Toyota Hilux review

Let’s start with the diesel, because that’ll be the most popular (and relevant) by far. It’s not the most refined engine we’ve ever come across, but the throttle’s acceptably responsive and unlikely to blow out your eardrums at full chat. Acceleration is very modest but the body is mostly well behaved, even through tight hairpins. What more do you want from a pick-up?

The steering remains light, but the EPS makes it adept on faster roads and the driving position is miles more comfortable now that the wheel adjusts for reach. No howlers here. Note we were carrying a 150kg ish payload throughout, which the electric one didn’t have. Sneaky.

Gotcha. How was the EV?

Ah… the most notable thing here is that the ride is much, much worse. We’re not sure if it’s the extra weight or the distribution or the revised rear suspension or what, but it’ll find bumps and jolts on seemingly perfect tarmac and its manners are boaty over crests and hills. Oh dear.

Still, not having that 4cyl soundtrack makes it easier on the ears and smooth acceleration and braking isn’t to be sniffed at.

Tell me about the driving modes.

Both powertrains come with Eco, Normal and Sport mode, and you can engage a Multi-Terrain Select system (on Icon trim and up; Active models make do with an automatic limited-slip diff) for off-roading. In the diesel that means Dirt, Sand, Mud, Deep Snow, Rock and Auto modes; the EV substitutes the snow setting for a Mogul mode that puts you in charge of an international media empire. Just kidding – that one’s for bumpy terrain.

They all work by metering out the torque in different ways, although the EV doesn’t need the 2L low-range gearbox or 2H and 4H settings of the diesel because it can mimic those electronically.

Minor grip alert: to engage MTS, it’s a long press of a button followed by a scroll through the options using the dial on the centre console… but once you’ve picked your mode, there’s nothing apparent on the screen to confirm what you’ve picked. And when you go back to check, it sticks it in Auto again. Something more – what’s the word? – affirmative would be good.

And how does the Hilux cope in the rough stuff?

Brilliantly. Our test route took us through dozens of miles of mountainous terrain in deepest, darkest Bulgaria, and not once did the Hilux feel out of its depth. With either powertrain.

It’ll do the lot: steep inclines and descents, rocky tundra, muddy trails, bodies of water, fields with horses in… okay that last one isn’t that hard. But all you need to do is take it slow, apply a light dose of off-road nous and the Hilux will do the rest.

Even when it comes a cropper: at one point our test car lost traction control and the Downhill Assist Control cut out, briefly launching us down a slope with only the power of prayer as a safety net. But we jumped on the brakes, and the Hilux lumbered on anyway. Toyota reckoned the build-up of mud on the wheels (they’re not off-road specific tyres) had stopped the system from working, which you can either read as a) the Hilux still works without traction control, or b) the Hilux is one swamp away from losing a key safety feature. Hmm.

The electric Hilux is almost as capable, but the lower floor makes it more vulnerable to boulders when the terrain becomes heavily rutted. Those scrapes will make you wince.

Is fuel economy decent or nightmarish?

The jury’s out here – we need more time on regular roads to suss out how the Hilux will perform against its WLTP test figures. But off-road we managed barely more than 17mpg in the diesel and about 2.3 mi/kWh (or max range of 124 miles) in the EV. Neither of which are the least bit efficient.

FYI, Toyota states a 10-80 per cent charge will take around half an hour at 125kW DC, with AC charging of up to 10kW.