Toyota Hilux

The Toyota Hilux is one of the few pickup trucks private car owners can buy in the Indian market. As desirable as it may seem, it is not really meant to be a daily driver. This is a lifestyle vehicle which you would want to take out for weekend getaways, long road trips and maybe go exploring off road. 

I drove the Hilux pretty extensively in Pune, and was impressed by the road presence, off-roading abilities and highway performance. But, there were some obvious issues too, including a basic cabin and a bumpy ride. Would I still recommend the Hilux? Here’s a detailed review:

Design & Quality

The Hilux is huge, 5,325 mm long to be exact, which makes it bigger than even the Mercedes-Benz GLS. And due to its length, it doesn’t fit easily into most regular parking spaces. But due to its size, it gets an unmatchable road presence.

It also has a dominating design, which catches attention wherever it goes. The massive front profile is in your face, with a huge black grille, chunky bumper and skid plate, and an overall fascia. It gets huge LED headlamps with slim LED DRLs, and the fog lamps are placed closer to the bumper.

But the side is where you can actually get an idea of its size. Apart from the length, the other things that catch your eye are the thick cladding on the doors, the big 18-inch alloy wheels, and the massive wheel arches. These elements bring out the ruggedness of this pickup truck, and with all of this, you also get more ground clearance (220mm unladen) than most users would need for everyday use.

At the back, things are pretty simple. Since it is a pickup truck, you just get a boot lid with chrome lettering and most of the space is taken up by the hefty bumper. But due to its height, the rear end still looks tall. You can get the Hilux in 5 monotone shades: Emotional Red, White Pearl Crystal Shine, Attitude Black, Super White, and Grey Metallic. 

The Hilux truly has an eye-catching design that not only makes people turn around to take another look but also makes you feel like the most important person on the road. And one more benefit of the Hilux is its popularity in the international market, which unlocks a long list of accessories and modification/personalization potential.

Design & Quality

Getting in and out of the Hilux requires effort due to its height, making it difficult for your parents or grandparents. However, there is a side step which does make it a little easier.

Once you get inside the Hilux, the cabin design and materials used will not make you feel like you’re sitting in a car that costs around Rs 45 lakh on-road. It has an all-black cabin with a simple design and some rugged elements, which feels very utilitarian. 

The cabin mostly consists of hard plastics and there aren’t enough soft-touch elements, which makes the interiors feel a little dull and outdated. 

Front Seats

Hilux gets a height adjustable driver seat along with both tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment from the base variant. So finding your perfect driving position does not take much time.

While driving, you’ll notice that its seats are wide and very accommodating even for large frames. That said, I found the cushioning to be a bit firm. This becomes a positive over longer journeys as you don’t sink into the seats after spending long hours in them. 

As far as space is concerned, you get a good amount of headroom and underthigh support. There is also enough room in the footwell. On the visibility front, you get a clear view of the road due to the high and commanding seating position, and there are no major blind spots. Only rearward view is compromised due to the tiny windscreen, forcing you to rely on the side mirrors and reverse camera. 

Rear Seats  

The rear seats are also very spacious, and can seat three passengers with ease. You get a good amount of headroom, leg room, and knee room. The backrest feels a little upright, which might not be the most comfortable for longer journeys. You do get a centre armrest for some additional comfort. 

In terms of visibility, you do get big windows which allow you to look outside with ease. But the black cabin does make you feel a little cramped.

Storage Options

For storage options, all four doors have 1-litre bottle holders. There are two cupholders in the centre console and two on either side of the dashboard. 

You also get storage in the centre armrest, two gloveboxes, the centre armrest has a tray to keep your phone or wallet, and the rear passengers also get two cupholders in the centre armrest. 

Charging Options

In the front, you do get two 12V sockets, USB charging port, and a 100W charger in the centre armrest, but there is no type-C charging port here. Also, while the front passengers have enough charging options, the rear passengers do not get any.

Boot Space

The Hilux does not get a boot in the traditional sense, as it is more of a cargo bed. You can store your entire trip's luggage here easily and still use only half of it.

Of course, the open storage bed might make you feel a little scared when keeping your luggage. What if someone steals my luggage? Or what if I go over a bump and my bag just falls off? While these things may not happen, it’s better to get a cover for this cargo bed as an accessory.

Here are all the basic daily use features you get in the Hilux.

It also gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is quite responsive, easy to use, and comes with a user interface that is easy to understand. While there is only wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, they both run seamlessly. 

This entire setup is paired with a 6-speaker sound system which gives you a decent sound experience. It is not anything special, but it will also not make you complain.

