The Toyota Hilux has officially been launched in India. The pickup is well-known around the world for being tough and bold, and for some is even the symbol of ruggedness- after all, seeing it still work after being dropped from a building would ascertain its strength, now wouldn’t it?
The car has sold over 20 million units globally and has been through 8 generations and 5 decades of service. Toyota says that this was achieved thanks to building the Hilux on their Innovative Multi-Purpose Vehicle (IMV) platform, the same one as in the Innova Crysta and the Fortuner. Toyota says that the Hilux is affordable to maintain, has amazing endurance and can traverse any terrain with ease. For those of us who’ve watched Top Gear though, all that needn’t be said!
The engine is heavy-duty with a splash of power, given the 2.4L diesel motor can grunt out only 204HP/500NM for the automatic and 204HP/420NM for the manual! This is best-in-segment and gives it a great combination of power, efficiency and performance in its class. The steering also adapts based on the drive mode, which means it drives differently in Eco mode than it would do so in Power mode for instance. A huge flatbed deck is also on offer and is just big enough to fit an average-sized flat in Mumbai in itself! There is also 4X4 (was there ever a doubt)
There are water wading capabilities of 700mm, wheel articulation and also electronic differential locking so as to give the Hilux great fuel efficiency even in the toughest of terrains! All this is achieved while retaining a good-looking exterior as well, for the headlamps and grille with chrome accents, a large piano-black grille, LED fog lamps with chrome finish and 18″ chrome alloys all make the car look supremely rugged (as it should)!
All this ruggedness doesn’t mean that the interior has been compromised at all though. There are leather seats on offer along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, metal accents on bits of the interior that make the car look up to date and even a cooled glovebox. There is also an 8″ touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and also front parking sensors to make parking easier in city conditions. An engine start/stop button is also included, as is dual-zone automatic AC.
Regardless of all this, safety is a key concern in today’s modern times however, Toyota hasn’t skimped out one bit in this segment either! There is ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Downhill Assist, Hill Assist and Vehicle Stability Control available as standard on the car, and to complement it the Hilux also gets seven airbags, a reverse parking camera, and get this- clearance SONAR, and even a back-up SONAR on all variants! This sees the Hilux get a 5-star rating at the ASEAN NCAP tests.
Bookings have begun, with potential customers having the option to go and reserve a Hilux either on Toyota India’s official website or going to a nearby Toyota dealer. There are two variants on offer- Hilux Standard and Hilux High. The colours on offer are Emotional Red, White Pearl, Silver Metallic, Super White & Grey Metallic, and while no prices have been announced yet, they will be revealed in March along with deliveries starting in April.
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