2026 Toyota HiLux line-up rationalised

The ninth generation Toyota HiLux will comprise a rationalised 16-model range when it goes on-sale in Australia in December.

Pricing of the new line-up will be announced this Wednesday, November 12.

The model count has dropped from 27 (according to the most recent Toyota price list) to 16. However, we’re not sure we’re comparing apples with apples as Toyota hasn’t revealed full new model line-up yet. That happens on November 12.

The HiLux engine count drops from three to one, with only the familiar 2.8-litre turbo-diesel continuing on.

That means the entry-level 2.7-litre petrol engine and 2.4-litre turbo-diesel have exited the Aussie line-up, the former because it no longer complies with emissions regulations.

The 2.8-litre engine will continue to make 150kW/500Nm when mated with the six-speed automatic transmission and 150kW/420Nm when twinned with the six-speed manual.

A fleet-focussed BEV will join in 2026 and a hydrogen fuel cell HiLux is slated for 2028.

HiLux will be offered in single, extra and double cab configurations, 4x2 and part-time 4x4 drivelines and Workmate, SR, SR5 (and SR5+ option pack), Rogue and Rugged X grades.

The higher-performance HiLux GR Sport has been discontinued, at least temporarily.

The Rugged X, which was discontinued to make way for the GR Sport in 2023, will arrive in the first half of 2026.

Toyota says Rugged X is aimed at the off-road adventurer and will come fitted with a range of accessories and modifications all developed and designed by Toyota’s Australian team.

Toyota’s 48-volt mild hybrid V-Active technology will now be standard on all automatic double cab SR grades and above, adding 8.5kW/65Nm of thrust when starting off.

Toyota has also cut the Workmate 4x2’s ‘Lo-Rider’ suspension set-up and the wide track platform that underpinned the Rogue and GR Sport.

Instead, there are now two new suspension tunes, one focussed on work employed by Workmate and SR and the other a multi-purpose tune (for the rest).

In the redesigned interior, the latest-generation multimedia system offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded satellite navigation and voice command, and expanded Toyota Connected Services functionality.

A new 7.0-inch customisable digital instrument cluster comes standard on the Workmate and SR, growing to 12.3-inches for the other variants.

Interior comfort has also been enhanced with newly developed front and rear seats, with up to eight ways of power adjustment for the driver seat (plus lumbar support) and leather-accented upholstery, depending on the grade.

The steering wheel has also been redesigned offering improved ergonomics and an updated button layout, grouped into three distinct zones – infotainment, audio, driver assistance – with a heating function available on select grades.

Active safety technology has also been lifted with the adoption of the latest Toyota Safety Sense driver assistance suite, which is standard across the range.

This includes Toyota’s pre-collision safety autonomous emergency braking system, active cruise control, lane departure alert, lane trace assist, road sign assist (speed signs only) and auto high beam.

Other standard safety features include blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and, on pick-up grades, front and rear parking sensors.

Automatic double cab pick-up SR5s and above add the Multi-Terrain Monitor, which uses a suite of cameras around the vehicle to offer drivers a range of views of the vehicle’s surroundings and underbody, along with the placement of the wheels to allow for safe navigation of difficult obstacles.

The new HiLux is also the first Toyota to feature a new cabin detection alert system, which uses a radar to detect passengers in the rear seats and notify the occupants when exiting the vehicle.

Along with the significant technology upgrades in the new HiLux, Toyota has also extended the functionality of its connected services technology, that offers a range of safety and convenience functions that are accessible through a smartphone app.

“The level and functionality of the technology that delivers multimedia, safety and convenience is like nothing you’ve seen in a HiLux before,” Toyota Australia marketing chief Sean Hanley said.

The decision to axe entry-level engines from the HiLux line-up could impact Toyota’s popularity at the budget-end of the 4x2 ute market where the Workmate has traditionally been the dominant seller.

We only have to wait till Wednesday to find out whether Toyota is going to be able to keep budget buyers happy.

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