2008 TRD HiLux 4000SL Review
27 Jun, 2008
212 Comments 
Turn on the ignition key - thankfully there is no start button - and the 4.0-litre comes to life, although without much of a roar. If you want to nail it, leave it in 4WD, unless of course you feel the need to entertain yourself.
So how does 225kW and 453Nm of torque feel in a HiLux, it feels good, but not great. The Ute can rush from 0-100km/h in 7.2 seconds, which is not bad, but is by no means quick.
Also while it’s getting you to the speed limit, the whine from the supercharger is not what one would expect, it sounds more like a Prius on steroids. A very tinny electric noise, which left many passengers extremely confused.
At least the gear shifts are smooth, thanks to Toyota’s five-speed automatic transmission. Even then, it has a tendency to hunt gears on the odd occasion.
No doubt the Bilstein shocks help (a little), but don’t expect to go around any corners like you would in even a normal sedan, there is still enormous amounts of body roll – again, why the TRD badge?
The HiLux actually comes from Thailand but the TRD bits are put together here in Australia and if you open the bonnet, this becomes rather obvious.
I am not nit-picking here, but even the clips which hold the wiring looms are of random colour, then of course, there is the cold air intake which sits in the driver side wheel guard, this is great for performance, but I thought this was suppose to be a capable off-road utility? Not exactly water proof.
Speaking of off-roading, the HiLux was taken to a 4WD track near Australia Zoo and I humbly bow down to the Toyota gods as this thing can pretty much go everywhere. It can also carry a 948kg payload.
Fuel consumption is officially 12.9L/100km, although real world tests returned around 14L/100km according to the car’s own trip computer. The HiLux also sips 95RON fuel and I would need a lot of convincing not to go for the 3.0-litre turbo diesel.
No doubt it’s a confusing car to analyse. On one hand it’s every tradesman’s wet dream, on the other, it’s nothing more than a glorified HiLux undeserving of the TRD badge.
Perhaps I am far to concerned with the actual performance and feel of this car and I am not appreciating it for what it is. Maybe I had much higher expectations of TRD?
Either way if TRD wants to be taken as a serious performance brand, some serious thought is absolutely essential!
CarAdvice overall rating: 
How does it drive:
How does it look:
How does it go:
Specifications:
- Engine: 3956cc V6 DOHC 16 Valve VVTi
- Power: 225kW @ 5,400rpm
- Torque: 453Nm @ 2,800rpm
- Induction: Eaton M90 Supercharger
- Transmission: Five Speed Automatic
- Differential: 3.58:1 (LSD)
- Brakes: Disc/Drum (with ABS)
- Fuel Consumption: 12.9 litres / 100km (Combined)
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 76 litres
- Fuel Type: 95RON Unleaded
- Safety: Dual Front Airbags
- Spare Wheel: Matching Alloy
- Towing Capacity: 2,250kg (Braked)
- Turning Circle: 12.2 metres
- Warranty: 3 year / 100,000km
- Weight: 1,850kg (Tare) / 2,810kg (Gross)
- Wheels: 17 x 7.5″ Alloy
Location: Home / TRD, Toyota, Behind the Wheel / ...
Rate Post: 
(7 votes, average: 3.29 out of 5)
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June 27th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
65 Grand. On a Hilux.
This thing is a ridiculous waste of everyones time. The reviewers like yourself who have to sit in the ludicrous thing, the people who build it, and the TRD people who obviously don’t seem to understand what sports performance actually means.
As a comparison, take a Mazda BT-50, then put the engine from a Holden SV6 in there. Does this sound like a good combination? No. So why did it in a boardroom somewhere.
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June 27th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
This thing seems completely pointless. A bit like a London taxi with skirts and slicks. Or Oprah Winfrey in a string bikini.
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June 27th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
bumper colour doesn’t match on this one either.
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June 27th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
It doesn’t, Realcars, no. But it’s better than the last one.
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June 27th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Utes in Australia are ridiculously expensive in the first place (namely the Hilux, Triton, Ranger…. etc. mostly the 4×4 ones without the metal tray). In other countries these utes are as cheap as a Corolla.
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June 27th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Again, Toyota proving they don’t have an ounce of racing pedigree.
Both TRD cars, while obviously capable in their own rights, are hardly the race-ready-weapons a badge like TRD would suggest.
Atleast Honda got it right with the Type R philosophy
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Toyleta TuRD is a big joke if you ask me, how can they even look in the mirror after shoving a pointless ugly vehicle in peoples faces..
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I cant understand the TRD Hilux isnt much of a performance car… but it honestly sounds like the reviwer is using his experiences in far more exotic cars and comparing it the Hilux. A car with this ride height isnt going to handle that well. A car design for the offroad isnt going to drive that well.
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I CAN understand…***
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
The point Im leading to…how about a comparison with other similar vehicles (not a friggin Maloo)
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
One of the best reviews I’ve ever read, for it’s honesty and telling it like it is.
65 grand for a TRD with drum rear brakes!!
Toyota are experts at marketing cars, and as the author points out, this and the Prius are superb examples of Toyota’s marketing skill. Both are quite useless for their “intended” roles, but both generate vast publicity and interest.
If only their engineering department was as dedicated.
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
TP
TRD, in case you have difficulty reading is Toyota RACING Developments… so if Toyota hang a racing badge on a Hilux, or anything else, expect it to be judged as such.
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
TP
…or hang a Toyota Four Wheel Drive Developments badge on it and get out of the performance ute market completely.
It is Toyota’s claim remember, not anybody elses, to now make a real performance ute.
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June 27th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Toyoda has no racing pedigree which is very true, … Hmmmm have they won any F1 races or Le mans not to mention have winning any major manufactuers title’s.
Passing comment’s that Toyleta is the greatest is easy, but whether it exhibits truth is usually an entire different thing again.
