Toyota TRD HiLux 4000S and 4000SL

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OVERVIEW
Remember the film Romancing the Stone, in which Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner made their getaway from bad guys in a highly modified -- and eye-popping -- Ford Bronco?

That vehicle was possibly a paradigm of sorts for the TRD HiLux, albeit the Toyota is considerably more refined in appearance and comportment. Many might be thinking that Toyota was aiming to create a new HSV Avalanche XUV, but the reality is that the HiLux is happier offroad than on it -- and that's where it and the HSV go their separate ways.

Toyota developed the TRD HiLux as a second string to the TRD brand in Australia -- the first being the TRD Aurion. The supercharged engine for the high-performance light commercial vehicle has been developed jointly with Toyota in the USA, where it will be offered as an aftermarket kit for the America-only Tacoma and FJ Cruiser.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Two grades of the TRD HiLux are available, the base 4000S (S for Supercharged), priced at steep $59,990, and the higher-spec 4000SL (L for Luxury) at a whopping $64,990.

Based on the HiLux V6 SR5 4x4 Double Cab, the TRD HiLux has been modified from standard with changes to the engine, suspension, brakes, interior fixtures and cosmetic details.

In addition to the mechanical changes (See MECHANICAL below), standard features for the 4000S include: wheelarch flares, black TRD sports bar, black TRD mesh radiator grille, sports front bumper, side steps with TRD logo, body-coloured rear bumper, blacked-out B-pillars, multi-reflector headlights, grade-specific graphics, front and rear electric windows, remote central locking and DataDot security.

Inside, the SR5 trim level is changed with retrimmed seats (complete with TRD logos) aircon, sports shifter and steering wheel. The car features a CD audio system and various TRD-styled trim add-ons, and in a nod to more utilitarian buyers vinyl floor coverings and mats.

Over that the S's specification, the 4000SL adds leather seat trim, carpet and TRD-branded carpet floormats, six-disc in-dash CD audio system and Lexus-style Optitron premium instrumentation.

The tonneau hooks that are fitted to the 4000S are dropped for a smooth-sided look on the 4000SL.

A selection of dealer-fit accessories is available for the HiLux range, however, Toyota offers just the one ex-factory option for the two TRD grades -- metallic paint for $300.

MECHANICAL
The supercharged version of the standard HiLux V6 fitted to the TRD model employs an Eaton M90 three-lobe blower to boost power to 225kW at 5400rpm and torque to 453Nm at 3400rpm.

Despite the additional power and torque, the TRD HiLux still records a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 12.9L/100km, as per ADR 81/01. That's the same figure as registered by the standard V6 SR5.

The set-up of the HiLux's supercharger is different to that of the TRD Aurion. It features a 'cantilever' design with separate supercharger drive belt. The blower incorporates an integral intercooler and its own cooling and lubrication infrastructure.

Drive is via Toyota's A750F five-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission to a two-speed transfer case and part-time four-wheel drive system on both variants.

The SL model features Toyota's automatic disconnecting differential (ADD) for on-the-fly selection of four-wheel drive up to 100km/h.

Gearing is unchanged from the standard HiLux, but throttle pedal mapping has been tweaked in the lower gears to soften the boosted powerplant's response characteristics.

Front suspension is a double-wishbone set-up, modified from standard by lowered coil springs that are more compliant than the standard SR5 units. Dampers are Bilstein monotube gas-charged units. Stone shields are fitted to protect the dampers in offroad conditions.

At the rear, the live axle continues to be suspended by leaf springs, but the primary and secondary leaves have been tweaked for a softer ride. As for the front suspension, monotube gas-filled dampers are supplied by Bilstein.

Brakes too, have been modified from standard. Larger front ventilated discs measure 338 x 28mm and the front calipers are now four-piston caliper units. The rear brakes are still drums.

Steering is a power-assisted rack and pinion system and the vehicle can turn within a 12.2m diameter. Meantime, the new 17.0x7.5-inch alloy wheels are fitted with 265/65 R17 Bridgestone Dueller AT D694 tyres. The wheels are Australian-made, supplied by ROH in South Australia.

Mechanically almost identical, just 5kg of weight separates the two grades of TRD HiLux; the base 4000S weighing 1850kg and the 4000SL weighing 1855kg. This extra kerb weight reduces the carrying capacity of the TRD marginally - gross vehicle mass and towing capacities are unchanged from the standard SR Double Cab.

PACKAGING
In the OVERVIEW section of this review, mention was made of the HSV Avalanche XUV. Some of us are still repressing the memories of the back seat of that vehicle and the Crewman on which it was based. Similarly, there are a number of one-tonne pick-ups that provide rear seat comfort which could best be described as a 'token gesture' standard.

Happily, that's not the case with the HiLux. The rear seat is adult-sized and reclined enough to provide a reasonable degree of comfort. Ingress and egress are both easily achieved, in the front seat as well, of course.

By virtue of being larger than many typical one-tonners, the HiLux offers an effective payload volume. Even the sporting TRD model (sports models are usually not as capable of hauling 'proper' loads), can still transport almost a tonne of passengers and gear.

