Why the new 2026 Toyota HiLux isn’t that new

While the new Toyota HiLux is essentially a facelift that nabs an updated version of its predecessor’s IMV platform, a fundamental overhaul of the popular pick-up may be less than five years away.

Speaking to carsales at last week’s 2026 Toyota HiLux national media launch, Toyota Motor Asia regional chief engineer Anyarat Sutthibenjakul confirmed ongoing investigations into hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

According to her, there were four reasons the decision was made to keep HiLux on IMV rather than swap to Toyota’s latest TNGA-F body on frame platform employed by the equivalent Tacoma in North America.

They are QDR (quality, durability and reliability), off-road performance, total cost of ownership and safety performance.

Sutthibenjakul focussed most on total cost of ownership. The fundamental argument is that in many of the developing markets where HiLux is sold, the transition to TNGA-F would have made it too expensive.

She also confirmed study into the new HiLux’s platform began four years ago, with a decision reached to uprate IMV finalised 2.5 years ago.

“When we talk about total cost of ownership, there are so many things inside, including the upfront pricing and serviceability, the maintenance, the downtime, whatever,” she said.

“It should have the best total cost of ownership.”

Sutthibenjakul admitted merging Toyota’s various utes onto one global platform would make business sense, but insisted that wasn’t the priority.

“If you look at customers, the HiLux customers need to pay more for the higher, the bigger platform – unnecessarily too heavy, more expensive. That’s something that customers are not expecting.

“So we keep the optimum platform for customers, not for ourselves.”

However, while utes traditionally have a 10-year model life cycle, Sutthibenjakul conceded there could be fundamental changes to HiLux within five years as powertrain changes are forced because of tightening emissions and the move to electrification.

“No-one knows that this platform will last for five or 10 years,” she said.

“It might be shorter than that. It depends on the market, but we will keep very close monitoring to the market and, you know, the emission requirements.”

On powertrains, Sutthibenjakul insisted diesel would still have a strong role to play for HiLux but was open that PHEV and HEV were also part of the future mix.

The new HiLux is powered solely by the carry-over 1GD 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder, with mild-hybrid added for the automatic 4x4s.

Battery-electric and fuel cell electric HiLux powertrains have already been confirmed and are coming to Australia as soon as 2026.

“PHEV, HEV, BEV or ICE, these are methodology to fulfil [HiLux] customer lifestyle or the usage,” Sutthibenjakul said.

“We prepare everything and customers choose it, but now when we see the total market, the main market still be ICE, the diesel.

“We think all alternatives we are having. It depends who our customer is. If we can confirm a customer, we’ll provide a right powerplant to them.”

Sutthibenjakul was coy on whether HiLux hybridisation would apply to diesel engines, as well as petrol options.

“I cannot comment this at this moment because we, as you know, the diesel hybrids is not here now, and I’m not talking about the future.

“But if you ask me about the clean customer and our potential customer, I think the diesel is playing very important roles in many countries.”

Sutthibenjakul also didn’t rule out the return of the wide-track chassis employed by the previous generation HiLux Rogue and GR Sport performance flagship, nor the return of the latter model.

She blamed manufacturing complexity for wide track being dropped: “We don’t have wide track at the moment, but it’s something that, if it becomes available, we’ll definitely look at it.”

And GR Sport’s return? “I’m not saying that we’re going to have the wide track GR Sport in the future, but if it comes, it will be exceptional performance.”

Of course, the GR Sport could return without the wide track – it was narrow-track in some markets previously.

A switch from part-time to a full-time 4x4 system – a change already made by many rivals – is also under investigation.

“Part-time 4x4 was retained in the new HiLux for fuel efficiency and ease of maintenance,” Sutthibenjakul said.

The message is clear. Regulatory and market demands are going to determine how quickly the ninth-generation HiLux undergoes change.

It could be fundamental and it could happen soon.

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