Competition in the double-cab pick-up sector has increased steadily over recent years, so, on the face of it, the withdrawal of a pair of upmarket players in the shape of the VW Amarok and Mercedes-Benz X-Class should be good news for flagship models such as the Hilux Invincible X.
With Toyota expanding its line-up of light commercial vehicles it should be able to absorb having a pick-up in its portfolio when legislation comes in this September obliging manufacturers to keep the average CO2 emissions of their ranges beneath 150g/km. What Van?’s Invincible X Automatic emits 189g/km.
But neither the Amarok nor X-Class are among the segment’s top sellers, and the Hilux has slipped behind the Mitsubishi L200 and Nissan Navara in the pecking order, while Ford’s Ranger is out of sight in terms of sales volume.
The Hilux is one of the lower-powered trucks on offer in the UK, its 2.4-litre lump producing a modest 150hp and 400Nm of torque, putting it on a par with the 2.3-litre Mitsubishi L200. The 1.9-litre Isuzu D-Max has an output of 164hp but lower torque of 360Nm and, like the Hilux, both these rivals come with six-speed manual or six-speed auto transmissions.
Nissan’s 2.3-litre Navara comes with outputs of 163hp (425Nm torque) or 190hp (450Nm torque) and six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions.
The new Ford Ranger, however, stands apart in top-of-the-range Wildtrak trim, with a slick 10-speed auto to complement the standard six-speed manual gearbox. It is also equipped with a 2.0-litre diesel unit that produces 213hp and 500Nm of torque.
The Hilux, like all of these trucks other than the L200, can legally tow loads of up to 3.5t.
The Hilux is comfortable to drive with bumps on- or off-road well suppressed and noise kept from encroaching too much into the cabin. On the other hand, it is slow, with a 0-62mph time of 12.8 seconds, which can make some manoeuvres, such as overtaking buses on busy urban streets or joining fast-moving traffic on motorways and dual-carriageways, tricky, although selecting Power Mode rather than Eco Mode does make acceleration a bit sharper.
The Hilux can also feel cumbersome and the understeer is pronounced, even for a pick-up truck, while the steering offers little feedback when cornering.
You would never expect nimble handling from a big pick-up but the Hilux has an even wider turning circle (12.8m) than any of its competitors, which can make negotiating tight city streets hard work. The Ranger circles in 12.7m, the Navara in 12.4m and the L200 in a comparatively adroit 11.8m. Sensors all around the truck, however, help to make you aware of hazards.
The tailgate on the Hilux is a tad clunky too – it’s as well to be aware that it is not restrained by gas struts and drops heavily when unlatched.
The six-speed auto gearbox is decent enough. It’s less lurchy than the D-Max equivalent but not so fast-shifting as the eight-speed on the VW Amarok or the 10-speed system on the Ford Ranger.
The Hilux remains a competent pick-up, its interior is sophisticated and well laid out, and both the driver’s seat and steering wheel allow ample adjustment to find the best driving position. Off-road the truck is a match for any, but on-road it’s hard to avoid the sense that it could do with an update to avoid falling further behind key rivals.
End-of-term report
Safety =4/5
A wealth of equipment is included and adaptive cruise control is now part of the package on new models.
Aftersales = 4/5
An efficient and hassle-free service.
Performance = 3/5
Decent enough but no longer one of the class leaders.
Overall score: 73%
Toyota Hilux Invincible X 2.4 Automatic
Mileage 5,309
Official combined consumption 29.7mpg (WLTP)
Our average consumption 27.7mpg
Price range (ex VAT) £20,423- £47,340
Price (ex VAT) £31,431
Warranty 5yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 1,525mm
Load width (min/max) 1,540/1,645mm
Gross payload 1,055kg
Engine size/power 2,393cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-speed auto
CO2 189g/km
(See below for previous reports)
2nd Report
During its time on the What Van? fleet my Hilux became due for its annual service and was also subject to a minor safety recall.
I was not thrilled to hear this news as I anticipated a time-consuming drive to an out-of-the-way dealership not blessed with convenient public transport links followed by a journey home and another back to pick the vehicle up.
I needn’t have worried, however, because having given Toyota HQ my postcode I received a call from a helpful receptionist at Toyota Bromley who made all the arrangements to both collect and return the Hilux to my south-east London address.
On the arranged day, following a call to let me know their ETA, two technicians turned up to fetch the vehicle, explaining that the recall concerned a problem with the handle on the jack, which could work loose and slip.
