Toyota Hilux

Continuing its simple approach of sober styling of the outside in the inner cabin as well, the Toyota Hilux has a cabin which is easy on the eyes, but not flashy enough to attract someone’s fashion sense. With basic equipment at places, one sits high inside the Hilux with a good commanding view of the outside and easy to reach and use controls.

The multifunctional steering wheel as well as the comprehensive instrument console with a coloured MID looks cool enough to withstand the current times. However, the centre console, which gets a wraparound design looks very basic and doesn’t get a proper infotainment system as well. However, with the car getting four speakers, there is a provision for a 2-DIN system, below which are placed the basic looking controls for the manual air conditioning.

The double cab passenger cabin is roomy enough for five full-sized adults, however, more comfort and convenience features would have been welcomed.

The Singapore-spec Toyota Hilux is based on the previous-generation model, which in the current scenario, now looks dated and a bit basic as compared to the all-new model sold overseas. However, with its heightened stance and boxy appearance, it surely possesses an intimidating visual appeal.

The front face of the Toyota Hilux is quite simple but has a strong look with a large trapezoidal grille that gets three thick chrome slats and has tapered edges on its lower ends. The grille gets large headlamps placed just adjacent to its either sides, which house projector headlamps. The front bumper too looks simple yet muscular with a lower positioned trapezoidal air dam and sober-looking housings for the round fog lamps.

The side profile of the Toyota Fortuner looks simple and sturdy, thanks to clean door panels and squared wheel arches, with squared bulges over the wheel arches at both front and rear. To add a dash of style, Toyota has equipped the Hilux with machined alloy wheels and chrome finished door handles. 

At the back, things have been kept simple, with the Toyota Hilux getting a set of vertical tail lamps at the outer edges of the deck lid. The decal placed behind the passenger compartment is fairly sized too.

The Toyota Hilux has got some very tough to feel rigid mechanical underpinnings. The chassis along with the suspension combination of double wishbone at the front and rigid leaf springs at the rear are tough enough to take all the obstructions with very ease. However, the ride quality is not too comfortable for smooth tarmacs and can feel bouncy at times.

The Toyota Hilux has a big 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine under its hood, which is coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The engine produces quite a healthy output – 148 PS of maximum power output and 400 Nm of maximum torque output. There are two drive modes on offer – Eco and Power, which do monitor the performance of the pickup on the basis of engine rpm.

The basic appeal of the Toyota Hilux is further accentuated by a basic safety equipment list, comprising of just dual front airbags, ABS, and reverse parking sensors.

The tough mechanical underpinnings as well as the torquey engine of the Toyota Hilux does make it look like a ready-to-go vehicle to conquer any kind of terrain. The lack of features and modernity surely make it look like a function-over-form deal, however, it performs excellently for the core functions it has been engineered.