Toyota will unveil the Hilux pickup truck on January 20. Official bookings will begin on the day of the launch, for a nominal fee of Rs 1 lakh. Deliveries are expected to begin in March 2022.
According to sources, the Toyota Hilux will be powered by a 2.8-litre diesel engine and will be available with both manual and automatic transmissions. It is expected that the engine will be tuned similarly to the Fortuner, which produces 201 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque.
If everything goes as planned and the Hilux is powered by this engine, it will clearly outperform its competitor, the Isuzu Dmax Vcross, in terms of performance. In addition, the Hilux’s 4×4 drivetrain is highly regarded by enthusiasts all over the world.
The Hilux will be based on the same platform as the Toyota Fortuner and Innova, but it will be more off-road capable. It will be assembled in India using CKD kits at Toyota’s Karnataka plant.
The Hilux will have LED headlamps, unique chrome bits for India, 18-inch alloy wheels similar to the Fortuner, a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather upholstery, and multiple airbags on the outside. Customers will have a choice of five colours: Emotional Red, Gray Metallic, White Pearl CS, Silver Metallic, and Super White.
In terms of competition, the Hilux will face the Isuzu V-Cross, which is currently the only lifestyle pick-up on the market in the country. While the price will not be announced for a few days, the Hilux is expected to be priced at around Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom).