HILUX SR5

WE COMPARED the Colorado to the Hilux back in our October edition and you can read the test on our website, but as we had just taken delivery of our new long-term Hilux the week of this test we took it along for the ride.

Our car can’t be directly compared with these two as it has a manual gearbox and is loaded with extras, but a few things are obvious when you drive them back-to-back.

The Hilux SR5 feels the better quality car inside with superior fit, finish and refinement. It rides firmer thanks to its stiffer suspension, but that proved its value when we loaded them all up for the tow test last month.

Even though the manual Hilux has less torque than the equivalent auto (and both the Ranger and Colorado) it feels more sprightly thanks to the direct drive and no parasitic loss through a torque converter. The SR5’S manual is clever, too.