Iveco Daily vs Toyota HiLux

What's the difference?

This workhorse combines good cabin comfort and storage with an expansive tray (or other service body if you prefer) and GVM/GCM ratings large enough to cater for a multitude of heavy work requirements. It would be worthy of consideration if you have a car licence and need more than a one-tonne ute or full-size US pickup to get the job done.

Given the current HiLux generation is in its eighth year in local showrooms, it's becoming harder for Toyota to create a new flagship that looks and feels like one, regardless of how large its wheel-arch extensions may be or how many GR Sport logos it displays. 

Although 'inspired' by off-road racing, the GR Sport falls short of being a genuine Raptor rival, as Toyota has predictably drawn a line in the sand in terms of how far it's prepared to go with in-ya-face modifications without sacrificing the HiLux's core load-hauling capabilities.
 
But the GR Sport is also much more affordable than a Raptor, so it's more a Wildtrak X rival. And in that sub-flagship context, it's likely to have considerable appeal for those wanting a HiLux that combines Dakar-winning looks with solid workhorse practicality.

The latest Daily E6 range features a revised and more streamlined grille design with more prominent horizontal louvres.

It has also switched from hydraulic to electric power-steering, bringing numerous benefits including steering wheel height/reach adjustment and the new ‘City Mode'.

The latter allows the driver to reduce low-speed steering effort by up to 70 per cent when negotiating tight worksites or loading zones. A welcome feature that allows turning with one or two fingers.

Iveco claims catering for big Aussies was of primary importance when refining its driver seating comfort which includes a taller headrest, longer seatbelts and seat-rails for greater adjustability, plus what it claims to be the first use of memory foam in commercial vehicles.

The only thing missing for RHD markets like Australia is a driver's left footrest, even though LHD markets get them as evidenced by the one residing in the passenger footwell, which is of course the driver's footwell in LHD models.

Passenger seating is often overlooked in single-cab designs but our test vehicle is unusually comfortable, particularly in the central position where even tall people can sit with sufficient knee clearance from the dash and with ample room for large boots on a flat floor.

The steel ladder-frame chassis rides on torsion-bar independent front suspension and a live rear axle, located by substantial double-stacked leaf-spring packs.

Braking is by four-wheel discs and it has a compact 13.5-metre turning circle, which certainly takes the stress out of U-turns, particularly at busy intersections.

The front bumper and lower sections of the doors, where most bumps and scrapes occur, have a low maintenance dark grey finish.

The bumper is now made in three pieces to minimise repair costs, as each section can be replaced independently if damaged rather than having to replace the entire unit.

The GR Sport shares the Rogue's 15mm increase in ride height and significant increases in track width over the standard HiLux, with the front wheels being 135mm further apart while the rears have an extra 155mm between them.

However, the GR Sport is equipped with unique KYB monotube shock absorbers tuned specifically for this application and the rear anti-sway bar has also been removed to provide increased suspension travel in the rough stuff.

The GR Sport also brings enhanced braking performance with ventilated 338mm front and 312mm solid rear disc brakes, complete with red-painted calipers displaying GR logos.

Our only criticism of this suspension package is that the 265/65 tyres look too small, given the increased ride height and elaborate wheel-arch extensions designed to house them.

A larger and meatier tyre package, like the Raptor's more aggressive 285/70 rubber, would better fill those cavernous wheel housings and provide less of a 'tippy-toe' appearance.

There are large assist-handles on the A and B pillars and the rock-rails have integral steps to assist occupants when climbing aboard.

However, like all HiLux dual cabs, the rear seating is notoriously tight for tall people like me (186cm) because with the driver's seat in my position, my knees are pressed firmly into its backrest and my head is rubbing on the roof lining.

It's even tighter in the slightly higher centre rear seat, particularly with adults either side.

With its 2135kg tare weight and 4495kg GVM, our test vehicle offers a substantial 2360kg payload rating, which is about double that of the sturdiest one-tonne cab-chassis models.

