia and cupholders on the center console for holding your coffee mug. The door pockets can hold a 1L bottle and other small items. Like the Fortuner, there are two gloveboxes and a deep storage bin under the center armrest. There is another cubby hole next to the handbrake on the center console and a sunglass holder in the roof bezel. Coming to the rear, the doorpads can hold a 1L bottle each and some small items. Both front seats have seatback pockets and foldable bag hooks on the seatbacks. Additionally, there are two cupholders on the rear center armrest and two plastic hooks on the roof just above the windshield.

Air-Conditioning

We drove the Hilux in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, which was considerably cooler than Mumbai, but still warm. Even during the afternoon, the vehicle’s dual-zone climate control system did an excellent job of cooling the cabin. The rear A/C vents help keep the rear passengers cool as well.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

The Hilux comes with most of the necessary features including a touchscreen head-unit with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and connected car features. Some features that stand out are the heat rejection glass, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control, power windows with auto up/down and jam protection (all four doors), cooled upper glovebox, driving modes (Normal, Eco and Power), 60:40 split rear seats that tip-up, electrically adjustable driver seat and auto headlamps and shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive system. There is also a 220V AC 2-pin socket in the storage bin under the front center armrest. However, features such as rain-sensing wipers, seat lumbar adjustment, seat ventilation, paddle shifters and a premium sound system have been left out. Also, Toyota Safety Sense (radar-based safety features) which includes adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance system, lane departure alert, etc. has been left out. Toyota Safety Sense is available on the Australian version of the Hilux. Meanwhile, wireless smartphone charging is available only as an accessory.

Audio System & Sound Quality

The Hilux gets an 8" touchscreen head-unit with 6 speakers, voice commands and USB, Bluetooth & Android Auto / Apple CarPlay connectivity. The size of the touchscreen is adequate and the interface is user-friendly. But the display & graphics look too old and the sound quality of the audio system is very sad for a vehicle this expensive. You'll find far better sound systems in much cheaper cars.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

Because the floor of the Hilux is quite a lot off the ground, ingress & egress are not easy for the unfit or the elderly. One has to use the grab handle on the B-Pillar to haul himself / herself into the cabin. Despite the size of the truck, the space in the rear is just adequate, not excessive. The cabin width is good enough for three adults, although larger ones would find it a bit tight. The rear seat's cushioning is thin.

At 5’10”, I had just enough knee room. Two 6-footers will find it a bit tight sitting one behind the other. While we do not have any complaints about the headroom, the seatback is very upright and the under-thigh support is poor as the seat is placed low. This means occupants will sit in a knees-up position. The rear seat is not a comfortable place. Passengers get rear air-con vents which help them keep cool.

Loading bay

As the Hilux is a pickup truck, it comes with a loading bay. It has a payload capacity of 470 kg. If you need more luggage space, the seatbase of the rear bench can be tipped up against the backrest. This creates some cargo space inside the cabin.

[Aditya]

Driving the Toyota Hilux 2.8L Diesel AT

The 2.8L diesel engine is proven and powerful. It is mated to a 6-speed AT:


The Hilux gets the same 2.8L diesel engine that powers the Fortuner. This motor uses a variable geometry turbocharger and produces 201 BHP (@ 3,400 rpm) and 500 Nm of peak torque starting at a low 1,600 rpm (held till 2,800 rpm).

Toyota has equipped the Hilux with 3 driving modes - Normal, Economy and Power. These can be engaged by pressing the buttons on the center console. This is a superb way of customising the engine / throttle behaviour for prevailing driving conditions.

• Normal mode: If neither of the two (Eco or Power) modes is selected, the Hilux's engine runs in normal mode. This is a balance between economy & power.

• Eco mode: Press the ECO button on the center console and the power delivery is lower, with the throttle response dulled a bit. That said, because the engine is big & powerful, ECO mode is very useable in the city. It doesn't feel sluggish at all and there is more than enough grunt on tap to keep up with traffic. On a lighter note, having ECO mode on a big 2.8 diesel is in itself a contradiction.

