Toyota Hilux first drive, review: The king of lifestyle pickup trucks

Toyota has launched the 9th generation Hilux pickup truck in India. We get behind the wheel of this behemoth to see how it performs.The Toyota Hilux is a global icon. It is a workhorse in some markets, while in India it is a lifestyle vehicle which punches a great deal of luxury, go-anywhere capability as well as extreme load lugging capability. So, when a new Hilux comes in, many might want to know if it is better than before? Let’s find out.Toyota Hilux: Design details and dimensions The new Toyota Hilux gets a completely redesigned front end, featuring a cleaner, more modern look with EV-inspired styling. The new Toyota Hilux looks dramatically different from its predecessor. The front-end design has been completely reworked, adopting a cleaner, more contemporary look with a distinct EV-inspired aesthetic. The sleek LED headlamps flow seamlessly into the grille, with the Toyota badge taking centre stage. Lower down, the muscular bumper, chunky scuff plates and bold styling elements give the Hilux a tough, imposing stance. It's a design that manages to look both modern and unmistakably rugged—exactly what the Hilux needed. In profile, the new 17-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres stand out, while the side view emphasises the Hilux's imposing size. In profile, the new 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/65 R17 all-terrain tyres immediately catch the eye. The side view also highlights the Hilux's sheer size. Measuring 5,320mm in length and 1,815mm in height, it has undeniable road presence. A welcome addition is the integrated rear step, which makes climbing into the cargo bed far more convenient than before. At the rear, the Hilux gets redesigned LED tail lamps along with an assisted tailgate. Around the back, the updates continue with new LED tail lamps and an assisted tailgate. This is a significant improvement over the previous model, whose tailgate would simply drop open once unlatched. The new setup feels far more premium and user-friendly. Overall, the redesigned Hilux retains its commanding presence while adding a welcome dose of sophistication, making it more appealing than ever. Toyota Hilux: Interiors and features The Land Cruiser-inspired steering wheel feels solid to hold and keeps all key controls within easy reach. The Hilux reflects Toyota's trademark Japanese philosophy of combining practicality with thoughtful design. Getting into the cabin is effortless thanks to the sturdy side step and the well-positioned grab handles on both the A- and B-pillars, making it easy to climb aboard despite the vehicle's considerable height.The dashboard is completely new and features a clean, flowing design. Practicality remains a strong suit, with twin gloveboxes, generous storage spaces scattered throughout the cabin, and cleverly positioned cupholders integrated into the dashboard ahead of the air-conditioning vents. It's a simple yet effective touch that helps keep beverages cool on long drives. Dominating the centre console is a new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that handles audio, smartphone connectivity and navigation functions. It also displays the feed from the 360-degree camera system—an invaluable aid when manoeuvring a vehicle of this size. While the feature itself is highly useful, the camera resolution could have been sharper. Below the touchscreen are rotary climate controls, followed by switches for the terrain modes and four-wheel-drive system. Below the touchscreen sits a neatly laid-out bank of rotary controls for the manual climate control system, followed by the switches for the terrain modes and four-wheel-drive system. Everything falls easily to hand and operates with a reassuringly solid, tactile feel, reinforcing the Hilux's rugged character.The driver gets a 7.1-inch digital instrument cluster that is bright, easy to read and packed with information. That said, the display feels slightly cluttered. Information such as the roll and pitch meter, terrain settings and traction modes would arguably be better suited to the larger infotainment screen, allowing the instrument cluster to present key driving information more cleanly.The steering wheel is another highlight. Borrowing its design from the Land Cruiser, albeit without the silver trim, it feels substantial in the hands and places all the controls within easy reach.The front seats are supportive and comfortable, with ample space for occupants. However, they are manually adjustable and miss out on ventilation, a feature that would have been welcome at this price point. Rear-seat comfort is good as well, although taller passengers may find thigh support slightly lacking due to the shorter seat base. Practicality, however, remains a priority, with the rear bench offering a 60:40 split-fold function to improve cargo-carrying flexibility.Toyota Hilux: Engine and powertrainPowering the Hilux is Toyota's tried-and-tested 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine that produces 204bhp and 500Nm of torque. The engine comes paired exclusively with an automatic transmission, while buyers can choose between 4x2 and 4x4 variants. A manual gearbox is not on offer.The powertrain offers three selectable drive modes—Eco, Normal and Sport—allowing drivers to tailor the throttle response to different driving conditions. Off-road capability remains a key strength, with the 4x4 variants featuring multiple four-wheel-drive modes, including a low-range transfer case for tackling demanding terrain.Suspension duties are handled by a double-wishbone setup at the front and robust leaf springs at the rear, a configuration chosen to balance on-road comfort with the payload-carrying ability expected of a pickup truck. Interestingly, Toyota continues to employ rear drum brakes instead of discs. While this may seem dated, drum brakes are generally more durable and better suited to heavy-duty load-carrying applications, where longevity and reliability often take precedence over outright braking performance.Toyota Hilux: How is it to drive? Once off the road, the Hilux is in a class of its own. The Toyota Hilux is not exactly your everyday city car. It is built for a purpose and it is evident when you drive it. The 2.8-litre diesel churns out 204bhp and 500Nm of torque which sure helps the automatic gearbox to offer quick starts. The three drive modes are well spaced out with the sport mode offering an additional bit of tug to ensure that the big truck gets to speed with gusto. Once it gets to its cruising speed, the truck calms down and offers a comfortable and noise-free drive. However, on tarmac at low speeds, the ride is a bit bouncy and that remains the case because the truck is running with very little payload. Load up the rear and the leaf springs do their job well ironing out all discomforts. The steering feels heavy on the go and doing a three-point turn or negotiating through narrow city streets is going to be a task. Add to that the massive size of the vehicle and things become a bit heavy.But where the Hilux shines is when you make the truck work! Once off the road, the Hilux is in a class of its own. Rough gravel tracks don’t even bother this truck and then when you drive on grass and mud which is wet, there is ample grip offered allowing the Hilux to take you places. The massive articulation offered also allows you to negotiate deep ditches with ease. So much so that we can claim that you will surely not need low ration 4wd unless you are sunk in mud or climbing very difficult terrains. Crossing muddy water is also not a big deal and we enjoyed taking on these challenges. So much so that we were using the truck in 2wd so that the back would slide and we could have some fun sideways!Toyota Hilux: Verdict Despite losing some features, the Hilux remains excellent. The 2WD offers great value, but the 4WD is the true Hilux experience. To sum it up, the Hilux is an epic truck despite the fact that Toyota has taken away few features like climate control, electric seats and so on. The 2WD version too is a master stroke in achieving sales numbers and at Rs 32 lakh, it is a steal. But if you want a real Hilux, go for the 4WD version and get done with this once and for all.Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine - EndsPublished On: Aug 1, 2026 12:00 IST