Overview
UNLESS you’ve been dwelling below a rock, you’d know that the Toyota HiLux is one among Australia’s best-selling automobiles, vying month after month with the Ford Ranger for prime rung of the brand new automotive gross sales ladder.
You’d additionally know that Ford, Toyota, and others have more and more expanded their mild industrial utility ranges to include variants that go well with particular life – giving them a pivotal benefit on this hard-fought section.
Living proof the newly launched Toyota HiLux GR Sport (from $73,990 plus on-road prices).
Based mostly on the wide-body HiLux Rogue, the Thai-built/Aussie-engineered and enhanced variant immediately challenges the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X, sitting above the Rogue in Toyota’s more and more top-heavy workhorse portfolio.
And whereas the dual-cab, four-wheel drive ute section isn’t a two-horse race, it’s price noting that Ford and Toyota lead the competitors by a big share, providing a larger degree of selection for Aussie patrons, regardless of how they intend on utilizing their buy.
The brand new HiLux GR Sport four-wheel drive variant brings what Toyota says is a “raft of mechanical and visible upgrades” to its best-seller. It’s more likely to be the second final in a sequence of enhanced N80-series HiLux fashions earlier than the next-generation mannequin arrives in 2025 – and is one which might be joined by a 48-volt delicate hybrid providing early subsequent yr.
The GR Sport introduces essentially the most highly effective diesel engine but supplied below the bonnet of a HiLux, with the present 2.8-litre four-cylinder unit retuned to ship a claimed 165kW/550Nm – or 15kW/50Nm greater than its by-product. An Aisin-sourced six-speed computerized transmission is the one possibility accessible.
It’s a good nudge over the Ranger Wildtrak X and its 154kW/500Nm twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel ‘4’ (from $75,990 +ORC) however not as punchy because the V6-powered Ranger line-up, twin-turbo-petrol Ranger Raptor, or certainly the V6 turbo-diesel-powered Volkswagen Amarok with 184kW/600Nm (additionally from $75,990 +ORC).
Using on the identical wide-track platform because the HiLux Rogue, the GR Sport affords an analogous 15mm improve in journey top, a frontal observe improve of 135mm and rear observe improve of 155mm.
Modifications to the suspension association embody a “totally different” entrance coil and rear leaf tune to the Rogue, in addition to KYB-sourced monotube dampers that includes a bigger diameter piston. Additional, the elimination of the rear sway bar “promotes larger axle articulation and floor contact over uneven surfaces”, Toyota says.
As with the HiLux Rogue, the GR Sport options four-wheel disc brakes with four-piston calipers up entrance. The calipers are completed in crimson for “an additional visible impact”. The HiLux GR Sport additional consists of 265/65 Bridgestone Dueler A/T rubber on Dakar-style 17-inch alloys (a one-inch discount from the Rogue).
A bespoke blackened grille with T-O-Y-O-T-A lettering, a redesigned entrance bumper cowl that improves the mannequin’s strategy angle, new fog mild bezels and a silver-coloured decrease moulding that sits above a “uniquely developed” bash plate are additionally distinctive to the GR Sport variant.
Elsewhere, we discover outsized fender extensions in black with aero ducts up entrance, whereas between the arches, the top-shelf HiLux options powder-coated heavy-duty rock rails to assist shield the sills from influence – even when the car is totally loaded.
On the rear, the toughened ‘Lux is characterised by crimson restoration factors and a blackened rear bumper. Just like the Rogue under it, the GR Sport additionally arrives as commonplace with a pre-installed towbar, tow ball and trailer wiring harness.
Open the motive force’s door and the GR Sport reveals a sportier cabin than the Rogue, together with a rally-inspired leather-wrapped steering wheel with transmission paddle shifts, crimson 12 o’clock marker and GR brand.
GR logos are additionally discovered on the entrance seats, that are uniquely upholstered in a mixture of leather-based and suede, matched with gray sew work and crimson seatbelts. Different inclusions are aluminium pedals, Technical Mesh dashboard ornamentation, and the nine-speaker JBL-sourced audio system additionally discovered within the HiLux Rouge.
Importantly, the Toyota HiLux GR Sport maintains the 3500kg braked towing capability supplied elsewhere within the vary (and 780kg of payload). Nonetheless, and like most utes supplied within the Australian market, the towing capability have to be diminished when carrying a full complement of passengers and/or cargo – or vice versa (based on our calculations, the mannequin might solely carry 84kg of passenger and cargo weight when towing on the most restrict).
The variant is obtainable with the identical commonplace security options as discovered on the five-star ANCAP rated HiLux Rogue and SR5. Nonetheless, it is not going to be assessed individually by ANCAP Security which means the Gazoo Racing HiLux is actually “unrated”.
Toyota’s native boss says prospects perceive each the mannequin’s relationship with the Rogue and the security gear supplied…
Toyota Australia is about to supply the HiLux GR Sport from this month (September) with a selection of 5 physique colors: Glacier White, Frosted White, Beautiful Silver, Eclipse Black and Feverish Crimson. Glacier White and Feverish Crimson hues are supplied optionally with a black-painted roof.
The importer says it already has 1600 strong orders for the HiLux GR Sport and expects to promote round 3500 models earlier than the top of the calendar yr.
Driving Impressions
Should you had been to make your buying choice on seems alone, we reckon the HiLux GR Sport can be offered instantly.
