2024 Toyota HiLux vs 2023 Nissan Navara

What's the difference?

The HiLux’s age-defying sales and resale values confirm it’s still one of the top two 4x4 dual cabs on the market. However, its new V-Active technology feels underdone, as it adds weight (we reckon about 40kg) and complexity without gains in performance you can feel or economy you can meaningfully measure. Hopefully, Toyota’s next crack at a 'hybrid' HiLux will be more convincing.

The SL Warrior is a good-looking, well-engineered and practical package that provides an alternative entry point to Warrior ownership. 

However, its low-$60K pricing also pitches it against more upmarket rivals like the Ford Ranger XLT, Mazda BT-50 GT and Toyota HiLux SR5.

So, when comparing relative values, do Premcar’s unique body/chassis enhancements compensate for the SL’s shorter safety menu and vinyl-floored workhorse cabin to justify its price? 

That comes down to intended use and personal priorities - and only a buyer knows what they are. 

The HiLux’s enduring appeal is the ‘unbreakable’ feel when you step aboard. Even though its curvaceous styling is increasingly dated, we can’t fault the build quality as it displays a peerless standard of fit and finish which never wavers.

Our only major gripe (since its launch in 2015) is the cramped rear seating. It’s particularly tight for tall people, giving that I’m 186cm and when sitting in the rear seat with the driver’s seat in my position, my knees are pressed into its backrest and my head rubs on the roof lining.

Shoulder room for three large adults is equally challenging and tolerable only for short trips. We reckon the Ranger’s more accommodating rear stalls are significant in its sales leadership.

Its simpler specification results in a less cluttered appearance than the fully-loaded PRO-4X, with the SL’s lack of side-steps visually accentuating its higher ride height. 

We like the work-focused look and its wipe-clean vinyl floor would be well suited to tradie duties.

The interior, with fabric-trimmed two-tone upholstery, offers a visually pleasing and practical mix of contrasting chrome, satin chrome and textured hard surfaces, which show how base-grade ute interiors are moving increasingly upmarket. 

The front seats are supportive but a more prominent left footrest for the driver would enhance this. 

With adjustable air conditioning vents in the rear of the centre console, rear seating is also comfortable, but head and shoulder room are marginal for tall adults, particularly when travelling three-abreast. 

For those that draw the short straw and end up seated in the higher central position, with their knees squeezed together between the front seat backrests and head pressed into the roof lining, this will only be tolerable for (very) short trips. 

With its 2150kg kerb weight and 3050kg GVM, the SR5 V-Active has a 900kg payload rating. It can also tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 5850kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a substantial 700kg reduction in payload to only 200kg, which could be used up by a driver and passenger alone. 

Alternatively, you could lower the trailer weight limit by the same 700kg to 2800kg (which is still a sizeable trailer) and retain the SR5’s maximum payload. We reckon most owners would do this anyway, given few (if any) would need to tow 3500kg.

The load tub is 1570mm long, 1645mm wide and 495mm deep with 1105mm between the wheel housings. Therefore, it can’t carry a standard Aussie pallet but will take a Euro-sized one. There are four load-anchorage points and we welcome the new lower/raise assistance for the hefty tailgate.

Cabin storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in each front door, plus pop-out cupholders on either side of the dash, upper and lower glove boxes (with the upper having access to air-con) and an overhead glasses holder.

The latest centre console layout has a wireless phone-charging pad and vertical phone-storage slot, small-bottle/cupholder, a bin for small items and a box with padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

Rear passengers get a bottle-holder and bin in each door, pockets on each front seat backrest and a fold-down centre armrest with two more cupholders.

Only the narrower driver’s side of the 60/40-split rear seat base-cushion can swing up and be stored vertically as the passenger-side is now fixed, given the V-Active’s 48V battery resides beneath it and is ventilated by a louvered air intake in the passenger footwell.

With its 2033kg kerb weight, the SL Warrior’s useful 100kg GVM upgrade to 3250kg means it has an enviable 1217kg payload rating. 

It’s also rated to tow up to the category's benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer but to do that would require a huge and impractical 840kg reduction in payload to avoid exceeding its 5910kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time). 

That would leave only 377kg of payload capacity, which could easily be used up by a crew of four large adults without luggage.

As a result, we reckon braked towing limits should always be based on a vehicle’s GVM. In this case, that would lower the tow rating from 3500kg (few if any owners would need that much anyway) to 2660kg, which is still a sizeable trailer and would allow you to keep the full 1217kg payload rating. That would not only be more practical, but also safer for towing.

