Toyota HiLux vs Volkswagen Multivan

What's the difference?

The Toyota HiLux SR5 now feels nicer and more modern inside and out and it no longer lags behind some other utes – even some of the cheaper ones – in terms of comfort, refinement and all-round driveability.

Toyota has in the past been guilty of sometimes doing the bare minimum when it comes to producing a ‘new’ vehicle – especially LandCruisers or HiLuxes – but this time even though this HiLux is definitely not a new model, the exterior revamp and interior refresh have added more than enough to the HiLux package to keep fans and new buyers happy.

This is the best HiLux so far.

The Australian launch of the new generation Multivan was confined to the Life grade with the 2.0-litre diesel engine. Later in 2025 the Style grade will arrive bringing a hybrid powertrain and even more features. We’ll be able to test both more thoroughly once we have them in the CarsGuide garage.

From this first drive, however, it's clear that while slightly pricier than its Kia Carnival rival the new generation Multivan is more practical than ever, and now that it rides on a car platform, far better to drive.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

This HiLux is 5320mm long (with a 3085mm wheelbase), 1885mm wide and 1865mm high. No change there.

It does, however, have a new distinctive front end incorporating a revised design, which includes LED headlights, retro-style ‘Toyota’ brand across the front, and honeycomb-style mesh grille.

Initially I wasn’t keen on the HiLux’s revised front end, but it looks a lot better in the metal than it does in photos and it has grown on me.

This ute’s profile remains the same as before, but the rear end has also been given a sly slap and tickle, giving it a squared-off look.

The interior has also undergone a glow-up – there’s a real 250 Series LandCruiser look and feel to this cabin – and it now has a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system rather than the old 8.0-inch unit.

It still has plenty of hard plastic surfaces but, overall, the HiLux interior doesn’t look or feel anywhere near as old as it used to.

While it remains definitely a HiLux, the new look brings this Toyota ute closer to its rivals, such as the Ford Ranger, in terms of contemporary styling.

As with all Volkswagens the redesign of the new-gen Multivan is more about refining than redefining. Just like the Golf hatch which has kept its look through eight generations the Multivan is recognisable and familiar but new and modern looking, too.

Smoother lines, a more heavily raked windscreen and a flatter bonnet make for a cuter snub nose. The new Multivan is less boxy than before even though it is still a box on wheels, just a sleeker, more adorable one. 

As mentioned, the Multivan comes in two lengths: the short wheelbase, which is 4973mm from the front bumper to the rear bumper, and the long wheelbase which is 5173mm long. Height for both is 1900mm.

Inside, the cabin is modern with large screens for media and driver instruments with a minimalist design to the dash, while the lack of a centre console frees up space. The sense of roominess is enhanced by daylight flooding in through oversized windows which can be taken a step further when combined with the optional panoramic (split panel) glass roof. 

There are nine body colours to pick from including 'Candy White', 'Pure Grey', 'Reflex Silver Metallic', 'Copper Bronze Metallic', 'Deep Black Pearlescent', 'Energetic Orange Metallic', 'Medium Blue Metallic', 'Mono Silver Metallic' and 'Starlight Blue Metallic'.

The HiLux cabin is very familiar – you know where everything is and how to use it and that’s reassuring – but besides some minor changes and the introduction of an electric park brake the most noticeable change is that aforementioned new 12.3-inch unit.

Apple CarPlay is easy to get working via the multimedia system, and the screen is now big enough and clear enough to operate with ease.

Beyond that, there are plenty of durable hard plastic surfaces, numerous storage spaces, a reasonable number of charging points up front – two USB ports as well as a wireless charging pad and two 12V sockets and a 240V socket inside the centre console.

The driver’s seat is power-adjustable and comfortable without ever being at risk of being described as “plush”.

The rear seat is on the wrong side of squeezy across the shoulders and is best suited to accommodating three children, three jockeys or two adults.

People seated back there have access to two USB-C ports, bottle holders in each door and a dual cupholder in the fold-down centre armrest.

In terms of packability for touring, the SR5’s tub is 1550mm long (1100mm between the wheel arches), 1520mm wide and the load space itself is 490mm deep. Load height is 830mm.

There is nothing extra-special going on in the SR5’s tub – no marine-grade carpet, LED strip lighting, or hidden storage compartments – but it does have four tie-down points.

In terms of practicality, the HiLux, while it does have a barebones approach, still holds its own against the likes of the Ford Ranger.

