2018 Toyota Hilux Price, Release date

The Hilux is one of the best selling trucks in the world for a very good reason. It is really reliable, quite affordable and it usually offers better capabilities than any of its competitors. However, the truck isn’t perfect. So far Toyota offered quite a few versions in Australia which not many people bought. In order to change that they released an update with the 2018 Toyota Hilux. This includes the removal of an engine as well as a few other trim levels. The result should be an easier to configure truck that is still as good and as capable as its predecessor.

In detail

Unlike many of its rivals, the Hilux offers a fully boxed in frame, meaning it is stiffer and more structurally sound. Even so, the truck is not really more expensive than the competition. The base cab-chassis versions still start at under $21,000 thus making it one of the cheapest available trucks on the market.

However, the higher end double and single-cab off-road versions of the truck start quite a bit higher than that. These versions also offer more kit for the price as they are intended for civilian rather than corporate use. The new range-topping SR5+ now starts at just under $60,000 which is better than it used to but still quite a bit of money for a truck.

What changed?

As we said, one of the biggest changes on the 2018 Toyota Hilux has to be the removal of a few different trim levels. The new truck also features just three engines instead of the usual four. The older 4.0 liter naturally aspirated V6 is now gone which is a real shame. Even so, there are two diesels and a base petrol. The 2.7-liter petrol offers right around 160 horsepower, enough to get the job done. However, the two 2.4 and 2.8 liter turbocharged diesel is quite a bit more powerful and efficient. With them, the truck will tow in excess of 3,000 kilograms which is definitely impressive.

Design – Inside and Out

Unfortunately, the new version of the Hilux doesn’t really bring any new things into the mix. The truck still features the same look as it used to. However, the interior is slightly better than before. There is a better audio system on the higher end versions while the build quality should have improved over that of its predecessor. Some also suggested that Toyota would go ahead and released a TRD model. While they didn’t so far, there is still hope for a sports version of the Hilux.

It’s not a secret that we are fans of Hilux. As you could read in several other articles on this website we were praising it, especially the latest generation. It was released in May last year and this was the first member of the eighth generation. It has brought lots of modifications and updates thus we cannot expect a major facelift next year. However, there are rumors that 2018 Toyota Hilux will be upgraded and slightly different than other models of this generation. Even though 2018 is still far away we can try to predict what changes this model will get.

 

2018 Toyota Hilux Facelifts

The previous generation had been released at the end of 2004 and it got two major facelifts in 2008 and 2011. Therefore we reasonably believe new generation will be redesigned only three years after its initial release. However, last time redesigned models were launched only on several chosen markets and we cannot guess whether Toyota will do the same thing again. Previous time Toyota modified both design and engine lineup. It is still uncertain what changes Toyota Hilux 2018 model will have but here are some speculations and estimations.

Design

As far as we are concerned modifications are going to be focused on design. 2018 Toyota Hilux is coming with chromed horizontal grille and front bumper should be refreshed. In general, 2018 model will take after Corolla and Highlander. It is going to be equipped with LED daytime running lights which have become standard in Toyota. In our opinion, Toyota should redesign wheelbase. It looks unattractive and we’re looking forward to seeing some modifications here. Perhaps headlights are going to be slightly redesigned but this is just our prediction. There might be even more refreshments but the release date is still far away and we are going to write about them in the following months.

Hilux 2018 Engine Lineup

Current model’s lineup is huge! There are numerous engines, some inherited from previous models, several upgraded and some new units. There are four new engines that are shared with Innova and Fortuner. They are ESTEC GD 2.4l and 2.8l on one side, and KD 2.5l and 3.0l on the other. The top unit is the 2.8-liter inline-4 which can produce 177 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. This engine is mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. In our expectation engine lineup won’t be changed, but it is possible to be upgraded. We expect that the top unit will remain the same. However, it might exceed 200 hp. When Toyota releases the official information we will be among the first to publish it.

Safety Features

2018 Toyota Hilux will use AEB system. AEB stands for autonomous emergency braking. This system uses cameras and sensors that monitor the road in front of the car. They detect both moving and standing objects on the road. If they spot any object, the vehicle automatically breaks. This system is also used in Ford Ranger but there is not official data which will tell whether this system is useful on the road or not.
Apart from AEB, there will be several other safety features. The most important one is reversing camera. Toyota developed a special camera that projects the view at the back of the car on the rearview mirror or satellite navigations screen. It comes in handy during driving, especially when parking a vehicle. 2018 Toyota Hilux will also be equipped with airbags all over the cabin.

2018 Toyota Hilux Price and Release Date

It is expected that price of the 2018 Toyota Hilux should be slightly higher comparing to the current model. Present model costs around $20,990 while the top trim is more than twice that price. We might even see new Hilux on the road at the end of next year but hold your horses before Toyota makes the official announcement.