If you’ve been dreaming about updating your Ute for a while now, then you could be in luck. For years, the Americans have been in love with one of the most popular pickup trucks ever to hit the auto market, the Toyota Hilux. Although the US gets the Tacoma option from Toyota, they simply don’t get the same experience that’s offered by the incredible Hilux here in Oz.
However, despite the fact that Toyota aren’t planning on taking the Hilux over to America any time soon, they have decided to give the best-selling Australian vehicle a refresh, based on some good old-fashioned American ideas. In simple terms, the latest update will come with more automatic transmission options to choose from, as well as a range of new cab configurations for good measure.
What’s New for Australian Drivers?
If you’re lucky enough to purchase one of these incredible pickups for yourself in Australia, then you’ll have a range of options available to choose from. You can choose from either two different diesel engines, or a single gasoline engine. As you might have imagined, the diesel is often the preferred solution for many Aussies, particularly as they search for the best fuel efficiency on the market.
The 2.7-litre gas option comes with about 181 pounds per feet of torque, and 164 horsepower. While these numbers aren’t necessarily bad, they’re not great for pickup trucks in these modern times. On the other hand, the 2.4-litre diesel engine option comes with a much more impressive 295 pounds per feet of torque, depending on your choices, and around 148 horsepower too. Ultimately, the results you get will come down to your drive configurations, your transmission, cab choices, trim, and a range of other options.
If you’re feeling particularly fancy, you could consider investing in the top of the range 2.8-litre diesel engine, which comes with an incredible 310 pounds per feet of torque, and 180 horsepower. The torque potential goes up to around 332 lb. per feet for an automatic configuration. For now, the V6 engine has been dropped, since it only achieved about half a percentage point when it came to customer sales.
No matter which options you choose, you can upgrade and enhance your truck however you see fit. For instance, check here for detailed info about fiberglass canopies, and you can take your business with you on the road without having to worry about damage to your tools.
The News for Hilux Lovers
The engines available to Australian consumers are all carried over from the previous options in the Hilux portfolio. This means that the most important news to come from Toyota is the fact that they’ve gotten rid of certain trim levels, and enhanced the availability of their automatic options, which now make up over half of the sales made to Australian customers.
Lower trim levels are now packed in with options like satellite navigation, alloy wheels, and more, which means that you don’t have to spend more just to get your hands on great features. The Workmate trim even comes with a double-cab configuration.
Depending on what you’re searching for, there’s a good chance you’ll find the truck of your dreams with Hilux, particularly because the Ute is now available in 31 different formats. As the popularity of this powerful truck continues to grow throughout Australia, it’s not surprising that Toyota would want to make the most of the Hilux’s selling power.
Not only is it the bestselling commercial car for Australian drivers – a title it’s held onto for more than two decades, but it’s also thee best-selling vehicle with four-wheel drive. In 2016, the Hilux also became the best-selling vehicle in Australia overall.