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June 27th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Oh what a feeling,
This vehicle was taken off-road and it was used to carry cargo, both your points are valid, and this Utility does both quite well.
But, why would you not buy an SR5 HiLux for that? And save yourself some $? If you’re going to put a TRD badge on a HiLux, it needs to be special, which this car is not.
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June 27th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Early warning here. Stay on topic. No need for brand bashing.
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June 27th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
jOEY Says:
June 27th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
“oh what a feeling, you are a dead set knob jockey, the car is 65k mate, think about that before crapping on about using it as a work vehicle. This like all other toyotas is nothing but an over priced shopping trolley.”
I agree the price is too expensive - but let’s stay on topic, because there’s plenty that can be said about Holdens, Fords etc too… e.g. Name one Australian made car made for the Aussie bush? There is none…
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June 27th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Oh what a feeling - what are you on this blog is about Toyotas Hilux yet you continue to rant aimlessly about Toyotas racing scene. pointless frankly pointless.
Must admit this Hilux vesion is rather ugly, thank god we Eurospuds are not daft enough to want such a Gas Guzzling ego machine.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Ih what a Feeling [Oh What a Loser] Yes the Hilux is primarily/essentially an off-road vehicle yet so are the 1000s of other full sizre 4×4 vehicles we see clogging up the roads in the metropolitan areas of Sydney Melbourne Adelaide Perth etc.
Therefore just as the majority of owners of vehicles such as Landcruisers Patrols etc choose not to take their shiny toorak tractors off-road its most unlikely that the handful of people who buy a TRD Hilux will take their cars off road either.
BTW in general 4×4 drivers are the worst and most dangerous drivers on the roads as many of them admit that the reason they opted for a 4×4 is because they have had/caused numerous accidents when driving a sedan
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Oh What A Feeling: ATM there is approximately a 3 month wait for a HSV Maloo what is the waiting list for the TRD Hilux [or Aurion for that matter]?
The Maloo is HSVs second most popular selling model after the Clubbie - of which there is approx a 1.5 month wait
Surely the fact that there is such a waiting list not to mention record sales shows how popular HSVs are compared to TRDs
Which kind of dispels your statement that people with money to burn would find the TRD more appealing
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Quote [Guess Who]: Car Advice - I find your articles about te TRD Hilux somewhat … underdone.
Just like the TRD vehicles then hey?
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
TP: The point Im leading to… how about a comparison with other similar vehicles (not a friggin Maloo)
I agree the TRD and Maloo are in different classes - The Maloo is far superior in terms of performance etc
but can you name another jacked up 4×4 crew cab pick-up [not a ute] with a supercharged V6; boy racer stripes; 70s style flares/bodykit wheels and interior etc
As that is the only way you will ever be able to make a justified fair reasonable comparison.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Good review, Alborz.
Some vehicles can go off-road, but their life starts and finishes on the black stuff where, not surprisingly, this performs badly.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Alborz, you must stop upsetting people the way you do.
:)
So far, 10 out of 33 comments….count ‘em. My lips are sealed.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
A great report showing clearly that Toyota are much much more interested in profit, as opposed to providing the consumer with real substance.
Oh what a feeling: please allow others to voice their differing opinions freely without you ramming your views down their throats.
Your opinion is only your opinion, and, surprise surprise, judging by these responses, not many people agree with you.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
If Toyota RACING Development are the Racing and performance division of Toyota as HSV is to Holden.. FPV is to Ford.. STi is to Subaru.. M is to BMW.. AMG is to Merc - and if their engineering work etc is as good as we are lead to believe
Then why doesn’t TRD have its own unique badge [like the others] which they can put on their cars inplace of the Toyota factory badge..
Why have they just recessed the “TRD” into the leading edge of the grille only to be painted the same colour of the car so that it ends up looking like a standard Hilux with a few bolt on bits?
Are TRD embarassed or something? I mean when your paying such a premium for a “sports ” car [and I usre the trem loosely] you’d want people to know what it is.. I mean you wouldn’t de-badge and Aston Martin would you?
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Way off topic
But Toyota leads Nascar using a v8 engine it doesn’t produce, and a RWD platform that doesn’t feature in a single one of its cars.
How can you can even relate those ‘toyotas’ to the actual road toyotas.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
All good points raised there, Wheelnut.
Oh, and what do you think of the tasteful TRD imprinted plugs where one might a fog light to go? Mmmm, delish.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
The Hi-lux is NOT a UTE its a PICK-UP. A ute is a vehicle which is derived from the same platform as a sedan.. in the way that the Maloo and SS Ute use the same platform as the Commodore Sedan [Statesman]
I mean the very first Aussie ute was derived from a Ford Coupe/Sedan
The Hi-lux doesn;t use the same platform as an Aurion or a Corolla etc its built on a special [rigid] ladder type chassis similar to a Yankie F-Series truck
And as the platform/chassis design can have an effect on the way a car handles/performs - its yet another reason as to why the Maloo shouldn;t be compared to the TRD Hilux
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Thats right Golfschwein.
There’s a thought why doesn’t the TRD have spot/foglights? surely you’d want them IF youu were going to take it off road? [ha ha ha ha]
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Wheelnut - Totally agree with your comment about the personal safety issue for reason to drive a 4WD truck. So many people think they are safer in a 4WD for the wrong reasons. Cities are generally were the knobs who buy these things hang out, not exactly where they meant to be. Sensible folk who actually need a 4WD would buy diesel anyway for more torquey grunt were it makes hauling loads easier. Afterall all heavy haulers are diesels due to economy, performance and longevity.
Where can I watch a fleet of hilux’s racing - yep nowhere. Hilux TRD is a farce.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Oh What A…. I realise that you haven’t/didn’t mention the waiting list of the TRD [is there one?] or the HSV
My point was the fact that HSV and FPV have a waiting list for their cars shows where people with enough money to buy an ozi “performance” car like the TRD are heading…. and its not the local Toyota Dealer
[Can’t believe I used the Words Performance and TRD in the same sentence]
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
This Hilux 400sl got this review because is just like its pickup truck brother the Toyota Tacoma wich has many problems in america.
