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.

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.