Toyota Hilux

While the cabin of the Perodua Myvi might not be the most enticing place with a futuristic design to be in, the overall layout is pretty decent for a car of this class. The Myvi comes with an all-black upholstery for the cabin, which is nicely characterized by the contrast satin gold inserts on panels like the centre console, door pads, transmission lever and right side of the driver’s cockpit. In addition to this, the car also gets contrast red-coloured inserts around the AC vents on both the centre console and corners of the dashboard.

Seats and upholstery

All the variants of the Toyota Hilux get a dual-cab layout as standard. Except for the top-spec GR-S variant, which comes with suede leather seats with red accents and power adjustments for the driver’s seat, all the other variants of the Hilux get fabric seats with manual adjustments for the driver’s seat. The base-spec E variant misses out on height adjustment for the driver’s seat and 60:40 split arrangement for the rear seats.

Comfort and convenience

All the variants of the Toyota Hilux get a 4.2-inch TFT MID and a multi-functional steering wheel with controls for audio, Bluetooth, voice commands and MID. Except for the urethane steering wheel in the E variant, all the other variants get a leather-wrapped steering wheel, with that the GR-S variant having contrast red stitching and smoked silver accents. Also, apart from the base-spec E variant which gets manual AC, all other variants get dual-zone automatic climate control. All the Conquest variants and GR-S get cruise control, auto-dimming rearview mirror and push start stop button. The GR-S variant also gets rear AC vents as standard.

Entertainment, information and communication

All the variants of the Toyota Hilux come standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is complete with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. However, while all the variants get a 6-speaker audio system, the E variant gets only four speakers on offer. The infotainment system in Conquest and GR-S variants also come equipped with Miracast.

Storage

Apart from the gloveboxes on the co-passenger side of the dashboard, the Toyota Hilux also comes equipped with four cup holders and two bottle holders at the front. At the rear, all the variants come equipped with two bottle holders, while the variant lineup from G onwards has two cup holders provided in the rear centre armrest.

This version of the Toyota Hilux is the facelifted one, which arrived in 2020. The Hilux was already a tough-looking vehicle, and the Conquest and GR-S variants make it look even more rugged and attractive. The Hilux is currently on sale in the colour options such as Emotional Red, Oxide Bronze Metallic, Dark Blue Mica, Attitude Black Mica, Grey Metallic, Silver Metallic 3 and Super White II.

At the front, the Toyota Hilux gets halogen projectors in the E and G variants, while the Conquest and GR-S variants come bestowed with bi-beam LED projectors with auto-levelling and daytime running LEDs. The front bumper in all the variants has front fog lamps, while the Conquest and GR-S variants get LED inserts in the tail lamps. The mix of chrome and gloss black highlights on the front grille make the front look attractive and intimidating.

Move towards the side profile, and the Hilux impresses with its towering stance, courtesy of high roofline and ground clearance. The Hilux comes with body cladding (black in other variants, except the GR-S which gets body-coloured cladding). The design for the alloy wheels is different in all the variants – 18-inch GR design alloys in GR-S, 18-inch gloss black alloys in Conquest and 17-inch gunmetal grey alloy wheels in the G variant. The base-spec E variant gets 17-inch steel wheels. At the back, the Hilux gets a sports bar featuring an LED deck lamp.

In terms of dimensions, both the E and G variants measure 1855mm wide and 1815mm tall, with E being 5325mm long and G being 5365mm long. Also, the Conquest and GR-S variants measure 1900mm wide, however, while the Conquest variants are 5325mm long and 1845mm tall, the GR-S variant is 5320mm long and 1815mm tall. The E and G variants get 265/65 R17 tyres, while the others get 265/60 R18 tyres.

The 2022 Toyota Hilux might not be a cornering carver, but it is engineered to take on the toughest beating with ease. All the variants, except the top-spec GR-S, get a double wishbone setup at the front and a rigid axle leaf spring at the rear. The GR-S gets a more sophisticated suspension setup, which comes added with a monotube shock absorber at the front and rear.  

