Toyota Is Serious About Bringing The Hilux Here To Rival Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

The Hilux will likely be launched in the Indian market by Diwali 2021

An inside source at Toyota has revealed that the Japanese carmaker is quite serious about bringing the Hilux to India and could launch it as soon as Diwali 2021 since it would be locally built. We reached out to Toyota for confirmation, however, the carmaker declined to comment on its future plans at the moment.

A pickup truck sold by Toyota overseas, the Hilux has a reputation of being built to last over the years, across different terrains and in different climatic conditions. Those of you that follow a certain TV show will know all about a red ‘Hilux’ braving everything from water to fire and even an explosion!

As far as India is concerned, most of us have experienced some part of the Hilux. How? Well, it shares its platform with the Toyota Fortuner and the Innova Crysta. The Hilux is noticeably longer, coming in at 5.3 metres, but it uses the same engines, chassis, and 4WD system as the Toyota Fortuner. All of this will make it easier for Toyota to manufacture the Hilux in India and also price it competitively.

What’s opened the door for Toyota to bring the Hilux to India?

While there is no single answer to this, the fact that Isuzu -- which has been selling a lifestyle pickup truck in India for some time now -- recently introduced a pricey version of the same could be a catalyst. We even pondered over how Isuzu may have opened the door for other manufacturers to bring pickup trucks into the Indian market. You can read all about it here.

In fact, even before Isuzu launched the latest version of the D-Max V-Cross here, we were seeing a growing trend of lifestyle vehicles in India. Case in point, the new Thar. From a jungle warrior to an urban warrior, the Thar has managed to do it in one generation. Then there is the ever-growing demand for the Suzuki Jimny, a five-door version of which will be coming to our shores in a couple of years. While these may not be pickup trucks, their arrival (or impending arrival in case of the Jimny) shows mass-market car buyers have begun opening up to lifestyle offerings.

Who else could jump onto this bandwagon?

The logical answer here is Ford. It sells the Endeavour in India, and just like Toyota, it shares its underpinnings with a pickup truck (Ford Ranger). But with Ford’s India plans quite uncertain, it’s hard to tell. Then there is Mahindra. It has been making pickup trucks in India for years now, and with the Thar, it has proved it has what it takes to make it in the lifestyle segment.

What about its pricing?

Making the Hilux in India and being able to share its parts with the Fortuner will allow Toyota to price it aggressively. So we estimate it could retail between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 25 lakh in the Indian market based on the Hilux sold in Japan. For reference, the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross, offered in 2WD and 4WD configurations, is priced from Rs 19.98 lakh to Rs 24.49 lakh.

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