Toyota HiLux 2005 News

A Federal Court case has been launched against unscrupulous importers of bogus brake pads as Toyota tries to locate the dodgy parts.

Toyota HiLux tops the list of Australia’s most stolen cars

Toyota issues its seventh recall in six months, doubles up on one from last year.

Toyota has issued a global safety recall on 6.58 million vehicles, with the impact hitting the popular Hilux ute, RAV4 SUV and Yaris small car.Statements issued by Toyota Australia today said that 179,000 of the Hiluxes built between April 2004 and December 2009 have been recalled for a defect that could see a cable between the steering wheel and  column sustain damage when the wheel is turned, activating the airbag warning light and preventing the driver's airbag from deployingA separate safety recall on 118,600 of the Yaris hatches and sedans built between June 2005 and May 2010 is to fix a defective seat track spring on the driver's and front passenger's seats. The statement says the spring can break and become stuck, giving the false impression that the seat is properly locked in place.In the meantime, the Yaris can still be driven but if there is any difficulty in locking the seats in position, owners should contact a dealer to arrange an inspection. The repairs will take about 1.5 hours for the five-door hatch and sedan, and about three hours for the three-door hatch in which the front passenger seat will also have to be removed.The number of RAV4s being recalled is not yet confirmed. Toyota says neither of the problems with the Hilux and Yaris have resulted in any accidents or injuries in Australia. Vehicle owners are being contacted by Toyota, but can get more information on the brand's campaign helpline on 1800 643 242. 

So we have coupes that are convertibles, all-wheel-drives that are people movers, and sedans that are sports cars.It's the same in the commercial vehicle world, where a growing number of people want a workhorse for the week and a toy for weekends.It's this combination that's made the SS Commodore and XR Falcon utes so popular with tradesmen and extreme sports fanatics.But things have gone further and Holden has a hit on its hands with the Crewman, a classy cross between a ute and a four-door Commodore sedan.It's not a new idea. Many Japanese companies produce one-tonne workhorses with double-cab bodies, but the Holden is forcing its rivals to become better at both jobs.So along comes the latest Toyota Hilux.There are 30 models in the line-up, priced from $20,990.But Toyota is not going to settle for sales at the bargain end of the action. It wants to sell something to everyone as well as create a new image for its working-class hero.It is obvious in the advertising and it's just as obvious in the bolder body.But there is even more to the story because the Hilux has been born from a new Toyota project called the Innovative International Multi-Purpose Vehicle.The idea is to create three vehicles, including a people mover, from the same basic mechanical package, saving money and allowing them all to be built at the one factory in Thailand.It is a big deal for Toyota and it should – should – mean a better deal on the vehicles in showrooms, as well as access to the people mover and four-wheel drive to come.It's easy to go on and on about the Hilux because there is so much to talk about: so many models, so many engines and so many body choices, with either rear or four-wheel drive.But the basics are petrol and diesel motors up to 4.0 litres; single, extended and double-cab bodies; Work Mate, SR and SR5 equipment levels; and prices all the way up to $51,850.But the hero is easy to choose. It is the Hilux SR5, which is the closest in style and function to an SS or XR ute. There are nine SR5 models.It is being pushed because Toyota Australia's research shows about 35 per cent of Aussie utes never go to work, and only 20 per cent of Hilux owners take their utes playing. So that's a big area for potential growth."Sports utilities have become a status symbol and in some instances they're the new sports cars," Toyota Australia sales and marketing head Dave Buttner says."More people are choosing to buy pick-ups as their daily and sports transport."It is a repeat of the pattern in the United States and it shows why the new Hilux is a full size larger than the previous model. It has more power, a more refined suspension and more equipment, including twin airbags.ON THE ROADThe biggest question that needs answering in a Hilux test has nothing to do with the vehicle.It's all about picking which version of the vehicle. There are too many choices.This time around, since the Hilux would be driven mostly during the V8 Supercar weekend in Perth, we decided to tick all the boxes. We also wanted to know how the Toyota hero would shape up against Holden's Crewman, even if you cannot get a Hilux with a V8.So we settled on an SR5 double cab with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive, and it was delivered in basic black. Just the sort of thing a successful painter might have for their work-and-play motoring.The bottom line came in at $49,850, close to the Crewman Cross6 at $44,490, but a significant step up from rivals including the Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton and even Holden's Rodeo.Part of that is down to the price premium Toyota can always put on the class leader – it has been ahead in sales and driving for generations – and part is down to the size and equipment upgrade on the latest model.The styling and equipment made the biggest impact when we collected the Hilux. Oh, and the 200kg of sandbags the Toyota people had put in the tray to settle the ride and handling.The Hilux looks a lot bigger and tougher and that will give it an important weapon to combat the Rodeo, which got a similar upgrade last year. We had previously rated the Rodeo V6 as our work star, though the Commodore utes and Crewman are good for play.The Toyota cabin is much more car-like than before, but the size surprised. It looks and feels much more like a four-door sedan than a basic ute stretch. We enjoyed lounging in the back seat.The downside is that the ute tray is more like a Crewman than a giant workbed, though Toyota says it will hold a motorcycle and do the job for weekday work.The Hilux SR5 rides surprisingly well – wonder how it would have been without the sand? – and handling is fine. It soaked up bumps and did well on gravel roads, though we didn't have the chance for any serious four-wheel driving.Based on previous models, the Hilux should be fine in the bush.But the city SR6 has a perky V6 engine and even comes with a manual-style auto change and cruise control. It is not as sporty as the Crewman, but has far more space and feels tougher.It will be a winner for Toyota and a winner with a lot of new owners – once they find their way out of the model maze.THE BOTTOM LINEIt looks like a tougher truck, but the new Hilux drives more like a car. Lined up against the Rodeo and the rest, the new Hilux has reset the benchmark, right down to a turning circle that doesn't feel like a truck.

