Husafell, ICELAND – It’s arrival has been a loooong time coming, some may say too long, but now, after we’d seen the spy pics, speculative renders, leaked photos, official press images and read the official engine details, we finally have our hands on the all-new Toyota Hilux, even if we had to travel to the top of the world to do so.
New looks
There will be much debate about the looks, of that there is no doubt. The naysayers will comment that this is little more than a facelift model, with a mild nip-and-tuck and a shot of botox administered for good measure. But, as is always the case, styling is a moot point.
Now more than ever, Toyota has given the Hilux an appearance that is more in line with its passenger-car offerings. Those headlamps in particular are reminiscent of those of the contemporary Corolla.
Over and above the front visage there are flared fenders, front and rear, that give the Hilux a more rugged appearance, which is reminiscent of the larger Toyota pick-ups available in the US. We are sure that the sales success of Ford’s Ranger spurred Toyota’s designers to lift the machismo factor…
Under the skin
The Hilux’s aesthetic quality is only a small aspect of the newcomer’s significance, because the bulk of the changes have taken place under the skin and inside the cabin. The Toyota rides on a ladder-frame chassis that is 20 per cent more rigid than that of the model it replaces, and it’s not as though the predecessor showed any weakness in this area.
The all-new body is constructed from high-strength steels in critical areas and it boasts 388 spot welds, an increase of 120, to add rigidity as well as provide better NVH properties. To further aid in the reduction of noise and increase in passenger comfort, expansion foam is injected throughout the body structure.
There are further changes under the bonnet, but more of that in a bit.
Inside the cabin
Those who use their bakkies as a primary source of transport, and let’s face it – most double-cab owners do, will be interested to know that the interior appointment of the new Hilux is right up there with the best in class.
From a design viewpoint the facia has been totally revised: it appears more car-like than has ever been the case with a Hilux.
The infotainment system incorporates a colour touchscreen interface that takes pride of place on the facia. New centre air vents are neatly integrated into the upper part of the facia while the HVAC dials are placed below the touchscreen.
While certain interior panels areas may appear soft-touch they aren’t, in fact, they feel hard and plasticky in nature. However, contact points such as the door handles and centre armrest are more pleasing to the touch.
Apart from that minor gripe, the newcomer’s interior represents a quantum leap over the outgoing Hilux.
How does it go?
Toyota has taken the opportunity to introduce two new engines to the new Hilux range: a 2,4 D-4D and a 2,8 D-4D. Both turbodiesel units are available with either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. It is the former powerplant that we got to experience in Iceland.
The new 2,4-litre engine produces 110 kW, only 10 kW shy of the older 3,0-litre turbodiesel. More impressively, it outshines the previous range-topper by dishing up 400 N.m (57 N.m more than the latter). And the best part is: this isn’t even the top-of-the-range turbodiesel.
On the tar byways of Iceland I was most impressed by the lack of engine noise permeating the cabin. Not only is the new powerplant more refined, but by virtue of work carried out in other areas, such as sound-insulation, “engine-room noises” feel distant from the passenger cell. It was immediately apparent that on-road ride quality had been improved too, at least to an extent.
The self-shifting transmission is an ideal companion to the flexible engine, with its peak torque value available from 1 600 to 2 000 r/min. Even when traversing off-road tracks, when most enthusiasts would prefer a manual, the automatic did a fine job of gear selection for the prevailing conditions.
Speaking of off-roading, most of our day was spent away from sealed roads exploring the vast network of Icelandic “F” roads or dirt tracks interspersed with technical off-road sections and the odd river crossing thrown in for good measure.
Not that the outgoing model lacked in its off-road prowess, but the2,4 D-4D overcame each and every obstacle without any real effort and if it weren’t for the sharp-edged volcanic rocks, all the tyres would have survived the trip!
Summary
We all expected the latest-generation Hilux to build on the strengths of its predecessors, and it has.
More importantly, Toyota has addressed those areas where some of its competitors seemed to have taken the lead, such as interior design, NVH suppression, shift quality and calibration of the automatic transmissions, etc. I guess it was inevitable that others would close the gap to the perennial sales-chart topper as the previous Hilux made its debut about a decade ago and since then, the market has really changed.
I predict Toyota will have a barrage of selling points (to win over owners of other brands) once the new Hilux goes on sale early next year.
