Toyota HiLux 2026 review: Australian preview drive

Finally, a new HiLux! A vehicle Toyota has been plotting and planning for a decade. And I know what you must be thinking: what the hell were they doing with the other nine-and-a-half years?

And I take your point. We all thought this would be Toyota’s chance to snatch back the dual-cab crown from the Ford Ranger, to fend off the BYD Shark 6, and to remind the ever-growing horde of ute contenders that if you come at the workhorse king, you’d better not miss.

And yet here we find the long-awaited and 'all-new' HiLux rides on the same platform, is powered by the same diesel engine, has the same gearbox, the same basic dimensions, effectively the same tray, and is - save the front and the tray steps - the same basic vehicle.

But there have been lots of little changes made to this iconic workhorse that really do improve the formula. Whether that’s enough will be up to you.

So, where to start? Toyota bills this as the most Australian HiLux ever, with the brand's Melbourne-based design team spearheading the exterior design (based, just so you know, on a theme called 'Cyber Sumo') which sees a very different front end and a bed now equipped with tray steps attempt to carry the HiLux into the future.

The front-end look especially will take existing HiLux fans some time to get used to, with new slimmer headlights and a honeycomb-style grille separated from the lower bumper to give the impression the two are completely separate. That was on purpose, Toyota Australia's design chief Nick Hogios tells us, with the model's front end intended to give the HiLux a more future-proof look.

Inside, though, there's a significant amount of change. While Toyota in Australia has copped criticism for its old-school cabin tech in the past, this new HiLux feels a world apart, with all grades getting a new digital instrument cluster (a 7.0-inch screen in the Workmate and SR, and a 12.3-inch screen on SR5 and higher).

There's also a new 12.3-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both wired and wireless, which further revolutionises the cabin experience. There are also new seats front and rear, a new dash design to improve visibility, and a new centre console configuration, which is now taller and - the brand says - more comfortable.

Toyota says people want tech, not annoying tech, and so there are still a number of physical buttons and controls to access what you need to access, and the tech we engaged with (albeit briefly) felt organic and easy to use, too.

Another key focus for this new generation is a rationalised range and engine offering. Now, the HiLux steps from Workmate ($47,990-$53,990) to SR ($52,990-$59,490), SR5 ($63,990-$65,990), Rogue ($71,990) then to the Rugged X ($71,990). All those prices are MSRP for the pick-up body style. And that’s it, with no GR Sport, at least for now.

Also gone is the entry-level petrol engine, a victim of emissions regulations. And the 48-volt mild-hybrid system appears on everything from SR and up, provided you opt for the six-speed automatic gearbox.

There is now a genuine HiLux BEV, too, but details are slim for now. It’s mostly for mining firms, and not really for many private customers, so we’re going to largely skip over that here.

The diesel is the one you care about, and chief among the mechanical changes is a new electric power steering system that's much lighter and easier on the arms, and there’s new suspension tuning with a light and heavy-duty option, while new mounts and other stiffening measures aim to reduce road noise and vibration.

Under the bonnet is the same 2.8-litre diesel, meaning 150kW and 500Nm, and most now arrive with 48-volt assistance with the six-speed auto gearbox.

So, how does it drive? We put both old and new back to back on the same roads, and it’s here that the differences are genuinely noticeable. It's far less jittery over faster bumps, and less jolting over bigger ones. It sits flatter and feels more composed at speed on loose surfaces. It's quieter (but still not all that quiet), and the acceleration, though no faster, feels more progressive and ironed out. The steering is far lighter and easier, too.

The suspension has been tuned and tested in Australia. The independent coil-sprung front and rigid axle leaf sprung rear suspension in the Workmate and SR trims has been 'revised' as the heavy option, while SR5 and up get a more compliant ride aimed at boosting comfort.

We mostly tested the latter, but found it noticeably more liveable when back-to-backed with the current model, with progress feeling more settled and less jumpy across the board.

We are yet to tow in the new model, but can confidently report it remains an off-road weapon. We tested it on properly rutted, rocky and mud-slicked inclines - the kind that I honestly wasn't sure we'd manage to get up, given how slippery, chopped-up and sodden it had become on a typically horrific Melbourne day - and the HiLux shone, overcoming my ham-fisted efforts with its rear locking differential and Multi-Terrain Select brain to conquer what looked at times unconquerable.

Does it feel light years off the current HiLux on the road? Nope. It’s still in the same galaxy, but at least it’s on a planet orbiting closer to the most car-like utes in Australia.

It's an army of small mechanical changes, rather than any huge ones, and a legitimately overhauled cabin, for the new HiLux. And they do improve the formula considerably. But whether they're exciting enough to lure customers out of the Ford Ranger and BYD Shark 6 remains to be seen.

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

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.