Even after you deduct the 304kg weight of its aftermarket aluminium tray from that figure, you're still left with 2056kg or more than two tonnes of payload capacity.

It's also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its 7995kg GCM that means it can legally tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum GVM.

In other words, this jigger can legally haul just under 8.0 tonnes of combined payload and trailer, which opens the door to many working tasks requiring big load capacities.

The aluminium tray has a sturdy bulkhead with rear window protection and pivoting load retainers up top to ‘book-end' long lengths of pipe or timber.

It also has side-steps up front plus external rope-rails and internal load-anchorage points along each side.

There are two drop-sides along each flank separated by short and sturdy pillars to boost strength and rigidity.

According to our tape measure, this tray's internal work surface is 4070mm long and 2055mm wide with a drop-side depth of 330mm.

There are plenty of places to store things in the cabin starting with three tiers of storage in each door, with the largest equipped with small and large bottle-holders. There's also a full-width shelf at roof height.

The top of the dash has two large bins with clamshell lids, plus a central bin with two USB ports. There's also cup/small-bottle holders on each side of the dash and an open shelf and small glove box on the passenger side.

In the central dash there's a pop-out cupholder, shallow drawer for small items and a larger swing-open bin below them.

The centre seat's backrest folds forward and flat to provide a small work desk complete with a spring-loaded document clamp.

This desk can be raised to reveal a padded compartment below that's ideal for storing pens and slender electronic devices (phones, iPads etc).

Both base cushions in the passenger seat can also be tilted forward to access a large hidden area beneath, so there's good use of limited cabin space to maximise storage.

The GR Sport is not only the most expensive HiLux; its 2270kg kerb weight also makes it the heaviest model in the fleet.

It shares the Rogue's 3050kg GVM and 780kg payload ratings, with the latter being 160kg less than a 'narrow-track' SR5 equivalent.

The GR Sport is also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 5850kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that leaves a payload limit of only 80kg. And that would only allow for a driver - and not a large one at that.

Fact is, not many (if any) GR Sport owners would need to tow 3.5 tonnes, but it's important to be mindful of these figures if you do.

The unlined load tub is 1570mm long, 1645mm wide and 495mm deep, so the thickness of the GR Sport's drop-in composite liner slightly reduces each of these dimensions.

With 1105mm between the wheel housings, it can't fit a standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallet, but will take a Euro. There are four load-anchorage points and the hefty tailgate has no lower/raise assistance.

Cabin storage starts with a large bottle holder and narrow bin in each front door, plus an overhead glasses holder, upper and lower glove boxes (with the upper having access to air-con) and pop-out cupholders on either side of the dash.

The centre console offers open storage up front, two small bottle/cupholders in the centre and a small lidded box at the back, with a padded and contoured lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

Rear passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door, pockets on each front seat backrest and a fold-down centre armrest with two more cupholders.

The 60/40-split seat bases can swing up and be stored vertically if more internal cargo space if required. This also reveals two handy underfloor storage compartments.

Our 'Feverish Red' GR Sport test vehicle is available only with a unique 165kW/550Nm performance-enhanced version of the ubiquitous '1GD-FTV' 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine and 'AC60F' six-speed torque converter automatic, for a list price of $73,990.

That's $3230 more than the Rogue from which it's derived, making the GR Sport the most expensive offering in the HiLux range. Our example also features the two-tone premium paint option (black roof) which adds another $1000.

The GR Sport shares much of its standard equipment list with the Rogue, including smart entry/start, LED lights, rear privacy glass, dual-zone climate control, one USB port, one 220V domestic socket and two 12V sockets in the cabin (but no USBs for rear passengers), 4.2-inch driver's info display and nine-speaker JBL premium sound with 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen and multiple connectivity including Android and (wireless) Apple devices, to name a few.

It also brings a suite of unique GR Sport features beyond chassis and engine enhancements (see Design), starting with gloss black 17-inch alloys and 265/65R17 Bridgestone Dueller AT tyres with a full-size alloy spare.

