The new 2009 Toyota HiLux has today made its worldwide debut boasting a range of styling, technical and equipment upgrades.
The next-generation of Australia’s best selling pick-up has been restyled to demonstrate the tough character of Toyota’s impressive line-up of off-road SUV’s.
It is easily identifiable by its new trapezoidal grille and grey plate bar along with a redesigned bumper which gives an overall impression of a low centre of gravity.
The range continues to offer three body styles comprising the Single Cab workhorse, the Extra Cab and the Double Cab with new-design 15-inch alloy wheels for the 3.0 D-4D Double Cab HL3 and 17-inch alloys for the Double Cab Invincible.
Extra and Double Cabs fitted with a hardtop also include a lockable tailgate, with a revised range of accessories is available for owners to give their HiLux both plenty of extra style and practicality.
Two new metallic body colours are available – Island Blue and Graphite Grey – and dark-tinted rear privacy glass is now provided as standard on Double Cab HL3 models and above.
Careful attention has been paid to the interior to enhance passenger comfort and safety with Toyota keen to kick the poverty workhorse stereotype.
This includes a new four-spoke steering wheel with integrated fingertip controls for the audio system and multi-information display while the wheel and gear knob gain a leather trim on HL3 models and above.
The instrument cluster and auxiliary controls have also been improved, with manual variants boastings a more ergonomically designed shift console.
A new climate control air conditioning system has also been introduced with intuitive push-button controls and a digital display showing the selected temperature, vent and air inlet mode while a filter removes dust and pollen from air passing through the unit.
The 3.0 D-4D diesel engine also boasts improved torque, increasing by 17Nm to 360Nm between 1400 and 3400rpm thanks to a new intelligent five-speed automatic transmission in the HiLux Double Cab.
This results in a market-leading power-to-weight ratio as well as class leading CO2 emissions of just 236g/km, with fuel efficiency on the combined cycle down to just 7.4 litres per 100km.
Adjustments have also been made to the suspension to deliver stable and reliable handling with new double-row roller-type rear axle bearings and more responsive valve structure on the front shock absorbers.
New bushes compliment the suspension inherent high torsional stiffness significantly reducing road vibrations.
These enhancements aim to meet the changing needs of the market, with increasing demand for the HiLux to become a dual purpose personal/leisure transport and professional work ute.
As a result, the 2.5 D-4D Single Cab, Extra Cab and HL2 Double Cab – the workhorses of the range – retain their current specification, which includes electric windows, air conditioning, alarm, remote central locking, driver and front passenger airbags and ABS.
While the 2.5 and 3.0 D-4D Double Cab HL3 gain a leather trimmed steering wheel with audio controls, automatic air conditioning, sports front seats (3.0D-4D only), privacy glass and new-design 15-inch alloy wheels.
At the top of the range, the Invincible (in European markets) adds new 17-inch alloy wheels shod with 265/65R17 tyres and leather upholstered sports seats, with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) introduced as a standard feature.
The new HiLux also gains larger brakes with 297mm diameter ventilated front discs and 295mm drums for all four-wheel drive models, apart from the Invincible with VSC, which has 319mm ventilated front discs.
Australian-specific details will be available closer to the release date.
Click through to the next page for the 2009 Toyota HiLux Gallery.