Practicality is the Multivan's greatest strength. Seven seats come standard and the rear five can be configured into numerous variations. If you like you could have those rear seats facing each other or you can just have a second row with a large boot area or you could have two in the middle row and two in the third row or whatever other variation you can think up. Yes, you can remove all five rear seats and now that they're 25 per cent lighter it’s easier to do so.

People space is excellent and at 189cm tall I found it possible to not only sit comfortably in the second row behind my driving position, but also behind that in the third row with plenty of leg and headroom.  

An optional multi-functional table is also available and this can slide on rails from the third row all the way up to between the driver and front passenger.

Second row cabin storage is outstanding. You’ll find drawers under the seats big enough for a pair of shoes, hidey holes and cupholders everywhere, seat-back tray tables and gigantic door pockets.

Up front is a double glove box, a dash-top storage bin, more cupholders as well as a multitude of pockets and small storage holes for bits and pieces.

For devices there’s a wireless phone charger and four USB ports.

You’ll also find three-zone climate control with air vents throughout the cabin and dark-tinted glass for the side windows. 

Finally, the power sliding rear side doors are huge and allow easy entry and exit to and from both rear rows.

Being able to leave the driver or front passenger’s seat and walk through to the second row is also handy and fun. Not while driving, of course, although it’s tempting.

Volkswagen has launched the new Multivan in one grade to begin with called Life and it comes exclusively with a diesel engine. A Style grade will come later in 2025 to sit above it with a higher price but more features and different powertrain - likely a petrol-electric hybrid.

For now, though, the Life is here and there are two versions - a long one and a short one. Volkswagen calls them short wheelbase and long wheelbase but the truth is their wheelbases (the distance between the front and rear wheels) are identical. It’s the back area of the car which differs in length and it’s only 20cm - the length of the boot, basically.

But let’s go with Volkswagen’s choice of words. The Life in short wheelbase form lists for $75,990 and the long wheelbase is $3000 more at $78,990, both before on-road costs.

Standard features on the Life include LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, power sliding rear doors and power tailgate, a 10-inch media screen and 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, three-zone climate control, push-button start and eight-speaker audio plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Seven seats are standard, too.

This SR5 has a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 150kW at 3400rpm and 420Nm at 1400-3400rpm and a six-speed manual gearbox; the six-speed auto SR5 gets 500Nm at 1600-2800rpm and auto HiLuxes also have the 48-volt mild-hybrid technology onboard.

This is a proven engine-and-gearbox combination, with plenty of lowdown torque, and it’s more than a match for the likes of Ranger and D-Max/BT-50 in terms of overall performance.

This SR5 has part-time four-wheel drive and a rear diff-lock.

At the moment there’s just the one grade of Multivan, the Life, and it's powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel making 110kW and 360Nm. Transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic which sends drive to the front wheels.

Coming later in 2025 will be a petrol-electric variant but it will only be available in a more premium Style grade.

Official fuel consumption for the manual is listed as 7.1L/100km on a combined cycle. The auto is 7.4L/100km.

Fuel consumption on this test was 9.1L/100km, which is pretty good because I have done a lot of low-range 4WDing.

The SR5 has a 80-litre fuel tank so, going by that fuel figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 879km out of a full tank

Volkswagen says that after a combination of open and urban roads the Multivan Life should use 6.4L/100km. While on the launch the trip computer was recording an average of about 8.5L/100km, but we’ll assess fuel efficiency again when this VW comes into the CarsGuide road test garage. 

In theory, if you do use 6.4L/100km, the Multivan's 80-litre tank should give you 1250km of range.

The score for efficiency looks quite low here and that's because without having driven the Style grade and the hybrid powertrain all we have to go by currently is the diesel.

As mentioned, there have been no major mechanical upgrades to the HiLux, but it does now have electric power steering (rather than the hydraulic assistance it’s had in the past). Result? There’s a smoother, more precise feeling to the steering, with a nice weight and balance to it, on sealed and unsealed surfaces.

The HiLux, with a listed kerb weight of 2215kg and a turning circle of 12.6m, is not an insubstantial vehicle but, at the same time, it’s not unwieldy either and manages to feel quite nimble on and off the road.

On sealed surfaces it yields a surprisingly high level of ride and comfort. It’s actually quite compliant, controlled and somewhat refined. That’s largely because this SR5 has multi-purpose suspension on board rather than the heavy-duty suspension, which is on lower-spec, work-focussed HiLux variants for load-carrying duties.

This set-up is intended to offer a softer ride on road – and it does – but off-road it's a different story. Even on minor imperfections (small potholes, minor corrugations and the like) on dirt tracks it tends to thump and bump in and out and it doesn't offer such a comfortable all-round ride as you might be hoping.