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
TRD means Toyota Rubbish Department, doesn’t it?
Based on all the evidence it certainly appears so.
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June 27th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
65 grand for a friggin toyota work ute… tell em they’re dreamin. I’d pay 20 grand for a hilux ute with tray and use the balance for a deposit on a house for the kids future. 65 grand for a ute… jeez some people are stupid. If a plumber rocked up in that to my place, I’d reckon I was going to be ripped off. It reads like a TuRD of a ute.
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June 27th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Oh what a feeling
Nascar has as much relevance in Oz as ice speed skating. Why bang on and on about a completely irrelevent form of entertainment (it can’t seriously be called motorsport) when as “TOM” states above they use an engine they don’t produce in a chassis not even loosly based on any of their production cars…?
Your obsession with Toyota is clearly a concern. You mention above you live in a coastal/country area, just as the psycho in Silence of the Lambs did…
Coincidence?
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June 27th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Wow, can you believe this guy? He hasn’t even driven a TRD Hilux, yet is trying to argue with CarAdvice over their review. What a tool!
Oh and I just thought I might reply to a few of the comments he made.
1. $65,000 + on roads is way too much to pay for a cheap tradie’s vehicle with a bit of leather here and there. For that price I don’t expect to see an ugly looking interior made from cheap plastic, with a stereo system that is worse than what you will find in the cheapest Kia.
2. The Maloo is based on the Commodore, so it is not a truck with a big engine like the Hilux is. It is more like a 2 door coupe with extra load carrying capacity, so it handles more like a normal car.
3. If you had actually read Alborz’s review, you would have seen that the Hilux TRD has a cold air intake which means that it is not as off road capable as you think it is. I hope Toyota warns buyers about this or honour the warranty if the engine dies from sucking up water.
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June 27th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I DONT THINK SO!
Gimme a new Mitsubishi Triton any day.
At least its an honest effort and not trying to be everything to everyone and failing like the TRD Hilux.
C’mon!
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June 27th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Oh what a feeling yourself - I just seems that in nealry everyones opinion here the TRD Lux is a farce. If they (Toyota) were really serious about truck racing this behemoth then developement should have included decent rear brakes and suspension i.e. multilink coilovers and discs.
I can just see all the unqulified pretend builders with bling and tatoos rolling up a bunnings hunting around for a 6m length of plastic underground rigipipe and 50 class b engineering bricks. Exactly
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June 27th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
By Wheelnut
“If Toyota RACING Development are the Racing and performance division of Toyota as HSV is to Holden.. FPV is to Ford.. STi is to Subaru.. M is to BMW.. AMG is to Merc - and if their engineering work etc is as good as we are lead to believe
Then why doesn’t TRD have its own unique badge [like the others] which they can put on their cars inplace of the Toyota factory badge..
Why have they just recessed the “TRD” into the leading edge of the grille only to be painted the same colour of the car so that it ends up looking like a standard Hilux with a few bolt on bits?
Are TRD embarassed or something? I mean when your paying such a premium for a “sports ” car [and I usre the trem loosely] you’d want people to know what it is.. I mean you wouldn’t de-badge and Aston Martin would you?”
- Because technically, the TRD in Australia is simply a BADGE, the cars are “tuned” by local engineering sources.
TRD as a WHOLE, like you know…. actual racing technology development in JAPAN… is different. They are more comparable to STi, Mugen, Nismo etc….
Australia’s FPV, HSV aren’t really that good either compared outside of Australia.
Some people here bag on the engineering from Toyota… oh how I laugh, do you think the TRD in Australia is engineered by Toyota Racing Department??? as I said, Toyota Australia bought the TRD “name”, TRD as a whole only consists of a very small team and most tuning are outsourced.
Ignorance is bliss..
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June 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Why is the comments section giving me DeJaVu?
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June 27th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
For gods sake will everyone stop comparing this to a Maloo! Its not aimed at the same buyer, nor is it aimed at the Falcon XR or Pursuit range.
Yes it has the same objective, as in take a standard ute (in this case 4wd dualcab) and improve the performance, handling and appearance. In this context they have achieved their objectives.
The TRD models are certainly better than the donor vehicles. As are the Maloo and Pursuit ect over the SS-V and XR8 utes.
As for value for money over their lesser siblings? well make your own mind up. Some people will pay, some won’t. Personally I couldn’t justify the 17K premium for the Maloo over the SS-Vs price. Maybe not for this either, but that doesn’t make it a failure, the truck still rides, handles and goes harder than the vehicle from which it is derived.
Toyota are breaking new ground with the creation of a new market. Perhaps others will follow, maybe we will see a Ralliart Triton or HSV Rodeo/Colorado one day, after all they did have a crack at a HSV Jackaroo back in 1993.
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June 28th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Anyone up for a giggle - I certainly was - should actually check out JD Power’s web site.
All I can say is it’s been a great year for the Chevrolet Silverado and Chevrolet Malibu.
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June 28th, 2008 at 12:11 am
DlR1, if you have sixty grand to spend on a factory-warmed over ute or pick-up, Toyota wants to hear from you!
That’s why I support the comparison between this and the FPV and HSV offerings. Yes, I know there’s a bit of Sesame Street’s “One of these things is not like the others” theme going on in terms of seating capacity and drive configuration, but they compete in the market place very directly.
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June 28th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Yep, Chevrolet took out both awards, all right. Nobody’s going to remember the rest.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Why bother, Buck? HSV would never pretend that the Maloo can traverse a sandy track but Toyota would LOVE you to believe that this here Hilux is a good drive on-road.