• Power mode: Engage Power mode and you'll feel the throttle response to be sharper. The engine is very, very responsive in this driving mode. Acceleration times also noticeably improve.

The Hilux AT doesn't use a fancy dual-clutch transmission. Instead, a simple old-school torque-converter unit does the job. It has proven to be super reliable too. The Hilux AT isn't going to wow you with lightning-fast shifts or super smart logic, yet it will take you from point A to B in extreme convenience. The AT doesn't leave much room for complaint, but it doesn't give you anything to write home about either.

Press the brake pedal & hit the engine start button to fire her up. The AT's gear shifter is calm and composed. It remains that way on the move. However, on startup, the car suffers from cabin shake. At idle, the big 2.8L diesel is audible on the outside but shut the door & windows and the noise goes away. Cabin insulation is very good. Outside noise stays outside (note: engine noise is audible at higher revs).

Thanks to the torque converter, the way the vehicle moves from a standstill is smooth & seamless. In bumper-to-bumper traffic, the transmission's creep makes the Hilux crawl (without accelerator input). You can drive with just your foot on the brake pedal through bottlenecks. Peak torque is developed early @ 1,600 rpm, thus there's very little lag to speak of in the AT. Even at low rpms, the throttle is responsive. With a light foot in the city, upshifts happen at as low as ~1,500 rpm! This helps you cruise around with smooth shifts & low engine sound. The AT is keen to upshift and will quickly make its way up the ladder - at times, you'll see upshifts happening as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator (uncool for people like us who like engine braking). This is a big & powerful diesel, hence you don't need to give it heavy revs within the city. Soft inputs work best for normal commuting. However, press the accelerator halfway in, and shift quality definitely becomes perceptible. While the gearbox is still overall smooth, it's not an absolutely seamless shifting experience above 2,000 rpm. You'll know when the shifts are taking place. The engine & gearbox are also very responsive to throttle input. Some owners might feel that they are in fact too responsive! Even in normal mode, the engine revvs with a slight tap on the pedal. This is why you'll see the 2.8L revving unnecessarily when shifting between the lower gears. Solution? Eco mode.

Because of the dulled throttle response, the driving experience is smoothest in Eco. This is the mode you have to use within the city and - as mentioned before - it's still quick enough. Power mode for your daily commute? Fellow passengers will find it too jerky as the throttle is damn sharp. Drive around town in ECO mode and the experience is calm.

On the open road, the Hilux AT is a fast pickup truck. The engine remains responsive above 2,500 rpm. Because of its big engine and the power on tap, you'll never be left wanting for punch. Also, Power mode does bring an enhanced sense of urgency to the engine (although normal & ECO are useable on the highway too). The Hilux AT can be a lively intercity express. In kickdown, upshifts take place in the vicinity of 4,000 rpm. Don't drive it in a pedal-to-the-metal style though. Rather, you should build up speed gradually, else you'll get a lot of noise as the engine revvs & the gearbox drops a gear.

The Hilux AT is a very calm long-distance cruiser. Overtaking doesn't pose a problem at all. There's ample power and you have a great view of the road ahead. However, the 6-speed has that conventional AT lag (~1 second) between your putting the foot down and the gearbox downshifting. After that, she pulls away nicely. I did face one problem at high speeds here - due to conservative tuning and limited revs, at times if you jump out of the lane and want to overtake, the gearbox drops just one gear when you wish it had dropped two. The downshift logic isn't aggressive and you'll need to be patient in such a situation. Thus, on two-lane highways where you need to make quick moves, I'd recommend Power mode. It'll give you more punch. Another option is to prepare the car for overtaking (via a downshift using the paddle shifters) before the actual move. Overall, the gearbox logic is good. It is smooth, responds well to accelerator input and when driving hard, it knows when to hold on to gears as well.

