toyota hi-lux

[kingdeacon]

me and a mate want to get a 4x4 so we can go off roading, we were thinking of getting a hilux, does anyone know how good they are off road? or if there is a web site on them, i cant find one. we want to jack it right up some how and slap dirty great wheels on it! anyone had one? or know somthing better? thanks...............rob

[Leon]

Hmm notsure exactly how good they are off road... not sure they are the best thing since precut bread tho... (could be wrong, had to roadtest one a while back - seemed OK but not really outstanding)

Don't laugh, cheap, high clearance, hefty 4x4 mechanicals - Lada Cossak...
And no, I am NOT kidding

[Leon]

this is what my mate Andy thought to them (he's a motors journo (one of best in business) and i used to write commercial vehilce tests)
*********

There aren’t too many vehicles that can manage the crossover between leisure and commercial activities with any credibility. The Toyota Hilux must be the key exponent of this balancing act, and in its latest guise, is a far more refined and sophisticated performer than ever before.

Travel to the States and you can hardly move for Dodge Rams, Ford Rangers and Chevy Z71 pickups, but in this country the sight of a flatbed remains relatively rare. Perhaps the latest Hilux can do something about this.

In truth, few of these vehicles will double up as a true dual activity vehicle. Around 70 percent of the pick-up market in this country opts for all wheel drive and over half of these sales are purely leisure oriented. Therefore it makes sense to design into the vehicle the sort of features that buyers expect from their cars without detracting from the rugged nature. That takes some doing and a glance at the latest Hilux specification sheet shows how Toyota have gone about doing this.


"This latest version of the Hilux takes the traditional values of the pick-up to another stage."

Three bodystyles are available, Single Cab, Extra Cab and Double Cab. To help simplify (?) things, Toyota call a Hilux 2WD a 240, the 4WD version a 250 and the Double Cab a 270, reflecting their respective gross vehicle weights. Two engines – an 88 or 102bhp D-4D direct injection common-rail diesel – and four trim levels could effectively generate no fewer than 48 different versions, but thankfully Toyota have limited the available range to six distinct models. Ready? Let’s go.

The entry-level model is the 2WD 88bhp 240 Single Cab. Next up is the 2WD 240 Extra Cab Pick Up in FX trim, which features amenities like air conditioning. This FX model is aimed at fleet customers and owner operators who’ll make use of the occasional seats and the additional luggage stowage capacity, but value items like a CD player, electric windows and central locking.

The entry-level four-wheel drive model is the 102bhp 4WD 250 Single Cab in EX trim followed by the similarly engined 4WD 270 Double Cab, again in EX trim. Still with us? Good. At the top of the range are two genuinely well-appointed models, both 4WD 270 Double Cabs, and available in either GX or range-topping VX grade. The plush VX features alloy wheels, ABS and big overfenders over the rear wheel arches.

Most people will spot the more aggressive frontal styling, the stronger bumper lines and lower valance panels giving the vehicle a more purposeful stance. There’s a different treatment between 2WD and 4WD versions, the all-wheel drive variants being more extreme than the less leisure-oriented rear-wheel driven versions. The headlights have been revised as well, now being the clear-lens jewel effect type that Toyota claim have a "state of the art wave design" but which was somewhat lost on us. As well as a revised rear panel, tail lights and a wider selection of available colours, the interior has also been given a good spruce up.

The instrument cluster is tidier than in old Hilux models, featuring brilliant blue dials, ergonomically superior switches and instrumentation and an oil change warning indicator. A driver’s airbag is standard across the range, while the seats have also been improved, upspec models getting sports seats and cup holders. Accessories like a Truckman hard top, a Tipmaster tail lift and a Bjerg Cap solid tonneau cover can also be specified when you order, whilst prospective VX customers may well covet the optional aluminium loadspace bed.

The key revision to the Hilux range resides under the bonnet. The D-4D common rail diesel architecture has been proven in Shogun, Avensis and Corolla models and makes its debut in the Hilux, offering better performance, lower fuel consumption and increased parts durability. This means a reduced cost of ownership with the not inconsequential benefit that the Hilux is now more responsive and fun to drive.

An advanced oil management system means that you won’t need to change your engine oil until 10,000 miles racks up on the odometer and service intervals are now matched to Toyota passenger cars – an impressive 20,000 miles. If you want to find any other pick up with that kind of service interval, the shortlist will be extremely short. Like, zero short. The entry-level D-4D engine makes 88bhp and a decent 139lb/ft of torque. If you opt for the more powerful 102bhp version that torque figure swells to 188lb/ft. As the world’s first common-rail engine in a pick up, buyers can expect to find the usual D-4D benefits – low noise, quick starting and emission levels that won’t plague your conscience.

These emissions are reduced still further by the use of a highly sophisticated drive by wire accelerator pedal. The pedal position is measured by an electronic sensor which passes this information to the engine’s brain, the ECU. This advanced throttle control results in better fuel economy, a crisp response when you plant the pedal and cleaner output.