There is a rear view camera here as well which could have been better. While there is no frame drop in the feed, the feed itself is grainy and not of great quality. This makes the camera difficult to rely on in low light conditions, and even in harsh sunlight, you have to look closely to spot objects.

For this price, a bigger touchscreen, a better camera setup, and more charging options should have been present.

In terms of safety, it gets 7 airbags, vehicle stability control (VSM), hill assist, front and rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a rearview camera.

The Hilux has been crash tested by many organisations over the years, and it has had varying results depending on the rules and regulations of each NCAP. While Latin, Global, and Australian NCAPs have given it a 5-star rating, Euro NCAP has only given it 3 stars.

The Hilux is offered with a 2.8-litre, 4-cylinder, diesel engine which can be had with both manual and automatic transmissions. A four-wheel-drive setup is offered as standard. 

2.8-litre Diesel

As per diesel standards, this engine is well refined, but you still hear the noise and feel the vibrations every now and then. Due to the cabin’s insulation, the noise does not disturb you much once you’re inside.  

City Performance

While driving inside the city, you will not feel any lack of power, and the quick acceleration makes overtakes seem easy. The drive is smooth, and the engine is responsive, so apart from navigating through traffic, nothing else will feel difficult. 

If you’re driving the manual, make sure you never miss leg day in the gym because you’ll need some strong calves and willpower to drive a manual Hilux through city traffic. The clutch is heavy and the pedal travel is on the longer side, making it a handful for some. The automatic is an easy recommendation not only due to its convenience, but also due to its smooth and quick gear shifts.

On the fuel efficiency front, you can get around 12-13 kmpl in the city

Highway Performance

Here is where the drive gets interesting. Beating the city traffic is hard, but when you have an open highway, you can truly see the performance of the Hilux, and it does not disappoint. It is not outright exciting, but it will keep you engaged, and won’t leave you wanting for more.

Getting the Hilux to 80-100kmph does not take time, and it feels steady at those speeds too. I thought that the overtakes in the city were easy, but here, they were just effortless. 

On the highway, you can get a fuel efficiency of around 15-16 kmpl.

Ride Comfort

The ride is typical of large pickups designed to carry heavy cargo: stiff. While bumps and potholes can be tackled easily, you will feel side-to-side tossing inside the cabin and it won’t feel as settled as an urban SUV of the same size. You will find the ride quality gets more comfortable with a full passenger or luggage load.

There is a good amount of body roll while switching lanes and taking sharp turns, but that is a given for a pickup truck. 

Handling

While navigating the Hilux in the city has its challenges due to its size, sharp turns on the highway, especially without load in the bed, can make the rear slip out. This will definitely be alarming and you might get scared. 

It's not like you can’t drive the Hilux around ghats with sharp left and right turns, it's just that you’ll have to watch your speed and make sure weight inside the car is as evenly distributed as possible.

The Toyota Hilux is offered in just two variants: STD and HIGH.

Hilux STD

• Gets halogen headlamps, halogen tail lamps, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

• Cabin gets fabric seats, manually adjustable driver seat, and a black theme.

• Features include manual AC, cruise control, electrically adjustable ORVMs, and push button start/ stop.

• Gets an infotainment package with an 8-inch touchscreen, wired Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and a 6-speaker sound system.

• Safety kit consists of 7 airbags, vehicle stability management, ISOFIX anchors, and a rearview camera.

Hilux HIGH

• Gets the option of an automatic powertrain.

• Exterior design upgrades include LED headlamps with LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, and additional chrome inserts. 

• Cabin gets leatherette seats and the driver seat is 6-way power adjustable.

• Additional features include dual-zone AC and electrically foldable ORVMs.

CarDekho Recommends

• The base STD variant offers better value for your money as it gets all your daily amenities including an infotainment package, packed in a good looking exterior.

• Pick the top-spec for more premiumness or for an automatic powertrain.

After driving the Hilux in the city, the compromises that come with a pickup truck were very apparent. The ride is not so comfortable and neither are the seats. The cabin is outdated, and the feature list is not so extensive. These compromises seemed a lot to me, especially if you are going to use it mostly inside the city, because these compromises will be a lot, especially for your family.

However, the reason to buy the Toyota Hilux is also very clear. This car is for three types of people: someone who wants a getaway or a off-road vehicle and understands that there will be compromises, someone who wants a pickup truck for its utility like transportation of goods for business purposes, or someone who wants an XL-sized car for that ‘king of the road’ feel. 

Other Options To Consider

Isuzu Hi-Lander

Reasons To Consider

• More affordable

• Both 2WD and 4WD powertrain options

• Similar features

Reasons To Ignore

• Less powerful powertrain