Reportedly showing itself next month, newly uncovered information alleges the Hilux will, initially, retain only one of the present GD-6 turbodiesel engines.
Hinted at in a series of teaser sketches two months ago, the apparent discovery of engine details in Australia has additionally been accompanied by a supposed reveal date of the “next generation” Toyota Hilux.
Not fully ‘new’
First sighted undergoing testing at the beginning of the year, the replacement for the current decade-old internally named AN110 Hilux will not be an entirely new model as it will continue to make use of the IMV platform rather than switching to the newer TNGA-F used by the Land Cruiser 300, Land Cruiser Prado, Lexus GX and LX.
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Set to receive a completely restyled exterior and, as per the mentioned sketches, an interior seemingly derived from the Prado, the newly uncovered powertrain details suggest only a single powerunit will be offered.
Goodbye 2.4 and 2.7
According to carexpert.com.au, documents submitted to the country’s infrastructure department under the stringent Australia Design Rules or ADR regulations only names the 1GD-FTV engine in two forms: HI and MHEV.
The internal code for the 2.8 GD-6 turbodiesel engine, the latter designations identifies the former as the high-powered unit that makes 165kW/550Nm in the present Hilux GR Sport, while the latter denotes the 48-volt mild-hybrid assisted unit used in the Hilux 48V.
Absent, and thereby assumption discontinued, is the 2.4 GD-6 known as 2GD-FTV, and the long-serving 2.7-litre 2TR-FE petrol.
New 2.0-litre petrol?
Going a step further, the publication further claims that the dropping of the latter, which has been available in the Hilux as part of the TR family of engines since 2004, won’t go unfounded as it will be replaced by Toyota’s latest 2.0-litre turbo-petrol around 2028.
Revealed last year as part of a collaboration with Mazda and Subaru, the new unit has been designed without needing electrification and can produce between 221 kW and 441 kW without hybrid assistance.
For use in the Hilux, the mill will develop around 224 kW, an increase of 102 kW from the 2.7’s 122 kW.
Paying closer analysis to the document, which names the Hilux as AN2 internally, drive.com.au states that apart from the reduction in engine options, the Xtra Cab bodystyle will be dropped, leaving only the single cab and double cab.
Rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive options will remain, along with the manual gearbox and an automatic, the latter rumoured to be the same eight-speed automatic as on the Prado.
Opposite of Carexpet’s claims, the Drive analysis claims non-electrification will still happen, allowing for the retention of the manual ‘box on likely lower-end single cab models only.
Launching in 2025
Meanwhile, a related report from Thailand, has claimed that the Hilux’s world reveal will now happen next month.
Set to be known in said market as the Hilux Travo, headlightmag.com alleges the official unveiling as taking place at the Thailand Motor Expo that starts on 28 November in the capital, Bangkok.
A move that will, however, still see key export markets getting the Hilux in 2026, local production at the Prospecton plant outside Durban is expected to commence soon after.
“[The next generation] will have exciting features and upgrades, I think our customers will enjoy,” Toyota South Africa Motors President and CEO, Andrew Kirby, told The Citizen at the launch of the Prado in Mozambique last year.
More soon
Seemingly less than a month away, don’t be surprised if more details do emerge over the next few weeks and days.
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