The Hilux's S mode is very funny. Actually, it's not an S mode at all. Remember the D2 / D3 / D4 positions on older ATs which denote the max gear you are allowing it to shift up to? That's exactly what the Hilux AT does in 'S' mode. As an example, move the lever to S and you'll see S4 on the instrument cluster chosen by default. This doesn't mean that the current gear is no.4. Rather, that's the topmost gear that the AT will drive in. It will remain between 1 - 4. You can similarly choose to restrict the AT to 3rd; drive at 4,500 rpm all day long and the box won't upshift. This is unlike proper 'S' modes which move up the shift points and give the gearbox a more aggressive nature. No such thing here, Sport mode doesn’t necessarily result in a lower gear for every situation. The problem is, the layman won't realise this. He'll select 'S' mode thinking it's quicker and see 120 km/h at higher revvs in 4th (as S4 is chosen by default). Many people won't even know what they are supposed to do for easier cruising. Only an enthusiast will manually shift up to S5. This feature is very useful while off-roading.

Those looking for a real 'sport' mode can keep the gear lever in D, but select the engine's Power mode. The real S isn't on the gear shifter...it's on the center console!

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

In terms of NVH, at idle, the diesel is audible on the outside but shut the doors & windows and the cabin is sufficiently insulated from that sound. At city rpms (2,000 rpm & under), engine noise is under control. Even above that, the 2.8L emanates more of a 'hum' rather than a 'clatter'. It's a typical big diesel hum that you won't see in smaller engines. Over 3,000 rpm, however, the engine does get noisy. And it's not got a nice note. Take the revv needle to 4,000 rpm and the diesel gets loud.

Mileage & Fuel Economy

Toyota has not stated any official figure for the fuel efficiency of the Hilux. Due to the heavy kerb weight, large engine size & AT, don't expect FE to be high. Depending on traffic conditions and how happy your right foot is, you can expect anywhere between 7 - 10 km/l (tops) in the city. On the highway, figures should be more respectable, thanks to the 6th gear & low cruising rpms.

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Hilux comes with an independent double wishbone suspension with coil springs at the front and a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. Leaf springs are a must for robust load-carrying applications. The Fortuner has a bumpy ride and in the Hilux, it's even worse. Things are still tolerable at the front, but on the back seat, it has that typical bumpiness experienced in UVs with leaf springs (especially when the loading bay is empty). At city speeds, the ride is jiggly, with even small road irregularities making themselves felt inside the cabin. At higher speeds, the bumpiness increases. On bad patches, the ride can get painful for those sitting in the rear seat. It can get jumpy on bad roads. There is simply no comparison with the ride comfort offered by SUVs like the XUV700. This suspension is built to carry cargo, not passengers. The ride could improve if you add weight to the loading bay. But the extra weight will bring down the performance and efficiency.

On the other hand, the suspension is super quiet and the large tyres allow the vehicle to deal with large potholes easily.

Handling & Dynamics

Straight-line stability at high speeds is solid. Grip levels from those fat 265 mm tyres are adequate too. However, when it comes to cornering, there is a lot of body roll, which is expected from a tall body-on-frame vehicle. What's more, if one gets ambitious and starts pushing the Hilux hard into corners, it will fishtail like any other pickup (due to the light rear end). Loading up the rear deck will help in keeping the vehicle planted. Drive it like a tall UV (and not a low-slung sedan), understand its limitations and you should be okay.

Steering

The Hilux comes with hydraulic power steering with variable flow control. It is heavy at parking or crawling speeds. This, along with a 6.4 m turning radius and the sheer length of the truck, means manoeuvering the truck in the city or parking in a tight spot will require a good deal of effort; those who are used to modern EPS systems will inevitably complain. Once the speedometer needle climbs, the steering does feel easier to operate. It also offers sufficient weight on the highway.

Braking

The Hilux comes with ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear. I would have liked to see discs at the rear (considering the price of the vehicle) and the fact that the Fortuner gets discs all-round. While they seemed to have enough power we didn't get the chance to perform any brake tests from high speeds. The Hilux gets 265 mm tyres which aid overall braking performance. Even then, one must remember that the truck has a gross weight of almost 3 tons and hence, it’s a good idea to maintain a big gap from the car in front. Yes, like most other body-on-frame cars, the Hilux nose dives under braking. ABS, EBD and Brake Assist are a part of standard equipment.

