Contents
We all know that the Toyota Hilux is a pretty expensive piece of equipment. With the most expensive model coming in at P1,850,000, it’s a big ask for anyone who is looking for a pickup truck. It is easy to ignore the lower trim levels just because the most advertised variant is the Conquest. The normal G variant doesn’t get the limelight all too often, that’s why we thought it was a good idea to test it out and see if this lower-mid trim level is still a good buy.
3.8 / 5
Performance
Engine Output (HP), Acceleration, Transmission, Handling 4.0/5
Engine Output (HP), Acceleration, Transmission, Handling 4.0/5
Design
Exterior & Interior Design, Quality, Fit and Finish, Ergonomics 4.0/5
Exterior & Interior Design, Quality, Fit and Finish, Ergonomics 4.0/5
Ride Comfort
Cabin Comfort, Suspension, NVH Insulation 3.0/5
Cabin Comfort, Suspension, NVH Insulation 3.0/5
Safety and Technology
Convenience Technologies, Active and Passive Safety Features 3.5/5
Convenience Technologies, Active and Passive Safety Features 3.5/5
Value for Money
Amount of the vehicle you get for the price, Fuel Efficiency 4.5/5
Amount of the vehicle you get for the price, Fuel Efficiency 4.5/5
What You Will Like
- Torquey 2.4-liter diesel engine
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- NVH Insulation is good
What You Won't Like
- Small touch screen at 6.75 inches
- bumpy ride
- no bedliner
With that being said, here is our review of the 2021 Toyota Hilux G 4x2, the most affordable automatic Hilux that you can buy in the Philippines.
Exterior
It’s a Conquest without the trimmings. It’s not that snazzy, as expected, but it doesn’t take away from the attractive lines of the Hilux. The front looks good, and the grille is closer to the previous and current Conquest. It even has the same shade of blue as the old Conquest minus all of the trimmings.
As for the details, we’re glad that Toyota has forgone the chrome grille, and gone with a two-tone grey and black grille that better matches the rugged character of the pickup. As expected, we have “halogen everything” on this, with halogen headlights and foglamps. The lights weren’t show stoppers, but they did get the job done. As with all halogen headlights, we’re not too fond of the output, and it was nothing to write home about. The rear also did not come with a bed liner, and in our short time with the car, we already found a few scratches. It goes without saying, but people who are looking to use this pickup for serious work duty should opt for a bed liner. It’s an added cost, but it sort of completes the look of the G variant.
However, we’ll end it on a high note and say that the Hilux gets 279 mm of ground clearance brought on by dark-colored wheels that add a good amount of contrast to the overall package. This touch undoubtedly elevates the look of the Hilux and works way better than silver colored alloys.
Interior
Not much has changed, so not much will be said. It’s the same as before. You do get cloth seats that are cool to the touch and expected of this price point. The dash is plastic, which is expected, the steering wheel is polyurethane—again, expected, but you cannot deny that save for the cloth seats, it’s visually uninteresting. The feel is good though. It doesn’t feel that great, but it is sturdy enough for you to bump into and not worry about. We’re just not fans of the glossy panel that houses the infotainment screen. It will scratch easily and it will collect dust and fingerprints, though we will give it points because you get automatic climate control as standard on this variant.
Space isn’t that great either in the Hilux. Rear passengers will get by, but the legroom and headroom isn’t the greatest, in fact, it feels a bit cramped and a bigger guy won’t be able to sit back and relax—best for averagesized Filipinos. Side-to-side, however, is a different story. It’s based on the Toyota Fortuner, so it has an adequate amount of width to it. Shoulder room is passably good, which means that you can fit up to 5 people. We only wish that Toyota gave it a center armrest or even a charging port at the back, but it’s a more basic model, so we’re not complaining too much about it.
Comfort
Oddly enough, the G variant rides harsher than the Conquest. We’re chalking it up to the weight because this trim level has no—well—trim to speak of. Over the bumps and potholes of EDSA, we got uncomfortable. The driver and front passenger seats are passably okay, but the rear might give you a bit of road sickness.
It’s evident that this is a pickup truck for pickup trucks’ sake, but at the very least, the NVH insulation is pretty good, meaning that road noise, engine noise, and wind noise do not penetrate the cabin as easily. You can expect comfortable highway performance given that the roads are smooth, but only so-so city driving comfort.
Technology
We’re pleased to report that the infotainment system loadout of Toyota has finally made it to 2018. With only a 6.75-inch screen, it’s noticeably tiny, especially when put next to the 8, or even 10-inch screens that are found in most modern cars. It’s not without features though, as the unit is fully equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality. Unfortunately no backup camera, but Toyota could have gotten a leg up on the other rivals if it included one at this trim level. The consolation is that you do get reverse parking sensors.
However, it does have few carryovers from the Conquest and that is the 6-speaker system and the gauge cluster. Like the Conquest though, the speaker system is decent. Good as a standard, but not a system that stands out. We know that Toyota has stepped up their game in terms of their standard infotainment offering, but we think the package could have been made better by a kick-ass audio system to go along with it. The instrument cluster, on the other hand, is just fine. Like the infotainment, the screen in the center is a bit on the small side, but it does display a complete array of driving information like your odometer, trip meter, and fuel economy meter among a few other things in a clear color display.
