Toyota has made a makeover for its venerable Hilux pickup truck, revising its design, overhauling the chassis and adding a new, more powerful engine. The revamped rival of Ford Ranger has a new front-end look with a three-dimensional grill and bumper treatment said to enhance his “presence on the lane.” Higher trim levels also earn front and rear LED light clusters, although there is also a new metallic bronze color.
Inside, changes to the Hilux facelift include an updated infotainment system; now there is an 8.0-inch screen, new software claiming to be quicker and more responsive, and new physical shortcut buttons. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Phone Auto. New package available now features a JBL sound system with 800W, 9-speakers.
Toyota has now introduced a 2.8-liter diesel engine to complement the already available 2.4-liter model. It produces 204hp and 500Nm of torque, taking the Hilux in 10 seconds flat from 0-100kph-a full 3.2 seconds faster than the 2.4-liter version.
The suspension and steering of the Hilux has been tweaked, primarily to improve comfort on-road. Retuned shock absorbers are reported to result in a better ride and improved leaf springs. There are also tweaks, however, to boost its off-road prowess, including lower engine idle speed, revised stability control and a new tyre-angle monitor. The pedal response to throttle was also enhanced.
Eventually, in foreign markets, a range-topping Invincible X variant has been introduced to the Hilux line-up, featuring a number of style changes, inside and outside, from the regular edition.
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