The popularity of the lifestyle pickup truck segment is still fairly low in the Indian market, but the Toyota nameplate could help the Hilux attract buyers
The Toyota Hilux is one of the oldest vehicles from the manufacturer that is currently on sale, since it was originally launched back in 1968. Currently in its eighth-gen avatar, the Hilux is considered as one of the most rugged and capable pickup trucks at its price point, in the countries that it is sold in.
However, a new report by Autocar India suggests that India could soon be added to the aforementioned list of countries where the Hilux is available. According to the report, Toyota is considering bringing the Hilux to the Indian market, and the pickup truck will go on to rival the only other truck in the segment – the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross.
The Hilux is built on the same ‘IMV-2’ platform as the Toyota Innova and even the Fortuner, and hence, shares its powertrains and a whole lot of components with the two cars too. Keeping that in mind, Toyota will have no trouble in bringing the Hilux to India, since sharing components with the Innova and Fortuner will help keep the production costs low.
As far as dimensions are concerned, the foreign-spec Hilux has a length of 5,285 mm, a width of 1855 mm, a height of 1815 mm and a 3085 mm long wheelbase. This means that the Hilux is 535 mm longer than the India-spec Fortuner, while the former also has a 340 mm longer wheelbase as compared to the full-size SUV.
As of now, Toyota is conducting a feasibility study for the Hilux pickup truck as a lifestyle vehicle for the Indian market, since the demand for lifestyle pickup trucks is still low in the country. However, the Hilux could work if Toyota manages to price it aggressively, since it will attract buyers looking for a high-riding and practical hauler.
The report also suggests that Toyota is aiming to price it around the Rs 15 lakh mark for the entry-level variant, going all the way up to Rs 20 lakh for the higher variants with all the bells and whistles.
