Toyota HILUX Review & Prices

It’s fair to say that the Toyota Hilux is a bit of a legend - ever since Top Gear tried (and failed) to kill one, it’s traded on its very well-earned reputation for being a bit of a cockroach. Treated well, a Hilux is one of those vehicles that should outlast its owner, and the latest model keeps that reputation up with the longest warranty in the business - but cheaper alternatives have overtaken it when it comes to drivability, comfort and capacity.

The latest Hilux is the eighth-generation model, which was first launched in 2015. It underwent a significant update in 2020, and in 2025 received a new mild hybrid diesel engine. It splits the difference in the pickup market - between cheap ‘n’ cheerful models such as the KGM Musso and GWM Poer300 and more luxurious models such as the Ford Ranger. The hardworking Isuzu D-Max is the closest in price terms.

The Hilux is a properly rugged pickup. All models get switchable four-wheel drive, and most versions come with a particularly beefy 2.8-litre diesel. Loading capacity is good too, and all models are capable of carrying over a ton in the load bed - making them eligible for VAT exemption.

You can get the Hilux in single-cab, extended-cab and double-cab variants, and in basic Active, rugged-looking Invincible and range-topping Invincible X trim levels.

The interior is an area where the rugged roots of the Hilux really show through. There’s very little concession to luxury, like you’d find in a Ford Ranger - instead, everything’s built to be super hardwearing and practical. While it’s still comfortable enough, it doesn’t feel as car-like as some of the best alternatives such as the Ranger or Volkswagen Amarok.

While there’s plenty of storage - hidden cupholders at either end of the dash and twin gloveboxes - there are also some really old-fashioned touches. There’s no digital dash, for example, just a small screen between two analogue dials. There’s also a manual handbrake, and the infotainment screen is decidedly pokey and old-fashioned - sat underneath a retro LCD clock.

On the plus side, everything feels built to survive a nuclear explosion, and the seats are comfortable - though adults will be a bit cramped in the back of the double-cab.

The load bed is a good size, being wider than most alternatives even if it’s not that deep. Payloads range from 1,050kg up to 1,300kg, and all versions can tow up to 3.5-tonnes.

The 2.8-litre diesel is the engine to go for, feeling substantially beefier than the slightly weedy 2.4 and making a much better alternative to the 3.0-litre diesels you get in a Ford Ranger or VW Amarok. The range-topping Invincible X automatic gets a mild hybrid version of the 2.8, but don’t go for this expecting great leaps in drivability or fuel economy - in fact, the hybrid assistance is barely perceptible.

The Hilux feels solid and secure to drive, but it’s not as car-like as some of the latest pickups. It’s skittish over bumps without a load in, and the steering feels very slow. It handles corners tidily, though, and it’s excellent off-road.

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The Hilux range kicks off at just over £30,000 ex.VAT for a single-cab model, while the cheapest double-cab is a little under £32,000. Most people will end up going for the Invincible variant, though, for which you’ll pay a little under £37,000 - but you do get a much more pleasant interior and driving experience.

That makes it a little pricier than the GWM Poer300 and KGM Musso, broadly on par with the Isuzu D-Max and cheaper than the Ford Ranger or VW Amarok.

Basic Active variants come with steel wheels, manual air-con, a vinyl interior, halogen headlights and Toyota’s Safety Sense 2 suite of safety aids. Stepping up to Invincible gets you 18-inch alloy wheels, all-round parking sensors, LED headlights, climate control and heated front seats, plus an infotainment system with wireless smartphone connectivity and navigation.

The top-spec Invincible X adds the option of the 48V engine, 18-inch black alloy wheels, leather seats, grey trim on the exterior, a styling pack, power-adjustable seats and a 360-degree camera - but it is pretty dear.

Avoid the weedy 150hp engine options and the Hilux is powerful and reasonably comfortable - but a Ford Ranger feels more car-like in the corners

The Hilux engine lineup is a little confusing. The 2.8-litre diesel is available with a manual gearbox all the way up the range, packing 204hp and 420Nm of torque. When you reach Invincible trim, an automatic is available - but paired to the decidedly skinny 2.4-litre diesel with just 150hp.

Once you reach Invincible X, though, the automatic is paired with a 48V mild hybrid version of the 2.8-litre diesel - which has the same 204hp but a beefier 500Nm of torque. For the extra shove, this is the best engine, but it comes with a hefty price tag - and don’t expect the hybrid system to contribute to amazing fuel-savings.

In fact, considering Toyota’s expertise with hybrid engines built over the last two decades, it’s a pretty disappointing effort, and feels just like the regular 2.8 to drive. A Ford Ranger PHEV is a much more full-fat attempt.

The big-capacity four-cylinder engine is a bit noisy at startup, but settles down to a reasonably refined rumble at speed. Still, the six-cylinder engines in a Ranger or VW Amarok are more refined.

The Hilux has very slow steering, with plenty of turns from lock to lock, making it a little tiring to thread through town. However, it’s surprisingly great on the motorway - stable, comfortable and with an excellent adaptive cruise control system on upper versions.

It performs quite well over bumps too. The Hilux may stick with rugged leaf-spring rear suspension rather than a more sophisticated setup, but it still copes with bigger lumps and bumps without feeling too bouncy. Smaller imperfections vibrate through the cabin, but that’s common to nearly all pickups.