This latest version of the Hilux takes the traditional values of the pick-up to another stage. By including much of the refinement of a car in a vehicle that’s already a well-proven workhorse, Toyota is offering the best of both worlds to buyers - the practicality of a pick-up as well as the creature comforts of a car. Britain is already one of Europe's most significant markets for the Hilux. Looks like there'll be no change there then.

[kingdeacon]

mate of mine has a Lada Cossak, and your right it is ace for off roading, takes alot of 5ite! but i would rather have a big wheeled hi-lux on the drive than a lada. and it jap so should go on for ever, just like the 200sx, ok, for i while :D

[jibber]

i tied to talk the bird into having a cossack a few months ago, save her driving my 200, anyway she was having none of it. went to look at one, i liked it 1600 injection 35k 1owner on a p plate £1000. and that was a main rover dealer. just a bit tacky and cheep. if i had to get a second car for myself i would have one. :eek:

[Billy]

Yeah, Ladas rock off-road! Walk all over a Land Rover.

Nice and light, (no seperate chassis)
Proper suspension
Bomb-proof transmission
Cheap to buy and fix
You can drop a Fiat twin-cam straight in
No-one will nick it
And apparently they hold the world record for a petrol engined car running at altitude.....

[The Gill]

I used to drive a Hilux when I was a site engineer - fun to drive but not a patch on a Land Rover for off-roading (no dif lock).

I used to get bogged down all the time - but never in the Landy.

Mind you HiLux's are cheap as chips and pretty reliable so they are good way to start.

[kingdeacon]

does anyone know if the lada niva has diff lock?

[Billy]

Originally posted by kingdeacon:
<STRONG>does anyone know if the lada niva has diff lock?</STRONG>

Yeah, it has a centre diff lock. And a low ratio transfer box.

[Nathan_200sx]

Originally posted by Billy:
<STRONG>Yeah, Ladas rock off-road! Walk all over a Land Rover.

Nice and light, (no seperate chassis)
Proper suspension
Bomb-proof transmission
Cheap to buy and fix
You can drop a Fiat twin-cam straight in
No-one will nick it
And apparently they hold the world record for a petrol engined car running at altitude.....</STRONG>

The lada is more nimble but cannot take as much battering as the land rover both have good ground clearence but the lada cannot handle the realy bad ruts especialy when theyre dry and like concreate whereas the land rover just smashes through them, due to its strength and momentum once it gets moving. you can also drive it through deeper water than a lada which is very bouyant and it skips of the bed and losses traction. we used to use a lwb at off road event's and it kicked ass. One of it's biggest asset was being able to climb near vertical slopes in the wet and still feel solid. we rolled it on it's side once becuase we didnt see another track 5ft below and just drove straight off. we just rolled it on it's wheels topped up the oil and off we went. the only damage was to the bonnet exit exhaust. I have some realy good pics, if I can find somewhere to host them Ill post them up including one of a susuki balanceing on its spare wheel halfway down a slope.
Back to the origonal question about the hilux, they arnt bad but you have to be carefull as they are realy easy to roll comming down slopes and the arse end likes to swing about on decent aswell.

[Nathan_200sx]

And 2 very important tips 1/ never ever brake going down steep slopes, use the engine 2/ never drive with your thumbs inside the steering wheel, if you do youll loose them the 1st time you hit an unexpected rut.

[Billy]

I read a review in a classic :eek: car mag a while back, comparing a Lada, a Landy and something else and the Lada managed the best overall off road. It was close, but then the Lada had a broken driveshaft, so it was hardly fair!

Nath, you're probably right though, I've never off-roaded a Landy, and I forgot the newer ones don't have cart springs anymore.

I chose mine on cost. 30k one owner, £600. I kinda wanted a Landy for the Meccano aspect, but in the end £600 will buy you an incomplete Meccano kit. (Of course now the sills have rotted out, so I can appreciate both arguments!)

:D :D :D

[Nathan_200sx]

Dont get me wrong I wasnt slating the lada, it is a true offroader not like these frontera's and things with huge plastic front and rear bumpers just asking to be ripped off on the 1st bump. there was one particular quarry we used to goto with a fooking great steep hill, very few people could get up it but those that did were in either landy's ladas range rovers and them merc things, it was quality sat on top watching something that cost 5 times more than ours slipping down backwards. :D :D

[Billy]

D'ya wanna fight about it? :mad:

:D :D :D

*Sound of footsteps running* :rolleyes:

[dreadly]

I used to compete in off road trials in an 88 inch series 2a land rover, and the only thing that ever beat me was a blooming Suzuki SJ thing.

They are really good providing the driveshafts stay in tact. Nice short wheel base, and really tight turning circle.

My personal experience with Hilux's is that they are too long to do series off roading with. They tend to cross axle and belly too easily.