Item: Toyota Hilux
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Fiat Fullback

Ford Ranger

Isuzu D-Max

Mercedes X-Class

Mitsubishi L200

Nissan Navara

Ssangyong Musso

Toyota Hilux

Volkswagen Amarok

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

While the Toyota Hilux isn’t the cheapest of pick-ups out there, it’s certainly competitive against the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/navara/pick-up/review/n17169">Nissan Navara</a>, although the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a> is a less expensive option. The Hilux is also available with competitive finance deals and, as mentioned, along with all of its competitors, benefits from a flat rate tax cost that makes it more tempting, if not even cheaper, than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">regular company car</a>.

If you’re after a Single or Extra Cab model, the only trim available is Active. This workmanlike spec still gets some luxuries, though, including auto headlights, adaptive cruise control, heated electric mirrors, air con and even a front cool box.&nbsp;

The next step up is Icon which gains alloy wheels, a chrome grille, front fog lights, side steps and a leather steering wheel. The infotainment system we mentioned earlier (with DAB radio and reversing camera) is also added, plus cruise control and fabric rather than wipe-down PVC seats.

Invincible models get bigger wheels, a handy wiper de-icer, keyless entry and climate control. Importantly, there’s also the option of the gutsier 2.8-litre engine, making it our pick. The top trim is Invincible X which offers additional plastic cladding, blue ambient lighting, heated leather seats up front and sat-nav. With this trim, you automatically get the 2.8 under the bonnet.

Toyota’s Safety Sense package, featuring automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning, comes as standard giving the Hilux a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating with the best protection from injuries in the class. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/l200/pick-up/review/n168">Mitsubishi L200</a> is rated at four stars while the Ranger’s results are too old to be comparable because the testing regime is regularly updated and made more rigorous.

Toyota has a fantastic reputation for dependability, with the brand coming third overall in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n20069">our 2020 Reliability Survey</a>. Its five-year or 100,000 mile warranty is better than the Ranger’s, although the Musso’s seven-year or 150,000 mile warranty trumps all.

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We’d recommend opting for the more powerful 2.8-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine in the Toyota Hilux as its 201bhp gives far punchier performance than the significantly slower 2.4-litre.

Many buyers decide to go for the six-speed automatic gearbox rather than the manual option. The former hauls itself from 0-62mph in a decent 10.7sec, with the latter taking an additional 2.1sec to cover the same sprint.

Both have plenty of low-down shove that’ll make towing pretty painless, but you’ll have fewer irate drivers behind you with a 2.8-litre engine up front.

The bigger engine also means you won’t be working the engine quite so hard in all situations, which is no bad thing because both of them sound pretty agricultural when pushed (you’ll find the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a> a bit less grumbly). When you settle down to a cruise, the engine is muted to the extent that the wind whistling around the big mirrors will prove more of a distraction.&nbsp;

Although the six-speed manual gearbox has quite a long throw, it’s surprisingly satisfying in a precise, mechanical kind of way, making it one of the most agreeable gearboxes in the class.

Unusually, the automatic ’box actually improves performance on the 2.4-litre, if not the 2.8. It feels very old school, slurring heavily between gear changes and taking a while to change up gears, so we’d save the money and stick to the manual.

Because the Hilux is designed to deal with huge weights in its bed, the rear suspension is pretty stiff. This causes the back of the truck to feel a little bouncy over speed bumps and rough roads, a trait shared with all other pick-ups.

It’s by no means the worst, with the Musso and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/isuzu/d-max/pick-up/review/n17221">Isuzu D-Max</a> proving even more jittery, although the Ranger provides a smoother ride, especially if you opt for a Ranger Raptor.

While stiff suspension usually improves handling, the Hilux quickly feels out of its depth if you pitch it into a corner hard. Its soft front suspension leads to lots of body lean and you don’t have to be going fast for the tyres to start squealing then run out of grip.

If good cornering is one of your priorities, you probably shouldn’t be looking at a pick-up at all, although the Musso and especially the Ranger are more accomplished.

Off the road, the Hilux is virtually unstoppable. All models get selectable four-wheel drive with high and low range gearing for particularly demanding ascents.

If that’s not enough, a switchable rear diff-lock is standard to get you out of really sticky situations. There’s also hill descent control – an electronic system that helps to prevent the car from sliding down a steep hill – and plenty of other tech, so that muddy, uneven hills shouldn’t be too tricky.

With 60mm more ground clearance and a larger obstacle-approach angle than the Ranger, the Hilux can take on rocky surfaces with ease, although it can’t quite wade as deep as the Ford (700mm against 800mm respectively).

At one time, it was rare to see a Toyota Hilux anywhere except on a building site or farm – and for good reason. While it was very capable off-road and had legendary reliability, the pick-up (and its rivals) used to be slow, unrefined and uncomfortable on the road.

Today, though, pick-ups are an increasingly popular alternative to large SUVs. Improvements to how they drive have helped broaden their appeal, but we suspect the tax savings available to company car users are an even more powerful incentive.