It isn’t. It’s a pig, plainly.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Golf, the only reason people think they compete directly is because the price is similar. Does anybody seriously think ANY 4×4 dual cab is a serious competitor to any sedan based ute? If the TRD was based on a 2wd hilux extra cab I would agree.
People buy 4×4 utes because they want 4×4 ability. The only thing anybody may have seriously been able to compare it to is the now discontinued Crewman Cross8 (AWD, Dual Cab, 230 odd kW). Yet even Holden wouldn’t say this was a competitor to the Maloo.
Perhaps we’ll have to agree to disagree, but no 4×4 dualcab at any price is a direct competitor with any 2wd ute at any price. Other wise you may as well compare a MX5 with a BT-50 or Kia Grand Carnival, they’re all about the same price, aren’t they?
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:16 am
I tell you what, Buck. Forget the Maloo. Forget it altogether. That’s in the past.
This test deals exclusively with the TRD Hilux. And it appears to be not very good, on the whole. As the French would say, “Quelle surprise”.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:18 am
I can’t write what I wrote any clearer, DlR1. Maybe you should read it 3 times to have it sink in.
Over and out.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Or, as you say, we’ll agree to disagree.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Toyota has a racing pedigree, but it has nothing to do with the hilux or the aurion so why are these models given a TRD badge. Why haven’t they bought out a TRD badged Corolla, would make sense because thats the only racing model Toyota have in Australia.
Funny how dingo keeps harping on Toyota’s so called dominance of international motorsport this year but when you look behind the scenes its not as flash. 1st off in Formula 1 they are currently 5th in the manufacturer’s championship behind Ferrari, BMW-Sauber, McLaren & a energy drink manufacturer!!!!! Not something i’d be real proud about at the moment. Now NASCAR, yes they are leading all 3 championships, but as I’ve mentioned on previous posts in Cup & Nationwide series they’re only on top because of Joe Gibbs Racing recent turn of form and acquiring Kyle Busch. Whereas the other Toyota teams are nowhere near the front and most of the time struggle to qualify. Plus the only thing Toyota about them is the engine & the Camry stickers on the front. Plus the engine block and heads may be built by TRD but they are wholly maintained & developed in JGR engine department. Credit where credit is due though they are doing well in Craftsmen Trucks.
Now to the ARC, yes TRD is dominating…….against no other manufacturers. And have been all year and were only against Ford last year who were in the 1st year of development of their car so you couldnt expect much. Oh by the way Dingo who’s won the last 2 WRC manufacturer’s titles and leading this year’s???
Now dingo stick to topics and accept the reviewers view. Quit going on about the Gutlux’s offroad ability, we know its going to be good, it better be for the price and the lousy on road performance. But just accept the fact that for what it’s suppose to be its not that special.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:58 am
Correction, the TRD Aurion did compete in Targa TAS but I still think TRD should of brought out a turbocharged Corolla, much like the Sportivo one they had a while back.
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June 28th, 2008 at 2:19 am
Oh what a feeling, I have now deleted all your comments, for the reason that you have posted under 4 different aliases to support your own argument. This goes against our comment policy.
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June 28th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Thank you Alborz, you may have just saved this website.
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June 28th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I don’t think the site should really delete people’s comments, unless they are personal attacks or swearing, etc.
As for the original topic, didn’t we already cover this already in the HSV comparison. The points raised are very similar.
As for myself, I wouldn’t buy one, or any other utility for that matter, and certainly not one of the car-based utilities which are even less practical (looking at Falcon and Commodore here) but I think this will sell.
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June 28th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I think the TRD Hilux is over-rated.
The interior/exterior/engine bay finish of the 4000SL at the Melbourne Motor Show did not justify the 65k price tag. The leather trim and stiching of the Gear lever and steering wheel looked like they had been finished by a backyard apprentice upholsterer.
I think this review is justified.
While Toyota may have this niche product segment all to themselves in Australia, it is 100% modelled on the American segment dominated by Ford F-150’s and Chevy Silverado’s. And while this comment may surprise some, the presentation of the current F-150 and Silverado is superior in all ways to the Toyota. If only Ford and Holden would import them……
And I don’t want to hear the typical american car bashing comments because quite simply, Pick-ups and sport pick-ups is one area the americans do best!!
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June 28th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Stop bagging Kia audio as the one in my Grand Carnival is a ripper!!! Tee Hee.
I agree with Greenroom if a tradie rocked up in one of these I would get another quote!
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June 28th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Where is this comment policy Alborz? It’s a bit dodgy deleting someone’s comments when they haven’t been attacking someone or swearing, especially when those who opinions vary from “Oh what a feeling” ’s are allowed to remain. Some consistancy would be good.
And some computers are used by more than one person, so it’s a bit rough deleting someone’s posts solely because you believe they are using more than one alias…
On the car, for a 4×4 utility I think it is a pretty good product. Of course it was never going to handle like a lower, more car-like ute, but it has kept its off-road ability (also why it still has small wheels with offroad tires!!) which I’m sure many people looking at buying a ute like this will be very happy. If I was in the market for a ute like this, the SR5 get my money as it does everything this TRD does, albeit a bit less flashy or quite as quick.
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June 28th, 2008 at 10:31 am
The TRD Hilux is overpriced… just like the TRD Aurion is. More so when you consider its a new product, generalyl speaking you price a new entry very competitvely, not at the stop end of the market. But as Ive said earlier, this car is not about Lambo handling or power, its about a step up from other Lux’s without losing its working ability.
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June 28th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Love your work, Alborz.
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June 28th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
^Dingo please shut up! You’ve changed your name again like Alborz said!
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June 28th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
When all comments come from one single computer (easy to identify) it’s pointless telling me “others” support your views.
I don’t find your argument as irrelevant, however I do find your basis for argument as unreasonable. All I can suggest, is that you go down to your Toyota dealer and take this car for a drive before passing on any further judgement.
