Toyota HiLux 2020 Long-Term Test #1

You’ve got to hand it to car-makers and, specifically, ute-makers. We Aussies are suckers for a bit of clever marketing.

A case in point? Take a look at the current dual-cab utility market. Of all the new vehicle segments, it’s the one most riddled with special-editions, black packs, sticker packs and bigger engines.

All these are ways for manufacturers to wring every last bit of value from vehicles which, typically, have a longer shelf life than most passenger cars – generally between seven to 10 years.

Toyota is no stranger to this marketing trend. In the past three years, it has tweaked the HiLux with the TRD pack, Rogue, Rugged and Rugged X editions, and injected a mid-life update in 2019.

In late August, the HiLux is receiving an even more significant overhaul.

Equally clever, though, is the way Toyota and other ute-makers leverage the grade hierarchy within their model line-ups. For example, offering several different grades of a ute with the same engine and underpinnings.

When you dig deeper, it’s clear that equipment and tinsel are the major differences between poverty pack and flagship in most cases.

Which brings us to the Toyota HiLux SR. Is it the smartest HiLux of them all?

The Toyota HiLux SR sits second from the bottom in Toyota’s dual-cab 4x4 utility range.

Priced from $47,515 plus on-road costs in manual guise ($49,515 plus ORCs in six-speed automatic trim tested here), it asks a $3000 premium on the entry-level Workmate 4x4, which uses a smaller diesel engine.

At that money, the SR undercuts its SR5 ($55,240), Rugged ($55,865), Rogue ($62,490) and Rugged X ($62,490) siblings by thousands of dollars, even though it shares underbody parts, identical outputs and superior towing and payload credentials.

The differentiator is equipment. As standard, the SR gets air-conditioning, Bluetooth/USB, 7.0-inch touch-screen, fabric seat trim, side-steps, central cooler box, electric windows, cruise control, automatic headlights and reversing camera.

What does the SR miss out on against the $7500 pricier SR5? Carpet floors, rear air-vents, a ‘premium’ gear shifter and steering wheel, digital climate control, satellite navigation, keyless entry and start, LED headlights and DRLs, alloy wheels, chrome door handles and standard tow bar/ball.

So nothing truly life-changing, possibly with the exception of the tow bar/ball, which can be easily retrofitted.

Our particular grey SR featured an optional $2000 pack bringing alloy wheels in place of the black steelies, and navigation.

As with all HiLux models, the SR is backed by a five-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty. Toyota’s servicing pricing calculator estimates the HiLux SR will cost $1500 to service over the first three years/60,000km of ownership, spaced across six-month/10,000km intervals which are shorter than most rivals.

The Toyota HiLux range retains a five-star safety rating on account of its latest 2019 ANCAP assessment. An update in the same year introduced Toyota’s Safety Sense package to the entire range.

It comprises autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with day/night pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection, high-speed adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with steering assist and road sign assist.

Furthermore, the SR features full airbag coverage and the latest electronic aids such as stability control and ABS. You also get a reversing camera but no parking sensors.

As with most Toyota HiLux dual-cabs, the SR draws power from a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder delivering 130kW of power at 3400rpm and 450Nm of torque from 1600rpm-2400rpm.

It is available with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, and in this application it features a part-time 4x4 system with high- and low-ranges, and a locking rear differential.

The HiLux’s 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine has done duty since the eight-generation utility’s introduction in 2015, during which time is has attracted plenty of controversy around its particulate filter and dust leakage issues.

Last year, a manual DPF burn-off switch was introduced in an attempt to mitigate the problem. But the plot continues to thicken – read the latest here.

The Toyota HiLux is based on a ladder frame, uses a double-wishbone front-end, leaf-sprung rear-end, hydraulic-assist steering and a disc/drum brake set-up.

In terms of load-carrying numbers, the HiLux SR features a 3200kg braked towing capacity and 955kg payload, a 3000kg Gross Vehicle Mass and 5650kg Gross Combined Mass. Towing capacity rises to the industry-standard 3500kg braked in manual guise.

For off-roaders, it has 279mm worth of minimum ground clearance.

The tray features four tie-down points as standard, but no 12-volt outlet (unlike many rivals).

