The 2020 Toyota Hilux has arrived in
Australia, following the debut of the second facelift in June which has brought
exterior changes which include a larger version of the hexagonal grille
modelled after that on the Tacoma, along with redesigned headlamps and revised
lower apron treatment. Headlamps are four-bulb halogen units on the Workmate
and SR trim variants, while the SR5 gets LED units with chrome surrounds.
Headlamps are automatic across the range with manual levelling on the Workmate
and SR, while the SR5 gets automatic levelling.
At the back, the LED tail lamps have also
been redesigned, and the steel bumpers are finished in dark silver and black on
the Workmate and SR variants, and chrome on the top SR5. Rolling stock on the
Workmate 4×2 variants are 16-inch steel wheels on 215/65R16C tyres, while the
Workmate Hi-Rider and 4×4 single-cab as well as SR versions run on 17-inch
silver steel wheels and 225/70R17C all-terrain tyres. Headlining the host of
updates for the Hilux range in Australia is the 2.8 litre inline-four
turbodiesel engine that produces 201 hp and 500 Nm of torque, mated to
recalibrated six-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed manual version
gets a lower torque rating, at 420 Nm.
The 2.8 litre turbodiesel gets a larger
turbocharger and a new common-rail injection system for higher maximum fuel
pressure, and improvements to support the rigours of higher outputs include a
new, coated cylinder head gasket, a higher-rigidity engine block, new exhaust
manifold and gasket, while improvements to cooling measures include a reshaped
water jacket, revised cooling fan and fan coupling. This is joined by the 2.4
litre inline-four turbodiesel which produces 147 hp and 400 Nm of torque, and
this too gets a higher-pressure common-rail fuel injection system, along with
optimised pistons and piston rings, as well as an uprated alternator to better
handle heavier workloads.
Rounding up the powertrain line-up for
Australia is the 163 hp/245 Nm 2.7 litre petrol engine, which can be paired
with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. The mechanical
updates to the 2020 Hilux bring increased braked towing capacity to 3,500 kg
for all 4×4 variants, while 4×2 diesel variants are now rated for 2,800 kg of
braked towing capacity. The 4×4 Extra and double-cab Workmate and SR versions
get 17-inch black steel wheels, with wider 265/65R17 tyres. The R option pack
brings dark grey alloy wheels on the same sized tyres, while the top SR5 trim
steps up to an 18-inch two-ton machine finish wheel on 265/60R18 tyres.
The Australian-market Hilux gets a revised
multimedia system with an eight-inch display screen, up from the six- or seven-inch
unit of the previous model, and now features physical knobs in place of the
capacitive touch function for easier operation when one is wearing gloves, says
Toyota. Driver instrumentation features twin dials and a colour 4.2-inch
multi-information display (MID). Standard infotainment features on the 2020
Hilux include voice recognition, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MyToyota,
which supports apps such as Waze, AccuWeather and Stitcher. The top SR5 trim
level additionally gets onboard satellite navigation and digital radio as
standard; the SR and SR5 double cab versions get six speakers, four in the SR
and SR5 extra cab models and two in the single-cab and Workmate variants.
Inside, the Workmate variant employs black
fabric seat trim and vinyl floor coverings for toughness in commercial use,
while the SR and SR5 receive ‘high-grade’ embossed seat trim, while the SR also
gets the vinyl floor covering. Interior trim equipment on the SR5 variant
includes a premium shift knob and steering wheel along with chrome door
handles, and all trim levels now get all-weather floor mats. Dampers on the 4×4
and 4×2 Hi-Rider versions of the 2020 Hilux have been revised for improved ride
comfort with less vibration particularly with less payload. Leaf spring
bushings have been updated for better comfort on rough roads, as well as
steering response during cornering and lane changes. Also added for better ride
comfort is self-lubricating rubber for the rear shackle bush.
Safety kit on the Australian-market 2020
Hilux includes seven airbags, seatbelt reminders for all seats, two top-tether
and ISOFIX anchors for the rear seats of double-cab variants, emergency stop
signal, electronic braking and traction control and a reversing camera.
Downhill Assist Control is included for at 4×4 SR5 variants as well as 4×4
automatic SR double cab variants.
The Toyota Safety Sense suite now also
features in the Australian-market Hilux, featuring day and night pedestrian
detection and daytime cyclist detection, high-speed active cruise control, lane
departure alert and brake-steering assist. Additionally, road-sign assist also
recognises speed advisory signs for Australia. Also added for the SR5
double-cab and extra cab variants are two front and four rear sonar sensors,
which additionally provides audio and visual alerts for the driver when objects
nearby are detected. In Australia, the 2020 Toyota Hilux starts from AU$ 23,590 for the five-speed manual, 2.7 litre petrol 4×2 single cab Workmate
variant, and ranges up to AU$ 62,420 for the range-topping SR5+ 4×4
double-cab with the 2.8 litre turbodiesel with six-speed automatic
transmission. All variants go on sale in Australia from August 27.
