Putting the ute in beaut

Specs Model: Toyota HiLux SR5 4.0L V6 RRP $47,420 Engine: 4.0L V6 Power: 175KW @ 5200rpm Drive Train: 5 speed manual, 4WD (2H, 4H, 4L) Economy: 13.1L/100km Warranty: 3yrs/100,000km

Exterior. Tall and muscular, this is a good looking vehicle. Oversized side mirrors, the aluminium roll-bars and the rear styling (featuring a real chrome bumper) are some of the nicer finishes. As with all dual cabs, the additional interior space comes at the cost of the exterior tray. Although, the tray isn’t insignificant (we saw one carrying three full-size trail bikes during the test drive).

Interior. This is undoubtedly the most refined HiLux to date. Features such as two sunny holders, seven cup holders (yes, seven – even the rear ashtray has been replaced with fold out cup holders), two DC outlets and the six CD in-cabin CD player all reflect the increasing consideration given to cabin comfort.

BTW, the driver’s cup holder is in one of most sensible place I’ve ever seen – just right of the steering wheel. Okay, no more on cup holders.

If you are like me and rely on tunnels and underpasses to commute daily, you may appreciate the permanently lit instrument panel. Even the on board computer, although modest in appearance, was extremely useful for obtaining all essential running data.

The rear seat folds up and features two child seat anchors – important if you are looking for a family car.

Performance and Handling. The ute is powered by a punch V6 that makes you forget the size and weight of the vehicle. The front suspension is well balanced for city conditions.

The rear suspension is hard and bumpy, which means two things: it will make more sense when the tray is full; and it will be bumpy when the tray is empty (it just depends on whether you are a ‘tray is half full or half empty’ kind of a person). The brakes pull up nicely at any speed, however, they weren’t tested under load.

Even though it has an enticing engine, most of the torque is at the low range. Combine with the tall gear stick and the deep clutch, it will disappoint you if you are looking for the sporty feel found in smaller SUVs.

If you are looking for the utility and 4WD performance, you will love the gearbox and the drive train that allows you to engage 2H to 4H while travelling below 80km/h and 4H-4L below 8km/h.

They can be changed up (from 4L to 2H) at any speed. This feature was perfect for our trip where gravel and sealed roads interchanged at regular intervals. Considering its length, this is an extremely easy vehicle to steer and manoeuvre. The height of the vehicle, especially the tall tail gate, does present a challenge when parking in confined spaces.

Town & Country. The test vehicle was surprisingly easy to handle in the city. The bouncy rear was most noticeable along secondary country roads. It is a steady cruiser on freeways.

If your lifestyle includes passengers, towing, occasional off roading and, most importantly, load carrying, this HiLux may be a good ‘all-in-one’ option.