Item: Toyota Hilux
Rating: 3
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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/pick-up/all">pick-ups</a> to buy outright, it’s certainly competitive to buy with a finance against the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250"> Ford Ranger</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a> because of its&nbsp;astonishingly good resale values.

Along with all of its competitors, it benefits from a flat-rate <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">company car tax</a> cost that makes it more tempting, if not even cheaper, than a company car. Fuel economy is decent on paper and in practice, with a figure of 28.2mpg on our test loop putting it near the top of the class.

If you’re after a Single or Extra Cab model, the only trim <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> offers is Active. This rough and ready spec still gets some luxuries, though, including auto headlights, adaptive cruise control, heated electric mirrors, air con and even a front cool box in the glove compartment.&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, and you get&nbsp;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, and&nbsp;automatically gets the 2.8-litre engine.

Toyota’s Safety Sense package, featuring automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a> and lane-departure warning, comes as standard, giving the Hilux a maximum five-star <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/top-10-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n20301">Euro NCAP</a>&nbsp;safety rating, putting it among the best in the class.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/isuzu/d-max/pick-up/review/n17221">Isuzu D-Max</a> gets a full five-star rating under the latest and more rigorous routine. The D-Max&nbsp;also has&nbsp;more advanced safety tech, including&nbsp;blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard on double-cab models, both of which the Hilux does without.

Toyota has a fantastic reputation for dependability, with the brand coming fifth overall out of 30 manufacturers in our 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>. Its warranty of up to 10 years or 100,000 miles (provided you regularly service it at a Toyota franchised dealer) is better than the Ranger’s, although the Musso’s seven-year or 150,000 mile warranty trumps both.

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.&nbsp;The auto helps haul the 2.8-litre version from 0-62mph in a 10.7sec, while the manual&nbsp;takes 2.1sec longer to cover the same sprint.

Both engines give you&nbsp;plenty of low-down shove that’ll make towing pretty painless, but you’ll have fewer irate drivers behind you with the 2.8-litre engine up front. The bigger engine also means you won’t be working the engine quite so hard in all situations.

That's no&nbsp;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.

The Hilux is designed to deal with huge weights in its bed, so <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> has fitted pretty stiff rear suspension. This causes the back of the truck to feel a little bouncy over speed bumps and rough roads, although that's a trait shared with all other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/pick-up/all">pick-ups</a>.

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).

The&nbsp;Toyota Hilux&nbsp;used to be a rare sight 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.

That’s because 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.

That last point has actually been the cause of a "thinning of the herd" when it comes to pick-ups. Emissions have put a lot of&nbsp;brands above the corporate average figures, so many manufacturers have stopped building&nbsp;these trucks to avoid big fines.

None of that bothers <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> because the majority of its cars are low-emissions hybrids, so as a company&nbsp;it can afford to still sell the Hilux – and not just&nbsp;one version, either.

There’s a two-seat Single Cab, an Extra Cab with a couple of occasional rear seats and a full Double Cab. With four doors and usable rear seats, it’s no surprise that the Double Cab is the most popular option.

There are also multiple engines&nbsp;– from a 2.4-litre diesel with 148bhp&nbsp;to a more potent 201bhp 2.8-litre diesel. Both can be paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox.

So how does the Toyota Hilux compare with its equally rugged <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/pick-up/all">pick-up</a> rivals, notably the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/isuzu/d-max/pick-up/review/n17221">Isuzu D-Max</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a>? Over the next few pages of this review, we'll rate its performance and handling, interior quality, running costs and more&nbsp;to help you decide whether it's the right one for you.

Once you've decided which pick-up meets your needs, we can help you find the best leasing deals through the free&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-leasing/">What Car? Leasing&nbsp;section</a>. We can also help you save thousands off the price of most new makes and models of car if you search our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>.

At first glance, the Toyota Hilux 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/pick-up/all">pick-ups</a> 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 Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though, so on lesser trims you can use your phone’s navigation and bypass the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a>&nbsp;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 enough room up front for tall adults in the Toyota Hilux, although those over six feet will have less head room than in the equivalent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236">Ssangyong Musso</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>.

You’ll find lots of storage, and the door bins are a decent size. You get a big cubbyhole under the centre armrest and not one, but two gloveboxes. On top of all that, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> gives you 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 –&nbsp;the seats really are just for kids or the shortest of journeys. Head room is not too bad, thanks to the boxy body, but again, both the Musso and Ranger offer significantly more.

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 the cab style, all models can carry more than 1000kg in the bed and tow 3500kg, although not at the same time (you’ll need a Musso for that). It’s worth remembering that the more spacious the cab, the shorter the bed is. In all cases, the Hilux has the shallowest load bed out of the Musso, Ranger and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/isuzu/d-max/pick-up/review/n17221">Isuzu D-Max</a>.

The Toyota Hilux is a famously dependable beast of burden, and is one of the most capable pick-up trucks available. A good safety rating and keen finance deals are also on its side, although the Ford Ranger is a far comfier pick-up to drive on the road, 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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