Toyota’s 2026 HiLux aims to reclaim dominance in a competitive sector.
Story + Photos Mark Muller
When you’ve been top dog for so long, it’s to be expected that the day will come when other dogs are going to have their time in the sun. That’s certainly been the case for Toyota’s legendary HiLux, which has sold some 1.4 million units since it went on sale in 1968. Remarkably, the HiLux was, for the seven years until 2023, the nation’s best-selling vehicle. This undoubtedly prompted the huge rise in offerings of dual-cab 4x4 utes. So, has Toyota done enough to keep its rivals at bay, or at least keep its place in the front ranks of the baying pack?
A trip from Canberra across to Jervis Bay and the beaches and national parks south of there before looping up to Sydney via backroads and highways is a fair test drive in a new HiLux, one that sees the ute coping very well with a combination of sweeping highways and gnarly rutted tracks, coastal escapes, serene forests and cultural pitstops in a manner that is testimony to its versatility and practicality.
The first loping leg via Braidwood, followed by a steep winding descent through the coastal ranges, provides a good handle on the way this new model drives. It’s still a ute, no doubt, but the skittish road manners that were part and parcel of the previous model – particularly when unladen – are largely dampened out by solid work on the new iteration’s revised rear leaf springs, retuned dampers and a stiffer front-end system.
Under the bonnet, Toyota has stuck with the well-regarded 2.8L turbo diesel, producing 150kW and 500Nm in automatic form. It’s paired with a six-speed auto that remains effective rather than silky. Some rivals now offer more gears or more power, but Toyota’s approach remains clear: keep it simple, keep it reliable.
This story excerpt is from issue #166
Outback Magazine: Apr/May 2026
