2026 Toyota Hilux Review: First Impressions
- Tough and highly capable
- Improved ride comfort
- Proven diesel powertrain
- Contemporary exterior styling
- Missing premium features
- Reduced creature comforts
Toyota Hilux has entered a new generation with sharper styling, a modern cabin and the same rugged DNA. But beneath the fresh design lies a story that isn't as straightforward as it first appears. Has Toyota genuinely improved the Hilux, or has the pursuit of modernity come at an unexpected cost?
Some cars evolve. Others reinvent themselves. And then there are Toyotas. They change only when absolutely necessary, and usually after what feels like several meetings, a committee vote and perhaps a written approval from the reliability department.
The Hilux has always been one of those vehicles.
It isn't bought because it has the biggest touchscreen or the fanciest ambient lighting. It's bought because it's a Hilux. A machine with an almost mythical reputation for surviving things most vehicles wouldn't even want to look at. Floods, deserts, construction sites, mountains, you'd probably trust a Hilux more than your own Wi-Fi connection.
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So when Toyota announced an all-new generation for India, expectations were fairly straightforward. Keep the toughness, modernise the cabin and, perhaps, throw in a few features that justify the asking price.
Toyota has certainly modernised it. Whether it has actually improved it is where things become rather interesting.
Finally Looks Like It Belongs In 2026:
Let's start with what everyone notices first. The design.
The outgoing Hilux always looked like it had just finished a day's work before arriving at the showroom. Functional, purposeful and unapologetically utilitarian. The new Hilux looks different. Much different. The front fascia is bolder, the grille is re-styled, the lighting is sharper and the overall stance feels considerably more contemporary. Park it next to the older model and the difference is immediately obvious. One looks like a dependable workhorse, the other looks like it spends weekends towing jet skis to a marina.
And that's exactly what Toyota has been trying to achieve.
This isn't a design revolution for the sake of it. It's Toyota acknowledging that today's pickup buyer isn't necessarily carrying cement bags. They're just as likely to be carrying mountain bikes, camping gear or absolutely nothing at all while enjoying the road presence.
Does it look better? That's subjective.
Does it look newer? Absolutely.
And that's precisely what Toyota wanted.
The Cabin Is Simultaneously Better And Worse:
Step inside and your first impression is overwhelmingly positive.
The dashboard has finally entered the modern era. The new bigger and modern infotainment display immediately lifts the ambience, while the redesigned centre console, wireless charging pad, and USB Type-C ports make the cabin feel far more contemporary than before.
It's cleaner. Better organised and looks like it actually belongs in a 2026 vehicle. For the first five minutes, you'll probably think Toyota has nailed it.
And then you begin noticing what isn't there. The previous Hilux offered automatic climate control. This one doesn't. Instead, you're greeted by manual air-conditioning controls in a vehicle that comfortably sits above the ₹30 lakh mark. Then you move to the rear seats. The older Hilux had dedicated rear AC vents. The new one doesn't.
That isn't simply deleting a feature from a brochure. That's deleting something rear passengers will actually appreciate every single summer.
And if that wasn't enough, the electrically adjustable driver's seat from the outgoing model has also made way for manual adjustment.
It's genuinely baffling. Toyota has spent money making the cabin look considerably more premium, yet simultaneously removed equipment that owners interact with every single day.
The result is a cabin that photographs better than it actually feels.
The New Features Are Genuinely Useful
Now, before this review turns into an extended therapy session about missing features, it's worth acknowledging that Toyota has added plenty of worthwhile equipment.
The 360-degree camera is brilliant. Not because it's flashy, but because it's useful.
The Hilux is a large pickup and placing it accurately in city traffic or tight parking spaces has never been particularly relaxing. The camera dramatically reduces that stress. Wireless charging, Type-C ports and the larger infotainment system also bring the Hilux in line with modern expectations.
The interface feels more contemporary and the cabin is undeniably a nicer place to spend time than before.
Toyota deserves credit for that.
The problem is that every time you appreciate something new, you're reminded of something that quietly disappeared.
It Still Drives Like A Hilux
Thankfully, Toyota hasn't meddled with the fundamentals.
Under the bonnet sits the familiar 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 204 PS and 500 Nm, paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. On paper, almost nothing has changed. On the road, that's actually reassuring. This engine was never lacking.
It delivers torque effortlessly, feels relaxed at highway speeds and still possesses that reassuringly undefeated character Hilux owners expect.
Would another 20 horsepower have been welcome? Certainly. Do you actually miss it? Not really. The engine continues to suit the Hilux perfectly.
The Ride Has Matured:
If there's one area where Toyota deserves more praise than it will probably receive, it's ride quality. The outgoing Hilux could occasionally remind you that it was, at heart, a ladder-frame pickup.
The new one feels slightly more composed. It still isn't trying to masquerade as a luxury SUV, but bumps are absorbed with slightly greater sophistication and the overall ride feels calmer, particularly on broken roads.
There's still significant vertical movement from the rear suspension as expected in a pickup, but it's noticeably better controlled than before.
Capability? Absolutely Untouched:
Here's the important bit. Despite all the arguments about climate control and seat adjustments, Toyota hasn't diluted what makes the Hilux legendary. It remains every bit as capable off-road as before.
The chassis is immensely robust, the drivetrain feels as dependable as ever and it continues to possess the sort of mechanical confidence that encourages you to drive further than common sense would normally allow.
This remains a Hilux in every meaningful way. It will climb, wade, crawl and endure with the same quiet competence that has built its reputation over decades. If anything, that's the biggest compliment you can pay it.
Toyota resisted the temptation to soften the Hilux into just another lifestyle SUV.
The 4x2 Makes Sense:
Another significant change is the introduction of a 4x2 automatic variant. Purists may grumble that a Hilux without four-wheel drive somehow misses the point.
They're not entirely wrong. But Toyota understands the market.
Many buyers simply want the commanding seating position, immense road presence, practicality and sheer indestructible image of the Hilux without ever venturing beyond a gravel driveway.
For them, the 4x2 broadens the appeal of the range considerably. It's a sensible addition, even if traditionalists continue to raise an eyebrow.
So, Is It Better?
That's the question Toyota would probably like answered with a simple "yes."
Unfortunately, the answer isn't quite that straightforward. The new Hilux unquestionably looks more modern.
The infotainment system is vastly improved. The 360-degree camera is genuinely useful. Ride quality has become more polished.
And the pickup remains as capable and dependable as ever.
But it also loses features that the previous Indian model already offered. And those omissions are difficult to ignore because they're not luxury gimmicks. They're features owners actually use every day.
Toyota seems to have prioritised visual modernity over everyday convenience.
Whether that trade-off works for you depends entirely on what you expect from a ₹30 lakh-plus pickup.
The Final Word:
The new Toyota Hilux is not a bad vehicle. Far from it.
It remains one of the toughest, most capable pickups you can buy in India, with slightly improved ride comfort, a thoroughly proven powertrain and styling that finally feels contemporary.
But this is also one of the rare new-generation vehicles that somehow manages to feel more modern while simultaneously feeling less generously equipped than the model it replaces.
That's a strange achievement.
If your priorities are capability, reliability and ruggedness, nothing has changed. The Hilux remains the benchmark.
If your priorities are cabin equipment and creature comforts, however, you may find yourself looking back at the outgoing model and wondering why Toyota felt the need to remove features it had already got right.
The new Hilux isn't a worse pickup. But whether it's a better Hilux? That's a debate worth having.
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