Toyota gives HiLux SR, SR5 an Australian facelift
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 23rd Aug 2018
TOYOTA Motor Corporation Australia (TMCA) has called upon its Port Melbourne-based design studio to pen the front end of the facelifted HiLux SR and SR5 variants now on sale.
The SR and SR5’s new front-end look may look familiar, as it was first employed by the recently-introduced HiLux Rogue flagship that was also penned by TMCA designers.
Applied to all SR and SR5 extra-cab and double-cab variants, the restyled front end features a large trapezoidal grille with a honeycomb insert – inspired by the US-market Tacoma full-size pick-up – as well as outboard foglights on the tweaked bumper.
The grille and foglight bezels are trimmed in chrome.
While SR5 variants include LED headlights and foglights as standard, their SR counterparts instead use halogen bulbs for front-end lighting. Prior to this facelift, SR variants did not feature foglights.
Furthermore, all diesel HiLux variants – including the 2.4- and 2.8-litre engines – are now fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration switch that allows drivers “to manually initiate a ‘burn’ to cleanse the system and reduce harmful emissions” when prompted, according to TMCA.
“The diesel particulate filter (DPF) works by capturing fine particles before they are emitted through the exhaust and regularly burning them off at extremely high temperatures,” it said.
“Under normal operating conditions, this is controlled by the engine's electronic control unit (ECU) and automatically happens without any input needed from the driver.
“But in rare cases if the vehicle is not driven long enough at high speeds to enable this, the filter becomes overloaded.”
A DPF regeneration switch has also been fitted to all variants of the Fortuner upper-large SUV, which is based on the same platform as the HiLux and motivated by the aforementioned 2.8-litre diesel engine.
Claimed fuel consumption on the combined cycle test and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been reduced for some SR and SR5 variants fitted with the HiLux’s optional six-speed automatic transmission.
Specifically, 4x2 variants now consume 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres (down 0.2L/100km) and emit 209 grams per kilometre (down 4g/km).
Meanwhile, 4x4 variants drink 0.1L/100km less, at 8.4L/100km, and are 3g/km less pollutant, at 220g/km.
With the exception of 4x2 Hi-Rider SR, 4x4 SR extra-cab chassis, and 4x4 SR double-cab chassis and pick-up variants that are $80 dearer than before, pricing has held steady for all HiLux variants.
According to TCMA vice-president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley, the decision to extend Australia’s design influence on the HiLux was justified.
“When we styled the Rogue, we knew it was the right design for the growing top-end recreational ute market, and our faith in that has now been borne out with the same face adopted on SR and SR5 HiLux models,” he said.
“The ute market has clearly shifted in the past decade, and as Australia's best-selling vehicle, HiLux now offers a more contemporary, bold and refined style to go with its 'unbreakable' reputation.”
Sales the 4x2 and 4x4 HiLux have this year continued to lead the Australian market, with 30,149 examples sold to the end of July – an 11.2 per cent increase over the 27,120 deliveries made during the same period in 2017.
As such, the HiLux is also the best-selling model in the ute segment, outpacing the Ford Ranger (25,056 units), Mitsubishi Triton (15,233), Holden Colorado (11,065), Isuzu D-Max (10,439) and Nissan Navara (9494), among others.
2018 Toyota HiLux pricing*
| 4x2 single-cab chassis | |
| WorkMate 2.7 P | $20,990 |
| WorkMate 2.7 P (a) | $22,990 |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD | $24,990 |
| 4x2 extra-cab pick-up | |
| Hi-Rider SR 2.8 TD (a) | $40,990 (+$80) |
| 4x2 double-cab pick-up | |
| WorkMate 2.7 P | $30,690 |
| WorkMate 2.7 P (a) | $32,690 |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD | $33,990 |
| Hi-Rider WorkMate 2.4 TD (a) | $39,490 |
| Hi-Rider SR 2.8 TD | $39,990 (+$80) |
| Hi-Rider SR 2.8 TD (a) | $41,990 (+$80) |
| Hi-Rider SR5 2.8 TD (a) | $49,940 |
| 4x4 single-cab chassis | |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD | $36,990 |
| SR 2.8 TD | $39,410 |
| SR 2.8 TD (a) | $41,410 |
| 4x4 extra-cab chassis | |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD (a) | $42,490 |
| SR 2.8 TD | $42,990 (+$80) |
| SR 2.8 TD (a) | $44,990 (+$80) |
| 4x4 extra-cab pick-up | |
| SR5 2.8 TD (a) | $54,440 |
| 4x4 double-cab chassis | |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD (a) | $44,490 |
| SR 2.8 TD | $45,140 (+$80) |
| SR 2.8 TD (a) | $47,140 (+$80) |
| 4x4 double-cab pick-up | |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD | $43,990 |
| WorkMate 2.4 TD (a) | $45,990 |
| SR 2.8 TD | $46,640 (+$80) |
| SR 2.8 TD (a) | $48,640 (+$80) |
| SR+ 2.8 TD | $48,560 |
| SR+ 2.8 TD (a) | $50,560 |
| SR5 2.8 TD | $54,440 |
| SR5 2.8 TD (a) | $56,440 |
| SR5+ 2.8 TD | $56,440 |
| SR5+ 2.8 TD (a) | $58,440 |
| Rugged 2.8 TD | $54,990 |
| Rugged 2.8 TD (a) | $56,990 |
| Rogue 2.8 TD (a) | $61,690 |
| Rugged X 2.8 TD | $61,690 |
| Rugged X 2.8 TD (a) | $63,690 |
*Excludes on-road costs