The Hilux has a big load bed, but it’s lacking neat features to make carrying easier

Every version of the Hilux can carry over a tonne in its load bed, qualifying it for VAT exemption, but bear in mind that some versions have as little as 30kg spare - so if you fit a hardtop, you might not have the spare capacity to still carry a tonne.

Single-cab models have by far the most loading length, but all variants have a nice wide bay. Loading height isn’t the most impressive though, and it’s beaten out by the Ranger, D-Max and Poer300. It’s also a bit light on helpful features - you can have a bed liner, of course, but the tailgate isn’t damped, tie-down points are limited to the four corners of the bed, and there are no handy steps to ease access.

Internal and external measurements

Exterior dimensions (Single Cab/Extended Cab/Double Cab)

Length: 5,325mm
Width including door mirrors: 1,800mm/1,855mm
Height: 1,855mm/1,860mm/1,865mm

Load bed dimensions (Single Cab/Extended Cab/Double Cab)

Maximum load length: 2,315mm/1,808mm/1,525mm
Maximum load height: 480mm
Maximum load width: 1,575mm/1,540mm/1,540mm

Towing capacity

All versions of the Hilux can tow up to 3,500kg braked or 750kg unbraked - on par with all its alternatives. A towbar can be fitted to all models and the 360-degree camera standard on Invincible X versions is a real boon when it comes to hitching up swiftly.

Payload

The Hilux can carry up to 1,110kg if you go for the lighter 2.4-litre diesel, while the 2.8-litre lump manages between 1,030kg and 1,090kg. That’s about standard, though you may not have enough spare payload for a hard top and to still carry a tonne.

The Hilux has a hardwearing and easy-to-use cab, but don’t expect luxury - or a fancy infotainment system

The Hilux dates back to a bygone era of Toyota interiors - you can tell because it retains an LCD clock on the top, blinking blue in a charmingly retro way. Some modern conveniences are shoehorned in, though - there’s an 8.0-inch infotainment display, for example - but generally compared to a more modern cab like the Ford Ranger the Hilux feels pretty outdated.

You don’t get a fully digital driver’s display on any variant, for example - just a pair of analogue dials with a small colour screen nestled between them. And while the infotainment screen is functional, and has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity on all but the base model, it feels quite small and tricky to use, especially when you’re on the move.

There are physical controls aplenty, though, which is useful - but the off-road buttons are set way low down on the dash, underneath the climate control panel.

Storage for smaller items is okay. The door bins will take a water bottle thanks to a useful bulge in their sides, but apart from that they’re really small. There’s one large central cupholder, but it doesn’t have any grippers to keep your cup or bottle stable - so if it’s smaller than the hole, it’ll slide around. Two smaller cupholders pop out of either end of the dash.

There are usefully large twin gloveboxes, though, the lower of which is lockable.

The front seats are quite comfortable, and go nicely low - but there’s still enough headroom to jack them up if you prefer to sit higher. Space in the back is a bit tight, though - there’s not a great deal of legroom behind a six-foot driver.

The whole interior feels built to last - but that does mean it’s not exactly plush. Plastics are universally hard and scratchy, and there’s little in the way of luxury. If you’re used to a more soft and forgiving pickup, like the Ford Ranger, the Hilux will feel decidedly downmarket. On the flip side, though, it’ll be much more hardwearing.

Regardless of your engine choice you can expect similar running costs from the Hilux. All the versions will do around 35mpg on a long, gentle run - closer to 30mpg in regular use and in the mid-to-high 20s if you’re doing lots of town driving, off-roading or carrying heavy loads.

During a week with the Hilux we drove to Scotland and back - a round-trip of about 750 miles - and averaged exactly 35mpg, taking in mostly motorways and A-roads.

The Hilux 48V mild hybrid might sound like a shortcut to fuel-saving, but in reality you can expect pretty much the same fuel economy as you get from the other engines. All models do come with stop-start technology, but if you want a properly electrified pickup then the Ford Ranger PHEV is a better bet.

Emissions and purchase price combined make the Hilux a pretty pricey company car choice - a GWM Poer300 or Ford Ranger PHEV make much more economical options on this front. All versions of the Hilux qualify for VAT exemption, though.

Euro NCAP last tested the Hilux back in 2016. While it only scored a lowly three stars, that rating is long since expired and shouldn’t be taken as gospel. Even in 2016, fitting the optional safety pack took the Hilux to a five-star rating - almost a decade later, there’s a full suite of safety aids that come as standard.

All versions get the usual autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, road sign assist and adaptive cruise control. There are also seven airbags and ISOFIX points in both of the double cab’s rear seats.

An immobiliser is standard equipment, but not even the top-of-the-range Invincible X model gets an alarm.

The Hilux is legendarily long-lived and reliable - it regularly features in surveys as one of the most dependable light commercial vehicles around, which helps with residual values. Toyota has issued a few recalls in this model’s near-decade on sale, the most recent involving an inspection of the chassis, with replacements issued if necessary.

The Hilux comes with up to ten years of warranty. This is a standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty - but every time you service the Hilux according to the manufacturer schedule, you unlock an extra year and 10,000 miles of cover, up to a maximum of 10 years or 100,000 miles - the longest cover in the business. It’s even available on used models under this threshold.

Hilux service intervals are yearly, or every 10,000 miles - whichever comes first.