A Toyota Hilux is a bit like the Portuguese: no matter where you are in the world, you always seem to come across one. After the Corolla, it stands as the second best-selling model in the Japanese brand’s history. Among pick-ups, it’s nothing short of an institution.
That may help explain why Toyota took 10 years - yes, a full decade! - to bring out this new generation. Too cautious? Possibly. Even so, from a technology standpoint, this is the biggest step forward the Hilux has ever made. You can see it in the styling, you can feel it in the cabin, and you notice it most of all in the changes you don’t immediately spot.
“The Hilux doesn’t follow fashions and it can’t fail,” Makoto Inoue, one of the key figures behind the development of this 9th generation, told me during the model presentation. Expectations are high - but then, the competition is getting tougher every year too.
New Toyota Hilux now 100% electric
There’s no reason to panic. The Diesel versions of the Toyota Hilux are staying - we’ll come back to them shortly. Still, the headline news is undeniably the arrival of a 100% electric variant. It’s the first time in almost 60 years of Hilux history.
It uses two electric motors, one on each axle, powered by a 59.2 kWh battery, which delivers around 240 km of range (WLTP).
Combined output is 145 kW (197 hp). More crucial than that, though, is torque: the front motor produces 205 Nm and the rear delivers 269 Nm, enough to provide permanent four-wheel drive and a towing capacity of up to 1600 kg.
When it comes to ground clearance, the Hilux BEV matches its combustion-engined siblings. Range is another matter. With 240 km available, this Hilux BEV will only suit very specific jobs that don’t involve covering lots of kilometres each day.
We’ve already driven it, and we’ll soon publish that test here on the website and on Razão Automóvel’s YouTube channel. The drive took place on the outskirts of Paris, at a test centre, well away from prying eyes.
Land Cruiser-style interior and modern technology in the Toyota Hilux
Inside, the quality leap in the new Toyota Hilux is beyond dispute. The dashboard takes direct inspiration from its Land Cruiser sibling, featuring straight, sturdy lines, a new 12.3-inch central screen, a digital instrument cluster, and physical buttons for key controls - a deliberately practical decision.
There’s very little missing from the cabin of this new Hilux, which is also better insulated and more comfortable. During the launch event, we had the chance to try both the current generation and this new one and… you really can feel the 10-year gap.
But has all this added refinement undermined its working credentials? For Makoto Inoue, who led development of this new generation, “that was never a possibility. We know very well what the Hilux’s role is in the global market.”
The new Hilux also introduces electric power steering (EPS), over-the-air updates, driver monitoring, safe exit assistance, and a new Toyota Safety Sense package with fatigue detection and automatic emergency braking.
The Hilux Diesel engine is here to stay
The BEV may grab the spotlight, but Toyota expects sales to continue being led by the conventional Diesel-powered Toyota Hilux. According to the brand, “Diesel remains the most rational choice for heavy work and long distances,” and everything points to it being the best-seller in Europe.
The 2.8 Turbo Diesel with 48 V mild-hybrid technology remains in the line-up, offering 204 hp and a 3500 kg towing capacity. It couldn’t really be any other way.
Toyota also confirmed a Hilux Fuel Cell, powered by hydrogen, scheduled to launch in 2028. The prototype - already being tested in the United Kingdom - shares technology with the Toyota Mirai and represents yet another move by the brand towards energy diversification.
The same as ever - just more up to date
All told, more than 21 million Toyota Hilux units have been sold since 1968. The new generation will be built in six countries and sold in more than 180 markets - including Portugal - with arrivals expected in the first half of 2026.
As for pricing, we’ll need to wait a few more months before we know what to expect. Even so, differences versus the current generation shouldn’t be significant. Because, at its core, the new Toyota Hilux remains the same dependable workhorse it has always been. Only now, thankfully, it’s more comfortable…
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