Niggles & Problems

This generation of the Hilux is in its eighth year and Toyota will have ironed out any problems that might have arisen. The engine and transmissions have been around for a long time and have proven extremely durable and reliable. We did not face any problems in our test car and do not expect owners to do so either. However, as is always the case, we strongly recommend extended warranty coverage.

4x4 & Offroading

The Hilux is an extremely capable vehicle when the road ends. It is equipped with electronic drive control (shift-on-the-fly) four-wheel drive system with 3 electronically switchable modes:

1. 2H - Power is sent only to the rear wheels. This mode should be used for normal on-road driving (street and highway).
2. 4H (high range) - Power is sent to all four wheels. This mode should be used for driving on gravel, sand, mud and other low-traction surfaces.
3. 4L (low range) - 4x4 with multiplied torque. This mode should be used for low-speed driving in extreme offroad conditions.

You can shift between the 2H and 4H modes on the go. Of course, getting in or out of 4L mode is only possible when the vehicle is stationary. The engaged mode is displayed on the MID.

Further, the Hilux also gets an auto limited slip differential, electronic differential lock, hill assist control (up/down) and tyre angle monitor. Coming to the stats, the truck has an approach angle of 29 degrees, a departure angle of 26 degrees and a water-wading depth of 700 mm.

We drove the Hilux inside the Rajaji Tiger Reserve on a track prepared by Offroad Junkies headed by BHPian Tejas@perioimpl. We drove over loose surfaces, some uphill & downhill sections, off-camber obstacles, axle twisters and did some water wading.









The Hilux tackled everything that was thrown at it with ease. Nowhere did it get stuck or scrape its undercarriage. We made a few observations over the course. The approximate crawling speed with DAC engaged is 5 km/h. The crawl in 4L is good and the vehicle moves inch by inch and manoeuvers over the terrain without complaining. The DAC (hill descent control) when operated for a long duration on hill slopes to control crawling speed, gets heated up and throws up a warning and disengages. This may be due to brakes being used by the system continuously along with the weight of the vehicle.

[Aditya]

Toyota Hilux Exterior Images

Tall stance and immense road presence. Cladding on the wheel arches makes the Hilux looks wider and the tyres appear to be tucked inside:


Proper bumper at the rear. The stop lamp is mounted on the tailgate:


At 5,325 mm, it's even longer than an S-Class and its main rival - the V-Cross (5,295 mm). However, at 3,085 mm, its wheelbase is 10 mm shorter than the Isuzu's:


While the Hilux is the longest pickup truck available for private buyers, at 1,855 mm, it is not as wide as the V-Cross (1,860 mm). It is not even as tall as the Isuzu (1,815 mm vs 1,840 mm):


Looks great from this angle. Notice the larger gap in the rear arch compared to the front due to the stiff leaf spring suspension:


Headlamp cluster consists of automatic LED headlamps, LED DRLs and turn indicators:


Trapezoidal chrome grille reminds one of the Innova Crysta. All that chrome, along with the thick glossy black horizontal slats makes the front end look very "shiny":


Front bumper houses the parking sensors, foglamps and a slim air dam. Notice the two flaps at the front, behind which, are towing points:


Small LED foglamps get glossy black housings:


Sufficient underbody protection at the front:


Large ORVMs with integrated turn indicators are finished in chrome. Electrically retractable, but no auto-folding on lock/unlock:


Door handles are long & dipped in chrome. Nice touch - even the request sensors are matched in chrome (the request sensor is usually black). While there is a request sensor on the passenger's door as well, only the one on the right gets a keyhole:


18" super chrome alloy wheels shod with 265/60 section Bridgestone tyres. Drum brakes at the rear. On a premium pickup truck, I'd have expected to see all-round discs:


Both wheel wells have partial cladding and a lot of the metal is left exposed. Drive over a gravelly road and you'll hear stones & pebbles hitting against the bare metal:


