Robustness , Braking ,Off-Road Capabilities
Pricing
The Toyota Hilux is a pick-up that needs little to no introduction and has been around for over five decades. It’s sold in about 180 countries and is the best seller in 16 countries. Toyota says they’ve managed to sell about 20 million of these so far, and India clearly seems to have the potential to contribute to those numbers. The name “Hilux” is a combination of the words “High” and “Luxury” and tries to convey the blend of high performance and luxury that Toyota aims to deliver.
It’s also regarded as one of the toughest offroaders and has Toyota’s spectacular reliability. The Hilux is also based on the IMV (Innovative Multi-purpose Vehicle) and shares platforms with the Innova Crysta and the Fortuner. The Hilux also shares the same 2.8-litre motor and produces the same power and torque. Pick-up trucks are still quite a niche in our country despite having the perfect conditions to harbour them. That being said, the key obstacle for a vehicle of this size is its dimensions. It’s too large for most cities where parking space is usually limited.
Additionally, people associate pick-up trucks more with utility than luxury, and the Hilux means to break that barrier. Its only real competition is the Isuzu D-Max which has been due for an update, and Isuzu even launched a new model globally over a year ago. Until it makes its way to India, it’s safe to say the Hilux is currently the highestperforming pick-up. The Hilux’s only kink is its higher asking price, costing roughly 14 lakhs more than its direct rival. The real question is, does the Hilux actually justify this significantly higher asking price? Unfortunately, we are in the jungles of Uttarakhand, and this probably isn’t the best place to answer that question. However, it’s a great proving ground to test the toughness and capabilities of the Hilux.
The Toyota Hilux has undoubtedly earned its name through hardship and robust reliability. It’s undoubtedly more than capable of venturing our streets and even most of our trails. The Hilux name is synonymous globally with toughness and reliability, and it is only a matter of time before it makes a name for itself in India too. However, it remains a niche and, at a high asking price, remains a bit out of reach for most individuals looking for a budget-friendly lifestyle vehicle.
Nevertheless, if you’ve got the money for it, then this is an excellent package in many ways and can do things most vehicles cannot come close to even attempting. As for its competitors, I’d need to test them side by side before coming to any conclusions, but at first glance, I am pretty impressed by the Hilux and hope to see more of these on our streets.
