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12/09/2011
REVIEW By EWAN KENNEDY
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Toyota HiLux has been a huge seller in Australia for many decades. It’s hard to believe that a light commercial vehicle could be the overall number one seller in this country, but HiLux has achieved this several times in recent years. That’s overall sales we’re talking about, not sales in its class.
HiLux appeals for two completely different reasons. Firstly, it has the traditional Toyota reliability and long life that make it easy to live with as well as simple to resell. Secondly, tough utes and light trucks are currently all the rage with many Aussie blokes (it usually is the blokes, not the bloke-ettes).
Tradies can buy a double-cab that is a hard worker during the week, then can be used as a family car at the weekend. Two for the price of one, what more can you ask for in the tough economic times that are stretching so many of the guys on the tools? Toyota is not the only company riding on the pickup boom, other importers have spotted the opportunity and the Australian light commercial market is going to be set alight in the next few months.
VW launched the Amarok, its first one tonne pickup, a few months back. Ford is about to introduce an all-new Ranger, and Mazda will import its BT-50 version of the same pickup. These latter two are global vehicles, but were largely designed in Australia so will obviously be suited to our conditions. Holden will bring in a new Colorado at a date yet to be advised, but probably in the first half of 2012.
Toyota is also well aware that cheap Chinese pickups are already making their mark at the bottom end of the sales scene. Toyota Australia hasn’t been the biggest selling automotive company in Australia for years by accident and is preparing its HiLux to fight on several fronts. It has trimmed prices and added extra equipment - with a combination of the two in many cases.
Visually, everything in front of the windscreen has been restyled. The overall effect is more purposeful than previously, but sensibly the stylists have avoided it being overly aggressive. The over-fender flares on the HiLux SR and SR5 have a new, squarer, shape than before. HiLux SR5 has new door mirrors that are very European in incorporating the turn signal repeaters.
The dash has received a redesign and is close to being car-like in its appearance. During our test drives as part of this review we found the new layout to be clean and easy to use. Revisions to the suspension have been made to give HiLux a smoother ride. While it’s not really car like, it’s not that far away either.
The range has been completely revamped with some petrol models being dropped due to the increasing popularity of diesel in Australia. HiLux is now offered in no fewer than 35 models, up from 32 on the superseded series. The opening salvo in the Toyota HiLux range is the WorkMate 4x2 single-cab, cab-chassis at $18,990. This is $500 more than before, but the vehicle now has ABS brakes, a tachometer and an improved audio system, so provides significantly better value.
Midrange models, the HiLux SR series, have been reduced in price by amounts ranging up to $5650 for the Crew Cab diesel manual, now with a recommended retail of $46,990. Topline Toyota HiLux SR5 models, aimed at the sports ute buyer, have price drops of up to $2900. Taking into account the added features, Toyota estimates the improvements in value are often in the $2000 to $8000 range depending on model.
As before, the Toyota HiLux is offered in single-cab, extended-cab and dual-cab bodies. Rear-wheel and 4WD drive are offered. There are manual and automatic transmissions. Petrol and turbo-diesel engines are on the price list, with the emphasis on this new range pushing even more strongly than before on the diesels.
Feature upgrades are many and varied. Depending on model, these include new audio systems, trip computer, voice recognition, satellite navigation on a 6.1-inch screen, automatic headlights, cruise control, sports seats, Bluetooth. And, as they say in the classic TV ads, there’s more... The range of choices in the latest HiLux is staggering, so may we suggest you contact your local Toyota dealer for details on the specific models to suit your needs and/or wants?
Initial design work on the next generation HiLux, the eighth, is well underway. Toyota Australia won’t comment on its release date, other than to say it won’t be until 2014 at the earliest. As always, Australian engineers have been involved right from the start as befits the huge volumes of HiLux models imported to this country.
The Toyota HiLux models with the greatest price reductions are:
SR5 TD 4x4 Xtra Cab manual cab chassis: $46,990 (previously $52,640)
SR 4x4 Double Cab manual cab chassis: $40,490 ($44,140)
SR TD 4x4 Single Cab manual cab chassis: $34,990 ($38,140)
SR TD 4x4 Double Cab manual ute: $41,990 ($44,890)
SR5 TD 4x4 Double Cab manual ute: $50,990 ($53,690)
SR TD 4x4 Single Cab automatic cab chassis: $37,490 ($40,140)
Note: Prices do not include government or dealer charges. Contact a Toyota dealer for driveaway prices on these and the other models in the HiLux range. |
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