There's also a unique GR Sport front bumper, fascia, mesh grille, satin dark grey wheel-arch extensions, gloss black rear bumper/door handles/mirror caps/body badging, front underbody skid plate, red rear recovery points, heavy-duty steel rock-rails, five-piece moulded composite load tub-liner with GR-branded headboard/anti-slip floor and 3500kg tow-bar and wiring harness.

The interior also gets a unique GR Sport treatment with suede and leather-accented sports seats with GR logos, leather-accented steering wheel with GR logo and paddle-shifters, aluminium sports pedals, contrasting red seatbelts on all seats, unique 'technical mesh' trim on dash and door linings, instrument panel GR logo on start-up and all-weather floor mats with GR logos for driver and front passenger.

Iveco's 180EVID F1C is a heavy-duty 3.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel with variable geometry turbine technology and tough Euro 6 emissions compliance using AdBlue.

It produces 132kW at 3500rpm and 430Nm of torque at 1500rpm.

The optional ZF eight-speed torque converter automatic sends drive to the rear wheels and offers a choice of 'Eco' (Economy) and 'Power' drive modes plus the option of sequential manual-shifting, all using the stumpy dash-mounted shifter.

It also has overdrive on its seventh and eight ratios to optimise fuel economy, particularly at highway speeds.

There's still some fight left in Toyota's Euro 5-compliant 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, given Toyota engineers have squeezed an extra 15kW and 50Nm from it via ECU tweaks to turbocharger and fuel injection calibrations.

This 10 per cent increase in power and torque makes the GR Sport the most powerful diesel HiLux ever, with 165kW at 3000rpm and a sizeable 550Nm available between 1600-2800rpm.

The smooth-shifting six-speed torque converter automatic has also been recalibrated to optimise the engine's increased outputs, with faster shifting and a more direct and responsive feel in auto mode and when sequential manual-shifting, using the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Economical highway cruising is assured with overdrive on fifth and sixth gears and there's part-time, dual-range 4x4 with a switchable rear diff-lock.

When we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 303km test, the dash display was claiming average consumption of 11.3L/100km, of which about one third of that distance was hauling a heavy payload on a mix of city and suburban roads plus some highway travel.

Our own number, crunched from fuel bowser and trip meter readings, came in slightly lower at 10.9, which is excellent economy for a vehicle weighing more than 2.4 tonnes unladen and almost 4.0 tonnes for part of our test.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 900km from its 100-litre tank.

Toyota claims average combined cycle consumption of 8.1L/100km. At the completion of our 317km test, which was a mix of city, suburban and highway driving including our GVM test, our figure based on fuel bowser and tripmeter readings came in at 10.1L/100km.

That's within the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between official figures and real-world numbers and not bad for a high-riding ute weighing more than 2.2 tonnes in mostly urban use.

So, based on our figures, the GR Sport should have a realistic driving range nudging 800km from its 80-litre tank.

It's easy to find a comfortable driving position given the memory foam bucket seat has adjustments for lumbar support, base-cushion rake and driver weight for its inbuilt suspension.

The fold-down inboard armrest, in partnership with the door's armrest, ensures balanced elbow support to reduce neck and shoulder strain.

There are good eyelines to the big door mirrors, with the bottom thirds of each offering wide-angle views. However, with the seat in its most rearward position, the slim column that separates the fixed and sliding glass in the driver's door slightly obscures the outside edge of the driver's door mirror, which suggests the single-cab has more rearward seat travel than the van version we've previously tested.

The electric power-steering is nicely weighted (particularly the new ‘city mode' in tight spots) and the four-wheel disc brakes have good stopping power.

It's a no-brainer the ride quality is harsh over bumps when unladen, given it's designed to cope with 8.0-tonne GCMs.

Fact is, in a working role, this vehicle would rarely if ever be driven without a substantial load to engage its big rear springs, which we did when forklifting 1.3 tonnes onto the tray. With driver this payload totalled 1.4 tonnes, which was still more than 600kg below its peak rating (with tray).