Black wheel arch cladding gets a silver insert on the top. It is available as an accessory and is not a part of the standard equipment:


Black side step is very sturdy and very helpful for getting in and out of the Hilux as the pickup's floor is way off the ground:


Fuel flap garnish is an accessory:


Fuel flap and cap get markings as a reminder of the Hilux's diet. Fuel tank capacity = 80 liters:


Roof is ribbed for structural rigidity. A stubby radio antenna sits at the front:


Matte black bar with Hilux branding is also available as an accessory:


Tail-lamp cluster consists of LED pilot lamp, reversing lamp, turn-indicator and foglamp:


Rear camera is neatly integrated into the large chrome handle:


Chunky steel step chrome bumper houses four parking sensors. All the chrome bits you see over the car are standard on the High grade:


The "bed" area gets full lining. It has a payload rating of 470 kg:


4 such metal hooks have been provided:


Hydraulic struts for the tailgate are an accessory. The tailgate cable on our test vehicle was already frayed:


Full-size 18-inch spare wheel is carried below. It's a steel wheel (not alloy):


Tail pipe is located on the right:


While we have already seen some of the available accessories, there are a lot more on offer. Toyota displayed a fully-kitted Hilux at the event:




View all the available accessories here - Toyota Hilux Accessories Brochure.pdf.

[Aditya]

Toyota Hilux Interior Images

The interiors have been well put together. Nothing moves or shakes and nothing is loose. 'Built to last' is the term that comes to mind. What's more, the cabin is very practical. It offers sorted ergonomics, space, lots of storage and many likeable features. You'll be at home within minutes of stepping inside this user-friendly cabin:


Leather-wrapped steering gets a silver insert and contrast white stitching. In design and function, it is identical to the Fortuner and gets tilt and telescopic adjustments:


Metal tone instrument cluster with chrome inserts consists of black dials with white illumination and needles. There's a large tachometer on the left and a speedometer on the right with analogue temperature + fuel gauges in them respectively. TFT MID sits in the middle:


Ugly stalk sticks out of the instrument cluster - keep it pressed to toggle through the odometer + trip meter and adjust the brightness levels:


MID shows the range, fuel consumption, savings, a digital speedometer, and AdBlue level. It also tells you which direction the front wheels are pointing and doubles up as a parking sensor warning display:


Thick stalks give positive feedback and are great to use. Hilux gets auto headlamps. At this price, I would've expected rain-sensing wipers too:


Keyless entry & go is a part of standard equipment. The chrome-ringed engine start button is backlit in a cool blue:


Parking sensor button and manual DPF regeneration switch are located on the right. Bonnet release and fuel flap release are placed below:


Doorpads have silver + leather inserts and house the front speakers + tweeters. The quality of materials used is acceptable:


Sturdy chrome door handle:


Power window console has a piano black finish. All 4 windows get auto up & down with jam protection:


Front seats are firm & wide and offer good support, but the black leather upholstery is hard and plasticky. The adjustable headrests are firm qas well. Toyota says these are whiplash-injury-lessening seats. Notice the white contrast stitching:


A closer look at the leather upholstery:


Seatbelts are adjustable for height. They get pretensioners & load limiters:


The footwell is wide enough and the dead pedal is huge! It's positioned perfectly and might even accommodate size 14 shoes! Not every day that we see such a long & wide dead pedal:


Sturdy grab handles on the A-Pillars are useful when climbing in:


Auto-dimming IRVM lifted from the Fortuner:


Center fascia holds gets a tablet-like touchscreen infotainment head-unit with a piano black finish on the sides and a climate control system too:


Slim air vents + digital clock sit on top of the center fascia. Air flow volume can be adjusted or turned off if you so wish:


8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. You also have physical buttons with silver inserts. It's identical to the one found in the Fortuner:


High grade variants get a dual-zone climate control system:


Rotary switch for the 4x4 system is placed next to the climate control console:


Below the climate control system are two 12V power sockets, a USB socket, and controls for the TC, Downhill Assist Control and Electronic Differential Lock:


