Toyota Europe has just announced the Hilux GR Sport, the new flagship variant of the pickup inspired by its Dakar Rally counterpart, featuring design and suspension upgrades. Notably, the EU-spec Hilux GR Sport is different from the JDM-spec model bearing the same name, and from the Hilux Revo GR Sport unveiled last year in Thailand.
Starting with the exterior, the Hilux GR
Sport is visually distinguished by a redesigned front bumper featuring a huge
honeycomb grille with Toyota lettering, a G-pattern mesh, and a glossy black
surround. The front end also benefits from taller decorative intakes
incorporating the fog lights, plus a body-colored skid plate. Other than that,
the flagship trim gets the LED headlights from the higher trims of the
facelifted Hilux that was unveiled in 2020.
On the profile, the 17-inch alloy wheels shod in all-terrain tires feature
black and machined finish, and are combined with plastic fender extensions,
black mirror caps, and side-steps. GR Sport badges have been added on the
grille, front doors, and tailgate rounding up the changes. Inside, Toyota added
a pair of GR Sport-branded sports seats upholstered in black leather and
synthetic suede featuring red perforations and stitching. The GR Sport emblem
is also present on the carpet, the start-stop button, and as a welcoming
graphic on the screen. Last but not least there are faux carbon-fiber inserts,
aluminum sports pedals, a red line on the dashboard, and – weirdly- blue
illumination on the door panels.
As all of the members of the GR Sport
family, the Hilux gets an upgraded suspension. The new monotube shocks and the
stiffened front coil springs have been painted in red highlighting the changes.
At the rear, the Hilux GR Sport retains the leaf-spring setup of the lesser
variants. Thus, the one-tonne payload and the 3.5-tonne towing capacity (braked)
remain unchanged.
The suspension of the
GR Sport delivers “significant improvements in handling characteristics,
including steering effort and steering angle response, straight-line
performance, a flat ride, and reassuring roll and rear grip feel” while
improving ride comfort thanks to its “fast response to high-frequency
vibrations” and its “increased damping capability”.
Under the bonnet, there is the same
2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine producing 201 hp and 500 Nm of torque which was introduced with the 2020 facelift.
Power is transmitted to all four wheels exclusively through a six-speed
automatic transmission with paddle shifters, with the help of a standard
automatic limited-slip differential. The EU-Spec Toyota Hilux GR Sport is
expected to reach European dealers in summer 2022. Pricing will be announced
closer to the launch.
