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While Toyota in Australia is yet to spill much in the way of detail, credible and growing reports are pointing to a new HiLux arriving in the second half of this year, as the Japanese giant fights back against the waves of new dual-cab utes from other brands that have either just arrived or that are coming soon.
In fact, what appears to be test vehicles have been spied doing the rounds in Thailand – where the HiLux is built – suggesting a launch is indeed coming soon, but worryingly, reports out of Brazil suggest the word 'new' is reportedly fairly generous when it comes to describing the MY26 HiLux.
In fact, international reporting so far suggests the ute will seemingly carryover almost every key part, including its ageing platform, when it arrives.
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A reminder here that Ford will have a plug-in hybrid Ranger in market this year. The plug-in BYD Shark is doing big numbers, with the brand reporting it has already secured 6000 orders for the Chinese brand's new ute.
Meanwhile, Kia is still hopeful its all-new Tasman will deliver some 20,000 sales annually in Australia. A new Nissan Navara will launch in 2026, a new Mitsubishi Triton is expected around the same time, and that's without even mentioning the expected updates to models like the Isuzu D-Max, or the litany of Chinese challengers from GWM, JAC and more.
In fact, Toyota has already acknowledged the increased competition, suggesting ute sales per brand will fall across the board in 2025.
“We already know that the number of ute models available to Australian buyers will expand rapidly. They’ll be competing for an overall ute market that is likely to remain steady, which suggests that the average sales per model will come down as a result,” Toyota Australia’s Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide earlier this month.
But, if the reports are to be believed, it is into this contested fray that Toyota will launch a new HiLux with a carryover platform, engine (albeit with the newer 48-volt hybrid tech), transmission and general dimensions.
Perhaps — hopefully — Toyota will surprise us and launch something newer than we think (maybe even putting the long-trademarked 'GR HiLux' nameplate to work).
Or perhaps Toyota realises it's the end of days of the diesel dual-cabs, and so it is squeezing what it can from this platform before an inevitable move to a PHEV or electric powertrain.
But I'm not sure what we expect so far is going to do much to move the ute needle, much less help Toyota reclaim its place at the top of the sales charts with the HiLux.
But time will tell.
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