Toyota HiLux Rogue 2022 Review

Despite a significant upgrade in technical specification, the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue holds its price at $70,200 plus on-road costs.

That still places it at the upper echelon of the dual-cab 4x4 ute market, facing up to the likes of the new Ford Ranger Wildtrak (both four-cylinder and V6), the popular Isuzu D-MAX X-Terrain and even the locally-modified Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior.

That’s a tough crowd.

Easy to pick from its predecessors via the satin black over-fenders and mudguards that house a 140mm wider track (we’ll get to that later), the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue also changes to a new 18-inch alloy wheel design with a fashionably dark finish.

The overall effect is the best-looking HiLux I’ve come across – apart from those crazy Iceland monsters. It squats down on its wider track with a muscularity other HiLux dual-cabs can’t match.

The tray continues to be covered by a powered roll-top operated via press buttons on the box-top – it’s great for the security of what you’re carrying, but the metal container it’s stored in does swallow load carrying space.

Far less premium is the Rogue’s tailgate. It is bloody heavy and the hinges are unassisted, so as a consequence it can be unwieldy to manage.

The interior of the tray continues to be trimmed in a tough-looking Marine-grade carpet. A Rogue-branded resin sports bar continues to sit up behind the cabin.

Both the power roll-top and sports bar are fitted in Australia, while everything else goes together at the Toyota factory in Thailand.

Inside the cabin, key standard features are almost entirely unchanged from the MY21 update. They include heated front seats with perforated leather-accented upholstery, eight-way power adjustment for the driver, dual-zone climate control with adjustable rear air-con outlets and two 220V three-pin outlets.

A nine-speaker JBL audio system is standard, but some buyers could be offered a $750 discount to cop a six-speaker sound system. This is because of the global microchip shortage.

The Rogue also comes with an integrated trailer wiring harness and tow ball.

The spare tyre is full-size and it sits under the tray floor on an alloy wheel.

Like all HiLux utes, the Rogue comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a capped-price servicing plan that will cost no more than $260 per service scheduled over the first three years.

However, intervals are a short six months/10,000km.

The 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue comes well-equipped with both passive and active safety assistants.

The key features include seven airbags and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that operates from 10-180km/h if a potential collision with a vehicle is detected ahead and 10-80km/h in the case of pedestrians and cyclists (in daylight).

Blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are new for 2022. Other driver assist systems include adaptive cruise control, which operates at 40km/h and above, lane departure warning and road sign assist.

Drive Start Control is designed to prevent collisions caused by pedal misapplications.

The lane departure monitoring proved very intrusive and primitive. Better systems such as the Ford Ranger’s keep you stabilised in the centre of the lane, but all the HiLux can do is ping-pong from line to line and then brutishly correct.

Thankfully, the system can be deactivated by the press of a button on the steering wheel.

The HiLux is also far too prone to issuing audible warnings, be they bings, bongs or voice. Nanny state rubbish.

All five passengers get lap-sash safety belts. There are two top-tether child seat mounts and two ISOFIX points in the rear. Manoeuvring in tight spaces is aided by a 360-degree camera and two front and four rear parking sensors.

The HiLux range carries a maximum five-star safety rating that dates back to testing conducted in 2019. The Rogue is expected to pick that up.

The centrepiece of the infotainment and entertainment system for the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue is a familiar 8.0-inch touch-screen that sits high on the dashboard. It comes with embedded sat-nav.

You can interact with it via Toyota’s own operating system or plug in Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

I opted for the CarPlay connection because it was that much easier to use and offered more features that were easily accessible.

For the money and considering the way the Ranger has stepped things up, the HiLux Rogue is now a bit underdone in this area. There’s no wireless smartphone connection or charging and only a single USB-A connector mounted in the dash.

The one thing it does better than the Ranger is have the touch-screen angled slightly upward to make glancing interactions easier.

Another positive is key functions can be accomplished via buttons and not just by touching the screen.

The instrument panel comprises two large analogue dials, with a multifunction digital readout separating them. The latter includes a digital speedo and trip computers for fuel consumption and the like.

The drivetrain of the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue is completely familiar.

Under the bonnet is the 1GD-FTV 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and part-time 4x4 system.

The engine received a boost in outputs in 2020 to 150kW and 500Nm (from 130kW and 450Nm) courtesy of a larger turbocharger. The peak torque number is also delivered across a slightly wider range than before.

The standard six-speed auto also received some recalibration in 2020.

Drive is transferred via a part-time 4x4 system that offers rear-wheel drive for bitumen running, four-wheel drive for gravel roads and off-road and low-range when things get gnarly.

Further adventuring assistance is provided by a locking rear differential, A-TRC off-road traction control, downhill assist control and a system called Auto LSD that operates on the rear wheels and clamps them individually to stop them spinning when in the air.

Toyota claims the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue will average 8.4L/100km, which is unchanged over the old model. Our on-test number came out around 9.6L/100km.

The fuel tank size is 80 litres so that translates to a range of about 800km. Of course, get into the towing and low-range off-roading and consumption will steeple.

By the way, there are power and economy buttons on the centre console, but they seemed more Pavlovian in their effects.

So this is where the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue really distinguishes itself from its predecessor and other current HiLux models.

Rather than be an upmarket cruiser ute, the Rogue has been toughened up and had some significant changes made to the chassis.

They include a front and rear track increase of approximately 140mm, while ground clearance has also been increased from 247mm to 265mm.