The presence of leaf springs might not make the ride quality soft and cushy, but it does the Hilux a sense of sturdiness and solidity when it comes to tackling bad roads with ease. However, on the softer tarmac, you will miss the comfort required.

All the variants of the Toyota Hilux get ventilated discs at the front and drum brakes at the rear, with the GR-S variant also getting GR brake callipers at the front. All of them also get power steering with variable flow control, and while it feels smooth to operate, the turning radius is huge given the size of the Hilux.

There are two engine options which Toyota has made available for the Hilux – the E, G and rear-wheel drive variants of the Conquest range of the Hilux are powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. On the other hand, the four-wheel-drive variants of the Conquest range and GR-S are getting a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. Both these engine options are available with the transmission choices of a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The range-starting 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine is good enough to produce 150 PS of maximum power output and 400 Nm of maximum torque output, whereas the 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine is capable enough to produce 204 PS of maximum power output. This engine generates 450 Nm of torque with the manual gearbox and 500 Nm of torque with the automatic gearbox.

Both the engines also offer different fuel economy figures, with the smaller 2.4-litre diesel engine naturally being the more fuel-efficient one. While the 2.4-litre diesel engine produces 14.5 kmpl, the bigger 2.8-litre diesel engine returns 11.7 kmpl of fuel efficiency.

With the facelifted version, the Toyota Hilux received a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems as standard in the more premium Conquest and GR-S variants. Both these variants now come with a pre-collision system, lane departure alert and adaptive cruise control, with the GR-S variant also getting a blind spot monitoring system and rear cross-traffic alert.

All the variants of the 2022 Toyota Hilux are equipped with dual front airbags and driver knee airbags, with the Conquest 4x4 automatic and GR-S variants also getting side and curtain airbags in addition. The standard safety features in all the variants of the Hilux include ABS with EBD and brake assist, vehicle stability control and hill start assist, with all the four-wheel drive variants also getting downhill assist control. While the E and G variants also get a rearview camera, the other variants also get a panoramic view monitor. All the variants above the base-spec E variant get reverse parking sensors, with the Conquest and GR-S variants also getting front parking sensors.

Warranty

Irrespective of the variant and the engine option, the Toyota Hilux is being offered with standard warranty coverage of 3 years or 100,000 km (whichever comes earlier).

Perodua Myvi vs the competition

Following are the top three competitors of Toyota Hilux in the Philippines car market:

Ford Ranger – The Ford Ranger is the biggest competitor of the 2022 Hilux in the Philippines, and also the one which is the freshest-looking pickup in the market right now. The Ranger recently entered into a new generation, which has changed it comprehensively in and out. However, it continues to have the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder 170 PS single-turbo and 200 PS twin-turbo engine versions.

Nissan Navara – The Nissan Navara is the next big butch-looking pickup truck available in the Philippines as a head-on rival to the Hilux from the land of the rising sun. The Navara was updated a year ago, and with this update came a host of contemporary features in and out. The Nissan Navara is available with a 2.5-litre diesel engine option in two states of tune – 161 PS and 187 PS.

Mitsubishi Triton – If you want a pickup truck which is not too much muscular in its appearance and has a touch of sleekness in it, you should have a look at the Mitsubishi Triton. This pickup is available for many years, though the most recent update has made the Triton look very much desirable. The Triton is available with a single 2.4-litre diesel engine in two states of tune – 126 PS and 180 PS.

Final words

There’s a solid reason why the Toyota Hilux is super popular and well-accepted by the audience, despite being not as refined and modern and the one having the best-in-class equipment levels in its category. Most pickup buyers seek reliability and durability, and in these two aspects, the Toyota Hilux scores heavily.

The Hilux has a reputation for being unbreakable and long-lasting, which has ensured that it ranks highly in reliability. It is easier and cheaper to maintain when you compare it with the other pickup trucks available in the market right now. Apart from refinement levels at higher RPMs, there is nothing wrong with the 2.4-litre and 2.8-litre diesel engine options of the Toyota Hilux. They are torquey and are known to last for miles and miles. With the new-gen Conquest and GR-S variants, the Hilux has finally received the plushness and equipment levels to fight its rivals.