Regards.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Great review by CARADVICE….shame some drop kicks have to wreck it with waffle and warblings; and others who are entrenched in there “love” of the unlovable characterless Big T!
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Alborz. Great review. Very subjective on the facts and leaves the reader questioning to the overall need for this car.
I ponder Toyota and some of the decisions that are made in bringing certain vehicles on to our market. Who do they survey that results in cars like the TRD Hilux, The V6 rav (why? why? why? when every body else is bringing out a diesel soft roader) and even going further back to decisions like choosing the Avalon over the Chaser (rear drive).
My conclusion on these questions takes me back to the day I met John Conomos (VP Toyota Aus). A very strong directive character (as you would expect for one in his position) who told me when asked about the Avalon that Australians “dont need rear-wheel-drive”. He almost had me convinced at the time but in the end (like all busniness) it comes down to cost.
Maybe Toyota product planners should look at the market as a whole and listen to people who DONT buy Toyota’s when it comes to planning their line-up.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Then we might see a vehicle worthy of a TRD badge
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
FENNO…..maybe class might arrive again with sporty numbers just as it did back with Celica GT4 and MR2. That was long ago and they still look hot…….nowadays it looks boring and appealing to masses and has lost its soul and sporty feel!
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Thanks Fenno, Like you, I am looking forward to a more dynamic Toyota.
I am keen on the new Lexus F range as well as the new MR2 and Supra, I think Toyota may turn things around sooner than later.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I tried to submit this comment earlier but it says awaiting moderation or something, and I don’t know why… I normally get that message when I post a link in the comment.
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Have you guys realised that you used the 4000S photos for a review of the 4000SL…
Unless you tested the 4000S and made up the review of the 4000SL based on it?
Can you please change the photos or clarify which vehicle was tested?
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June 28th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
JW that is correct, the photos are mostly of the 4000S which Anthony had in Sydney mixed in with press photos, unfortunately my photos of the SL were lost in transit. But the car reviewed was the SL.
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June 28th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Yeah I noticed the picture had a manual gearstick but the review mentioned automatic transmission heh
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June 28th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Oops wait it is auto! :D
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June 28th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
“JW that is correct, the photos are mostly of the 4000S which Anthony had in Sydney mixed in with press photos, unfortunately my photos of the SL were lost in transit. But the car reviewed was the SL. ”
Thats not good, it could mislead people who rely on imagery than anything thinking this is the SL, I would advise next time not to put any pictures at all, until the right ones are available.
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June 28th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Joober the only difference is the interior, for which we have used press photos of the SL, so there is no misleading there.
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June 28th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Not really Alborz. For one, you included a picture of the lack of foglights. I’m almost 100% sure that the 3500S has no foglights, but the 3500SL has foglights. I think the 3500S also has black door handles and other bits while the 3500SL has body coloured ones. The rear tailgate also has a different TRD logo design, I do believe.
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June 28th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Look carefully, JW. One of the pictures does show the fog lights, just not on the road-registered car shown on the first page.
That brings into focus the fact that you must pay $65,000 to get fog lights. Don’t worry about Alborz. It’s Toyota who’s trying it on.
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June 28th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I would have thought 2.5 stars rating is good for a Toyota. This and the Camry…ooops….Aurion TRD is Toyota trying to design a car with character……..and look what they come up with !!! TRD………Toatally Retarded Design !!!!
AURION …….. THE NAME HAS CHANGED !!!!!
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June 28th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Yes Golfschwein, the photos on some of the later pages are of the 4000SL, but not the ones on the first page, which was the point I was trying to make, since it’s quite misleading in my opinion showing pictures of the 4000S for a test of the 4000SL.
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June 28th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Alborz,
what area did you drive through building sites?
i reckon the looks you claim to have gotten would have been more like……..
“oh my god they have thrown a tacky front spoiler and home made look-a-like black roll bar on the SR5 and totally ruined it”
why wouldnt you buy the SR5 over this???
the SR5 actually looks uniform through the entire design of it.
its like they took the SR5 to Supercheap Auto, and got the dodgy’ist looking slap on go fast bits they could find.
even the steering wheel and gear nob looks like the pack supercheap had on sale last week for 20 bucks for the pair.
not to mention some one has emptied a can of black paint on the nice looking SR5 wheels and totally ruined the appeal.
even the base model SR steel wheels look better than these
any one questioning why others want to expect good performance/handling from this, should also go and ask toyota why they associated it with the TRD name plate.
its like ford slapping a FPV badge on a Ranger and wondering why people expect better performance
Honestly,
if toyota keep abusing the TRD Badge with half baked vehicles, it is never going to gain any respect.
Wheelnut,
fair enough the Maloo has a 3 monath waithing list, but i believe the TRD Hilux and Aurion actually have in the order of an 18 month waiting list at present.
but unfortunately for toyota their waiting times refer to how long the dealer has to try to sell one
dont compare this to the Maloo???
i wouldnt dare since the Maloo has more cred on building sites than this. how could any one associate the maloo with this half baked idea?
take a new Maloo through a building site and see how many lookers you get
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June 28th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Andrew M, I drove it out to around Springfield lake area here in Brisbane where new houses are being built, the looks were definitely there.
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June 28th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
which section?
i know that part very well.
i do a lot of work in the springfield lakes area.
hang on,
i remember seeing one on the road a little while ago. it could have very well been you.
im just trying to remember exactlly where i saw it
i see a lot of SR5’s getting around, and they are definately the much better looker IMO.
did yours have that 80’s style tray on it?
the one with the out dated rope hooks
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June 28th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
did you get any on site happy snaps?
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June 28th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Erm……….
what THEY said!!!!!!!!!!
Hye if its your bag, go for it. I’m just fearful of the types of drivers it may attract. Thinking Prado “tosser” types here. I’m counting the days until I get cut off by one of their drivers!
