In 2010, the Hilux fueled with jet fuel successfully completed an epic 5,900-mile drive to the South Pole without encountering a single mechanical issue. This was done in an effort to surpass the South Pole in addition to the North Pole.
As a result, the HiLux continues to be successful due to a number of factors, including its reputation as a dependable workhorse, Australia’s continued love of four-wheel driving, a vast array of variants, a comprehensive sales and service network, high resale prices, and a large market share.
No rivals in the major Japanese brands have been able to match the overall sales numbers of the Toyota HiLux for decades.
Still, since the 2011 arrival of Ford’s most recent Ranger, there has been activity at the station.
The Ford and Mazda engineers that designed the Ranger in Australia did a fantastic job.
The Ranger might lead in private sales if the fleet and government purchases were eliminated.
As it stands, the four-wheel-drive Rangers edged out the four-wheel-drive HiLuxes for the entire year of 2017 (36,932 to 35,297 sales), with Mitsubishi’s Triton coming in third with 20,513 sales.
With 11,796 two-wheel drive utes delivered as opposed to 5796 for the Ranger, the HiLux struck back.
However, despite the fact that the four-wheel-drive ute category is highly competitive, with competitors from all over the world, it will be decades before Toyota’s legendary HiLux goes out of business.
In This Article...
Why is the Toyota Hilux so popular?
The HiLux is as durable as they come since it is built on a sturdy ladder chassis. You can image the kind of reaction – and lawsuits – Toyota would receive from owners if its utes started breaking because it is touted as “unbreakable” in Australia and other countries. The range of braked towing capability is 2250 kg to 2500 kg. In comparison to competitors, the payload is higher than normal in the back. The load capacity of the HiLux’s tray can range from 860 kg to 1405 kg, depending on how the cabin and tray are configured. The primary components are shielded by a variety of heavy-duty protective plates that are included with 4×4 models underneath.
Why is the Toyota Hilux so trustworthy?
Depending on the job and use you have in mind for the pickup after purchase, the Toyota Hilux is available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations. With Downhill-Assist Control, a cutting-edge feature of the Toyota Hilux, you may drive down a slope without wearing out your brakes or needing to frequently travel in these conditions.
When purchased, Toyota Hilux pickup trucks are known to have a lot of high mileage.
The number of kilometers driven by these cars is crucial to their dependability because long commutes and a lot of driving are necessary in certain regions of the world. The Toyota Hilux is among the car models sold in South Africa and Australia that may travel hundreds of thousands of kilometers before needing major repairs or replacement.
Is the Toyota Hi-Lux really indestructible?
However, when it comes to Toyota, the Hilux is known for its legendary reliability, so be ready. That truck sure is tough!
This midsize truck has undergone what is referred to as the “It was attempted to be destroyed during the Hilux Trials, but it triumphed against all odds, proving to be a genuinely dependable vehicle that will get you everywhere you need to go and then some.
The truck was dropped from a considerable height and made it through the fall unharmed. The same group also dumped an RV on the truck, causing some aesthetic damage, but the truck was able to restart without any mechanical issues.
The tests went on until the Hilux caught fire but was still able to operate afterward. Even some commercials depict the HiLux being struck by a wrecking ball and continuing to move forward, albeit they are almost certainly exaggerated “editedheavily!
All of these make their respective points and provide a convincing argument in favor of Toyota’s dedication to dependability and safety. Even Toyota’s marketing plays up this:
What makes the Hilux superior?
Even if the Toyota Hilux has almost legendary qualities and the Japanese company behind it is reputable, the Ford Ranger still triumphs based solely on specifications. In comparison to its Toyota rival, it provides you with a lot more features and power options at a lower price. The higher grade variations that offer you active and passive car protection include a ton of features. These not only make the vehicle safer, but also easier to drive. Based on what the spec sheet suggests and the Ford Ranger’s more competitive pricing for what the vehicle can provide, the Ford Ranger wins this head-to-head comparison.
The Toyota Hilux is so well-liked in Africa; why?
He had to think quickly and lateraly because there was no chance of being saved by passing traffic (Namibia is nearly the size of Germany and Spain combined, yet only 2.5 million people reside there). Daytime highs of at least 40 degrees Celsius are possible.
He tossed pebbles, branches, and even his shoes at a telegraph wire he saw overhead in an effort to bring it down. He was aware that if he cut the cable, someone in Swakopmund would be alerted and come outside to investigate what was wrong. My acquaintance was saved by an engineer once, and she is still alive now.
