The renowned Toyota Hilux continues to dominate European pick-up sales. Vehicle sales totalled 21,866 in 2010, representing almost 25% of the market share. This makes the Toyota pick-up the segment sales leader for the third consecutive year.
With the launch of the Hilux 2012, Toyota introduces a new design and further improves the model's renowned quality, durability and reliability.
The Hilux 2012's new interior has been extensively revised with a refined design which reinforces the pick-up's credentials as a leisure vehicle. It offers improved sensory quality throughout the cabin, and passenger car levels of convenience.
The interior features a new upper dashboard design in which a new, horizontal centre instrument cluster reinforces the breadth and roominess of the cabin. It incorporates Toyota Touch, a 6.1", full colour, touch screen multimedia unit.
Perceived quality has been significantly improved through the adoption of uniformly darker finishes with a greater colour consistency throughout the interior, and the addition of silver ornamentation.
The front of the Hilux 2012 is entirely redesigned from the A pillar forwards, with a new bonnet, radiator grille, headlamps and front bumper. The vehicle profile is further enhanced by newly designed front and rear wings, redesigned 15" and 17" steel and alloy wheels, and new door mirrors.
In order to create a stronger differentiation between ‘workhorse', ‘dual usage' and ‘leisure' versions, the Hilux 2012 is now available in four grades: DLX, the new DLX+, SR and SR+.
Fulfilling a ‘workhorse'/‘dual usage' role, the brand new DLX+ grade is available with 2WD or 4WD 2.5 D-4D powertrains mated to a manual transmission in Single Cab, Extra Cab and Double Cab body styles, and with a 4WD 3.0 D-4D powertrain and manual transmission as a Double Cab only.
With a choice of three body types, two engines, manual and automatic transmission and two- or four-wheel drive, Europe's pick-up of choice now satisfies the requirements of an even wider professional and leisure customer base.
Through the introduction of variable nozzle turbocharging, Hilux 2012 2WD 2.5 D-4D models benefit from a 24 hp increase in power. The engine now develops 144 hp at 3600 rpm and 343 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm.
Despite this power increase, combined cycle fuel consumption has been reduced by 1.0 l/100 km to 7.3 l/100 km and CO2 emissions lowered by 26 g/km to only 193 g/km.
In addition, Hilux 2012 2WD versions are now equipped with the more robust chassis design of 4WD models. This not only improves vehicle ground clearance, but also increases the two-wheel drive models' towing capacity to 2.5 tons.
Thanks to the adoption of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) both 2.5 D-4D and 3.0 D-4D engines are now EURO V compliant.
Produced at Toyota Motor Thailand and Toyota South Africa Motors, the Hilux 2012 will be available in 36 European countries, and more than 135 throughout the world.
With anticipated European sales of almost 26,000 units in 2011, the Toyota Hilux success story is set to continue.