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June 28th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Its amazing how much debate a single car can raise.
We all know Toyota build some very nice cars, that sell in great volumes. The Corolla was a car that forced the Europeans and Americans to lift their game for many years.
However, its fair to say both their Australian based attempts at TRD stardom have been failures so far.
The Aurion was too much money for too little car. (p.s personally, id own a black one as a daily no probs at all, but would never attempt to actually race it, its no race car.)
The Hilux has followed in its footsteps very well, and this is not a good thing. Everyone I know who has passed comment on it has said its been a let down. Alborz has come to an identical ending too, so I have no doubts in agreeing with what he has said.
65k this car is not worth, and no amount of brand loyalty will make it so. Even a 13k Getz has matching panel and interior colours.
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June 28th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I have to say it’s a pointless effort to put a TRD badge on something that wouldn’t be bought by anyone primarily for racing. If there’s a need for more power and torque for the toughest jobs, they could have borrowed the Tundra’s V8 instead. At the end of the day, it’s still a pick-up, and truck and track don’t come hand-in-hand.
It’s a shame Toyota’s motorsports involvement doesn’t trickle down to the showrooms. Dad’s Aurion, let alone this Hi-Lux, aren’t sports cars to begin with. Their performance segment, ironically, has died down, and the only car left in the current lineup that can pretty much do well at the track is the Lexus IS-F.
Toyota just have to sit down, think this through and come up with true sports models. If a much smaller company like Nissan can get it right, I don’t see why they can’t.
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June 29th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I agree Tom RE overprice TRDs… but a TRD not much chop around a track? Is a HSV or FPV any better!? These are all road cars, simple as that. The performance Falcon and Commodores are terrible around a track, apart from their renowned brake fade (Commodore wagon in 24 enduro faded into the wall!) they have a host of other problems even on a short track day (In the past we’ve heard of HSVs fluids overheating… a recent Motor Mag comparo of HSV and FPV had both vehicles limping around after after a few laps… the HSV completeley died and with HSV techs on hand, they didn’t even know what went wrong!!! Will they stop production like Toyota do when a fault is unknown? Hell NO!) Might I add the TRD has been complemented on its brakes and ability around a track.
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June 29th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
It was a fade of sorts on the Jack Daniels wagon, TP. Extreme heat build-up caused the connector pipe on the right front caliper to fail, I read. The pedal went to the carpet.
Still, point taken. The team wasn’t allowed to make any changes, just like all the others. And if it was you or me enjoying 90 minutes of hard-driven track time in our own Sportwagon, the same thing could have happened.
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June 29th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Well the XR8’s & XR6 turbo’s in the 12 hour didn’t have the brake problems the sportswagon had. And i definately know the GT wouldn’t of had any brake problems. I’ve worked on that GT that was in that race and the brake package is the standard FPV brembo package and its a fantastic package, only the rotors were non standard.
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June 29th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
TP,
how is brake fade/failure in the sports wagon related to the HSV range?
i still fail to see evidence that the FPV’s have poor brakes.
it is a fact that in stock form the XT Falcon out brakes the Aurion by around 1 metre.
the brakes just get better on the FPV as they use the well respected and “proven on the performance sceen” Brembos
you have seen one instance where HSV brake fade was complained about, and you have beaten that argument to death whilst at the same time lumped the FPV with the same tag for some reason
maybe you did read something that complimented the TRD around a track, but does that article put it above the FPV and HSV’s?
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June 29th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
TRD beat HSV at Targa Tasmania in the top performance group known as Modern Competition. RPM this afternoon highlighted Toyota came 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Nationwide Series of NASCAR today. Appears Toyota has reinvented it’s in motor racing. Waiting for the 4th round results of Drift Racing at Eastern Creek today to come through. Expecting Toyota’s man Beau Yates in finish in the top 3 in his TRD backed Sprinter. I read they not long finished re-engined the car with a 2SG.
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June 29th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Latest American Nascar updates brought to you by Dingo and brother Luke GT “WHO CARES” lets talk about Australian motor races and Australia cars not pointless American circle work..
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June 29th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Luke GT (or should I say Dingo), don’t let the facts get in the way of your opinion. Yes Neal Bates (a professional driver) in a modified TRD Aurion did beat a Holden Monaro, he also beat a few Porsches, Nissan GT-R’s in this years Targa too. But safe to say the vast majority of those drivers were nowhere near the class of driver that Neal Bates is. Hey Brocky got a Monaro into the Outright Top 10 in Targa a few times and I’m sure there were much better suited cars behind him. Oh what about the Showroom class TRD Aurion that DNF??? Plus was considerbly slower than the MPS 3 that won the class.
Again Toyota 1-2-3 in Nationwide series, & was it just coincidence that they were all Joe Gibbs Cars, so where were the rest of these dominant Toyota’s????
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June 29th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Ive said this previously :
Nascar - common chasis cars wearing a body skin - those Joe Gibbs racing cars could be Fords tomorrow with a simple shell change.
Regardless, the motor is one that Toyota have never sold, and will never sell, based on a chasis that will never be made or sold by Toyota.
The only Toyota is the stickers, and dollars. Its not really a major achievement for TRD.
Regardless, it has NO technologies that will be passed on to Australia’s TRD range.
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:31 am
No excuses?????? You make thousands of them!!!! Take this into account, TRD Aurions at Targa were factory teams with factory $$$ & factory drivers, quite a bit of advantage there compared to the 1 or 2 HSV’s in the field with once a year drivers. I love how you only use selective facts. As your only NASCAR argument is its Toyota developed all its equipment, get your hand off it. The 3 Toyotas up front were all Joe Gibbs Drivers, with Joe Gibbs teams. And as mentioned before there’s not much Toyota to any of those cars, its the same as the other “manufacturer’s”. But before the 90’s the NASCAR’s were built of stock body shells so to say that Ford, Chev & Dodge have no credibility in their history with NASCAR is ludacris.
