2026 Toyota Hilux Facelift Spied; Here are 5 Other Pickup Trucks We Wish Came To India
Which of these models do you believe would disrupt the market?
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The 2026 Toyota Hilux was recently spied without any camouflage, hinting towards a launch soon. With the arrival of this facelift, the growing lifestyle pickup segment in India will certainly see a boost. However, while the segment is still in the nascent stage, here are some interesting pickup trucks that we wish come to India. Which among the list are you interested in?
Ford Ranger Raptor
Being one of the most powerful pickup trucks from Ford, the Ranger Raptor is literally a monster. The pickup has a behemoth-like appearance with mature and rugged design aesthetics. This aggressive design language means that it towers over everything on the roads, while the suspension lift kit and rugged all-terrain tyres help it conquer any surface with ease. The Ranger Raptor comes with multiple engine options, although the highlight remains a 3-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine that produces 405 PS of peak power and 583 Nm of torque.
Feature highlights include an on-board 400W power socket in the cabin, a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, ambient lighting, grab handles on the A-pillars, powerlocking tail-gate, tow hooks both in the front and rear and side steps.
Apart from this, Ford also offers a list of add-on accessories to personalise the pickup. Safety features include 9 airbags, Level-2 ADAS, 360-degree camera, TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system), child seat anchors, and an anti-theft alarm system.
Jeep Gladiator
The current Jeep Gladiator is a pickup truck based on the fourth-gen Jeep Wrangler’s platform, and a tribute to the old Jeep Gladiator J-series pickup truck that existed in the 1960s. This Jeep offering carries the retro-themes boxy design and rugged stance with iconic Jeep design elements such as the iconic 7-slot grille, round headlamps, removable roof and doors that keep it imposing and unique on the road.
The Gladiator is powered by a 3.6-litre petrol engine producing 285 PS of peak power and 599 Nm of peak torque. It gets an 8-speed automatic transmission and 4WD capability.
The Gladiator is equipped with features like auto headlamps, dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an 8-speaker sound system, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel and keyless entry. On the safety side, the Gladiator gets Level-2 ADAS, 7 airbags, adaptive cruise control, rear parking camera and sensors, and trailer sway control system.
Isuzu V-Cross (Global Spec)
The Isuzu V-Cross has been sold in India since 2016, but globally, the carmaker sells a newer third-generation version of the pickup truck with improved aesthetics, a modern platform, premium interiors and advanced safety features. As part of the updates, the international version gets a significantly sharper fascia with a more prominent grille, reworked rear-end styling and a wide range of interesting colour options.
The global V-Cross is powered by a range of powertrains including a 3-litre diesel engine making up to 190 PS and 450 Nm, which can be paired to a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. It is equipped with a shift-on-fly 4WD system and automatic differential lock.
Feature highlights of the third-generation V-Cross include auto headlamps with auto levelling, auto-folding and heated ORVMs (outside rear view mirrors), a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster, heated front seats and an 8-way power-adjustable driver seat.
It is also equipped with safety tech such as a Level-2 ADAS suite, 6 airbags, front and rear parking sensors, TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system), reverse camera and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
Rivian R1T
The R1T is an electric pickup truck that’s made by the American EV startup Rivian. The pickup truck carries a minimalistic design with an oval-shaped headlamp setup with a thick connected light strip running throughout the front end. The blacked-out A-pillar and the B-pillars give the pickup truck a floating roof effect. The minimalistic approach can be seen on the rear-end styling as well with a connected taillamp setup and prominent ‘Rivian’ badging on the tailgate making it look clean.
The pickup comes in single motor, tri-motor and quad motor setups, and is available in four battery packs, ranging from 92.5 kWh to 140 kWh of capacity. What is mindblowing about the R1T is the up to 1040 PS power figure and 530 km of claimed range which balances usability and thrilling performance as well.
The pickup truck gets a minimalistic cabin with simple colours. The features list includes air suspension, heated and ventilated front seats, a 12-inch instrument cluster and a 15-inch touchscreen infotainment display with in-built Connect Plus app. The pickup has a unique storage compartment that runs from one side to the other side of the vehicle, called the gear tunnel, which can be used to store luggage. It also gets a large panoramic glass roof that spans the entire roof.
Safety tech onboard the R1T includes 8 airbags, 13 cameras, 5 radar units and an internally developed ADAS suite called Rivian Autonomy Platform.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Next-up, is the Hyundai Santa Cruz which has quickly become a favourite in the American light pickup truck market. Based on the popular Hyundai Tucson, it features a monocoque construction that allows for greater comfort, driveability and easy-to-drive characteristics of a crossover, while also keeping the large cargo space and capability of a pickup truck.. In terms of design, it gets a sleek styling package with slim headlamps, a sharp chrome grille and noticeably more modern elements compared to conventional rivals overall.
The Santa Cruz is offered with two 2.5-litre petrol engine options, in naturally aspirated and turbo-petrol guises. The latter produces up to 285 PS of power and 245.4 Nm of torque giving it a reasonably powerful personality for daily usage. It can also be opted for with an optional all-wheel drive system,
Features inside the Santa Cruz include a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display,12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a single pane sunroof, connected car tech, heated and ventilated front seats, multiple USB ports in the front and the rear, a wireless phone charger and an 8-speaker Bose sound system.
For safety, the Santa Cruz gets 8 airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors and a Level 2 ADAS suite.
BONUS
Tesla Cybertruck
If you thought the Santa Cruz was unconventional, the Cybertruck is out-of-this-world! With its concept-car like design, stainless steel exterior finish and quad-motor setup, it is truly like nothing else on the road. Upfront, it gets only a connected LED light bar as the major design element. The windshield rake is sharp, extending all the way up to the front seats and a clean and sculpted bodyline with minimal elements.
Underneath, the Cybertruck comes with multiple battery options, the largest of which delivers up to 523 km of claimed range. It also gets a dual-motor setup that can propel it from 0 to 97 kmph in just 2.6 seconds, making for supercar-beating figures.
Features in the Cybertruck include a massive 18.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display, a 9.4-inch second row touchscreen, rear wheel steering, adaptive air suspension, vehicle-to-load setup and armoured glass. Safety features include 6-airbags, Level-2 ADAS features, auto steer, autopilot, obstacle-aware acceleration, AEB (automatic emergency braking), and a 360-degree camera with park assist.
Which one of these pickup trucks is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