Given the origins of the base vehicle and the premium price Toyota is asking for the TRD HiLux, there are some interior 'clangers.' For one the commercial grade hard plastics of the dash and TRD add-on leather trim comprise, at best, a mismatched pairing.

The retrimmed and reprofiled seats proved to be less comfortable and a little slippery, due to the leather trim.

Perhaps the seat comfort was compromised by the HiLux not being a Maloo-type hard-charging sports truck. As a consequence, the seats were designed for ease of entry and exit more so than ultimate comfort, support and lateral grip.

SAFETY
The HiLux is built on a full chassis as are most of its direct competitors. TRD's engine add-ons don't change that. Nor do they address the 'workhorse' componentry that comes standard with the HiLux donor vehicle: leaf-sprung rear axle, drum rear brakes and little in the way of driver aids.

As much attention as TRD has given to the HiLux's road manners, 'normal' ute dynamics, plenty of power and torque and no electronic aids are going to have some bearing on the vehicle's active safety. In mitigation, most of the HiLux's one-tonne competitors are similarly specified - few, however, have this much torque at their fingertips.

ABS is supplied with both grades of TRD HiLux, but not stability control -- and for the money this is behind the market's expectations.

The TRD HiLux is fitted with dual front airbags but there are no side airbags and not even a sniff of curtain bags. The lack of a three-point seatbelt in the centre rear seat position is a significant enough omission to remove the vehicle from many users' (especially families) shopping lists.

COMPETITORS
In creating the first "Sports Tough Truck", Toyota has pitched this vehicle into a new (and lonely) sector of the market. At a pinch, a petrol V6 Nissan Navara 4x4 dual cab might be on the same shopping list, but while packaging and off-road ability are commensurate, Toyota has a major advantage with the HiLux's supercharged engine.

At its $60K-plus pricetag the TRD Hilux is more likely to be shopped against SUVs and sports utes than one-tonners. It has some of the same 'boy from the bush' outdoorsy appeal of the hot utes from Ford and Holden, but adds four-wheel drive ability and extra seats. If that floats (or tows) your boat, it might be worth a look.

Price and punch aside, almost any one-tonne dual cab 4x4 could be a competitor to the hi-po HiLux. And as such, the Toyota may find the going tough -- buyers may just wonder whether the extras in the HiLux are worth the significant increase in spend over the above-mentioned Navara.

ON THE ROAD
The TRD HiLux is a stylish derivative of the standard HiLux V6 SR5. Its interior is comfortable and well presented, even if the added leather does little to sex-up the HiLux's commercial grade cabin.

In keeping with Toyotas of all creeds and colours, it's easy to drive too. From the driving position, the field of vision is very good and the instruments are easy to read and use. Just the steering wheel rim struck us as being a little anorexic -- a thicker rim would have been preferable.

That said, the wheel is probably appropriate for the vehicle, given its nature. One shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the TRD HiLux is an offroader, not a bitumen-pounding sports truck.

Unlike many tricked-up factory specials, the TRD HiLux is more than a show pony. It's a car that you would confidently subject to some of the rougher roads and trails without undue concern for bashed fibreglass and scratched RIM plastic mouldings.

The beauty of the TRD HiLux is it is specifically designed for its dual purpose of appealing to the eye and building on the offroad capabilities of the standard HiLux 4x4.

Offroad is where the TRD HiLux shines. It's capable in ways its looks suggest might not be the case. There was a bit of fun to be had with the HiLux in high-range 2WD, provoking power oversteer on the tracks of the private property booked by Toyota for the launch. The car was highly controllable on the throttle in this stance.

But what this demonstrates is the lack of stability control. Some would argue for a vehicle that starts around the $60K mark, the TRD HiLux should certainly feature stability control as standard.

The engine, very noticeably a supercharged unit with its distinct whine, works very well with the responsive five-speed automatic in both high and low ranges. It offered plenty of grunt up some of the more confronting grades tackled on the drive program.

Toyota claims the TRD engine matches the naturally-aspirated HiLux V6's peak torque output of 376Nm at just 1200rpm.

There was no time to test the HiLux over moguls, but there were some dips and climbs that proved the vehicle's approach, departure and breakover angles remain trail-rated.

A couple of tight turns on grades with large rocks on the inside of the corners were anticipated with some dread, but apart from a muffled thump from the rear at one point, the HiLux remained mercifully clear of said rocks. That confirmed that the car's ground clearance (though decreased) and the design of the chassis and underbody have been handled well by Toyota's engineers.

In fact, the suspension is definitely better offroad than on the road. The front suspension is very compliant and the vehicle pitches over rough bitumen.

While steering feel was good, turn-in was a tad slow and it felt like Toyota had tuned in a smidge of understeer to offset the vagaries of axle steer from the rear axle and leaf spring set-up.

In essence, the TRD HiLux is not what you might expect -- that is if you were expecting something like an HSV Avalanche XUV.

It's not meant to tackle the products from HSV and FPV but a whole new segment. As an offroad muscle truck for those who are by not precious about pounding uphill and down dale, the TRD HiLux's $60K pricetag might add up.

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