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By
JOHN CRAWFORD
14 April 2008
Hey, what’s not to like about this truck?
If you’re a truck buyer you’d have to look seriously at
what the new TRD tricked-out HiLux has to offer. Even if you just
want a workhorse, this ‘performance truck’ has much to
recommend it. It performs well, carries a load and can easily get
you to those secret fishing spots.
The TRD HiLux is the second vehicle to emerge from Toyota’s
decision to create a ‘performance brand division’ much like
Holden’s HSV and Ford’s FPV. TRD’s first model was the
supercharged Aurion sedan; and now we have the TRD HiLux in two
versions, the S and the SL.
You might be asking how much demand there is for a sporty
truck; but a call to any Toyota dealer will tell you that they are
taking at least two or three enquiries a week from potential
customers for the TRD trucks.
First, there’s the performance. The TRD HiLux offers a
supercharged version of Toyota’s all-alloy, twin-cam 4.0-litre
V6, which produces 225 kW thanks to an Eaton M9 supercharger. The
torque results are the impressive; peak torque of 453 Nm is
maintained across a wide band from 2800 rpm to 3400 rpm; and this
helps not only pulling power, but aids fuel economy as well.
Despite the increased horsepower and torque, TRD engineers have
managed to produce an impressive fuel consumption of 12.9 litres
per 100 kilometres. The TRD HiLux runs on 95 RON petrol.
In a quest to produce improvements in both performance and
economy TRD has also looked carefully at ownership costs. Starting
with the good fuel economy, the TRD HiLux is notable for two other
features. Toyota has set a 100,000 km life cycle for both the belt
which drives the supercharger, and for the spark plugs.
This truck delivers many other benefits, in the way of
specification that set it apart from its competitors. In the SL
version there are leather seats, a six-disc CD changer (plus the
auxiliary input for an iPod/MP3 player), leather bound steering
wheel and gear shifter, plus carpet floor covering and floor mats.
The TRD HiLux S/SL is a dual cab, with air conditioning,
electric windows and part-time four-wheel drive, plus wireless
locking and DataDot security.
On the road the good impression created by the specification
continues. Up front there are Bilstein shock absorbers and
intensive development work on the rear springs. Body roll at
higher cornering speeds is flatter and the steering is both
precise and smooth. The ride is generally very good, but the
suspension is inclined to pitch at times if caught out by some
road surfaces.
Larger brakes and standard anti-lock braking gave impressive
stopping results on our driving test. Off road the TRD HiLux is
competent, but lacks the ability of a serious off-roader like the
LandCruiser.
It’s likely that the S model will be the most popular choice.
At $59,990 it represents good value, the SL model, at $64,990,
offers more luxury and is probably a better option for a vehicle
used for both work and family leisure pursuits.
And, what about the financial considerations between these
models and the standard SR5 HiLux? Given that a tradesperson will
probably lease the vehicle, here are the comparative monthly lease
costs (five years / 30 per cent residual). The SR5 might cost
$979; the TRD S would be around $1161 and the TRD SL might be
$1251. It’s not hard to see why there is pent-up demand for this
new ‘performance truck’. We think Toyota may have undercooked
their volume expectations on the TRD HiLux’s potential.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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