After a decade or so of dominance in the domestic market, Toyota’s reliable pick-up is in need of a makeover to make itself competitive against the mighty Ford Ranger, The tech-savvy Nissan Navara and the Pinoys favorite underdog, the Isuzu D-Max which is the workhorse to beat in the provinces.
As part of Toyota’s Innovative International Multi-Purpose Vehicle Platform or IMV, this sports utility is admittedly one of the brand’s most successful nameplates. It shares components with the Fortuner SUV and the Innova MPV. Like an ageing supermodel, Toyota had to remodel it and come up with a special edition Toyota Racing Development (TRD) model to get a firmer grip on its loyal fanbase. They basically got a standard 2.5 G model Hi-Lux from the assembly line and bolted on some nifty TRD parts and accessories. Did it make the grade?
Well, aesthetically, the Hi-Lux TRD version is just a customized H-Lux without the TRD go fast goodies under the hood. Toyota should have gone the extra mile and bolted on at least a TRD air filter element or better yet, a more performance oriented TRD intercooled turbine. Knowing the Filipino’s penchant for customizing their rides, the new TRD matte black roll bar, skid plates, side step board, 18-inch black TRD wheels and TRD grille is spot on. The black over fenders on this test unit made the wider stance of the pick-up more aggressive. The bumper guard goes well with the fog lamp clusters which is finished off by a TRD matte black honeycomb grille. The rear is finished off by a TRD carbon fiber finish tailpipe.
There is nothing new to write your Grandma about the interior, it is the same as the other H-Lux models although the head unit offers a touch screen entertainment system. The standard two-DIN radio is CD/MP3 playback, Bluetooth connectivity, USB port with iPod control. auxiliary port and has navigation. Separate tweeters give a slightly improved sound as well with six speakers blasting off from the inside.
Got some grunt
When first introduced in 1968, the first-generation H-Lux had a measly 1500cc four cylinder gasoline engine that produced only 57kw of power. Thanks to technical and engineering evolution, patrons of the mighty Hi-Lux have more than that thumping under the hood.
Starting up with the typical diesel gurgle, the 130kW/420Nm 2.5-liter common rail engine with variable nozzle turbo and intercooler has some go, but nothing compared with when you push the ‘Power Mode’ button down near the gear lever. Once I press it, I genuinely have to alter my driving style because of how much quicker this two-ton beast HiLux takes off. The acceleration of this manual transmission version is spectacular that all I can say is was a loud “WTF!”, as the Hi-Lux leaped from a standing start.
As a guy who lives near the boundary of the Sierra Madre mountains, I gamely took the TRD Hi-Lux 4×4 to an off road trail around my vicinity to take the heavy duty suspension through it paces. Not surprisingly, this off-road behemoth handled the steep, rough, muddy roads quite easily. On my way out of the five kilometer trail, I encountered soft mud because it was raining, and the wheels began to spin. At a touch of a button, I switched to four low and made good use of the rear differential lock. Half an hour later, I made it out with a big grin on my face, and a muddy TRD Hi-Lux.
While the weather has been less than ideal for camping when the TRD Hi-Lux was with me, I can imagine how perfect this pick-up would be with a load of camping gear in the bed, along with maybe a tool box or two thrown in as well.
Despite some stiff competition from dual-cab utes out there all vying for attention and sales and driving the HiLux TRD for a week, I learnt that while the 2016 Toyota HiLux may not be the best ‘family car’, but it is a highly capable workhorse that’s able to handle almost anything you can throw at it. Think of it as a tank given the TRD treatment.