Jeep Wrangler vs Toyota HiLux

What's the difference?

The changes to this updated Jeep Wrangler are small but meaningful. The inclusion of airbags, the updated media screen, and a feisty engine which suits the plucky nature of this off-roader make it a better Wrangler than ever.  

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The HiLux’s age-defying sales and resale values confirm it’s still one of the top two 4x4 dual cabs on the market. However, its new V-Active technology feels underdone, as it adds weight (we reckon about 40kg) and complexity without gains in performance you can feel or economy you can meaningfully measure. Hopefully, Toyota’s next crack at a 'hybrid' HiLux will be more convincing.

The Jeep Wrangler looks like a cartoon of a four-wheel drive, that’s how familiar and well-known the design is. It’s almost generic, like the word Jeep.

You could say the design is iconic, given that the roots of this SUV stretch back to the little Willys off-roader built for the US army in World War II. And to this day the slotted grille, pronounced wheel guards, short and upright windscreen, even the removable doors are still with us in this latest incarnation.

That’s why each generation of the Wrangler only sees very subtle tweaks to famous shape and look, in much the same way a Porsche 911’s design changes at the rate of dripping water reshaping a rock.

Changing the styling completely would destroy the look which connects the Wrangler to its past and the nostalgic appeal would be over. 

So, this update sees more than subtle styling changes in the form of a tweak to the grille with the addition of a metallic-look trim around each of the slots while the mesh insert now has larger openings.   

Along with this there’s a new front bumper. The Wranglers we tested had the optional heavy duty steel front bumpers.

There’s also some interior changes in the form of a new dashboard trim, horizontal air vents and then there’s the 12.3-inch media display which goes a long way to making the cabin look more modern.

Still, the interior is busy with buttons and switches in a design that seems to mix the look of heavy machinery controls with a prestige car. The Nappa leather of the Rubicon grade lifts the quality feel higher.

All Wrangler interiors also have an internal roll-over cage which covers the entire cabin, for the fixed metal roof and removable roof body style which are standard on the Overland and Rubicon.

Only the Rubicon is offered in a two-door and a four-door, while the Overland and Sport S are four-door only.

The Rubicon two-door looks cute and fun to my eyes, while the four-door versions look a bit more serious and beefy, but both definitely still give off tough and adventurous vibes.

The wheelbase difference between the two is as giant as it looks. The Rubicon two-door’s wheelbase is 2459mm while the four-door Rubicon’s, along with the Sport S and Overland, is 3008mm.

The Wrangler ranges in length from 4334mm for the Rubicon two-door to 4882mm for the four-door Wranglers. Width is the same for all Wranglers at 1894mm and the height ranges from 1879mm in the Rubicon two-door to 1901mm in the four-door versions.

The HiLux’s enduring appeal is the ‘unbreakable’ feel when you step aboard. Even though its curvaceous styling is increasingly dated, we can’t fault the build quality as it displays a peerless standard of fit and finish which never wavers.

Our only major gripe (since its launch in 2015) is the cramped rear seating. It’s particularly tight for tall people, giving that I’m 186cm and when sitting in the rear seat with the driver’s seat in my position, my knees are pressed into its backrest and my head rubs on the roof lining.

Shoulder room for three large adults is equally challenging and tolerable only for short trips. We reckon the Ranger’s more accommodating rear stalls are significant in its sales leadership.

When we review most SUVs practicality is scored on things like legroom, storage space and boot size. But in the case of a vehicle with removable doors and roof, and a cabin that has one-way drainage valves so you can hose the interior out, practicality takes on a different meaning.

The Wrangler’s practicality seems focussed on serving adventurous folks in search of a muddy off-road expedition and, so, while there is storage it’s mainly nets for door pockets, moulded wells on top of the dash, and smaller hidey holes to makes sure loose items don’t get flung around the cabin.

Given the roof can be removed there’s also a lockable glove box and centre console storage box.

When it comes to cabin space the Wrangler’s interior feels a bit cramped. The footwells up front don’t offer much space and headroom throughout is restricted by the roll cage which stretches from the front to the boot.