Later on that afternoon they returned the Hilux with service completed, jack handle replaced and valeting undertaken inside and out. Job done.
Report Card: Aftersales = 4/5
An efficient and hassle-free service.
Toyota Hilux Invincible X 2.4 Automatic
Mileage 5,106
Official combined consumption 29.7mpg (WLTP)
Our average consumption 27.2mpg
Price range (ex VAT) £20,423- £47,340
Price (ex VAT) £31,431
Warranty 5yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 1,525mm
Load width (min/max) 1,540/1,645mm
Gross payload 1,055kg
Engine size/power 2,393cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-speed auto
CO2 189g/km
(See below for previous reports)
1st Report
The Toyota Hilux, which What Van? inducted into its Hall of Fame at its 2020 awards ceremony, has gained legendary status over the past half century for its go-anywhere capability and near-indestructible toughness.
Few would quibble with the view that it is the only pick-up truck in the UK to have truly achieved iconic standing. Much like the Ford Transit in the world of panel vans, nobody is likely to raise a sceptical eyebrow at the utility company fleet manager who invests in a batch of Hilux 4x4s.
But the Hilux is facing far stiffer competition these days in the UK’s burgeoning, tax-break-driven pick-up sector, so where is it now in the pecking order? Over the coming weeks we aim to get a clearer idea.
Toyota introduced the top-of-the-range Invincible X double-cab, driven here, to the Hilux line-up in the third quarter of 2018. The Invincible X stands out from the rest of the Hilux pack because of the different front-end treatment it has received.
It consists of a new grille with glossy black inserts and a contrasting chrome frame plus a new-look front bumper, fog lights and silver under-run. A silver under-run appears at the rear too, with a new step to make it easier to access the cargo area. Steps are incorporated into the sill bars as well.
The cab gets its own internal styling, which follows an all-black theme with leather-trimmed seats and a contrasting chrome instrument panel trim.
The Hilux specification walk starts with Active (which is offered in single- and extended-cab format), then progresses through Icon and Invincible before it reaches Invincible X.
The manufacturer made further tweaks to the Hilux in 2019, which were mainly concentrated on safety features.
The Toyota Safety Sense package endows our truck with a wealth of kit, including pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, road sign assist, a selection of airbags including one to protect the driver’s knees, vehicle stability control, trailer sway control, active traction control, and downhill assist. An excellent rear-view camera guards against reversing accidents.
Also included is an auto-disconnecting front differential to improve fuel consumption on-road, and a locking rear differential to improve traction off-road.
Disappointingly, our Invincible X does not get adaptive cruise control, but Toyota has now made it standard on the latest higher-trim models.
Power comes from a 2.4-litre diesel engine that produces 150hp and maximum torque of 400Nm across a 1,600rpm to 2,000rpm plateau. This is married to six-speed automatic transmission on our truck, but Toyota has reintroduced the option of a six-speed manual gearbox to the Invincible X for those who prefer it.
By way of comparison, the new version of the Hilux’s great rival, the Ford Ranger, is equipped with a 2.0-litre diesel unit that produces 213hp and 500Nm of torque in top Wildtrak specification. The Ranger also gets a new 10-speed speed auto to complement the standard six-speed manual gearbox. Another competitor, the Mitsubishi L200, has a new 150hp 2.3-litre engine producing 400Nm of torque. Like the Hilux, it is offered with six-speed manual or auto transmissions.
A fourth name in the frame is Nissan’s Navara, which gets a 2.3-litre engine with outputs of 163hp (425Nm torque) or 190hp (450Nm torque) and six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions.
So the Hilux lacks a little in power next to some competitors, but this needn’t make you feel shortchanged as it bowls along gamely enough on the road, delivering power smoothly and handling well through corners.
Report Card: Safety = 4/5
A wealth of equipment is included and, although not on our vehicle, adaptive cruise control is now part of the package on new models
Toyota Hilux Invincible X 2.4 Automatic
Mileage 4,839
Official combined consumption 29.7mpg (WLTP)
Our average consumption 27.6mpg
Price range (ex VAT) £20,423- £47,340
Price (ex VAT) £31,431
Warranty 5yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 1yr/10,000mls
Load length 1,525mm
Load width (min/max) 1,540/1,645mm
Gross payload 1,055kg
Engine size/power 2,393cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-speed auto
CO2 189g/km
