New details allege that the next-generation Toyota Hilux may not use the all-new TNGA-F platform as previously thought.
Instead, Autoesporte reports that the bakkie will ride on an upgraded variant of the current IMV chassis that has been doing duty in the country’s best-selling car for about a decade.
The bakkie is already in development allegedly under internal project code 640X, with the Brazilian publication reporting that Toyota has begun quoting suppliers for components.
These quotes, which Autoesporte claims to have seen, purportedly show that the next evolution of the Hilux is underpinned by a substantially updated IMV platform instead of the TNGA-F foundation that props up the new Prado and Land Cruiser 300.
It’s unlikely to retain the same dimensions, however.
The website states that the bodywork has also been on the receiving end of wide-ranging changes, and to keep up with rivals such as the Ford Ranger and GWM P-Series, the Hilux will have to grow by a few centimetres in most directions.
Other details uncovered in the documents suggest that the mild-hybrid powertrain found in the current generation will also feature prominently in the upcoming model.
The system incorporates the automaker’s trusty 2.8-litre diesel mill in partnership with a small electric motor and a 0.2kWh lithium-ion battery – the latter of which replaces the alternator and starter motor in the normal variants.
The driveline is expected to retain the current output levels of 150kW and 500Nm, which is on par with the rest of the market.
Current-generation mild-hybrid Toyota Hilux
Everything we know
It’s widely anticipated that the new Hilux will be revealed to the world in mid-to-late 2025 in time for a commercial rollout in early 2026.
Like the current generation, the upcoming model will be built at Toyota’s Durban factory.
The automaker announced in August 2024 that it is busy establishing a new R1.2-billion component manufacturing plant at the Dube Tradeport in KwaZulu-Natal, which is likely being set up to support the production of the next-gen Hilux.
The new parts facility will supply a range of necessities exclusively to Toyota including rocker panels, radiator supports, sills, roof rails, body pillars, and rear floor cross parts, and it’s earmarked to open its doors in July 2025.
The mid-2025 launch date suggests that the manufacturer will start requiring these components shortly thereafter, perhaps for building up a stockpile of the next-gen Hilux before it officially goes on sale.
Head of Toyota South Africa Motors, Andrew Kirby, told The Citizen in July this year that the next-gen Hilux “will not be coming to market next year” – i.e. 2025.
Nevertheless, his wording suggests that it could still be unveiled in 2025 albeit not going on sale in the same calendar.
Toyota took the wraps off the new Prado in August 2023 well before the commencement of its market rollout in early 2024, and it might be eyeing a similar strategy with the Hilux.
Additionally, Toyota Australia’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide that we’ll “have to wait until ’25” when asked whether the bakkie will retain its diesel power.
These hints all point to a potential 2025 reveal and 2026 launch date for the new Hilux.
2023 Toyota Hilux Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Prototype
Apart from the mild-hybrid option, the upcoming Toyota is expected to receive a range of powertrains as time passes including petrol, diesel, hybrid, electric, and hydrogen.
At the 2024 Bangkok International Motor Show, company executives told the media that a battery-electric (BEV) version of the next-gen Hilux should be set to go to market before 2026, Reuters reported.
Toyota already has a Hilux BEV concept with a driving potential of approximately 230km that has been functioning as a rolling laboratory for studying the feasibility of battery power since 2022.
It is also developing hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) powertrains in tandem with BMW, which the automakers announced should be market-ready by 2028.
Toyota has even gone so far as to develop 10 Hilux FCEV prototypes which are undergoing “rigorous testing around the world to ensure safety, dynamic performance, functionality, and durability meet the high standards required of a production model,” said the manufacturer.
The system was adopted from the Mirai and stores hydrogen in three high-pressure fuel tanks, which when filled completely gives the Hilux FCEV an expected driving range of more than 600km.
Back to the more traditional propulsion technologies, Toyota Australia’s Hanley also said the company is in the process of developing a plug-in hybrid option for the new Hilux, which will reportedly offer over 200km of pure-electric driving range.
Apart from these, future buyers can expect variations of the regular 2.4-litre and 2.8-litre diesel, and 2.0-litre and 2.7-litre petrol mills found in the existing version.
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