Now I’m gonna follow some sound advice, “If you find yourself arguing with an idiot, give up because he has a lot more experience than you”
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June 30th, 2008 at 3:13 am
Glen - the drivers who placed 1-2-3 today were Joe Gibbs drivers but Denny Hamlin was driving the No.32 car of Braun Racing. Kyle Busch & Denny Hamlin regularly drive for Braun Racing when Joe Gibbs does not have the sponship to enter the No.18 car in the Nationwide Series. The No.20 car however is entered full time with all of the Joe Gibbs drivers including rookie Joey Lagano sharing the seat.
As for my statement of developing all equipment… were did i say that ??
Let me help you abit … i didn’t !!
Toyota satisfys all rules, regulations and engineering requirements to compete within the series as it’s on entity as much as Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge. It’s racing package that is supplied to the teams affiliated with Toyota it’s it own development in accordance to the mandatory requirements all manufactuers (and teams) are required to satisfy.
So … if Toyota’s and affiliated teams success so far in the 2008 season is not worth recognition then Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge are equally not worthy of it either … PERIOD !!
What’s ludacris is the fact that you are trying to offer ridiculous excuses for Toyota’s current success in NASCAR when infact thier wins have been achieved on the same level playing field as each and every other manufactuer.
Here are some more facts for you … of all the 3 tiers of NASCAR combined - Spirint Cup, Nationwide & Craftsman Trucks - a total of 45 races have been completed so far this season and of that amount, Toyota alone has won 23 of those which equates to a little more then 50%.
Of the remaining 22 races - Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge share the other wins.
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June 30th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Glen - have you seen the results for the Sprint Cup just finished … Dodge 1st, Toyota 2nd and 3rd !!
That now makes 46 races in total for all the NASCAR events combined and Toyota has taken exactly 50% of the wins alone.
23 from 46 … damn good!!
No-doubt you will now come out with a thousand excuses as to why it takes Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge combined to equal Toyota’s sole effort.
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June 30th, 2008 at 8:56 am
so luke/dingo - where can anyone buy a V8 RWD camry???????
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June 30th, 2008 at 10:20 am
HAHAHA Luke GT, you are a dead set joke.
Nobody here cares about NASCAR, or Toyota RACING CARS. This is all about the TRD HiLux being a half assed production vehicle. END OF STORY, full stop and capital letter.
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June 30th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Word has it that Luke actually drives a NASCAR to the shops, does all his shopping, then drives home again.
Hey Alborz.. how about an automatic script that deletes any post Luke GT, Dingo etc. make that contain the key word ‘NASCAR’, or better still, add it to the swear filter list! Poor bugger would be lost… :)
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June 30th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Yes, Ghis GT, it’s Dingo. Don’t worry, we’ll get these wiped as well, hopefully.
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June 30th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Oooow … i must have hit some nerves !!
HA, HA, HA - Toyota kicks the a*se of the American manufactuers at thier own game on thier own soil …. oooch - that would be bloody painful.
I thought Ford and Chevrolet were good at racing !!
Hang on - it’s bit like Holden and Ford in Oz … they seem good until someone enters the fray and then all of sudden : ‘they don’t look so good anymore’
Anyway my little wimpering princesses, Toyota may have lost it’s No.1 position (now 2nd) in the Craftsman Trucks this weekend but they widened thier lead in the Sprint Cup (1st tier) and Nationwide Series (2nd).
Oh What A Feeling … TOYOTA (ooops, in the case TRD )
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June 30th, 2008 at 11:37 am
DAMN … i have made a herendous mistake - i put ‘2nd’ after Nationwide Series. That is suppose to mean 2nd Tier not coming second because fact be told, Toyota is coming ‘1ST’ in that aswell and by a BIG LEAD !!
ooooow …. there’s that warm and fuzzy feeling again !!
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June 30th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Do you honestly think anybody gives a f**k about Sprint cars?
Anyway, Good to see such a tacky car get the panning it deserves- that console plastic, gear shroud and engine bay all scream Daewoo. This is the only car in that price range where you’d still look like a bogan for purchasing it.
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June 30th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Luke GT, thanks for proving my point you poor, misguided child.
Nationwide Series, Craftsman Trucks, Sprint Cup …
What has that got to do with the fact the TRD truck is a POS?
Answer is, it doesnt. Maybe it was CarAdvice how hit your nerve, giving the TRD such a shocking rating. Got Kleenex? Oh… but in racing over seas, Toyota are coming 2nd… Were you dropped on your head or something?
LUKEGT = FAIL
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June 30th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Oh, Luke. Where can I buy one of these racing Camrys..
Ahh that’s right, I can’t. It could never pass ADR and can never be REGISTERED here in AUSTRALIA.
Yep, that’s right. You FAIL again. :(
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Oooow …. what nasty people.
Haa - get use to looking at the rear end of Toyota becuase that’s what GM and Ford do a lot of these days.
Ghis, can you help me out big fella - were can i buy the latest wham-bam push-rod V8 from Ford. They have one in the Supercar Series but i carn’t seem to find one the showroom.
I’m guessing i am looking at the wrong Ford dealership.
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Ghis - wrong.
Sprint Cup … 1st
Nationwide … 1st
Craftsman Trucks … 2nd
Formula 1 … 5th
Australian Rally Championship … 1st
oooow, there’s that warm and fuzzy feeling again !!
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
LukeGT & Toyota = BIG WINNERS WITH BIG GRINNERS
Oh What A Feeling …
Oh yeah - Beau Yates in the TRD AE86 came 3rd yesterday in the 4th round of the Australian Drift Series at Eastern Creek.
No Holden or Ford were even sighted in the top 10 which means they were looking at the back end of yet another Toyota just like Ford does in the ARC and HSV did in Targa Tasmania.
