The ninth-gen Toyota Hilux has gone on sale in India at a starting price of Rs 31.99 lakh (ex-showroom). It uses the same body-on-frame IMV platform as its predecessor, but features major styling revisions inside and out. Now that we’ve reviewed the new Hilux, here are three reasons why you should bring one home, and two reasons why you may want to think twice.
Pros
Punchy engine
Retains prior Hilux's 204hp 2.8-litre diesel mill
Under the bonnet, the ninth-gen Hilux carries forward its predecessor’s 2.8-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine, outputting an identical 204hp and 500Nm. This engine is mated solely to a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission, and we found this combination to work very well in the new Hilux.
Performance feels strong, especially in the lower bounds of the rev range, and it’s easy to keep momentum, even when driving off-road. The gearbox shifts smoothly and quickly, regardless of whether you leave it to its own devices or feed inputs via the gear lever.
Thanks to the stiffened chassis and improved insulation, refinement is excellent at normal driving speeds, with little to no vibrations felt in the cabin. However, the engine tends to get vocal at higher revs.
Excellent off-road capability
Can take any off-road trail you point it towards
Off-road prowess is a core tenet of the Hilux, and the ninth-gen model does not disappoint on this front. The suspension setup comprises independent double wishbones and coil springs up front, and a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. 4x2 is offered in the base variant only, with all other Hilux variants packing 4x4.
Large rocks, deep potholes, and sharp-edged sections are gobbled up by the Hilux, and it felt confident and sure-footed through a forest trail littered with loose rocks. The Hilux handled most of the trail we drove on in 4x2 mode, and the more extreme bits that required 4x4 were also a cakewalk for the pickup truck.
Lots of cargo space
Estimated payload capacity of 470kg
Being a pickup truck, the Hilux obviously has a large open bed behind the passenger compartment. Though Toyota has yet to disclose the bed’s payload capacity, we expect it to match the prior Hilux’s 470kg figure. The bed is big enough to stow camping gear and a decent amount of luggage. Integrated steps on the sides and rear make loading and unloading easier too.
Cons
Misses out on numerous features
360-degree camera's image quality is also poor
The India-spec ninth-gen Hilux is not very well-specced. Even in the top-spec Hilux VX 4x4 AT variant, which costs Rs 36.69 lakh (ex-showroom), comfort and convenience features like automatic climate control, powered and ventilated front seats, a rear defogger, ADAS, leatherette upholstery, and the like are missing.
While you do get feature upgrades like a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 360-degree camera in the new Hilux, the former’s software interface looks quite dated and the latter’s resolution is poor.
Bouncy low-speed ride
Tends to skip over road imperfections when bed is empty
Though the Hilux rides deftly on broken roads, off-road trails, and at high speeds, it feels unsettled and skittish over smaller ruts and bumps. This is a consequence of the rigid rear axle, which tends to skip over surface undulations, especially when the bed is empty. Adding weight to the bed will improve the Hilux’s low-speed ride to an extent, but not enough to be comparable to an equivalent SUV. It also doesn’t help that the hydraulic power steering is hefty at low speeds, and the Hilux’s 5.3-metre length makes low-speed manoeuvres feel daunting.