Toyota has established a reputation for rarely being involved in those kinds of life-or-death circumstances, which is why Africans keep purchasing the Hilux in significant numbers. It sells more than a quarter more than the Ranger, its closest competitor, making it both South Africa’s best-selling vehicle and pick-up. Even the Volkswagen Polo Vivo is outsold by it. Imagine a pick-up outselling a compact hatchback over here. Even with all the competitors that are now for sale, the market share still exceeds 40%. In fact, it’s rising if anything.
My own encounter with the automobile there was just as jarring. I once found myself in the heart of Damaraland, a region that would make the moon seem hospitable and where the distance to the next water source was four hours. We had two Hiluxes to transport us all, but we never even batted an eye when something broke on them. We honestly never considered it. We only had a small amount of extra petrol and a spare tire.
Why don’t we have HiLux in the USA?
The so-called “Chicken Tax” is to blame for the lack of Toyota Hiluxes in the United States. This tax refers to a 25% tariff that the U.S. government levies on imported goods like brandy, potato starch, and dextrin as well as light trucks like the Hilux. If the Toyota Hilux were produced in the United States, it could be sold for a reasonable price and not be subject to the Chicken Tax.
Toyota must produce a truck in the United States in order to avoid paying this tax. The Tacoma is essentially Toyota’s answer to the Chicken Tax.
Therefore, Chicken Tax prevents the Hilux from competing in the American pickup truck market since this tariff drives up the price of the vehicle. On the other hand, you are free to import a Toyota Hilux from someplace else in the world. There are no legal restrictions on purchasing a Toyota Hilux in the United States.
The best HiLux is…
The family’s dependable workhorse is the standard 3.0 Diesel. Even though it is slower and less potent than the KZ-TE, the SFA 2.4 and 2.8 varieties of diesel are still far superior. These models, in my prejudiced opinion, provide the best fusion of comfort, dependability, off-road prowess, and good looks.
Is buying a Toyota Hilux worthwhile?
The Toyota HiLux has a quiet diesel engine, accommodates large loads with ease, and tows effectively. It is available with dual-range 4WD or two-wheel drive, and in 4WD trim it is excellent off-road. The HiLux is available in a wide range of variants, including cozy, family-friendly Double-Cabs. Toyota offers the best remote area support and all models come with autonomous emergency braking.
What is the lifespan of a Toyota Hilux?
The lifespan of a Toyota Hilux is between 250,000 and 300,000 kilometres. Any Toyota Hilux can easily surpass 300,000 miles with routine maintenance and repairs. Your Hilux should last 10 to 15 years with average annual mileage of 20,000 to 30,000 miles before needing significant maintenance.
How resilient is a Hilux?
The Toyota Hilux is one of the hardest pickup vehicles on the market, in all honesty. That’s especially true when discussing the older models from the 1980s and 1990s, which gave this Toyota Tacoma relative the moniker “indestructible.”
But how durable is a Toyota Hilux in reality? The insane people from WhistlinDiesel on YouTube decided to put a fifth-generation example through a durability test in order to find out. Mind you, the specimen appears to have been imported because the driver is seated on the right side.
Gallery: 2021 Toyota Hilux
The durability test was designed to simulate the beating and abuse the Hilux could endure over many years of operation. The front passenger side gave up quickly after doing something as simple as slamming the doors, while the rear one withstood up to 1,000 cycles of forceful smashes and still survived.
But that doesn’t mean that there weren’t any damages. Door panels and their rubber trims started to fail. The tailgate also took the same amount of punishment, but it came out on top.
Should I get a Hilux or Ranger?
Every time one gains an advantage, the other responds differently. Ford, more technology Toyota has better ergonomics. Ford’s rear passenger comfort. Toyota, longer load space. HiLux costs less to purchase. Run costs are lower, Ranger.
There are countless ways to play tit-for-tat, but in our opinion, there is only one important result.
The 2020 Toyota Hilux SR5 is superior off the road, but the 2020 Ford Ranger XLT is superior on the road. The sales competition has taught us that there is no clear winner, but each automobile has distinctive advantages.
The Ranger offers greater room, technology, and touring comfort if you want your double-cab to travel around town and tour the country on designated roads, sealed or not. Just insist on them including the Tech Pack in the package.
The HiLux, however, has the seamless ability to get you there and back with very little hassle and work if you need your twin-cab to travel outside of town where roads and tracks all blend into one.
With the best-of-breed feature set being virtually same but different enough to cause the almost equal division, it makes sense and even crystallizes the “cultish” Team Ranger or Team HiLux camps.
Both are soon due for updates, and given that Ford’s 2.0-liter Bi-turbo diesel offers better economy along with more power and torque (157kW/500Nm) and that the HiLux update promises an increase to 150kW/500Nm along with the addition of some interior technical goodies, might one of our stalwarts win out?
We are eager to learn the answer, as are one in every 13 Australians who purchase a new automobile.