Toyota Hilux vehicles are “The Machine”, and have come a long way from the late eighties and nineties. I recall heading off to a forestry block in a Toyota Hilux 4×4 back in the nineties, and was impressed at the way the old Hilux hit the rough terrain. Also impressive was the good road holding back on the tarmac. Capable of a tough day at the office, the latest new Toyota Hilux 4×4 is as rugged as ever, with a few more modern features to make the day at the office that much more pleasurable.

One of the striking features of the new Hilux 4×4 is the vehicle’s dimensions. This is no mamby-pamby little truck for carrying granny and the shopping bags – though it will do this job with ease. The Hilux 4×4 range is one of Toyota’s real workhorses – a workhorse loved by many hard working persons. They never seem to let you down, and the bigger dimensions of the latest Hilux truck mean that you can pack even more gear onto the deck at the rear. Interior room has also expanded for making the rear seats more spacious for two or three adults in the double cab varieties.

While retaining hardy, long-lasting surfaces in the interior, the rugged Toyota Hilux 4×4 interior has a soft touch. Modern seating fabric feels softer and plusher, while the new dash arrangement is appealing on the eye, extremely clear to read and functional. Air-conditioning, electric windows, blue-tooth and satellites navigation make their way into some of the well-dressed 4×4 Hilux models. You can bush bash in the new Hilux and still remain rather cool, calm and collected in the pleasant, relaxing cabin surrounds.

On the road, the new Toyota Hilux 4×4 models feel very safe and secure. The raised driving height adds to the commanding view of the road ahead, while the grippy chassis makes the new Hilux 4×4 a class leader for handling and on-road dynamics. Mazda’s BT50 is a class act as well, so I imagine a good long test drive in both the Mazda and Toyota 4×4 variants will clinch the winner according to your preferences and tastes.

Power for the new Toyota Hilux 4×4 comes from a very strong performing 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine that boasts 126 kW at 3600 rpm and 343 Nm from 1400 rpm. I am impressed with the way the 3.0-litre diesel can turn on a clean pair of heels when required. The smooth 3.0-litre engines and effortless cruising is a characteristic that many drivers of the Hilux 4×4 diesel fans will appreciate. If diesel isn’t your thing, then the 4.0-litre VVT-i petrol engine is the alternative. Again, power is exceptionally good (175 kW at 5200 rpm and 343 Nm at 2400 rpm), and the cruising qualities of the 4.0-litre V6 petrol is excellent. Five-speed manual and five-speed automatics are the transmission options for both engines. Personally, I like the ease of the automatic gearbox, however the manual is crisp and easy to fling through the gates.

For rugged, all-round performance and reliability, the latest deals on the new Toyota Hilux 4×4 have to be very competitive. Remember, the Hilux is the vehicle of choice for most Australian 4×4 ute drivers. Safety, entertainment systems and modern communications are all there for the modern and very likeable Hilux 4×4.

Single and double-cab options are available. The new Toyota Hilux 4×4 Vehicle has a new Warranty that expires 3 years from the date of first delivery or 100,000 kms – whichever occurs first.

At the time of writing, the Toyota Hilux 4×4 models include the:

• SR 4×4 Single-Cab Cab-Chassis
• SR 4×4 Extra-Cab Pick-up
• SR 4×4 Extra-Cab Cab-Chassis
• SR5 4×4 Extra-Cab Pick-up
• WorkMate 4×4 Double-Cab Pick-up
• SR 4×4 Double-Cab Pick-up
• SR 4×4 Double-Cab Cab-Chassis
• SR5 4×4 Double-Cab Pick-up

For any more information on the new Toyota Hilux 4×4 or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Toyota dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

Back to Toyota Car Reviews