Toyota Hilux SR5 extra-cab 2005 review

Although slightly slab-sided from the rear three-quarter view, the chromed sports roll bar and side-steps (which seem a little vulnerable to damage in off-road scenarios) give it a macho look.

It's no shrinking violet – now 5255mm long, 1835mm wide, 1805mm tall and sitting on a 3085mm wheelbase, the seventh-generation Hilux also boasts 215mm of ground clearance.

A five-speed manual gearbox directs drive to a fairly conventional part-time 4WD system, although the driver has a bit of a stretch to engage the front wheels.

Explore the 2005 Toyota HiLux range

• Toyota Hilux SR5 extra-cab 2005 review
• Toyota HiLux manual 2005 review
• Toyota HiLux 2005 review: snapshot
• Toyota Hilux 2005 review
• Toyota Hilux V6 SR5 2005 review

The first downpour on dusty, oily roads meant the system needed to be employed before any dirt tracks were sought, as the loadless leaf-sprung rear end moved like a pendulum. The specs sheet lists a rear limited-slip diff as standard but the amount of spinning from the rear wheels in wet conditions suggests it has its work cut out.

Without a load in the rear, the leaf springs don't provide the greatest ride quality, but under a bit of load it improves, getting closer to relatively civilised front-end suspension and steering behaviour.

The front end is now held up by a new coil-spring double-wishbone front suspension system, with a ball-joint mounted stabiliser bar.

Combined with the new power-assisted rack and pinion steering, pointing the Hilux around suburban streets or open road corners is a smoother operation.

Getting the Hilux a little bit dirty showed there's plenty of scope for rock-hopping and slithering with confidence in muddy conditions. The road-biased tyres might have some limitations but the suspension and steering allow the driver to easily negotiate tricky tracks without too much concern.

It's a comfortable cabin in which to work, with the dicky seats providing the option for two extra occupants, but strictly for short journies.

Instrumentation looks more like the dials from a luxury Lexus than something for a workhorse.

For something that purports to workhorse tendencies, the SR5 Hilux extra-cab copes well with daily duties without giving occupants a stiff neck or a sore back.

SMALL TORQUE

Power games

THE four-litre V6 petrol engine generates 175kW of power and 343Nm of torque in the Hilux, down slightly on the output it produces when powering the Prado wagon. The 24-valve DOHC V6 is tuned to run on normal ULP and lays claim to a fuel consumption of 13.1 litres/100km. The four-litre motor is expected to account for more than 40 per cent of Hilux sales.

Fancy features

AMONG the features list for the top-spec Hilux are 15in alloy wheels, dual airbags, body-coloured front bumper and grille, a chromed sports bar and rear bumper, chrome door handles, power windows and mirrors, anti-lock brakes and body-coloured wheel arch flares. The workhorse also gets airconditioning and in-dash CD sound system.

Record run

THE Hilux 4x4 rocketed to the top of its market segment with a May record of 1501 sales, beating its previous best of 1461, set in 1984.