The 2021 Toyota Hilux is now official and out in the open

Earlier in June, Toyota Thailand released a teaser for the new 2021 Fortuner and Hilux. However, the teaser photo hid both vehicles very well and we could only assume what the refreshed models would look like through photos and renderings circulating around the internet. The Hilux brought particular interest as through the unofficial photos it looked like it would have the most radical change. Now that the pickup has officially been launched we now get to see what the vehicle will look like in the metal.

For the rework of Toyota’s popular pickup truck big things have happened. First the Hilux now comes with a new front face giving it similar characteristics to its pickup brother the Tacoma. It now comes with a redesigned grille along with a new set of Bi-Beam LED headlights that come with LED Daytime running lights as well. The makeover doesn't stop there as the popular pickup now also gets a new set of LED light guiding tail lights at the rear of the vehicle to complete the new exterior look.

The 2021 Hilux still retains the same familiar interior layout as the pre-facelifted version, however, Toyota has added in a few creature comforts. The pickup now comes with a new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that features Apple CarPlay straight out of the factory. It also features new TFT gauges and improved switchgear. Higher variants of the new Hilux also gets new interior lighting schemes.

Along with the exterior upgrades, the 2021 Toyota Hilux also gets a few revisions done to its suspension. It now features “Superflex Suspension” which gives the vehicle high-tensile steel leaf springs along with new bushings to the front. According to Toyota, these new upgrades give the Hilux a better ride to an SUV-like level. The steering has also been adjusted thanks to the inclusion of a Variable Flow Control system. This adjusts the stiffness of the steering wheel depending on the speed of the vehicle to improve its stability. The steering angle can also now be seen on the pickup’s multi-information display.

For its refresh, the 2021 Toyota Hilux has now gotten a bump in power. The revised 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine now produces 201 hp and 500 Nm of torque. This now gives the pick up the ability to hit 100km/h in roughly 10 seconds. To further improve on fuel economy Toyota has lowered the engine’s idling speed from 850 to 680 RPM. The Japanese brand states that this will give the vehicle better traction when it comes to off-road performance. The 2.4-liter engine, on the other hand, remains the same pushing out 147hp and 400 Nm of torque.

The refreshed Hilux now gets the Japanese brand’s Toyota Safety Sense technology. This gives the pickup truck a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, and lane departure alert. A vehicle stability assist system has also been added and is now standard for the mid to high trim-levels.

Pricing for the refreshed Hilux Rocco (Conquest locally) comes in at 949,000 to 1,239,00 THB which roughly translates to about P1,500,000 for the entry-level variant and P1,960,500 for the highest trim-level. The Regular Hilux, on the other hand, starts at P609,000 THB and goes all the way up to 1,159,000 THB. When converted into Philippine currency represents a P963,300 to P1,833,000 price range for the standard version of the popular pickup. It is important to note that these are the prices for the Thai market and as such does not reflect the actual pricing on the Hilux once it makes its way into the Philippine market There is no official word yet from Toyota Philippines if it will be bringing in the new and refreshed Hilux for its June 15 launch. However, if the Japanese brand did bring it over it would be a welcomed addition to the local lineup. The addition of the new Hilux would give Toyota a better fighting chance against the likes of the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and the Mitsubishi Strada Athlete.