Test drive: Toyota Hilux VX 150D, Japanese power

This week, in Highmotor’s road test section, we have with us one of those rugged, adventurous vehicles.

Once considered a work tool, and increasingly seen as a leisure vehicle, we’re talking about the Toyota Toyota in its 150D VX version.

Pick-ups are celebrating in our country, since thanks to changes in legislation they have gone from being considered industrial vehicles to being registered as passenger cars, allowing their top speed to be raised to 120 km/h, among other advantages, something that has translated into higher sales of this type of vehicle.

A design that leaves no room for doubt

The Toyota Hilux is possibly one of the best-known and most popular models in the history of the Japanese manufacturer. The Japanese pick-up has decades and decades of history, a history that has always been tied to hard work, the robustness of its construction and the harshness of the conditions in which it usually works.

The Hilux’s image has adapted moderately well to the lines of the manufacturer’s current range, although its rugged, strong lines cannot easily be disguised (nor does it try to). The large chrome front grille gives the front end a very strong presence, helped by the generously sized light clusters.

Regardless of its cab, the Hilux is 5.33 metres long

The very square load bed is well integrated into the whole, while the four-door cab has a not very raked windscreen, which improves visibility but, on the other hand, worsens aerodynamics. The chrome details on the mirror housings and door handles add to the sense of quality.

The 17-inch alloy wheels are fitted with Bridgestone Duele all-terrain tyres, with a large sidewall. At the rear we find a metal tailgate with a drop-down opening, without any damping, held by two sturdy-looking metal hinges.

The load area has no protection beyond the body paint. With a platform more than 1.5 metres wide and 1.65 metres long, its capacity is beyond doubt, and it also has an especially hard floor to prevent sagging under weight. The Hilux is also capable of towing 3.2 tonnes in this double-cab version.

A striking and robust interior

The interior of the Toyota Hilux can be described as striking without any problem. Once we get into the cabin (not without difficulty, due to the height of the cab, although there is a grab handle on the A-pillar to improve access), we find an atmosphere more pleasant than we might have expected from a vehicle of such an essentially industrial concept.

The dashboard, built from rigid but well-assembled materials, features a horizontal fascia finished in lacquered paint, which together with the satin silver details gives a visually attractive appearance, more typical of a passenger car than an industrial vehicle.

Either way, the family look of today’s Toyota models can be found in many elements such as the climate controls, the steering wheel and even the instrumentation, with classic white and blue backlighting and a colour multifunction display with a variety of information.

The interior is also relatively comfortable thanks to well-designed seats, which in this version are upholstered in durable-looking fabric. The interior space is also quite generous in the second row, which has, admittedly, a backrest a little more upright than we would like.

Practicality is another of its strong points. Wherever you look there are large storage compartments, as well as glove boxes which, in the case of the lower one, the classic one we all know, is cooled. Without doubt, a very positive point in a vehicle of this size.

Noisy and somewhat clumsy, but with strength and charm

The Toyota Hilux is available in our country only with a four-cylinder 2.4-litre diesel engine. It is a unit with common-rail direct injection technology, which delivers 150 CV at 3,400 rpm, with a maximum torque of 400 Nm at 1,600 rpm.

Mounted front-longitudinally, this engine, with an iron block and aluminium cylinder head, is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox, with which it homologates an average consumption of 7.0 litres/100 km, falling to 6.3 litres/100 km on the extra-urban cycle and rising to 8.2 litres/100 km on the urban cycle.

According to official figures, the Hilux can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, in our version, in 13.2 seconds, reaching a top speed of 170 km/h. Its chassis is still designed in the old-fashioned way, using a cross-member base on which the steel body sits. For the suspension, a deformable parallelogram layout at the front with tubular dampers and a rigid rear axle with leaf springs as the damping element.

The braking system consists of ventilated discs with double-piston calipers on the front wheels, plus a drum system at the rear. Of course, ABS is included, complemented by fully switchable traction and stability control.

The four-wheel drive system is operated by a dial located in the cabin (close to the climate controls), offering three modes of use: rear-wheel drive (default setting), four-wheel drive (for slippery surfaces, engageable up to 50 km/h) and full-time four-wheel drive with low-range gearing. Additionally, a rear differential lock is available for extreme situations.

In real life, we find a vehicle that, allowing for the differences, drives like an off-roader “of the old school”. The damping is soft but, due to the leaf-spring layout, when the bed is empty the rear bounces excessively. This is an inherent problem of these vehicles, which all suffer from except those fitted with a coil-spring and shock-absorber system.

The steering is somewhat heavy, which together with a very high steering ratio gives a “truck-like” feeling when driving. This sensation is also contributed to by the operation of the gearbox, both through the feel and travel of the lever (very long) and the stiffness of the clutch pedal. Better be well fed in case of traffic jams…

Engine noise is evident especially when cold, while when warm it is less pronounced, at least inside the cabin. Vibrations also reach the cabin clearly, although they are less noticeable on the move. The long gear ratios of the transmission (6th gear exceeds 60 km/h per 1,000 rpm) allow cruising with low noise levels, also reducing fuel consumption, which in real conditions is around 9 litres.

If we leave the asphalt, driving the Japanese pick-up becomes a real adventure. Any obstacle seems small at its controls, and if we want some fun, we only need to switch off traction control and send the power to the rear axle, enjoying some professional-style slides (on terrain that allows it, of course). The enormous axle articulation makes it practically impossible to lift a wheel off the ground, thus guaranteeing excellent traction.

Range and versions: how much does the unit you’re looking at cost?

The Hilux range is always built around the 150D engine, but is available with a Single Cab (GX trim, €30,468), Extra Cab (GX trim, €31,603) and the already mentioned Double Cab, the most popular, available with a wide variety of trims. From the basic GX (€32,500) up to the top Limited.

In our case, the unit we tested is the mid-range VX trim, with a starting price of €34,000 including discounts. Standard equipment includes items such as cruise control, 7 airbags, rear-view camera, light sensor, ISOFIX anchor points, and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob.

The options fitted to this unit are the Toyota Safety Sense active safety pack (€600), the Toyota Touch 2 & Go multimedia system with navigation (€800) and Vulcano Red metallic paint (€500). The final price, promotions included, is €34,265 for a true all-in-one package.