The floor of the almost-square load tub is 1509mm long and 1560mm wide. However, with 1134mm between the rear wheel housings, it won’t fit a standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallet but it will take a Euro pallet. The four load anchorage points are located low where you need them.

Cabin storage includes a large bottle holder and bin in each front door, plus an overhead glasses holder and single glove box. 

The centre console offers a small open cubby at the front, two small bottle/cupholders in the centre and a lidded box at the back.

Rear seat passengers also get a large bottle holder and storage bin in each door plus a fold-down centre armrest with two small bottle/cupholders. 

The rear seat’s base cushion can also swing upwards and be stored vertically if more internal cargo space is required. 

The SL Warrior, like its sibling, is available only as a 4x4 dual cab ute. It comes standard with the Navara’s familiar 2.3-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel and a choice of six-speed manual gearbox ($58,000) or seven-speed torque converter automatic, like our example, for a list price of $60,500, plus on-road costs. 

That’s $11,400 more than a standard SL Navara and for that extra spend you get a bespoke package of off-road equipment, starting with unique body decals and 17-inch alloys wearing Cooper Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tyres plus a full-size alloy spare.

There's also a winch-compatible hooped bull-bar with integrated LED light-bar, black Navara-branded underbody bash-plate, wheel-arch flares, load tub-liner, 3500kg tow-bar and rubber floor mats. 

Big changes underneath include a 40mm increase in ride height to 260mm. This substantial gain in ground clearance (25mm from tyres, 15mm from springs) results in the approach angle improving from 32 to 36 degrees and virtually no change in departure angle with a tow-bar fitted. 

The suspension has been retuned with new springs, shock absorbers and jounce rubbers. The new front spring rate provides more front-end support and less body roll while the revised shocks produce improved compliance, noise isolation and reduced ‘float’ when towing and/or carrying loads. These changes also bring a useful 100kg increase in its GVM rating.

In addition to Premcar’s hardware, the SL’s standard equipment list includes automatic headlights with halogen DRLs, tailgate assist, a rear bumper step, a reversing camera and rear diff lock. 

Inside, there’s a six-speaker multimedia system with 8.0-inch touchscreen and multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, plus four USB ports, two 12-volt accessory outlets, 7.0-inch instrument cluster display with digital speedo, and more. 

So, although based on the entry-level model, it does offer numerous useful features. The optional 'Pearl White' metallic paint on our test vehicle adds $650.

The venerable (1GD-FTV) 2.8 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with V-Active produces the same 150kW and 500Nm as the standard engine, driving through a six-speed torque converter automatic.

However, Toyota claims fuel economy gains of up to 9.5 per cent when this drivetrain is combined with the new hybrid technology, which comprises a 48-volt electric motor-generator, 48-volt lithium-ion battery and idle-stop system.

The turbo-diesel engine uses a silent-belt to drive the motor-generator, which charges the battery under the rear seat. This battery, which Toyota claims weighs less than eight kilograms with 4.3Ah capacity, also supplies electricity to the vehicle’s 12-volt system through a DC/DC converter.

This system can send up to 8.4kW of power and 65Nm of torque through the motor-generator to assist the engine. Toyota claims this delivers smoother and quieter yet more responsive performance and reduces engine load under acceleration. It also results in a small reduction in idle speed from 720rpm to 600rpm.

Deceleration and braking energy are also recovered, converted into electricity and stored in the 48V battery for later use.  Toyota claims “hydraulic braking combined with regenerative braking creates a more effective and natural deceleration feel and supports downhill manoeuvring.”

The idle-stop system does not use the starter motor like conventional set-ups. Instead, the electric motor-generator, which is permanently connected to the engine via its belt-drive, delivers this function with greater smoothness and quietness.

Idle-stop duration can also be extended by the driver and, when restarting the engine on inclines, the idle-stop system retains brake pressure until enough drive force is generated to ensure smooth acceleration.

In another first for HiLux, its part-time, dual-range 4x4 system (with switchable rear diff-lock) in V-Active variants is paired with 'Multi-Terrain Select' to enhance off-road ability.

The driver can switch between six traction control settings tailored to suit a variety of terrain including 'Auto', 'Sand' and 'Mud' (high- and low-range), 'Deep Snow' and 'Dirt' (high-range) and Rock (low-range).

Nissan’s Euro 5-compliant 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel features two-stage inline turbochargers that provide excellent lag-free response and ample output. 

It produces 140kW at 3750rpm and 450Nm of torque served at full strength between 1500-2500rpm.

