Why new Hilux uses Toyota’s old engines and drivetrains

The 9^th-generation Hilux doesn’t have any new engines. Or gearboxes. Is Toyota being cheap or does it know more about real double cab customer engine and drivetrain needs than its rivals?

New Hilux is aways a generational vehicle event. Globally, it’s one of the most influential vehicles of all time and in South Africa, it remains by far the most successful model line.

But despite Toyota’s dominant market share locally, Hilux is facing increasing competition. Especially in the lucrative double cab market, where Ford’s Ranger has often outsold it. By offering more advanced powertrains, drivetrains, and much better cabin comfort.

Then there are the Chinese. Rapid engineering iteration and class-defining infotainment and tech integration have created increasingly sophisticated Chinese double cabs. And Chinese powertrain engineers are now investing in diesel engine technology, an area they’ve traditionally lacked, to create even better rivals to Hilux.

The Toyota way is traditional

Market leadership is burdensome. When you are the best, there’s always the risk of changing too much and creating an unintended weakness. Toyota’s bakkie knowledge is proven. And it knows what customers, especially South African bakkie buyers, need. And needs and wants, aren’t the same thing.

Durability and mechanical integrity have long been pillars of the Hilux product. It’s never had the best tech, most powerful engines, or smoothest transmission, but everything works. And keeps working. For a very long time. Which is why Hilux bakkies have such impressive residual values.

With new Hilux, very little has changed regarding its deep mechanical engineering. And for some buyers in the double cab market, that will be a problem. But is the old tech really that much of an issue?

The carry-over engine issue

New Hilux is not onboarding any new engines. And this is significant because, traditionally, a new-generation Hilux has also meant at least one new engine.

From 7^th to 8^th generation Hilux, the big introduction was 2.8 GD. Toyota’s versatile 4-cylinder turbodiesel, which has gone on to power everything from Hilux and Fortuner, to Land Cruiser Prado and 70 Series. But from 8^th to 9^th generation Hilux, there’s nothing new.

The new Hilux range will continue with carry-over engines. That means the lead engine remains Toyota’s 2GD-FTV. It’s a proven engine, with 150 kW and 500 Nm, so there’s not much to question about in terms of engine outputs.

Any engine is judged by its rivals, and Ford’s soon-to-be-discontinued 2.0 BiTurbo diesel is rated at 154 kW and 500 Nm. So there’s no question that Hilux’s engine is on-standard, despite market expectations that it should always be making more power.

When new Hilux arrives in the local market next year, Ranger will no longer be offering the 2.0 BiTurbo. This creates a significant powertrain gap in the South African market for legacy double-cab bakkies with proven engines rated at 500 Nm, the torque figure bakkie owners want for overtaking and towing performance. It’s the need and wants question. That difference between expectations that gen-9 Hilux should have a new engine, with more power. And the reality that 500 Nm is plenty and Hilux’s 3.5t tow rating is more than most customers will ever use.

Toyota’s market research is peerless, and it believes that a large-capacity 4-cylinder diesel with simple turbocharging is what South African bakkie owners prefer. As opposed to the complexity of dual-stage turbocharging.

Crucially, the continuation of 2GD-FTV as new Hilux’s lead engine also means the continuation of its chain-driven timing chain, which is proven to be the most durable and reliable configuration for running engine ancillaries and timing. As demonstrated by Ford’s decision to discontinue the 2.0 BiTurbo diesel, with its wet-belt timing set-up.

Why no Prado 8-speed auto?

New Hilux’s 2.8 turbodiesel makes enough power and torque. Some buyers might want the performance of a 6-cylinder diesel engine, like the Ranger 3.0 V6 turbodiesel, which has 184 kW of peak power, for better highway overtaking performance. Especially with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission, which responds slickly and rapidly to on-demand acceleration needs at highway speeds.

This is the biggest issue with new Hilux: the carry-over 6-speed automatic transmission. In a double cab market where most rivals offer 8-, 9-, and 10-speed automatic transmissions, Hilux’s lack of gears is becoming an issue.

More gears might add internal complexity to the transmission, but also create smaller ratio changes between gears. That means much smoother shifting, especially when you need a powerful throttle response, kicking down several gears for overtaking at highway speeds.

Strangely, Hilux is continuing with the aged Aisin 6-speed automatic, when the same 2.8 turbodiesel in Prado is driving through an 8-speed auto. Which offers a superior driving experience. But the reason is cost and Hilux’s part-time 4×4 system.

Prado is all-wheel-drive, not a part-time 4×4. That means it can give owners all-wheel-drive traction and security on wet tar roads, when that Highveld thundestorm suddenly creates a deluge on the N1 north or any Gauteng ring road.

But Hilux has a 6-speed manual

Unlike Prado, the Hilux isn’t all-wheel drive, it’s part-time 4×4. With a conventional transfer case that locks torque 50:50 between the front/rear axles when you engage 4H or 4L. That means you can’t use it in 4H on a tar road as backup traction security. And it also doesn’t offer torque-variable all-wheel drive in 4H, unlike Ford’s Ranger V6 or Mitsubishi Triton.

The Ranger V6 and Triton are both bakkies that can vary torque between the front and rear axle in 4H. That’s really important when you are rounding a high-speed corner on a Karoo dirt road. Because it gives a driver all the traction of all-wheel drive, without the dreaded understeer that happens with the 50/50 torque split in a conventional 4H transfer case with a part-time 4×4 system, like Hilux.  

But Toyota Hilux owners will point out that new Hilux is one of the very few double cab bakkies, that still offers a 6-speed manual transmission across most of its powertrain and trim choices. Unlike Ranger and most other luxury trim 4×4 double cab models, which are automatic transmission-only.

And for some double cab buyers, especially those who do a lot of long distance off road driving, a manual gearbox is still very desirable drivetrain spec.

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