The Toyota Hilux’s reputation for invincibility has long preceded its arrival in India. The eighth-generation model comes with a longstanding legacy of unparalleled resilience in the face of harsh terrains, natural calamities and the occasional war zone. Part myth, part cult hero the Hilux faces high expectations.
On a global scale, the Hilux certainly isn’t the most heavy-duty truck out there. Outside the US, however, it has continued to absolutely dominate the light truck market, leaving it to the massive Toyota Tundra and the Tacoma to take on the likes of the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado back in ‘Murica. What was bare-bones, leaf-sprung, terrain-bashing runabout has now been infused with enough of a luxury factor for Toyota Kirloskar to position this as a lifestyle alternative to the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, with which the Hilux shares plenty. With prices starting Rs 30.40 lakh (ex-showroom) and going up to Rs 37.90 lakh, it’s too expensive to be purchased for its load-bearing capacity alone, so it must come with the promise of helping you commune with the great outdoors in a manner you cannot with a standard SUV like the Fortuner.
In profile, the Hilux has gotten a lot busier looking than its previous iterations, much like most modern Toyotas. There’s a clear resemblance with the Fortuner here, of course, but the chrome-plated hexagon bordering the grille, along with the silver highlights under the front bumper help distinguish its fairly imposing form. It’s based on the same platform as the Fortuner, but it is ultimately 5.3 metres and, hence, takes up considerable real estate on- and off-road. It’s also a bit of a climb, getting into this thing, so calling it a hillock wouldn’t be too wide of the mark.
Purely functional interiors
It’s standard Toyota fare on the inside, in that it isn’t quite state-of-the-art. It’s a purely functional space that’s been given a once over for the sake of the times we’re living in. But it doesn’t quite succeed. All the necessary buttons and knobs are there including ones to engage the rear diff lock. There's dual zone climate control, a wireless charging dock and a “Power” and “Eco” button among other things, but everything still feels a bit mid-2000s, especially the automatic gear lever. Thankfully, creature comforts aren’t central to the Hilux’s appeal, so its target customer might be willing to overlook the hard plastics and the rudimentary nature of its dashboard design. Still, with plenty of storage spaces (including two gloveboxes) and a smartphone-compatible 8-inch touchscreen, it’s a fairly practical place to carry out your terrain-conquering expeditions from. It also comes with a laundry list of accessories from a hardtop cargo bed canopy to a detachable roof-mounted tent setup. Jerry cans, heavy off-road tyres, floodlights and the like are also easily acquired for the dedicated prepper.
Driving the Hilux on the road
Much like the Fortuner, the Hilux gets a four-cylinder, 2.8-litre turbo diesel packing 500 Nm of torque which comes in a smidge above 2,000 rpm. Maximum power levels top 200 bhp, giving this 2.3-tonne behemoth plenty of grunts on the road. It also manages to brake exceptionally well, instilling plenty of confidence once you get past its additional 330 mm over the Fortuner’s 2745 mm wheelbase. Still, for an old-school, ladder-frame, leaf-sprung truck, the Hilux feels relatively easy to manoeuvre. I know that’s a bit like saying that for a heavy-lift military helicopter, the Chinook feels relatively nimble, but the Hilux’s proportions seem to be manageable on the road provided you’re not daft enough to chuck it into a corner at high speeds. This engine is a proven workhorse and here, it helps increase the Hilux’s load capacity of half a tonne. The top-end trim comes with an automatic gearbox, which can be slotted into manual for greater control, but that’s more useful in proper off-roading scenarios involving steep descents. More on that in a bit.
The ride feels absorbent enough but those pastoral leaf springs at the rear, mixed with a long, unladen cargo bed, mean the Hilux’s ride quality at the back is fairly bouncy. On a smooth enough road, this isn’t an issue, but encounter a bumpy enough stretch and a dental filling or two might be loosened.
Taking on the Hilux’s real abode
Off the beaten track is where the Hilux truly comes into its own. Its off-roading tech is a mix of old-school gristle coupled with some new-age tech like hill descent control and electronic stability control, even an electronic rear limited slip differential. The diff on the front axle remains fixed, but the lockable differential at the rear coupled with low-range four-wheel drive gives the Hilux the ability to head into any horizon, as the crow flies. A simple flick of a dial, while in neutral, allows you to engage four-wheel drive in low range while allowing you to switch back to high range both in four- and rear-wheel drive, on the go. A decisive mechanical clicking sound aligns all the necessary cogs, following which the Hilux transforms into a very different species of car, unimpeded by pretty much anything thrown at it.
This claim was, of course, put to the test with a proper off-road course set up on a mostly dried-up riverbed at the foothills of Rishikesh, the venue for the drive. The first order of business was a shallow river crossing, giving me the opportunity to test just how instantaneous the torque delivery is under full throttle, resulting in the Hilux creating a wall of splashed water on either side before having its water wading capacity of 700 mm tested. Needless to say, with a 220 mm wheelbase, the Hilux emerged unscathed, a simple touch of a button and a twist of a dial bringing it back into high gear. Even without a snorkel, the Hilux takes to tyre-deep waters like something out of a survivalist fantasy. Its 29-degree entry angle also allows it to take on side inclines very easily. Seldom are you so confident of your own safety whilst operating a vehicle with your wrist practically parallel to the ground, but careful wheel articulation (the instrument cluster shows you the wheel angles) allows you to tackle steep side inclines with ease.
In low-range, the Hilux climbs up steep inclines like a preposterously large billy goat. Despite traction control being active, you’re never at a risk of facing a torque deficit while gunning your way up towards a sharp crest. And even if the terrain ahead of the crest happens to be of the gravelly and momentum-killing variety, the Hilux scuttles ahead easily, without any concern of getting beached. Descending steep drops is equally, disconcertingly easy, with hill descent activated with the touch of a button, and a domineering view from the main deck allowing you to carefully tackle the most acute drops. Yes, navigating sharp-edged terrain on these tyres does make operating the steering wheel a proper upper-body workout, but it’s a testosterone-fuelled level of engagement with the machine that most luxury off-roaders won’t be able to give you. As hardy as the Hilux is, it expects a certain amount of hardiness from you too.
Verdict
Make no mistake, the Hilux is not entirely an all-purpose machine. It will appeal to those who need a machine to load up camping, fishing, cycling, dirt-biking, hiking or any other type of equipment. For those owning farmlands, looking for an ideal mix of highway capability and load-bearing capacity, the Hilux is it and then some. It has the ability to make any part of the map above sea level appear instantly accessible. There are far more sophisticated soft-roaders out there in its price range, and far more comfortable ladder-frame SUVs as well. But if the idea of loading up a bunch of tools on what is the ultimate utility tool fills you with longing for an open bed, go anywhere pickup truck, it doesn’t get better or at this point, more “premium” than the seemingly unstoppable Hilux.
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