Toyota engineers upgraded the HiLux double wishbone front suspension by extending the length of the front arm and front stabiliser bar, while also adjusting the front damper angle “to improve efficiency”.

The leaf spring rear suspension has a strengthened axle and the rear dampers have been moved out towards the wheels.

In a HiLux first, a rear stabiliser bar has been installed, which helps to improve roll rigidity by 20 per cent and enhance steering feel when cornering and changing lanes.

The front ventilated disc brakes have grown in size to 338x28mm, while 319x28mm (the old front size) discs have replaced 295mm drum brakes at the rear.

All that adds up to a better on-road driving experience. The Rogue feels more stable and planted than other HiLuxes.

It also rides that bit more comfortably. It’s not night and day different, just that bit better resolved. You still know it’s a HiLux and you still know it’s a ute.

Worth noting our Rogue rode on Dunlop Grandtrek PT22 M+S tyres with a bitumen-friendly tread, so that no doubt helped the experience.

If there’s a downside to the Rogue’s dynamic capability it’s the slow-speed turning ability. Although it wasn’t reflected in the specifications, the steering lock seemed limited so you just can’t turn as sharply as before.

It didn’t pop up as an issue on the open road or off-road (see below), but it was noticeable in car parks where you might need more than one go at entering a space.

That also made the steering weighting more noticeable. It’s not arduously heavy, but you do have to exert more muscle than – you guessed it – the Ranger.

As we’ve previously noted, the 2020 powertrain upgrade certainly helps with getting the HiLux along at decent clip.

It gets a bit intrusive when revved hard and never feels like it is truly gutsy in the way the Ranger V6 is. But there’s a willingness here to have a go.

There’s also able support supplied by the auto, which doesn’t jump around too much under accelerative stress and will change down gears to provide engine braking on downhills.

The manual mode works cleanly, but only by the gear lever as there are no shift paddles provided on the steering wheel.

The 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue improves on the already excellent capability of the HiLux 4x4 ute off-road.

There is more ground clearance and that can only be a good thing.

Add that to a 4x4 system that provides excellent traction and you’re looking good to head out along some challenging routes to some remote places.

Our off-roading took in some tight, steep, rutted and loose tracks near Melbourne and the Rogue handled it all comfortably.

We’d just say the Rogue is now as wide as you really want a vehicle to be for comfortable off-roading in this sort of terrain. It’s still wieldy, but you do have to be careful negotiating your way between the trees.

The off-road traction control is among the best in the business and the downhill assist far less prone to groans and shudders than the last system of this type we tried in a Toyota Prado.

Descent speed is easily controllable via the cruise control stalk.

Measure for measure, the new 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue is 5mm shorter than the old one at 5320mm, 120mm wider at 2020mm and 75mm higher at 1870mm. Wheelbase stays the same at 32085mm.

The new car is slightly heavier at 2256 (kerb) versus 2231kg, and with gross vehicle mass (GVM) for both listed at 3050kg that means the payload dips slightly from 819kg to 794kg.

We don’t have a GCM for the new Rogue as yet, but the old one was set at 5850kg and that won’t change much, if at all.

The claimed braked towing capacity remains unchanged at 3500kg, but take into account the GVM and you would be much better off hitching up to a smaller van for your round Australian sojourn.

There’s no doubt the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue falls behind the standard set by the new Ford Ranger Wildtrak.

It has an old-fashioned look and feel by comparison – dark and predominantly hard to the touch. It isn’t as clever or generous when it comes to storage and it isn’t as comfortable and refined to travel in.

Having said that, the driver can settle in well thanks to the seat adjustment, the steering column’s movement through both height and reach and the big left footrest.

The front seats are also substantial in their size and support.

In the rear seat it’s pretty tight to access via small doors and cramped for adult knee-room as well. Being a separate-chassis vehicle it’s no surprise you also sit a bit knees-up.

The essential comfort options are all here – air vents, door bins, seatback pockets and a fold-down armrest with cup holders.

But for a $70K vehicle the Rogue certainly doesn’t feel special.

If you want to use the rear seat for stowage, the base folds up in two pieces revealing two lidded bins under the floor. They have no soft padding inside them so you’ll have to wrap whatever you put in there to avoid rattles or breakages.

The 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue is my favourite HiLux. Ever. I gotta be honest, that’s probably not the highest bar ever set, but it clears it pretty comfortably.

The chassis changes make this the best-driving HiLux I can recall – again, not the highest bar, but still a worthy achievement.

The changes to the stance the wider track delivers also help – with some adroit cosmetics – to make this the best-looking HiLux ever as well. As far as I am concerned anyway.

Off-road it’s a gun, with terrific traction aided by its increased ride height. It wouldn’t match a Ford Ranger Raptor, but I bet it would be give a Nissan Navara PRO-4X a run for its money.

Others things don’t wow as much; the engine is improved but not in the class of the Ranger four-cylinder or V6, the interior is old, the rear seat cramped, the infotainment tech dropping well behind and the over-attentive safety assist bits and bobs annoying.

If you love the Toyota HiLux and have money to splurge then, yes, buy the 2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue because it’s the best one you can get.

But if you want to buy the best dual-cab pick-up on the market you’ll have to look elsewhere. Hint: you’ll find it at a Ford dealer.

2022 Toyota HiLux Rogue at a glance:
Price: $70,200 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 150kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 220g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)