Space to keep your smartphone at the base of the center fascia. Center console houses two cupholders:


Black & silver gear shifter is shared with its SUV sibling. The console, though, is different. It gets a thick silver border:


Next to the gear shifter are buttons to activate the 'Eco' & 'Power' driving modes. If you've selected ECO, the setting is retained after restarting the car (not the case with PWR):


Under the driver's armrest is a fairly accommodating storage box with a carpeted base. A 220V AC 2-pin socket is provided here:


Upper glovebox has a cooling vent. The glovebox is wide but shallow, hence suitable for cold drink cans, documents & miscellaneous items only:


Lower glovebox opens with a damped action as well. It’s more accommodating, albeit still about the size you see in C2-segment sedans:


Sunvisors are not as high quality as the Fortuner's. Driver's side unit has a ticket holder:


Passenger unit gets a vanity mirror with a cover, but no illumination:


Roof bezel houses the Bluetooth mic, 2 individual map lights and a sunglass holder which is built of light plastic. Feels cheap:


Company-recommended tyre pressures are 29 PSI all-round. Yet this truck has a very hard ride. With a full load, recommended pressures are 33 PSI and 36 PSI at the front and rear respectively:


Rear doorpads get the same theme as the ones in the front (leather, silver and piano black inserts). Rear speakers are housed on them:


Floor is very high off the ground making ingress possible only for the fit:


Grab handles on the B-Pillar for hauling oneself into the rear:


Rear bench gets 3 adjustable headrests. All 3 occupants get 3-point seatbelts. Seatbase is split in a 60:40 ratio and can be tipped up against the backrest to provide some luggage space inside the cabin:


Seat is placed on the lower side and legroom is just adequate:


Center armrest is positioned at a comfortable height. It houses two cupholders:


Both side seats have child-seat anchors:


Top tethering point for a child seat:


One has to use these straps placed behind the headrests to tether the child seat:


Seatback pockets are not deep, but adequately wide:


Seatback gets foldable bag hooks with a 4kg capacity. Nifty:


Floor hump is about 3 inches high, and it is wide. Coupled with the low seat, this means the center passenger will be more comfortable placing his feet on either side of the hump:


Individual rear A/C vents get a common air volume controller. Console gets a thick silver border on the sides and bottom:


Grab handles are fixed and do not get coat / bag hooks:


The Hilux comes with 7 airbags in total (front, side, curtain and driver's knee). Rear seatbelts are not adjustable for height:


Two bag hooks have been provided just above the rear windshield:


The second cabin lamp is located right in the middle - it lights up the rear footwells:


Disclaimer: Toyota invited Team-BHP for the Hilux test drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[PrideRed]

Good to see official review of Hilux. Despite the heritage/capability, Hilux probably hasn't garnered the response Toyota expected, the truck market is still in its nascent stage in India. That said I like pickup trucks for the utility they offer and go anywhere capability. Yes the ride is harsh and unless one has a usecase, this will be cumbersome for most as a daily driver, thanks to the sheer size. Slap some nice shoes, black out those chrome, Hilux is an attention magnet.

[cka]

Is there any data to show the market size of Truck market in India? With cheap labor and easy transportation facility (like Porter app) the need of such truck is more of a "macho look vehicle" rather than how it is used in countries like US. As per my prediction this market will remain stagnant in India and with no support and sales from Tier 2-3 cities due to price point.

[nettooran]

Originally Posted by Aditya

As the Hilux is a pickup truck, it comes with a loading bay. It has a payload capacity of 470 kg. If you need more luggage space, the seatbase of the rear bench can be tipped up against the backrest. This creates some cargo space inside the cabin.

Official payload of only 470 Kgs means the Hilux can be registered in states like Kerala also. I guess that was the blocker. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Turbanator]

One of the most pointless launches. Still don't know why will a manufacturer like Toyota takes all the pain to sell what - 1000 units in a Year. Though I haven't driven one, the use case scenario in India is very limited. I will save monies and pick a Thar (& probably Jimny)

Originally Posted by nettooran

Official payload of only 470 Kgs means the Hilux can be registered in states like Kerala also. I guess that was the blocker. Correct me if I am wrong.

