Facelifted Toyota Hilux pickup: prices, specs and release date

• Hilux range gets refreshed styling
• New engine means it’ll be one of the quickest pickups
• Four-wheel drive as standard

First prices for the facelifted Toyota Hilux have been released, with the well-equipped Invincible model set to start at £29,158, or £34,925 including VAT. The range-topping Invincible X starts from £38,795 on the road. A punchy new 2.8-litre diesel will be available when the refreshed Hilux goes on sale in November.

New 2020 Toyota Hilux prices and specifications

Toyota has yet to release a full list of prices but the updated Hilux range will start with the Active model, which now gets the Toyota Safety Sense pack featuring adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert and traffic sign recognition. Icon brings an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, plus other features including a reversing camera, power-folding door mirrors and alloy wheels.

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Invincible trucks feature a new alloy wheel design, LED lights all round, heated seats and front and rear parking sensors. The Invincible X trim is new for this year, with model-specific styling touches, two-tone leather upholstery, sat nav and a premium sound system. Prices for the complete range will be announced closer to the car’s release date.

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Engines and performance

At a time when many cars are getting smaller engines, the Toyota Hilux gets a new 2.8-litre engine that will be sold alongside the current car’s 2.4-litre engine. The bigger engine offers 201bhp and plenty of pulling power - Toyota says 0-62mph takes 10 seconds. That’ll make it one of the fastest pickups on sale, and as fast as the range-topping Ford Ranger Raptor. Upgrading to the 2.8-litre engine costs around £500 on Invincible models, and is standard on the new Invincible X spec.

We’re told the 2.8-litre Hilux will manage up to 36.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 204g/km, but these figures are calculated using the outdated NEDC test. When Toyota publishes new WLTP figures, we expect a lower quoted fuel economy figure and higher carbon dioxide emissions. All pickups are charged at a flat rate, so the lofty CO2 emissions won’t affect tax costs.

The new engine will be sold with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive will come as standard.

Chassis and driving

The Hilux has always been a capable off-roader, and Toyota has lowered the engine idle speed and tweaked the accelerator response to make it even more usable. There’s a new tyre angle monitor and updates to the stability control system, while the power steering and suspension have also been fettled for a smoother ride on-road.

Styling

The Toyota Hilux gets a host of small styling changes for 2020, including redesigned bumpers and grilles, LED head and tail-lights and the option of new 18-inch alloy wheels. The paint colour shown here, Titan Bronze metallic, will be offered for the first time too. As you’d expect from a pickup, you can choose from a range of hard tops and lockable tonneau covers.

Interior

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Inside, there’s a new eight-inch multimedia touchscreen and a fresh design for the instrument cluster. The touchscreen is quicker to respond than before, and will now support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

See how the Toyota Hilux compares to the Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi L200 and Nissan Navara.