Toyota Hilux review

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.

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. 

But how does the Hilux compare with its equally rugged pick-up rivals, including the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and Ssangyong Musso? Read on over the next few pages to see how the Hilux drives, what it’s like inside and what it’ll cost you. 

And don’t forget to head to our New Car Buying pages to see how much you could save on your new car purchase.