ROCK SOLID
THE CURRENT HILUX HAS BEEN AUSTRALIA’S MOST POPULAR 4X4 DUAL CAB (AND MOST POPULAR 4X4 OVERALL) FOR MOST OF ITS LIFE … AND WITH GOOD REASON
THE current eighth-generation Toyota Hilux arrived here in late 2015, with full sales kicking off in 2016. Notably, it came with an all-new 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, replacing the 3.0-litre diesel used in the previous generation Hilux, and with new six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes. An all-new 2.4-litre diesel was also offered in base-spec models, while a 4.0-litre petrol V6 was carried over from the previous Hilux. After a number of changes to models and equipment since launch, and the dropping of the 4.0-litre petrol six along the way, the 2.8 was upgraded to 150kw and 500Nm (from 130kw and 450Nm) thanks to new fuel-injection and turbo systems in 2020.
When it comes to getting serious off-road, the Hilux is blessed by having the longest wheel travel among the current crop of utes across its whole model range. At the rear, where it counts most, there’s more than half a metre – 520mm in fact – of wheel travel. That’s seriously good for showroom-stock, leaf-spring suspension. More wheel travel means more secure contact with the ground and therefore less reliance on the electric traction-control system or differential locks to prevent the wheels from spinning. It’s as simple as that.
The Hilux adds to its class-leading wheel travel an ETC system that’s specifically calibrated for off-road use and not just for on-road use, which is the norm with ETC. Toyota does off-road specific ETC (they call it A-TRC) exceptionally well, and largely off the back of the time and investment put in to making the Landcruiser very off-road capable.
The Hilux also has a driver-switched rear differential lock on most 4x4 models, but engaging the rear locker cancels the ETC, not just on the rear axle, which is a given, but also on the front axle (as an engineering decision), so you effectively end up with an open front diff once the rear locker is engaged. So a win-lose situation, not a win-win.
For most off-road driving, the Hilux generally performs better without the rear locker engaged, as that leaves the effective ETC working at both ends rather than losing the ETC across the front axle. Why did Toyota go this way? It’s to prevent any extra strain on the driveline and, as usual, Toyota puts reliability first. The conservative head engineer won the argument.
As is, the Hilux is still a top-tier off-road performer, matched only by some Ford Rangers among the mainstream models and some Volkswagen Amaroks, but it could have been a stand-alone winner – at least until the unique Ranger Raptor came along.
For manual buyers, it’s worth noting that SR and SR5 2.8 models come with what Toyota calls an ‘Intelligent Manual Transmission’, which modulates the throttle to help make low-range shifts more seamless. It works nicely. A number of accessory-equipped Hilux models have also come from the factory.