Toyota HiLux: 4WD dual-cab ute comparison 2014

Our test vehicle featured an accessory rubber tub mat. There were four tie-down anchor points and a non-lockable tailgate. Only the Triton's load floor height is higher.

The one-piece rear-seat lower folds up to accommodate larger items in the back of the cab and there are two storage tubs below. However, the rear-seat back is fixed in place, making the installation of child seats fiddly. Two drilled holes are provided for top-tether-type mounts.

The HiLux has the highest side-step rails and its seating is at the higher end of the spectrum both front and rear, while entry to the front of the cab is aided by two A-pillar grab handles.

General cabin comfort is on a par with the Triton – decent, but a little below the rest. At 74dbA at 80km/h, the HiLux is level pegging with the Triton for internal noise.

There are a couple of 12-volt power outlets in the front but none in the back of the cab or in the tub. Two cup holders are provided in the rear cab but there's no folding armrest.

Vision from the driver's seat is excellent, second only to the Ranger and BT-50, even if the mirrors are a smidge smaller than most. The ergonomics too are pretty well sorted.

The HiLux has no locking rear diff but it does offer a choice of high or low range in 4WD mode. It offers 222mm of ground clearance.

Enter the cab of a current HiLux and you are faced with no-nonsense architecture: The dash is plain, but functional and with hardy, go-the-distance intent. The finish is no frills but workmanlike and the quality of materials unquestionably durable. The seat material looks set to last and the carpets, well, they are no better and no worse than any of the others apart maybe from the Volkswagen.

The controls themselves are suitably tactile however, and Toyota generally manages to avoid crudities like the primitive plastic latches on the Ranger’s console bins. That said, that the HiLux doesn’t carry a Lexus badge is evident in the less than precise fit of the centre stack and the passenger-side airbag cover, and the solid, basic passenger grab handles.

Assembly quality is evident. Inner doors are well finished with clean welds and properly-applied paint, as well as consistent panel gaps on the exterior. The general paint job is pretty good too, although the front bumper gets a slightly flatter (but well colour-matched) finish than the rest of the body.

The HiLux tray, double-sided of course, was fitted out with a hefty floor mat in our test vehicle and the engine bay was pretty much a replica, in terms of presentation and general accessibility, of the rest.

The engine might be a little noisy, but it’s also the most economical here. Considering the lack of technology under the bonnet, this is quite an achievement, and on test, only the Isuzu D-MAX bettered the average economy figure of the HiLux (10.3L/100km vs 11.3).

On the downside, the engine wants for torque. With only 343Nm available from 1400rpm, the HiLux does suffer during higher speed roll-on acceleration, and when carrying our test payload.

Indeed, with 600kg onboard the HiLux needed a lot of revs from standstill, and to keep up with traffic. The tacho climbed higher more frequently as a result, and the transmission, though decisive for the most part, was kept rather busy.

Once settled, though, it managed the job rather well, and on our long loaded grade (at 80km/h) selected and held fourth.

And the HiLux did feel punchier than the D-MAX around the same road loop, and moved from standstill with less turbo lag too. Like the D-MAX, however, the HiLux also presented light steering with little feel, and off-road was quick to grab in ruts and flick the wheel back through your hands.

The ride was a little jarring unladen, but left enough roll so as to get all-important grip to the outside wheel. With weight onboard, the ride settled rather well with very little ‘porpoising’ after quick depressions. The HiLux set-up managed to support the weight better in corners and over sharp bumps than the likes of the Isuzu D-MAX.

The HiLux’s brake pedal felt better modulated than the Isuzu, though perhaps without the same initial bite as the Ranger or BT-50. Interestingly, the HiLux proved the strongest performer when it came to sudden stops, hauling from 60km/h to standstill in an impressive 15.2m – that’s a metre better than the Amarok and 1.6m better than the D-MAX.

Off-road, the HiLux proved impressively capable. No rear diff lock, no centre diff lock and no hill descent control didn’t bother Toyota’s top seller, and with a proper low-range gear-set we noticed only minimal ‘run-away’ downhill.

The HiLux tackled most tasks thrown at it with aplomb, though its lesser ground clearance (222mm) worked against its good clearance geometry, occasionally snagging the under carriage on rutted roads. The HiLux’s wading depth was middle of the road in this company at 700mm.

The HiLux’s controls proved well labelled, though much of the switchgear, and mismatched illumination brightness and colour, showed its age.

On the plus side, the HiLux SR5 included satellite navigation, a reversing camera, cruise control and single-zone climate control. Though its seats are manually-adjustable and there are no acoustic parking sensors.

The trip computer, too, was basic and offered none of the intelligent engine efficiency data of other rivals on test and, as seen on the BT-50, the HiLux also had no locking tailgate.

Value for money
The evergreen HiLux is a little on the expensive side in this company with a price of $54,490 (plus on-road costs) in SR5 trim, even then its five-speed auto gearbox and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-pot lag behind the competition.

A reversing camera, climate control, cruise, touchscreen audio with Bluetooth streaming capability and a multi-information display are standard. There’s no hill descent control. Running boards and roll bar are stock items, and the tray has a plastic lining.

Add on $550 if you want metallic paint.

Toyota covers HiLux with a standard 36-month/100,000km warranty. Servicing is spaced at only six-month/10,000km intervals, though a capped-price service arrangement is in place. It is offered for the first 36 months/60,000km and the first service is an affordable $170.

Roadside assist is a cost option, from $78 for a basic package, per year.

A HiLux SR5 similar to the tested vehicle would have cost you $53,490 (RRP) in 2012. According to redbook.com.au that vehicle is worth a median private sale price of $40,250 today. This represents a 75 per cent retained value.

-- with motoring.com.au staff