Oh gee, i better stop … i’m killing myself !!
HA, HA, HA
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Luke GT, V8 Supercars have nothing to do with production cars.
The good thing is, at least we can knowledge that unlike yourself, having to constantly revert back to wins on a racetrack ( or 5th place F1, HAHAHAHA), involving cars which cannot even be driven on the street, to make up for such a scathing review on a nugget car.
Back to the TRD HiLux, pretty woefull hey. Wow, 2 and a half stars… awesome. There’s that fuzzy feeling again!
Three consecutive posts, all three relating to MOTORSPORT… all three suppose to have been commenting on the TRD HiLux.
Somehow, I really don’t think the TRD HiLux is going to be winning any motorsport accolades.. HAHAHAHA
Poor bastard, still can’t make a comment without refering to motorsport.
In other news, the TuRD HiLux got axed in a review against the HSV Maloo … Now THERE’s that Fuzzy Feeling!
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June 30th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Don’t argue with an idiot
Don’t argue with an idiot
Don’t argue with an idiot
Just gotta keep telling myself that
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June 30th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
GhisGT - i’m still waiting on that fuzzy off-road comparison of the Maloo against the TRD Lux. Infact, i have a warm feeling that the Hilux can haul a greater load and passengers across a much greater variety of terrain.
Were the bitumen ends, so does the Maloo but that’s when the Hilux gets that Toyota feeling.
Pretty sad when the Maloo can only be compared against a 4×4 on the bitumen. What a joke !!
Again … were is that ‘ute’ load hauling comparison or the off-road bash up Fraser Is or across Stradbroke. I’m heading up to the Krombit Tops this week so naturally i will sight a Maloo or two towing camper vans and loaded up with gear hualing through creek beds, across undulating tracks and of course rocky meanders.
oops … i forget - the Maloo carn’t carry anything heavier then a cricket bat and a straw hat not to mention gets the shivers at the sight of ‘work’.
Better still - for the guys who buy the Maloo, i hope they don’t have fat chicks to haul around otherwise the TRD Hilux will have to tow the poor bastards out of every pothole.
Oh yeah - i notice the first picture was taken on a beach … were is the Maloo or did that get left behind hopelessly spinning it’s wheels about a foot after leaving the bitumen.
Ooooow - there’s that warm and fuzzy feeling again - OH WHAT A FEELING
ps. did i tell Toyota is having a blast in motorsport at the moment … !!
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June 30th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Glen - my bestest buddy, what do think about Toyota’s sole effort of securing 50% of all wins in NASCAR this season so far.
Toyota = Chevrolet + Ford + Dodge !!
Gee …
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June 30th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
pity that they use a FORD diff in thier NASCAR - may be they could try the HiLux diff -
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June 30th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I say good on Joe Gibbs Racing for a great season so far, & thats about it. Toyota had no effort apart from writing their big cheque to JGR.
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June 30th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Glen - what page are you upto in your pocket book of excuses. When you are finished, can i have it ??
Peterd - All teams run nothing but all Ford gear. The only differance is they change the badge. Same goes for F1, WRC, Indy cars, V8 Supercars and so forth … it’s all and nothing but, Ford gear.
The Ferrari F1 team … it’s not really Ferrari - it’s Ford !!
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June 30th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Nice car, if i was in the market for a ute, I’d consider getting one!! Although I’d consider spending the extra cash on mods for a standard D4d Diesel.
But with present fuel pricing I would seriously have to do the maths on long term cost of diesel vs Petrol.
Therefore this TRD would certainly be with a chance.
I don’t understand why all the bogans on this site having a hissy fitty over the TRD badging? If you want a sport car, you certainly won’t be going this path… But if you want a Hilux with a slightly more go, and bit more aesthetics then you’ll consider a TRD.
Also the asking price for the TRD isn’t so unreasonable, if you consider the price of a SR5.
Let’s not forget the SR5 price is set by the supply and demand, and given that the hilux has currently the highest sales outright, for any 4wd (including the 2wd territory) in Australia. I say they are a bargain for what you get!!
Also I don’t like the fact that Caradvice censors some of Dingos/Luke GT’s comment’s yet leaves so many badge bashing and just purely insulting comments up there.
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June 30th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Exactly Tomas. The only argument they have is ‘oh its TRD…Toyota RACING development… its not a great car’. The problem for these numb skulls is that TRD doesnt make race cars, they make roads… the brand just represents more peformance orientated vehicles… which correct me if Im wrong the Hilux is. Id really like a comparo with other SUVs, none of this Maloo BS
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June 30th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
U would be the only Bogan if u bought this Thomas69!
That interior,those wheels and stripes.
The mismatched front bumper paint.
Tacky,very tacky indeed.
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June 30th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
The Jack Daniels Wagon which crashed at the 12 hour due to brake fade wasnt really a production car….it was a test mule a prototype given to Larry Perkins Engineering to fit a roll cage to.. However; it did resemble what the production car would look like. in the same way the GRM Monaros were from a couple of years ago
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June 30th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Spot on TP!!
Realcars, no car is perfect!!
What do you drive???
Hilux is a work vehicle, most that i have been in were tinted with red dust inside, so who cares what colour the interior is?!! At least the interior is built to last, and doesnt fall apart like the trim of holdens and fords..
As for the bumper who cares?? It probably will be replaced with a bullbar anyway. Personaly i would have preferred a colour less bumper.
As i said, it is intended for the bush, otherwise the hilux wouldn’t have been fitted with more expensive All terrain tyres!!
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June 30th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Thomas,
my biggest beef is why would you buy this over the SR5?
the SR5 looks miles better as it doesnt look as tacky as this
also the SR5 diesel would consume 5-6L/100k less than this.
the TRD interior is trying to be something it is not, and hence it has turned out