Safety
In terms of safety, and looking at other rivals in the price bracket, the Hilux has at least 1 more airbag than the competition. Toyota has opted for a driver knee airbag to go along with the drive, and front passenger units in the dashboard. To get more, you’d have to opt for the Conquest. You also get ABS with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce distribution, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist control, emergency brake signals, an engine immobilizer, alarm, and ISOFIX tethers.
Basic safety for a basic truck, that’s enough for most people. But if you really want all the safety kit, you’ll have to go to the top of the line in order to get it. In terms of bringing a good safety standard to the lineup, the G variant makes a good case for itself since it shares a lot of the kit with the middle range variants.
Driving
On the road, and as stated prior, the Hilux isn’t the most comfortable pickup out there. We definitely prefer the Conquest variant because it is noticeably more comfortable. Handling-wise, however, it is the same story. The steering is heavy, but not overly so. The pickup handles fairly in the bends with a noticeable amount of body roll. If the roads are rough, the bumps may translate into the cabin and affect your steering input—just something to note.
The engine is a 2.4-liter turbodiesel motor that produces a good 148 hp and 400 Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. We were expecting so-so performance, but even if the truck wasn’t as fast as the Conquest, we were more than content with what the engine had to offer. Torque was delivered down low in the rev range, and it got us going fairly quickly to 60 km/h even with 5 people in the truck. The transmission is also good, since we were able to note its smoothness while doing our city runs. However, the downshifts and the upshifts when you engage the manual mode of the transmission are sluggish and will require a bit of foresight unless you really want to pin your engine on the red line.
Overall, we were more convinced that the Hilux was a bonafide work truck. Definitely not luxurious by any means, but it does have a good foundation of torque and chassis strength that makes it feel like a capable hauler.
Fuel efficiency
We were able to get up to 8 km/L in traffic, 11 km/L once it cleared up, and 16 km/L on the highway. Toyota said that the Hilux G was more fuel-efficient than before, and that rings true here. City performance, however, is a little bit better than the competition, but we would have wanted to see a bit more while we were on the highway.
Verdict and Price
Don’t expect this truck to be a comfortable hauler, instead, it sits squarely in workhorse territory. It’s not that comfortable, but it will get the job done for years to come. It is a Toyota after all, and you can count on its reliability. The 2.4-liter diesel engine is also a capable performer, delivering torque when you need it, to a transmission that is smooth.
For P1,295,000, it’s a very decent price considering it’s a Hilux and it’s a Toyota. We don’t feel that there is a huge premium here, other rivals like the Ford Ranger for the FX4 and XLT trims are more expensive than this particular model, the only difference is that the two Fords are more comfortable. Toyota is in a good position price-wise. At way under P1,500,000, you’re getting a capable truck that can get you from point A to point B along with your family and a lot of cargo. Considering all its faults is one thing, but for the price it asks, it’s not that bad of a deal if you know what you’re getting.
Exterior Photo Gallery
Interior Photo Gallery
Specifications
Engine
2.4 LFuel Type
DieselPerformance
148 hp @ 3,400 rpmTransmission
Automatic-
Summary
-
Name Toyota Hilux 2.4 G DSL 4x2 AT Body Type Pickup Truck Price ₱1,466,000 Transmission Category Automatic -
Engine
-
Engine Size 2.4 L Displacement 2,393 cc Number of Cylinders 4 Number of Valves 16 Transmission Type 6-Speed Automatic Transmission -
Performance
-
Drivetrain Rear-Wheel Drive Max Output (hp) 148 hp @ 3,400 rpm Max Torque (nm) 400 Nm @ 1,600 rpm *estimated -
Economy & Environment
-
Fuel Type Diesel Emissions Standard Euro 4 Fuel Capacity 80.0 L Combined Fuel Consumption 10.3 km/L *estimated -
Dimensions
-
Length 5,365 mm Width 1,855 mm Height 1,815 mm Wheelbase 3,085 mm Deck Length 1,525 mm Deck Width 1,645 mm Deck Height 480 mm Payload Capacity 1,050 kg Turning Circle 13 m Ground Clearance 279 mm Trunk Capacity n/a Number of Doors 4 Number of Seats 5 -
Safety & Security
-
Driver's Airbag Front Passenger's Airbag Side Airbags Curtain Airbags Knee Airbag Auto Brake System Electronic Brake Distribution Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution
Immobilizer Security Alarm Stability Control Electronic Door Locks Speed Sensing Door Locks ISOFIX Lane Departure Warning System Blind-Spot Detection System -
Features
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Cruise Control Front Parking Sensors Rear Parking Sensors Leather Upholstery Push Start Button Wheel Size 18 in Wheels Metal Type Alloy Airconditioning System Dual Zone Automatic Climate Control Entertainment System 8-inch Touchscreen with 6 speakers Connectivity AM/FM/Bluetooth/USB/Apple Carplay/Android Auto Navigation Ready Warranty 3-years (100,000 km) Keyless Entry Roof Rack Sunroof Electric Adjustable Seats Power Steering Power Windows Power Outlet Steering Wheel Audio Control -
Technology
-
Active Park Assist Hill Start Assist AWD Modes n/a Tire Pressure Monitoring Heads-up Display Power Liftgate Start-stop System
Colors
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