Any pick-up with a payload of 1000kg or more is classed as a Light Commercial Vehicle. In finance terms, that means a fixed road tax and a benefit-in-kind (BIK) price based on its age, regardless of how big it is, how thirsty the engine is or how much it costs to buy.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5pEM8Tsx2Ng"></iframe>

Like most of its rivals, the Hilux is available with a two-seat Single Cab, an Extra Cab with a couple of occasional rear seats or a full Double Cab. With four doors and usable rear seats, it’s no surprise that the Double Cab is the most popular option.

As for engines, there’s a 2.4-litre diesel with 148bhp and a more potent 201bhp 2.8-litre diesel. Both can be paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.&nbsp;

But how does the Hilux compare with its equally rugged pick-up rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/l200/pick-up/review/n168">Mitsubishi L200</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/navara/pick-up/review/n17169">Nissan Navara</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a>? Read on over the next few pages to see <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/hilux/pick-up/review/n17270/on-the-road">how the Hilux drives</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/hilux/pick-up/review/n17270/in-the-cabin">what it’s like inside</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/hilux/pick-up/review/n17270/buying-owning">what it’ll cost you</a>.&nbsp;

And don’t forget to head to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying</a> pages to see how much you could save on your new car purchase.

At first glance, the Toyota Hilux’s interior appears modern, thanks in part to an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system that’s standard on all but Active trim.

Start to poke around, though, and you’ll soon realise that the materials used are all hard and scratchy, save for some rather coarse leather on the wheel if you opt for Icon trim and above. Most pick-ups are similarly workmanlike, although the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a> (especially in Wildtrack and Raptor trims) and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a> both feel plusher.

All Hilux trims include a height-adjustable driver’s seat, with full electric adjustment in the Invincible X trim. The steering wheel on all models moves in and out as well as up and down.

Everything feels well screwed together too, and the switches and controls operate with precision, but the infotainment screen is less impressive – it is rather sluggish to respond to prods and the small icons are fiddly to hit on the move.

You’ll need top-spec Invincible X trim if you want built-in sat-nav. All but Active models get <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>, though, so on lesser trims you can use your phone’s navigation and bypass Toyota’s system for music and&nbsp; other functions. Active trim gets a basic radio with CD player, USB connectivity and Bluetooth instead.

As the name suggests, you do sit high up in the Hilux – it’s one of the few cars on which the side steps are positively useful for clambering in. Forward visibility is good because the windscreen pillars are slim and it’s easy to judge the end of the bonnet.

The view out of the back is trickier because of the small rear window and high bed, making a reversing camera essential. Thankfully you get one as standard on all but base Active models, with Invincible trim adding front and rear parking sensors plus bright LED headlights.

Pick-Up

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

HILUX

This is easily the best Toyota Hilux yet, but it still feels more workmanlike than most of the competition

There’s plenty of room up front for tall adults in the Toyota Hilux, and lots of storage, too. The door bins are a decent size, there’s a big cubbyhole under the centre armrest and you even get two gloveboxes. On top of all that, there’s a handy tray for your mobile with a nearby USB port, a pair of sizeable cupholders between that and the gearstick and another pair of pop-out cupholders at the far corners of the dashboard.

Move to the rear, though, and there isn’t a copious amount of leg room, especially as the high floor forces your knees up uncomfortably, even in the most spacious Double Cab models. There’s precious little leg room in the back of the Extra Cab; the seats really are just for kids or the shortest of journeys. But there is at least plenty of head room thanks to the boxy body.

As for cargo space, there’s lots of it but you’ll almost certainly need an optional load cover or hardtop to protect your belongings. There are at least eyelets to tie loads down and the rear seats can fold up to give some internal space, too. Regardless of cab, all models can carry over 1000kg in the bed and tow 3500kg, albeit not at the same time – you’ll need a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a> for that. It’s worth remembering that the more spacious the cab, the shorter the bed is, though.

One of the most capable pick-up trucks available, the Toyota Hilux is a famously dependable beast of burden that’s among the better pickups in the class to drive. A good safety rating and keen pricing with competitive finance deals are also on its side, although the Ford Ranger is comfier and has a nicer interior, while the Ssangyong Musso is even better value. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Go-anywhere capability</li> <li>Work-ready load bay</li> <li>Robust, durable yet also pleasant interior</li> <li>Commanding driving position</li> <li>Heavyweight towing capacity</li></ul>

The popularity of pick-up trucks is growing in the UK, thanks in part to a fixed-rate company car tax for business users, due to them being categorised as light commercial vehicles.

But it's not just those savings to your wallet that makes the pick-up a compelling buy; incredibly durability, huge towing capacity and the surprising about of technology available means the majority are worthy for much more than just working on building sites.

Prices start at under £30,000 for examples such as the Ssangyong Musso, while top-spec models, including the Volkswagen Amarok, feature rear-view cameras, heated seats and smartphone mirroring. Just beware high running costs, as might be expected for vehicles of this size.&nbsp;

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