It’s well matched with the snappy but smooth shifts of a seven-speed torque converter automatic, with overdrive on its top two ratios minimising engine rpm and maximising economy on highway hauls. It also offers manual sequential-shifting which can be handy when carrying and/or towing loads in hilly terrain.

The 4x4 transmission is dual-range part-time with shift-on-the fly electronic 4x4 engagement up to 100km/h, plus there’s an electronic rear diff lock.

We completed a total distance of 580km, which comprised a mix of city and suburban driving with an empty load tub and up to four adults on board, plus some freeway/highway running with a near-maximum payload.

When we stopped to refuel at the end of our test, the dash display was claiming average combined consumption of 9.5L/100km, which was lineball with our own 9.4 figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

Both are higher than Toyota’s official 7.2L/100km figure but within the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between OEM ratings and real-world figures.

Interestingly, the last time we tested a 4x4 SR5 auto dual cab ute (without V-Active) in 2023, using similar routes and payloads, we achieved 9.6L/100km. So, the V-Active’s drop in consumption was only about 2.0 per cent, compared to Toyota’s claim of up to 9.5 per cent.

So, based on our real-world figure, you could expect a useful driving range of around 870km from its 80-litre tank.

Nissan claims average combined consumption of 7.3L/100km but after our 300km test, of which about one third was lugging a heavy payload, our figure calculated from fuel bowser and trip meter readings came in at 10.3L/100km. 

So, based on our figures, you could expect a ‘real world’ driving range of around 770km.

If you’re expecting a tangible difference in performance with the V-Active system, you’ll probably be disappointed. Fact is, after almost 600km of testing, on a variety of roads with a variety of loads, we could not detect any noticeable gain in acceleration, braking or smoothness compared to a standard SR5.

That’s not to say the V-Active system is not delivering up to 8.4kW of power and 65Nm of torque, as Toyota claims. It’s just that these gains are modest and delivered so discreetly that they are undetectable in real-world driving.

This was perhaps best demonstrated when we loaded 650kg into the load tub, which when combined with our two-man crew was a total payload of 830kg. That was only 70kg shy of the payload limit.

It made light work of our 13 per cent gradient 2.0km set climb at 60km/h by self-shifting down to fourth gear at 2250rpm, where it tapped maximum torque to easily haul this payload to the summit.

However, in our previous test of a standard SR5, on the same incline with 100kg more payload, the gear selection and engine rpm were the same as the V-Active. The same applied to engine-braking on the way down.

It’s not hard to climb aboard without side-steps. The driving position is good and although there’s no adjustable lumbar support, there’s more than enough in the seat's backrest to keep your spine straight. 

As previously mentioned, the only thing missing is a big left footrest to support a decent-sized boot.

The steering feel, like the PRO-4X Warrior, is the best it’s been in a D23 Navara and the ride quality and handling improvements resulting from Premcar’s tuning are commendable. 

Despite the raised ride height, body roll is controlled during cornering and when combined with the baggy tyre sidewalls it has a supple but disciplined ride over bumps. We didn’t get a chance to take it off-road but we’d expect similar ride and handling gains.

Cabin noise is pleasantly low at highway speeds, given our expectation of tyre howl from its off-road biased tread patterns. 

The engine requires only 1750rpm to maintain 100km/h and 1900rpm at 110km/h which is smack-bang in the middle of its peak torque band where throttle response is at its strongest.

To test its load-carrying ability we forklifted 770kg into the load tub which with our crew of two equalled a 940kg payload. 

Although the rear coil-springs compressed about 80mm under this loading they still maintained about 60mm of static bump-stop clearance, which was more than enough to ensure it didn’t bottom-out on our test route.

The engine’s 450Nm of torque easily conquered our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h with this load on board and its engine-braking on the way down was equally robust, which for a four-cylinder engine with only 2.3 litres displacement is commendable.

The Navara has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, albeit awarded in 2015. 

There are seven airbags plus active features that include AEB, forward collision warning, trailer-sway control, hill-start assist, hill descent control, reversing camera, and more. 

However, no blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert or rear parking sensors, plus non-adaptive cruise control are indicative of its base model origins. 

The rear seat has three top-tether and two ISOFIX child seat anchorage points.

Toyota covers the HiLux with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is par for the course in the mainstream market.

Service intervals are relatively short at six months/10,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing for the first five years/100,000km totals $3889 or an average of $779 per year.

Five years/unlimited km warranty plus five years 24-hour roadside assist. 

Scheduled servicing every 20,000km/12 months whichever occurs first. 

Total capped-price of $3292 covers the first five scheduled services up to five years/100,000km. An annual average of $658.40.