The four-door Wrangler has five seats and good legroom in the second row, even for me at 189cm tall. As mentioned above, headroom is limited in places because of the safety structure. Boot space behind those rear seats is 898 litres.

The two-door Rubicon has four seats. The back ones aren’t the most spacious and the boot behind them is almost too small to mention at 365L, Two pieces of carry-on luggage wouldn’t fit back there and we had to put our bags on the rear seats.

The rear tailgate for all Wranglers is side-hinged (opening left to right) and splits to allow just the window section or lower part to open separately.

For charging and powering devices all Wranglers have two USB ports up front (one -A and one -C) and four USB ports in the second row (two -A and two -C). There are also two 12V outlets on board (front and rear).  

There are two cupholders, seatback map nets and directional air vents for the second row.

The Wrangler sits high and climbing into the rear seats might be a challenge for smaller kids or even fully-grown humans, but there are chunky handholds at the pillars for extra help.

So, the Wrangler has excellent practicality, but this is geared more to its intended purpose of adventuring off-road rather than the city commute and school pick-up.

With its 2150kg kerb weight and 3050kg GVM, the SR5 V-Active has a 900kg payload rating. It can also tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 5850kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a substantial 700kg reduction in payload to only 200kg, which could be used up by a driver and passenger alone. 

Alternatively, you could lower the trailer weight limit by the same 700kg to 2800kg (which is still a sizeable trailer) and retain the SR5’s maximum payload. We reckon most owners would do this anyway, given few (if any) would need to tow 3500kg.

The load tub is 1570mm long, 1645mm wide and 495mm deep with 1105mm between the wheel housings. Therefore, it can’t carry a standard Aussie pallet but will take a Euro-sized one. There are four load-anchorage points and we welcome the new lower/raise assistance for the hefty tailgate.

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

The latest centre console layout has a wireless phone-charging pad and vertical phone-storage slot, small-bottle/cupholder, a bin for small items and a box with padded 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.

Only the narrower driver’s side of the 60/40-split rear seat base-cushion can swing up and be stored vertically as the passenger-side is now fixed, given the V-Active’s 48V battery resides beneath it and is ventilated by a louvered air intake in the passenger footwell.

The new electrically-assisted drivetrain is available only in SR/SR5 4x4 dual cabs and the Rogue, paired with the HiLux’s ubiquitous 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed automatic.

Our SR5 V-Active 48V test vehicle has a list price of $63,260. It’s also equipped with the optional premium interior package, which for an additional $2500 adds black leather-accented seats and door trims, heated front seats and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Its eye-catching 'Nebula Blue' premium paint option adds another $675.

Latest MY24 updates feature a redesigned front fascia with black ‘honeycomb’ grille, plus wireless phone charging, two USB-C ports in the centre console for rear seat passengers to use and a tailgate equipped with gas-struts to ease opening/closing effort.

 Otherwise, it’s the same SR5 with which we’ve grown very familiar. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloys and 265/60R18 tyres with a full-size alloy spare, along with LED lighting, side-steps, sports bar, privacy glass and more, even though Toyota still won’t throw in a tub-liner.

Inside is remote keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate, an air-conditioned cooler box, multiple USB ports/12-volt sockets and a 220-volt outlet, premium-grade steering wheel and shifter-knob, driver’s 4.2-inch colour multi-info display, a 360-degree camera view and more.

 The 8.0-inch touchscreen for the multimedia system, including six-speaker audio, appears to shrink as each year passes, but is easy to use and offers multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and digital radio. It also projects imagery for the various camera views.

One of the biggest changes Jeep could make to the Wrangler without causing complete mayhem for fans is to the engine and even then there will be folks who don’t like what they’re about to read.

Deep breaths, okay? Right, so, in this update the V6 petrol engine has been replaced by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder. 

At 200kW the new four-cylinder makes a smidge less power than the V6 but more torque at 400Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission shifts gears and sends the drive to all four wheels.

