The 2026 Toyota HiLux is clearly divided into two types – the workhorse Workmate and better-equipped SR with heavy-duty suspension for fleets and business use, and lifestyle leisure models with new soft-riding suspension defined by the SR5, Rogue and off-road focused Rugged X.

Equipment levels reflect this demarcation, with the base Workmate limited to manual air-con, power windows, remote central locking, LED headlights, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen with reverse camera and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio and sat-nav, electronic instrumentation, USB-C ports, connected services for emergency callouts and a long list of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) technologies, like AEB, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.

The SR steps up with keyless entry/start, better bolstered front seats, a surround-view monitor, voice command, smartphone charger, extra USB-C ports, a 300-watt inverter, better audio, side steps, a locking tailgate, tyre-pressure monitor and alloy wheels

From the SR5 up you’ll find goodies like four-wheel disc brakes, a series-first electric park brake, heated seats, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloys and standard towbar.

Standard in the Rogue and Rugged X are powered seats, leather trim, premium audio, while the former also includes an electric roller cover, tub illumination, deck rails with sliding cleats and central-locking for the tailgate while the latter brings a towing trailer wiring harness and more off-road biased bedliner and sports bar.

The Toyota HiLux in its ninth-generation incarnation in Australia is solely powered by the (1GD-FTV) 2.8-litre common-rail twin-cam four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit. It delivers a healthy 150kW of power, and either 420Nm of torque in the six-speed manual version or 500Nm in the six-speed auto. SR5’s manual has rev-matching tech.

Toyota’s 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance feature in most 4x4 auto grades from SR and above, adding an 8.5kW/65Nm electric motor generator and small lithium-ion battery combo, for smoother and faster stop/start performance, while also helping to cut fuel consumption.

The 2026 Toyota HiLux may be billed as the ninth-generation ute since 1968, but its entire centre section carries over from the previous iteration launched in 2015.

What this means is that it remains an obviously narrower and smaller cabin proposition, compared to larger newcomers like the Foton Tunland, Kia Tasman and LDV Terron 9 – not to mention the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton.

That said, everything you see, feel, touch and sit on is or seems new, starting with a very contemporary dashboard, featuring a big 12.3-inch central display, a wider and higher console and extra storage.  

Traditional HiLux owners are likely to appreciate the myriad buttons and switches, excellent ventilation, ample vision and comfier front seats than before – though the extra bolstering from the SR up is missing from the base Workmate. Pity.

However, things stumble somewhat in the rear-seat area, with not much space for legs or shoulders (three abreast is cramped), and an unpleasantly upright backrest for some people. Storage is limited, too, while only the mid-spec grades receive forward-facing air vents and other amenities. The accommodation back there is purely perfunctory.

The Toyota HiLux is offered in three body configurations. The Single Cab has two doors and two seats, with limited recline-ability as a result.

The Extra Cab has four doors with the rear ones being back-hinged and no central pillar, meaning they open up wide. Along with the front seats are two occasional-use rear seats with just enough space for adults to travel on over short distances.

Finally, there is the Double Cab, with a full complement of seats – two bucket items up front and a fixed bench in the back. The rear cushions are split in a 70/30 configuration, lifting up to reveal access to jack and very limited storage slots respectively, though the 48-volt mild-hybrid models have the larger portion locked in since some of the electrical gubbins live underneath.

The Toyota HiLux’s fuel economy actually improves compared to the previous model’s 2.8-litre turbo-diesel application, falling up to 0.2L/100km, with most models depending on grade average between 7.1 and 7.6L/100km.

This translates to between 187 grams per kilometre and 201g/km of carbon dioxide emissions.

Toyota has not released any figures as yet, but the 2026 HiLux’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine can scoot from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in about 10 to 11 seconds, depending on body configuration. Top speed is 176km/h.