Will the 2026 Toyota HiLux be good enough? New Ford Ranger Tremor and Isuzu D-Max Blade rival revealed in render images

The eighth-generation Toyota HiLux was launched to Australia 10 years ago and has passed by procedure of a few predominant updates, facelifts and engine adjustments since 2015.

A brand novel HiLux is anticipated to launch next year, even though fairly than a ground-up ute, Toyota’s likely to introduce a deep facelift for the ninth-generation model.

Will a facelift be ample for HiLux which has been at the back of the Ford Ranger for outright reputation since 2023? Contemporary rivals from China such as the GWM Cannon Alpha and BYD Shark 6 receive crushed Toyota to the electrified ute punch, too, softening the paunchy T’s allure.

Toyota Australia vice president gross sales and advertising and marketing Sean Hanley has already predicted 2025 will likely be the year of the SUV, and that appears likely following RAV4’s early YTD gross sales success — but absolutely Toyota is alive to to fetch back on high with a brand novel HiLux?

We’ve commissioned a residing of renders from digital artist Theottle to display the novel HiLux’s future in off-street focused GR Sport guise with beefed up suspension and safety.

When will the novel Toyota HiLux be launched?

Toyota is remaining tight-lipped about the novel HiLux but judge shots of a test vehicle — courtesy of Thai outlet Headlight Mag — made the rounds in January, suggesting a launch is terminate to.

Stories as much as now are pointing to a degree to in late 2025, that methodology first examples will launch hitting the roads in 2026.

The latest HiLux launched similtaneously in Bangkok and Sydney, so given the significance of the ute in Australia Toyota could perchance as soon as extra tread this course.

There are extra markets than true Thailand and Australia within the latest HiLux, even though, with Latin The US — the HiLux is constructed in Argentina — and South Africa also big HiLux patrons.

Contemporary 2026 HiLux: Platform and invent

All stories existing the novel HiLux keeping its existing IMV ladder physique platform, also venerable on the HiLux Champ in South East Asian markets.

Toyota will plug additional than simply drape a brand novel skin over the existing HiLux, even though. The latest Camry — a deep facelift of the outdated vehicle — proved there was plenty left on the table of an already apt vehicle.

The novel HiLux is likely to receive additional chassis reinforcement for improved rigidity, and revised suspension. The novel GR Sport shown right here will nearly absolutely retain its rear disc brakes, while judge shots display neatly-liked slender-tune HiLux items are also likely to ditch drums at the back — as a minimal on high-spec items.

Otherwise, laborious aspects such as the wheelbase received’t swap basic from the latest 3085mm dimension, despite the very fact that size (5325mm for double cab) and width (1855mm for SR5, 2020mm GR Sport) measurements swap a small quantity.

The pinnacle result’s the HiLux is likely to continue to be one of the most less family-pleasant utes within the marketplace due to a small cabin. More moderen rivals such as the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max receive all made paunchy leaps in this division.

Interior skills will fetch a boost, even though, with a bigger touchscreen running Toyota’s latest tool that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto alongside with faraway phone control for native climate and a form of functions, true fancy Camry.

The exterior shown right here in our render is in accordance to judge shots and reveals novel, slender headlights residing high on the fascia. A a form of, extra futuristic grille sits below the smaller ‘TOYOTA’ emblem and the bonnet has been reprofiled.

On the back, a tidier tailgate invent and a form of taillight clusters complete the transformation. There will now not be any wholesale adjustments to the center of the HiLux’s physique, which is anticipated to dwell basic the same.

Contemporary 2026 HiLux: Engine and powertrain

While drag-in hybrids are the general rage within the ute world, it appears Toyota will continue with its latest 150kW/500Nm 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder dominated line-up, as a minimal in Australia.

Sticking to the existing IMV platform pours frigid water on a HiLux GR Sport scoring a Ranger and Amarok V6-beating engine from a GA-F vehicle such as the 300 Sequence Land Cruiser or Tundra pick-up — as a minimal with out basic re-engineering.

Eastern stories existing using a novel 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, which can give a HiLux GR Sport rather extra pep but don’t retain your breath — in particular no longer at launch. It’s likely to preserve the 165kW/550Nm tune of the existing diesel.

The V-Active forty eight-volt electrical boost system arrived in March 2024. Toyota claims V-Active lowers gas consumption roughly 10 per cent, and it’s likely this can change into accessible at some stage in a broader vary of variants within the novel HiLux.

On the lower dwell, demand the 110kW/400Nm 2.4-litre turbo-diesel and a pair of.7-litre petrol four-cylinder (122kW/245Nm) to loiter spherical. The lack of hybrid and drag-in hybrid ute could perchance produce Toyota’s existence difficult below incoming novel vehicle efficiency requirements (NVES).

How basic will the 2026 Toyota HiLux cost?

No topic its evolved age, the Toyota HiLux isn’t any discount ute, unless the predominant Workmate petrol cab chassis ($27,730) is what you would prefer to receive.

Essentially the most reasonable 4×4 dual cab is $50,420, sooner than on-street costs and the neatly-liked SR5 V-Active lists at $63,260. Meanwhile, the flagship GR Sport costs $74,310, sooner than on-street costs.

The HiLux’s trace has no longer stayed static since 2015, needless to claim, and phase of this slow magnify is to preserve tempo with rival utes such as Ranger and Triton, as neatly as minimising trace shock for a brand novel model.

The novel 2026 Toyota HiLux will likely be extra costly but it would be a shock if the dual-cab Workmate was extra than $55,000. Likewise, the SR5 will dwell terminate to $65,000 and the GR Sport received’t climb beyond $80,000.

More small print will reach to gentle as we manner the 2026 Toyota HiLux’s free up in late 2025 or early 2026.