If you’re a Wrangler fan you’ll most likely know about this engine swap, but you’re wondering how this four-cylinder feels.

The answer is, really good. Jeep has got it right. It’s a torquey, responsive engine that feels energetic and suits the Wrangler's personality well.

In the short time I’ve spent on and off the road I’m convinced this turbo-four will be a good companion wherever you decide to go.

And go pretty much anywhere you can, with all Wranglers being ridiculously capable off-road thanks to their ladder frame chassis, high- and low-range gears, outstanding ground clearance (233mm-257mm, depending on variant ), excellent approach angle (41.4 to 44 degrees, depending on variant) and a departure angle to match (37 degrees for the both Rubicons; 36.1 for the Sport S and Overland).  

The Rubicon comes standard with Jeep’s 'Rock-Trac' on-demand four-wheel drive system and this update adds a full float rear axle. Sport S and Overland grades have Jeep’s 'Selec-Trac Active' on-demand 4WD set-up.

The venerable (1GD-FTV) 2.8 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with V-Active produces the same 150kW and 500Nm as the standard engine, driving through a six-speed torque converter automatic.

However, Toyota claims fuel economy gains of up to 9.5 per cent when this drivetrain is combined with the new hybrid technology, which comprises a 48-volt electric motor-generator, 48-volt lithium-ion battery and idle-stop system.

The turbo-diesel engine uses a silent-belt to drive the motor-generator, which charges the battery under the rear seat. This battery, which Toyota claims weighs less than eight kilograms with 4.3Ah capacity, also supplies electricity to the vehicle’s 12-volt system through a DC/DC converter.

This system can send up to 8.4kW of power and 65Nm of torque through the motor-generator to assist the engine. Toyota claims this delivers smoother and quieter yet more responsive performance and reduces engine load under acceleration. It also results in a small reduction in idle speed from 720rpm to 600rpm.

Deceleration and braking energy are also recovered, converted into electricity and stored in the 48V battery for later use.  Toyota claims “hydraulic braking combined with regenerative braking creates a more effective and natural deceleration feel and supports downhill manoeuvring.”

The idle-stop system does not use the starter motor like conventional set-ups. Instead, the electric motor-generator, which is permanently connected to the engine via its belt-drive, delivers this function with greater smoothness and quietness.

Idle-stop duration can also be extended by the driver and, when restarting the engine on inclines, the idle-stop system retains brake pressure until enough drive force is generated to ensure smooth acceleration.

In another first for HiLux, its part-time, dual-range 4x4 system (with switchable rear diff-lock) in V-Active variants is paired with 'Multi-Terrain Select' to enhance off-road ability.

The driver can switch between six traction control settings tailored to suit a variety of terrain including 'Auto', 'Sand' and 'Mud' (high- and low-range), 'Deep Snow' and 'Dirt' (high-range) and Rock (low-range).

The new turbo-petrol, four-cylinder means better fuel economy than the V6 it replaces. We have yet to test Jeep’s claims that after a combination of open and urban roads the four cylinder uses 9.2L/100km in the sport S and Overland grades and 9.9L/100km in the Rubicon.

In comparison, Jeep says the previous V6 uses 10.1L/100km in the Rubicon and 9.9L/100km in the Overland. Our own testing saw consumption closer to 13L/100km.

We’ll have the new Wrangler in our garage soon and we’ll be able to put the fuel consumption claims to a real world test.

In terms of range, the two-door Rubicon has a 61-litre fuel tank and in theory a range of up to 680km. The Sport S and Overland have an 81-litre tank and can get up to 880km, while the four-door Rubicon’s 81-litre tank should manage 830km.

Of course if you’re off-roading you’ll use more fuel and the range will drop accordingly.

We completed a total distance of 580km, which comprised a mix of city and suburban driving with an empty load tub and up to four adults on board, plus some freeway/highway running with a near-maximum payload.

