Toyota Hilux Review: The go-anywhere pickup

There are some iconic vehicles that are highly sought after by enthusiasts worldwide and the Toyota Hilux is one such name. I grew up watching the vehicle on my television, being driven or reviewed by people outside India. When I heard that the Hilux was finally coming to India after a wait of almost 50 years and that I would get to drive it, the child inside me was doing somersaults that my present self cannot.

Now that the Hilux is in India, I got a chance to spend an evening with it and drive it through some challenging terrains. While this allowed me the opportunity to see how capable the vehicle is, it also gave me time to reflect on whether a lifestyle product like this would find the same love in India as it has across the globe.

The Hilux is a big and imposing vehicle, almost like the Red Hulk. It does not wear a fancy superhero suit but has the muscle mass to impress. What I mean is that it is not as overstyled as most of the vehicles that you might be used to seeing on city roads. I really like the relatively simple design philosophy and curvy surfaces of the Hilux. You do get a lot of chrome and black highlights across the body which can feel a little too much at times.

The big grille up front has a chrome surround while the slats themselves are black. What I really liked is that this is not a case of a vehicle with a grill that is unusually large for its size. Flanking the grille are chunky LED headlamps below which sit the LED fog lamps in a black housing. The front skid plates add to the rugged appeal of the Hilux. Over at the side, you will find 18-inch alloy wheels that look rather simple but fit the character of the vehicle. I did feel that the side of the vehicle has too many design elements, especially the door handles which are finished in chrome but then have a black surround and then a chrome border.

At the back, you can see the large cargo area with a load capacity of 470 kg and one can get different accessories and attachments to fit here. The tail section is studded with LED lamps, a chrome handle in the middle and a black insert above it. This is a rather large vehicle, stretching 5,325 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 3,085 mm. It is 1,855 mm wide and has a height of 1,815 mm. Finding a parking spot for the Hilux might be a problem at times but it is not as daunting to drive as you might think (more on this later).

We did not get enough time to admire the interior of the Hilux but I did like the comfortable front seats. The driver seat is electronically adjustable and also very comfortable. Things are not as great at the back, however. With the front seats set according to my driving preference, there was not much legroom and knee room at the back for a person as tall as me (6 feet). There is a cup holder at the back and rear AC vents to keep the passengers cool.

What you will appreciate is that despite being a rough and rugged vehicle, the Hilux has a decent interior. The quality of the panels and surfaces is satisfactory and you also have an 8.0-inch touchscreen unit that will fulfil your connectivity and entertainment needs. While off-road-biased vehicles usually do not have the best finishing and often rattle, the Hilux is better. Despite taking some bumps at high speed, climbing over small rocks and doing the off-road challenges, the Hilux’s cabin felt isolated from any kind of issues. Having said all of this, it is not the fanciest cabin and you will have to look elsewhere for that.

The driving is where the Hilux shines. It has the same 2.8-litre, diesel motor that is also seen in the Fortuner. Needless to say, it is a reliable unit with plenty of power to pull this 2910 kg vehicle through all kinds of trouble. You can either have the engine with a 6-speed intelligent manual transmission (iMT) or a 6-speed automatic. When paired with the automatic transmission, the torque increases from 420 Nm to 500 Nm while the 201.2 hp power figure remains the same. During our drive, we were primarily driving the automatic variant and while it is not the smoothest gearbox in the business, it does get the job done.

Out in the hills, the Hilux had no trouble taking on hairpin bends with three people inside and the air conditioning turned on. There is an Eco and Power mode to make the vehicle adapt to different driving conditions and needs as well. A major chunk of our drive saw us tackling sections of the hill that did not have a paved surface. Many times we were descending and negotiating sharp turns while on loose sand and rock-filled roads. The Hilux with its big tyres and 4x4 capabilities felt absolutely calm and composed through it all. At one point we also went through an obstacle course that consisted of positive inclines, negative inclines, moguls, water wading and controlled descents. With a limited-slip differential and the downhill assist control (DAC), the Hilux went through all of them gracefully. I would, however, say that I preferred keeping the control in my own hands rather than leaving it up to the DAC.

You do not get disc brakes on all four wheels, rather you get ventilated discs at the front and drum brakes at the back. We were not going very fast for the most part and the brakes worked adequately but I am not sure how effective they will be out on the highway. The suspension setup is something that might irk some people due to the fact that you get leaf springs at the back. This means that unless you have the rear deck packed with things to weigh it down, you will be bouncing a lot when going over undulations. The Fortuner will feel much more comfortable in the same situations. One thing that I really liked about the Hilux was the amount of feedback I received from the steering wheel. With a big vehicle like this, you would want all the information and feedback that you can get and the steering wheel definitely does a good job when it comes to this aspect. It helps you place and position the car with more accuracy while not being too heavy.
As I was driving back to the hotel, I was reflecting on how much fun I had with the Hilux. I had taken it through narrow mountain roads, crossed water streams and even climbed over large rocks. I was thoroughly impressed by how the Hilux overcame all those obstacles while not making me feel like I was sitting inside a cheap purpose-built vehicle. The driver seat felt very similar to the ones on regular city-focused cars and there were no creaking noises or lack of isolation from the world when needed. I can definitely see why this vehicle is so popular and how it can almost go anywhere and keep going regardless of what it is subjected to.

Yes, the suspension is not going to be something the average city-dweller will like but those who have owned trucks will not be too bothered about this aspect. This is definitely going to be your second or perhaps third vehicle that you take out only when needed. If you are concerned about navigating through crowded city streets in a vehicle this big, let me tell you that it might not be as daunting as it might look. The recent price drop means that the Standard version of the Hilux now sells for Rs 30.30 lakh while the High variants start at Rs 37.15 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom). It is more expensive than its nearest competitor, the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross but offers a better in-cabin experience for sure. I would love to spend some more time with this mammoth in the city and see how it fares in the urban jungle.