I didn’t have much weight onboard – vehicle-recovery gear, a first-aid kit, four Maxtrax and an air compressor – and it will, of course, settle down with more of a load but I was expecting the multi-purpose suspension to be better than it was at soaking up a track’s lumps and bumps – it’s not terrible, but it is noticeable.

However, in terms of pure off-road effectiveness, the HiLux is impressive.

It's never been an underperforming 4WD, it’s simply never been as refined or as comfortably capable as others, such as the Ranger, but it is much more comfortably capable now than it used to be.

There is plenty of power and torque in this HiLux and while this six-speed manual version has 80Nm less than the auto version, it uses what it has really well. The 2.8-litre is a tractable engine and works well as part of an effective powertrain that is well suited to low-range 4WDing. There is a heap of torque at low revs, which is great for low-speed, technical off-roading.

Low-speed throttle response is also impressive, offering nice control when you need it.

I have driven auto HiLuxes in the past and the auto is very clever and it may be your better bet, but I like the manual.

Ground clearance is listed as 224mm and while the HiLux doesn’t have any trouble clearing most jagged rock steps or tree roots you’ll likely encounter on a weekend trip, I didn’t have the opportunity to seriously scrutinise the 700mm wading depth because our testing area was pretty dry. Next time.

Off-road angles – 29-degree approach and 26-degree departure (no rampover is listed) – all check out, even though they are a little shallower than the Rugged or the Rogue variants, they are fine for light-to-moderate 4WDing.

The off-road traction control system in this HiLux is well calibrated and if you do need more dirt-grabbing ability, then this ute does have a rear diff lock.

The only real off-roading weaknesses in the HiLux package are the tyres (Dunlop Grandtrek A/T 31, 265/60R18 110H). They’re not well suited for anything more than light to moderate 4WDing. If you’re planning anything rougher than a well-maintained dirt road in dry weather then consider replacing the showroom tyres with a set of decent all-terrain tires, light-truck construction preferably and away you go.

In terms of towing capacity the SR5 is rated to tow 750kg unbraked, and 3500kg braked.

Payload is a listed 900kg, Gross Vehicle Mass is 3090kg and Gross Combined Mass is 6300kg (a 450kg increase).

While nothing mechanical has changed onboard this vehicle, the combination of 4WD set-up, driver-assist tech, rear diff lock, as well as structural modifications (such as thicker steel in the ladder-frame chassis, a stiffer roll-bar, and reinforced side rails) and suspension tweaks (including retuned dampers and re-rated coil springs at the front, and new dampers and softer spring rates on the live-axle rear) all works well together in this current HiLux package.

The HiLux has now drawn closer to the Ranger in terms of comfortable capability, if not matched it.

The missing piece of the Multivan puzzle for me has been the way it drives. Past versions have been less 'car-like' than rivals like the Kia Carnival. It felt like a commercial van to drive, because essentially it was. But that's been fixed.

One of the biggest changes to this new-generation Multivan is the platform on which it's built. Volkswagen has decided to swap the truck-like platform from the past for the 'MQB' platform which underpins vehicles such as the Golf and Tiguan. 

Having spent a few hours driving this new generation Multivan around some great country roads during the launch I can testify that not only is the ride comfortable and composed but this van handles way better than you might imagine.

While the Multivan is in no way a sports car, good handling adds to the fun factor. It's easy to drive with light, accurate and direct steering, good acceleration and smooth gear changes from the transmission, great pedal feel under your feet and superb visibility from the high seating position and oversized windows all around.

That said, I enjoyed driving the previous generation Multivan. I loved its fun and easy piloting factor and the change in platform for this new-gen model makes the experience even more pleasurable.

Volkswagen's Multivan scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating under 2022 criteria (tested by Euro NCAP). Safety tech includes AEB, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, front and rear parking sensors and emergency assistance.

Importantly, side curtain airbags extend to cover all three rows; there's also a centre airbag between the driver and front passenger.

A pleasant surprise was finding how non-intrusive a lot of the safety tech onboard the Multivan is. While there's steering assistance there are no annoying alarms and bells as you'll find in other vehicles. In trying to focus your attention on the road they only distract you further.

The HiLux has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Service intervals are scheduled for every six months or 10,000km and cost $395 per service.

Toyota Australia has about 300 dealerships across the country.

This type of warranty is pretty standard among the HiLux's rivals so the Toyota ute does remain competitive, in terms of these ownership costs.

The Multivan is covered by Volkswagen’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or annually and will cost you between about $600-800 a year.