Not in 2005, as the top-selling Toyota Hilux is revamped to go up against the new breed of work-and-play utes.Comfort, safety and on-road performance are now considered as important as toughness and load- carrying capacity.Worker health and safety is also a real issue for employers.That's why Toyota has refreshed the Hilux, giving it a new look, roomier cabin, sizzling performance and more comfort.Toyota is clearly aiming to re-claim the light truck leadership it lost to Holden last year, predicting Hilux sales of more than 40,000 vehicles against last year's total of 28,000."It's been a runaway success in the markets it's been launched in so far," Toyota Australia executive chairman John Conomos says."Worldwide demand is running at around 700,000 units and the company only has the capacity to build 400,000 at the moment," he says.The Hilux has a 235mm longer wheelbase and wider tracks front and rear (115mm/100mm).It also has a roomier interior, new softer-riding suspension and much-improved performance from more powerful petrol and diesel engines.Even rear-seat passengers will find the longer Dual Cab now has good room and more comfort.Comfort is also aided by the Hilux's new double-wishbone coil spring front suspension, which delivers the most comfortable ride yet in a one-tonner.It's not quite the car-level plushness Toyota claims, but it is smooth and supple without the usual bump and bounce common in hard-riding utes.The range has 30 models: 14 two-wheel drives and 16 four-wheel drives. There are three equipment levels (Work Mate, SR, SR5) and a body choice of Single Cab, Xtra Cab and Dual Cab.The Hilux is now based on a new and more rigid chassis, which aids handling and steering precision.Toyota has powered the new Hilux with three new engines. Most notable is the 4.0-litre quad-cam V6, the most powerful in its class.Arguably the gem in the range is the new double-overhead camshaft 3.0-litre common-rail turbo-diesel V6. It produces 120kW of peak power at 3400 revs and 343Nm from 1400-3200 revs.The V6 and diesel engines are both available in two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive SR and SR5 models. There is a five-speed manual gearbox and a five-speed automatic petrol version.Diesel buyers can now also choose an auto in addition to the standard five-speed manual.Four-wheel drive models are equipped with dual-range four-wheel drive. The front hubs now auto lock, so there is no need to get out of the vehicle when switching from one range to the other.SWITCHING from two-wheel drive to high range four-wheel drive can be done on the run, selecting low range can only be done when stationary.Equipment levels have been boosted. Dual airbags and CD player are standard across the range.Airconditioning and ABS brakes are standard on SR5 and optional on SR.Even with all of the refinements and extras Toyota has managed to squeeze into the new Hilux, it is still capable of carrying a payload of up to 1.2 tonnes.ON THE ROADTHE Hilux has come a long, long way. It was once a back-breaker that had lousy road manners, but not any more.Slip behind the wheel of the 2005 Hilux and you find yourself in a cab that wouldn't be out of place in a regular family four-door car.The dash is stylish and filled with features such as a CD player and airconditioning, and the steering wheel can be adjusted for height.But it gets better. The ride is smooth and comfortable, something those old bone-shakers couldn't claim.It's still firm, which is to be expected when it has to carry a load, but you don't get bounced all over the road on any surface. It handles rough, broken roads with aplomb.The 4x4 model showed no sign of getting hung up on ruts or rocks, negotiating some pretty rough tracks with ease.The ability to select four-wheel drive on the run makes off-road operation a breeze. It means you can be in two-wheel drive mode most of the time and select four-wheel drive when it is needed to clear some rougher sections of road, virtually without even slowing.It seemed a little crazy to be throwing the Hilux around a racetrack, but you have to think Toyota knew what it was doing when we were cut loose on the Hidden Valley circuit near Darwin to check out the ute's handling.Considering it is still something of a high-rider, and equipped with all-rounder tyres, it steers and corners well.There's some understeer on tip-in, but it is not excessive, and the tail will swing around if you are persistent.But, unless it is mistreated, the Hilux handles as well as a lot of cars. And much better than most utes.It is probably a good thing that it handles well because it now has the power to perform. The V6 gets up and goes as hard as you would expect from a vehicle with 175kW coursing through its drive line. It reached speeds of 170km/h on Hidden Valley's long straight, in both the auto and manual.But the real gem is the diesel. It's not as fast as the V6, but it packs plenty of torque, which makes it a dream to drive. It pulls steadily from low down without any hesitation and runs out impressively at quite high speeds.At the bottom end, the Work Mate's 2.7-litre four does its job well. It is smooth and torquey, which makes it easy to drive.