Toyota HiLux SR5 2017 Review

The endearing nameplate has been around since 1968, and in almost 50 years has developed strengths to qualify as a shortlist item for many discerning buyers. This much was shown in 2016, when, for the first time, the HiLux was crowned Australia’s outright best-selling new car.

However, those credentials don’t come cheap in the form of the automatic HiLux SR5 double cab tested here. Of the seven utes on offer, its $56,390 price tag (plus ORCs) is second only to the V6-powered Volkswagen Amarok.

On the basic specification front, the HiLux lags towards the back of the pack. Yes, you get keyless entry and start, cloth seats, 18-inch alloy wheels and a 4.2-inch touchscreen encompassing satellite navigation and digital radio. But the Toyota misses out on leather (as offered at this price point by the Mitsubishi Triton), it has no electric seat adjustment and it foregoes the brilliant Apple CarPlay software offered on numerous rivals, instead persisting with Toyota’s own, stodgy in-house system.

At least you get a full-sized alloy spare wheel as standard. A 12-volt outlet, USB point and 220-volt accessory socket are equally note-worthy.

Safety is five-star, thanks to the inclusion of seven airbags, stability control and a reversing camera. However, the Toyota misses out on modern technology such as forward collision warning, active cruise control or lane keep assist as offered by some competitors.

Inside, the HiLux’s cabin ranked middle of the road with judges, who were won over by its spatial proportions, steering wheel reach adjustment and incidental storage, but were less impressed with the omission of a digital speedo, seats which lack support and the finicky nature of buttons and switchgear. The lack of rear air vents clouded the HiLux’s assortment of child tether and ISOFIX points across the rear pews.

The HiLux gets some finer points wrong, too. When illuminated at night, the entire dashboard centre fascia reflects onto the rear window and consequently into the rear view mirror – an issue in Holden Commodore utes of the 1990s. If there’s any consolation, the HiLux’s LED headlights cut a strong beam into the darkness.

Similarly, the HiLux’s recently-downsized 2.8-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine didn’t particularly impress or offend.

The 130kW/450Nm oil-burner suffered more of a power deficit than its outright figures might suggest, broke into a loud, raucous chorus when pushed, and couldn’t match the Amarok, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 and Holden Colorado in mid-range punch.

And the smaller engine size didn’t reap any great benefit in fuel consumption either, with the HiLux consuming about 10.0L/100km combined on an extended highway run. This climbed to 13.5L/100km – the second-worst on test – in a varied use conditions.

By far the HiLux’s biggest compromise was on-road performance. For a product tasked with juggling jobsite and weekend duties, its ride felt overly firm and unsettled on test. The 18-inch wheels relayed small surface imperfections prominently - constantly jiggling front and rear occupants - so it all became a bit tiring over a 500km journey.

Where the HiLux bridges the gap is in load-carrying ability. Forget the on-paper credentials – a seemingly inferior 3.2-tonne towing rating and average 925kg payload – it felt strong and sturdy under load to rank 3rd in towing and 5th in payload testing.

However the lack of torque was again to the HiLux’s disadvantage here, undoing sturdy low-speed and high-speed stability.

The tray itself was par for the course, offering the best tie-down points of the bunch (albeit, only with four points) but missing out on a tray liner and soft tonneau cover as standard.

While the HiLux’s tray loading height measured equal highest (with the Triton), its tray proportions were well versed for handling our 500kg cement block.

SR5 variants of the HiLux are fitted with a rear differential lock as well as low-range and high-range 4WD. Approach and departure angles measure 31 degrees and 26 degrees respectively and off-road performance is supported by decent underbody protection.

Despite this inherent utilitarianism, the HiLux left mixed reviews off the beaten track. According to judge Brogan, the 2.8-litre lacked torque on steeper climbs, and while the body felt well suspended and controlled, the car’s ESC system was to the detriment of the driver, pausing and playing “in the background” when power was demanded.

The HiLux is backed by a three-year/100,000km warranty and is supported by a three-year/60,000km capped-price servicing scheme. Each service is fixed at $240 with service intervals set at a rather short six months/10,000km (whichever comes first).

On the resale front, the Toyota was an unequivocal winner on comparison across both private and dealer resale metrics.

The truth is the HiLux is starting to feel the heat in this company. The expensive purchase price, ageing interior traits and agricultural drivetrain are rightfully overlooked by some buyers, but cannot be underestimated in this instance.

The SR5, double cab automatic qualifies for 6th place (second-last) in this comparison; proof that critical acclaim doesn’t always align with popular choice.

2017 Toyota HiLux SR5 pricing and specifications:
Price: $56,390 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/450Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (ADR Combined) / 13.5L/100km (as tested)
CO2: g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

2017 Toyota HiLux SR5 payload, towing and tray dimensions:
Payload: 925kg
Tie-down points: Four
GVM/GCW: 3000kg /5650kg
Vehicle weight: 2040kg (tare) / 2075kg (kerb)
Towing capacity: 750kg (unbraked) / 3200kg (braked)
Tray dimensions: 1410mm (L) x 1520mm (W) x 470mm (H); 1070mm (b/w arches)

2017 Toyota HiLux Exceed off-road geometry, wading and clearance:
Ground clearance: 279mm
Approach Angle: 31 degrees
Break-over Angle: N/A
Departure Angle: 26 degrees

2017 4WD Dual-Cab Ute contents:

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