You have to pay extra for a plastic tray liner, which is a bit questionable at this price – especially given the scratched-up nature of our tester’s bed.

On first inspection, there’s little mistaking the Toyota HiLux SR’s interior with that of a RAM 1500 or Ford Ranger Wildtrak.

The cabin is adorned in hard-wearing, hard-to-touch plastics while the climate control interface comprises old-school dials and sliders.

And what the HiLux does boast on paper, like a digital display within the instrument cluster, is undermined by shortcuts like the lack of a basic digital speedo. It’s hard to believe Australia’s best-selling new car still doesn’t have a digital speedo! That update can’t come soon enough…

Similarly, the infotainment system is archaic and difficult to use, fitted with finicky touch-screen buttons in the place of a traditional volume knob, and desperately in need of modern phone mirroring software like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

That said, the Toyota HiLux SR does feature height adjustment on the steering wheel, the seats are comfortable on long journeys and there is adequate incidental storage headed up large door pockets and a cooled centre bin.

We also found the rubber floor mats and lift-up rear seat base particularly practical during our month-long loan.

Less enamouring is the rear’s attention to detail, missing out on air-vents and making do with finicky fabric top-tether anchorage points – a real turn-off for anyone planning on regularly ferrying around kids in child seats.

Then again, cabin dimensions are generous and there is an adequate spread of 12-volt outlets (but only one USB port).

And while the cabin does have a hard-faced premise to its fit-out, it’s clear it will last the distance, with no squeaks or rattles in our 10,000km-old example, and excellent dust exclusion on remote dirt roads.

On the road, the HiLux lives up to its robust nature in every sense: it wiggles and jiggles its way around suburban streets yet leaves an indelible mark when it’s time to roll up the sleeves.

First the engine. In daily conveyance, the HiLux’s 2.8-litre turbo-diesel gets the job done with no particular fanfare. A gruff idle segues into a linear yet listless mid-range, at which point the diesel clatter becomes more audible despite hushed road noise acoustics.

The matching automatic transmission offers neat, nicely timed shifts, and will kick down gears under braking as desired.

The HiLux has little trouble holding highway speeds either, and is happy to break out in song on long inclines to maintain speed, reaching peak power from a fairly lofty (for a diesel) 3400rpm.

Hydraulic-assisted steering imbues the HiLux with a slightly more truck-like character at car park speeds than many of its electrically-assisted rivals. But as with many elements of owning one, it’s simply something that you get used to.

Likewise, the leaf-sprung Toyota HiLux SR is prone to the signature chassis tremor that tends to afflict all dual-cab utes over mid-corner bumps. The ride gets more forgiving with speed, jiggling over minor obstacles and taking longer to recover from harsher hits than conventional SUVs and passenger cars. But, again, it’s something you simply become accustomed too.

On highways and heavily corrugated dirt roads, the HiLux impresses with its stability and composure. There’s very little that will catch it out, such is the effectiveness of the electronics and robustness of the chassis.

Similarly, its off-road capability is solid; we conquered some simple hill climbs during our month-long loan and came to appreciate the predictable throttle tip-in and 4x4 system, which clambered out of anything we threw at it.

Load-carrying, realistically, is where the HiLux really hits its straps. A mere 500kg in the tray is enough to temper the unladen ride, ridding it of some harshness over pitter-patter imperfections.

Even with more weight the body remains controlled and composed, and isn’t prone to excess lean, pitch or squat like many rivals.

We managed 8.7L/100km in a mix of rural conditions, and about 9.5L/100km in driving that included load-carrying and city roads.

The current Toyota HiLux SR is by no means the latest word in refinement, technology or utility – as evidenced by the fact Toyota is readying a significantly updated model.

Shorter servicing intervals and a relatively Spartan cabin feel a little uninspiring in the company of more expensive rivals.

But against the rest of the HiLux squad, the value equation of the SR far outshines any equipment you miss out on. It is the pragmatic choice, especially if you can drive a hard bargain at the dealership.

Stay tuned for upcoming long-term updates featuring the HiLux Rogue and HiLux Rugged X in the coming weeks.

How much does the 2020 Toyota HiLux SR 4x4 dual-cab cost?
Price: $49,515 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 223g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)