New Gen Toyota Hilux India Launch Next Month

If you look at Toyota’s operation strategies for large and premium mainstream vehicles in India, we can see that SUVs have been the priority. So, Fortuner has been on sale for much longer, but Hilux has been on sale for a little over four overs. Where features, technology and equipment is concerned, Fortuner has got it first over the Hilux.

Same was the case with Mild Hybrid engine, which only Fortuner currently gets. However, there seems to be a role reversal where next gen models of Fortuner and Hilux are concerned. That is because new gen Toyota Hilux is launching in India next month, while new gen Fortuner is yet to make its global debut.

New Gen Toyota Hilux

Making its global debut as Hilux Travo for the ASEAN markets, 9th Gen Toyota Hilux is making its way to the Indian market. When launched, it will replace the current 8th Gen model. Speaking of, current Hilux in India starts from Rs 28.52 lakh for base STD MT variant and goes till Rs 36 lakh (Ex-sh) for High AT variant.

Due to the lack of variety, Toyota Hilux is currently the most expensive pickup truck on sale in India. New gen Hilux pricing is expected to be steeper still, considering everything it is bringing to the table. It gets a complete exterior redesign with an all-new design language which brings a healthy dose of modernity and aggression.

We get an all new fascia featuring sleeker LED headlights connected by a black plaque with TOYOTA lettering on it. There’s a honeycomb grille below it in body colour, flanked by sporty air intakes. There are chunkier bumpers now and the wheel designs are new. Side silhouette is mostly carried over and so is the platform on which it is based.

Rear tail lights are still vertical, but they get revised LEDs in them for a modern aesthetic. The tailgate is of drop-down type with large TOYOTA lettering. Depending on the variant, Hilux could get a roll cage for rear load bed too. Load bed will have wheel-well intrusions and will offer weight bearing capacity in-line with mid-size pickup truck segment.

All-New Interiors

There have been a major overhaul on the inside of 9th Gen Toyota Hilux. This new interior looks modern and utilitarian and taking centre stage are two 12.3-inch displays, one for infotainment and other for instrumentation. Overall dashboard is now layered and angular and gets twin gloveboxes too. There is a new steering wheel along physical buttons and dials on centre console for most functions, which is a big thumbs up in our books.

Features will include powered and ventilated front seats, dual zone climate control, wireless charging pad, blindspot monitoring, 360 degree cameras, radar based ADAS suite and more. The same 2.8L Turbo Diesel engine does duty with 204 bhp and 500 Nm, mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox along with a 48V Mild Hybrid system and a transfer case for 4X4 capabilities.