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Based on the latest and previous images, the Hilux won't be an all-new model, but reportedly the most extensive update handed to the current generation.
“Next generation” Toyota Hilux has been spied, once again, ahead of its reported world debut in 2026. Image: Toyota
With little having emerged since the uncovering of the first spy images in January, the incoming “next generation” Toyota Hilux has made its second appearance ahead of its supposed unveiling in 2026.
Not entirely new
Spotted undergoing testing in Thailand, where principal production takes place, the series of images, posted on social media on Wednesday (25 June) shows the still heavily disguised Hilux sporting what appears to be new headlights and a restyled grille, as well as a new front bumper.
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At the rear, new vertical taillights clusters, seemingly identical to those of the Volkswagen Amarok, feature, along with what appears to be a new bumper with an integrated step.
Same same
Set to adopt the Hilux Travo name in Thailand based on the discovery of a trademark submission at the beginning of the year, the latest images by the Kurdistan_Automotive_Blog on Instagram didn’t provide any technical details of what is believed to be another facelift of the current AN110 Hilux than a completely new model.
Sporting the same silhouette as the AN110 that debuted a decade ago, the apparent most extensive refresh in its prolonged lifecycle is unlikely to result in any new powertrains, meaning the retention of the venerable 2.8 GD-6 turbodiesel engine, possibly with and without the 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
Set to remain on the IMV platform rather than moving to the TNGA-F that underpins the Land Cruiser Prado, Land Cruiser 300, Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, Lexus GX and LX, reports from Australia have, however, alleged that the Hilux could possibly receive the eight-speed automatic from the former, though this remains unconfirmed at present.
Possible changes
Its foundation, currently also used by the Fortuner and Hilux Champ/Rangga likely to be updated, the Hilux’s interior will suggestively also undergo a series of revisions to offset its age, of which the exact extent remains unclear.
Speculatively, these are likely to consist of upgraded materials, a new dashboard housing a bigger infotainment display, and possibly a fully digital instrument cluster on higher-end derivatives.
More before 2026?
“[Hilux] is extremely important to us as a business and a company. It is the most important vehicle we manufacture and sell… it is our core model,” Toyota South Africa Motors President and CEO, Andrew Kirby, told The Citizen on the sidelines of the Land Cruiser Prado’s launch in Mozambique last year.
“[The next generation] will have exciting features and upgrades, I think our customers will enjoy”.
Rumoured back in 2023 as being inline for unveiling in 2025, expectations are that the Hilux will possibly debut early next year before arriving in key markets throughout 2026.
Despite no clear details being known at present, expect more, and additional spy images, to emerge throughout the remainder of the year.
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