Toyota Hilux TRD Special Edition:

TIDY ENOUGH FOR TOWNIES, NEW TRD WILL STILL IMPRESS OFF- ROADERS WRITES DREW

It's no secret that the Toyota Hilux suffered a fall from grace last year at the hands of the Ford Ranger. It should also be no secret that Toyota is exceptionally keen to regain that coveted trophy of “best selling ute”.

After driving several Hilux variants last year, the Hilux endof- year report would have been “could try harder”. It seems Toyota has listened and has started the New Year with some serious effort in the form of the Hilux TRD Special Edition.

The Ranger is a great ute — but its main buyers seem to be people who want, but don't necessarily

a ute. The Hilux has always been a great ute, and has suffered in the sales race because it is no longer only farmers who buy them. On any given drive to your local city beach you will be surrounded by dozens of innercity folk who have out- grown the DOHC turbo of their youth and now own a ute.

The ute owner is no longer solely a hardworking tradie or man of the land. The ute is fashionable, and needs to look the part, too. The only off- road experience most “new” ute owners usually get is on the unsealed driveway at the bach in Matakana.

I've driven the Ranger and it is great off and on road — but the main appeal it has for the current market, or perhaps more accurately “generation”, is that is looks great. It has plenty of bells and whistles, all of which delicately stroke the masculine ego. This was something other new Hilux models lacked.

But where past Hilux models missed the egocentric add- ons, the TRD lacks for little. Matte black wheel flares superbly amplify the Maxxis offroad tyres and TRD 18