Yeah, it's being kept artificially low by Isuzu as well as Toyota else these cannot be registered as private.

Also, contrary to popular belief, goods attracting any kind of GST cannot be carried in personal vehicles. If it's just the agricultural produce or similar, it's ok but else RTO's can stop and create problems.

[KaranP]

What's this sudden slew of Hilux reviews?

Strange, because It's been on sale for quite some some right?

Almost every auto publication has had some branded content for the Hilux in the past few days

[ritedhawan]

Nice review. I guess buoyed by the tepid response that V-Cross got and Isuzu being the sole provider of such pickup trucks; may be Toyota decided to try its hand on a niche segment where previously well entrenched indigenous car makers like Mahindra and Tata burned their fingers.

Hilux looks butch and dwarfs its sibling's Innova and Fortuner. It’s expensive when compared to its direct competitor V-cross. Before city dwellers or for that matter the prospective customer even thing about considering this niche segment and on top of it wave of its direct competitor V-cross and choose Hilux. I think first they need to get rid of the negative connotation the word 'truck' brings up in their head--i.e., truck driver, transportation, hauling. Etc. Once they can surmount that obstacle then you may find people few and far between going for Hilux. Will Toyota Hilux surpass cumulative V-Cross sales, only time will tell. I don’t harbour any negative connotation with the word 'truck' therefore I commend Toyota for being bold enough to dive into this segment.

[nettooran]

Originally Posted by KaranP

What's this sudden slew of Hilux reviews?

Strange, because It's been on sale for quite some some right?

Almost every auto publication has had some branded content for the Hilux in the past few days

Toyota beleived that the name Hilux would be enough for people to rush to the showrooms to buy them.Guess they were wrong. No test drives were made available to the media until couple of days ago.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

One of the most pointless launches. Still don't know why will a manufacturer like Toyota takes all the pain to sell what - 1000 units in a Year. Though I haven't driven one, the use case scenario in India is very limited. I will save monies and pick a Thar (& probably Jimny)

There was a time when pickup trucks were picking up popularity as a lifestyle vehicle in India with the Isuzu D-max. Lots of rich people were buying it up, modifying it and taking it offroad. For a moment, it looked like it might even achieve Thar or royal enfield tier status in a few years. Lifestyle pickup trucks have been a very profitable business abroad and it would make sense to quickly capitalise on it in a growing market like India where their only current competition was Isuzu who was dragging their feet and wasn't really capitalizing on it much.

But then the new Thar was launched, offering affordable 4x4 capacity, good looks, significant bump in power and most importantly modern amenities for a much lower price. Laws changed and cops started being more stringent about modifications. Fuel prices increased. All of them combined pretty much killed the market for large pickups, and toyota whose plan was to sell the hilux as a premium alternative to the D-max got caught with their pants down. Turned out people didn't really need the pickup-part, just the offroading part.

The Hilux was a good bet, the timing and external factors killed it.

Originally Posted by KaranP

What's this sudden slew of Hilux reviews?

Strange, because It's been on sale for quite some some right?

Almost every auto publication has had some branded content for the Hilux in the past few days

There are a quite a lot of unsold hiluxes remaining in inventory. BS6.2 deadline along with toyota global's plan to introduce a completely new generation Fortuner/Hilux the next year means that they will lose quite a lot of value if they don't sell them off soon. Hence the aggressive discounts and attempts to draw attention by inviting journalists to check it out again.

[nissar]

Hi all, I own a Hilux myself and I am on stock tires. I have set the tire pressure to the minimum recommended by Toyota to 29psi on the rears for an empty bed and that helped a lot with the ride quality and no noticeable impact on mileage. Have always got 10kmpl+ with moderately hard driving. I am planning a trip to Bhutan from Bangalore with maybe 100 kg cargo. Any suggestions on the tire pressure i can run on the highway?