When we stopped to refuel at the end of our test, the dash display was claiming average combined consumption of 9.5L/100km, which was lineball with our own 9.4 figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

Both are higher than Toyota’s official 7.2L/100km figure but within the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between OEM ratings and real-world figures.

Interestingly, the last time we tested a 4x4 SR5 auto dual cab ute (without V-Active) in 2023, using similar routes and payloads, we achieved 9.6L/100km. So, the V-Active’s drop in consumption was only about 2.0 per cent, compared to Toyota’s claim of up to 9.5 per cent.

So, based on our real-world figure, you could expect a useful driving range of around 870km from its 80-litre tank.

Every one of the Jeep launches I’ve attended over the past 15 years has involved a pretty decent off-road component and it’s clear the company has a lot of faith in its product.

This Wrangler launch’s off-road test had been scaled back due to days of flooding rain beforehand, but the section that was passable was enough to remind us of what we already know and that is the Wrangler is formidable.

A Queensland bush off-road course full of steep, muddy hills, ruts, rocks, dirt and slippery descents was still all there for us to test the Wrangler Rubicon four-door.

Fun and comfortable are the first words that pop into my head when recalling how the Rubicon fares. This is a super-capable beastie that feels planted, secure and adept at all times.

We tested low- and high-range four-wheel drive, locked the rear differential and let the hill descent mode do its thing and get us down the sides of hills that felt so close to vertical all we could see through the windscreen was the ground.

What's also clear is the new turbo-petrol, four-cylinder feels well suited to the job, with plenty of torque along with a feisty and responsive nature that fits the Wrangler better than the old V6.

There was also plenty of time spent on the road in the four-door Rubicon and its smaller two-door sibling. And was here it was also super clear the Wrangler felt like we’d taken it out of its natural habitat.

At 110km/h on the motorway the two door Rubicon feels light and floaty in its suspension, with steering adjustments having to be made constantly, like actors pretending to drive cars in movies, as the Wrangler wanders around in its lane. The Wrangler wander is a known trait and isn’t specific to this updated car. 

And even though our launch drive took us on some great winding country roads which would have been perfect for a Mazda MX-5, the Wranglers found the fast tight turns difficult to handle.

I’m sure I heard a sigh of relief from our Rubicon as we pulled off the road and selected low-range four-wheel drive before bouncing up what looked to be a sheer cliff, with ease.  

Of course, our Adventure Expert Marcus 'Crafty' Craft will put the Wrangler though its paces once we have one in the CarsGuide garage.

If you’re expecting a tangible difference in performance with the V-Active system, you’ll probably be disappointed. Fact is, after almost 600km of testing, on a variety of roads with a variety of loads, we could not detect any noticeable gain in acceleration, braking or smoothness compared to a standard SR5.

That’s not to say the V-Active system is not delivering up to 8.4kW of power and 65Nm of torque, as Toyota claims. It’s just that these gains are modest and delivered so discreetly that they are undetectable in real-world driving.

This was perhaps best demonstrated when we loaded 650kg into the load tub, which when combined with our two-man crew was a total payload of 830kg. That was only 70kg shy of the payload limit.

It made light work of our 13 per cent gradient 2.0km set climb at 60km/h by self-shifting down to fourth gear at 2250rpm, where it tapped maximum torque to easily haul this payload to the summit.

However, in our previous test of a standard SR5, on the same incline with 100kg more payload, the gear selection and engine rpm were the same as the V-Active. The same applied to engine-braking on the way down.

The HiLux achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019, so its six-year validity will expire next year. Even so, there are seven airbags plus AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, active cruise control, speed-sign recognition, panoramic view/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.

The Wrangler is covered by Jeep's five-year/100,000km warranty, which is off the mainstream market standard of five years/unlimited km.

Service intervals are recommended every 12 months and 12,000km and service prices are capped at $399. Jeep also offers lifetime roadside assistance if you service your Wrangler though Jeep. 

Toyota covers the HiLux with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is par for the course in the mainstream market.

Service intervals are relatively short at six months/10,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing for the first five years/100,000km totals $3889 or an average of $779 per year.