Even so, it was enough to make the ride much smoother, which is most relevant in this context. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel maintained good performance hauling this load in city and suburban driving, displaying useful flexibility either side of its 1500rpm torque peak in Eco mode.

We did sample the Power mode, but found the engine was more than capable of handling this task in its economy setting, with the eight-speed auto doing its best work if left alone without the need to manual shift.

The engine only requires 2000rpm to maintain highway speeds, so engine (and tyre) noise is low at 110km/h. The most cabin noise comes from wind-buffeting around the mirrors, bulkhead frame and payload hanging in the breeze.

In Eco mode it performed well on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h, comfortably hauling this load to the summit in third gear without the need to select Power mode.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, pegged the road speed at 50km/h without the brakes needing to being applied for most of the descent, until it overrode our manual gear selection and shifted up to third when the engine was approaching its 4500rpm redline on overrun.

In our experience, these engine-protecting protocols are common in European commercial vehicles. However, it can spring a surprise if you're leaning on the engine to help restrain a big payload on a steep descent and it suddenly changes up a gear.

Even so, the engine-braking performance was good given its sizeable payload.

The rock-rail steps and handles on the A pillars ease climbing aboard. Although drivers of most widths and lengths can find a comfortable position, a bit more extension for the steering wheel's reach adjustment would be welcome as arms can feel too outstretched for some body types.

On the road the GR Sport feels like a more responsive version of the Rogue, with a well-planted wide-track feel and slightly firmer ride combined with the livelier response of the engine's higher outputs and the transmission's sharper shifting, particularly when using the paddles.

The differences are noticeable, but not substantial. The acceleration from standing starts feels about on par with the Ranger's 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo four.

And although the GR Sport's rear stabiliser bar has been removed to improve rear axle travel off-road, it has also improved rear-wheel traction when cornering, which combined with the engine's higher output contributes to increased low-speed power understeer. This is most noticeable in roundabouts.

Toyota's loyal adherence to hydraulic-assistance for its power steering produces a slightly heavier and more linear feel than the electronically-assisted system preferred by major rivals, which produce more noticeable changes in turning weight between highway and parking bay. However, it does provide good overall feel and response in this application.

The GR Sport is relatively quiet to drive, with low engine and tyre noise and a feeling of rock-solid build quality. It's also a low-stressed highway cruiser, requiring only 1600rpm to maintain 100km/h and barely 1750rpm at 110km/h.

To test its load-carrying ability we forklifted 650kg into the tub which with driver equalled a total payload of 740kg that was only about 40kg under its legal limit.

The rear suspension compressed 40mm, leaving 60mm of bump-stop clearance which was more than ample in avoiding any bottoming-out during our test run.

The higher centre of gravity created by this load was noticeable during cornering, but when driven at sensible speeds the wide-track suspension provided a stable and sure-footed platform on sealed and unsealed roads.

Its 550Nm of torque made light work of our 13 per cent-gradient, 2.0km-long set-climb at 60km/h, self-shifting down to third gear and 2500rpm to effortlessly pull this load to the summit with minimal accelerator pedal. Load-hauling ability has always been a HiLux strength.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, was not as strong but consistent with similar tests conducted with this engine.

The HiLux boasts a maximum five-star ANCAP rating achieved in 2019. It has seven airbags plus AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, lane departure alert, active cruise control, road speed-sign assist, downhill assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reversing camera and more.

The rear seat offers ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the two outer seating positions plus top-tether restraints on all three seating positions.

Standard warranty is three years/200,000km (three years is short) but the option of up to five years/300,000km is available at extra cost.

Scheduled servicing is every 50,000km/12 months whichever occurs first.

Iveco offers a range of maintenance agreements to help owners manage maintenance costs.

Toyota covers the HiLux with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is extended to seven years on engine and driveline.

Scheduled servicing remains conspicuously short at six months/10,000km, whichever occurs first.

Capped-price service pricing of $290 for each of the first six scheduled services works out at $580 per year.