Toyota teases updated Hilux in official video

Tuesday, 2 June 2020

Watch F1 champ Fernando Alonso put the new 2020 Toyota Hilux through its paces.

Toyota has teased the refreshed Hilux in a video starring Fernando Alonso.

The former F1 champ is shown putting the camo-clad Hilux through its paces alongside the Dakar race truck in a 'quite difficult environment.'

'When I first saw the New Hilux, it looked spectacular,' Alonso said.

Will the extra tickle of power and improved tech be able to topple the Ford Ranger?

'It was nice to test the new car in a difficult environment, on a rally stage, and to push it to the limits. The new 2.8-litre engine behaves really well and the new suspension feels great. Even if you push the Hilux to the limit, the comfort is still there. I think the New Hilux can be invincible.”

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This is a leaked image of the refreshed Hilux and it might actually be quite close to the real thing.

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A release from Toyota Europe confirmed, 'the latest iteration of the world’s favourite pick-up will feature a new and powerful 2.8-litre powertrain and new suspension geometry to continue to uphold the nameplate’s reputation of legendary quality, durability and reliability.'

Neeraj Lala, chief operating officer of Toyota New Zealand, confirmed the comments from Toyota Europe when Stuff reached out to him, saying that he expects to be selling the updated Hilux before the end of the year.

The facelifted Hilux was due to debut in late July but has since been pushed back as a result of factory closures thanks to coronavirus.

While exact details of the facelift have yet to be confirmed, we can see from the video that changes have been made to the grille, front bumper and the headlights. It looks like the DRLs have been shifted to the middle of the light assembly, as opposed to the 'eyebrow' style on current models.

The main body, cabin and tray will likely carry over, with very slight design changes like the inclusion of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. Toyota already offers its Safety Sense package across the Hilux range as standard so there could be additional improvements on that front too.