From its widened stance to its sporting fascia, its beefy guards and aggressive wheel/tyre bundle, and even the usage of softer supplies and sporting red-on-black cabin décor, the HiLux GR Sport is a looker that – regardless of its age – nonetheless holds its personal in opposition to section rivals.
However after all, you merely can’t purchase a ute on seems alone. Autos just like the HiLux are constructed to do a job and have to be as helpful round city as they’re within the nation, whereas additionally with the ability to haul a load, tow a trailer, carry passengers, and carry out effortlessly off the overwhelmed observe.
In order for you the abridged model of this evaluate, the flexibility for the HiLux GR Sport to handle all of the above with absolute ease is as follows: tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, and tick. Should you favor the nitty gritty, learn on.
Just like the Rogue, the HiLux GR Sport affords a extra secure really feel at increased speeds and is surprisingly agile, tackling pockmarked sealed roads and unsealed tracks as simply because it does the city blacktop.
There’s a definite distinction within the spring fee and KYB monotube shocks when sampled back-to-back in opposition to the Rogue that makes the GR Sport a pleasure to drive, let’s assume, extra spiritedly.
Curiously, whereas the elimination of the rear sway bar was (and does) meant to enhance wheel articulation of the HiLux’s leaf sprung rear off-road, it additionally offers the GR Sport a special angle to nook entry.
Whereas theoretically the HiLux ought to current extra understeer with its rear sway bar eliminated, we discovered the car to be very impartial entrance to rear, holding its line steadfastly when pushed, even on gravel roads.
The wheel and tyre bundle supplied helps significantly right here too, biting extra aggressively into the unfastened stuff to scale back the tendency to oversteer.
In protecting the car succesful within the vary of duties it’s anticipated to carry out – and in sampling all of them on launch – we discovered the chassis set-up to be a close to preferrred all-rounder. It stops and steers nicely on the black prime whereas sustaining a degree of communication that conjures up confidence in a variety of situations.
On grime, the journey is expectedly agency when empty however sweetens with a load on the again; and with a trailer in tow retains a good angle, serving to to negate that nasty sensation of the tail wagging the canine.
We drove the HiLux GR Sport on an prolonged loop at full capability with a full 3500kg on the hitch and had been impressed with the steadiness at 90km/h, in corners and below braking. The four-piston calipers stay constructive in lengthy descents and supply great suggestions for smooth stops.
The GR Sport makes use of discs all-round, the rotor diameter measuring 338mm entrance and 312mm rear.
Sure, the 1GD-FTV engine does wrestle to get the GR Sport in control with that a lot weight in tow, even with extra energy and torque at hand, however excusing the very torquiest opponents on this section, we suspect the HiLux isn’t Robinson Crusoe there (it is usually price noting that gas consumption doubled to twenty.3 litres per 100km when towing 3500kg braked).
Hey, a minimum of Toyota Australia was ballsy sufficient to let journos pattern their ute with a correct load behind. Kudos.
The HiLux’s hydraulically assisted steering responds with fluidity and is weighty sufficient to ship purposeful suggestions to the motive force. Regardless of a rise in observe, the turning circle of the GR Sport stays a aggressive 12.6m on the tyre (or 13.4m on the physique) and with 3.3 turns of the ‘wheel from lock to lock.
We discovered the HiLux GR Sport to be fairly manoeuvrable within the tough stuff with just a few Austin Powers moments when tackling tight switchbacks. Impediment clearance wasn’t actually a trouble, with ample floor clearance (265mm) and first rate off-road geometry (30º strategy/23º departure) permitting us to clamber over deeply rutted sections of forestry street with little fuss.
The inclusion of paddle shifters actually helps in higher utilising the Aisin transmission’s six ratios, particularly off-road. Whereas the HiLux’s auto falls a number of cogs in need of its latest rivals, it stays a nicely sorted transmission that not often flares and offers an honest ratio unfold for heavier work.
Curiously, the recalibration of the automated transmission – matching that 10 per cent improve in energy and torque – feels slightly overdone, shifting overzealously when descending hills between sixth and fourth, even with out the cruise management activated.
The adaptive cruise management system on the present HiLux additionally fails to brake when headed downhill, which means a watchful eye is required on the speedo in undulating terrain. This isn’t peculiar to the GR Sport and is one thing we’d be eager to see Toyota tackle, significantly when viewing variants just like the Rogue and GR Sport alongside equally priced fashions from Ford and Volkswagen, for example.
It’s a level that can also be true of the HiLux’s (lack of) off-road driving modes. Whereas for essentially the most half I personally discover digital settings an pointless distraction, the supply of such methods to patrons arguing the toss between it and the Ranger (or Amarok) is some extent we really feel locations the Toyota at an obstacle – particularly when you think about the car’s antiquated lane protecting system, much less superior adaptive cruise management, and unavailable Matrix headlights, wi-fi cellphone charger, damped tailgate, tonneau cowl and so forth…
That mentioned, we actually admire the extra analogue really feel of the HiLux and, primarily based on its gross sales figures, assume numerous others do as nicely. It stays a succesful and assured four-wheel drive utility that also stacks up nicely in opposition to a rising variety of rivals – and is now higher matched to the desires and wishes of Aussie patrons than it has been for fairly a while.
Certain, it’s not as, umm, rugged wanting because the Rugged-X, however it’s much more nice to reside with – and much more succesful. Whether or not you purchase it on seems alone, or due to the whole lot else, it’s a secure guess you gained’t be upset.
