Extended drive: 2005 Toyota Hilux 3.0d 4x4

[mbt]

round-trip to Tagaytay with a 2005 Toyota Hilux 3.0td 4x4 M/T with four persons on board = wish that we'd taken a nice, comfy car instead hehe.

tagtagtagtagtagtagtagtagtagtagtagtagtag.

it's stylish and huge and has a cheerful and spacious interior and has a reasonably strong engine (although it doesn't feel as tractable as other diesel engines for some reason) and appears to get great fuel economy and it works very well as a truck - huge bed, a proper four-wheel drive mechanism, feels very robust...

...but definitely not a daily driver if your daily drive doesn't include serious hauling: it's a nightmare to park, a nightmare in bumper-to-bumper traffic (at least until you get used to the Mt. Everest seating position) and a nightmare in tight office parking levels. the heavy clutch gets nightmarish in rush-hour traffic, engine noise intrudes somewhat into the cabin at highway speeds, jamming the uncooperative shifter into its gates feels like rowing a boat, and the body and bed shakes, rattles and rolls over bumpy roads. and did i mention the the punishing ride (with the bed unladen, at least)? whew!

in other words, the Hilux is proud to be a real burly truck and sneers at wussy "crossover" softies.

buy one only if you absolutely need a truck. because if you don't, well, you'll be happier with a Fortuner or RAV4.

but if you do need a truck and are willing to accept the trade-offs of a truck, say hello to the most powerful, most spacious, most stylish and likely most robust and most off-roadable diesel pickup on the market today. just don't expect to be pampered.

[nugundam93]

hmmm. i was only able to ride in a higher-than-usual 2.7vvti hilux (courtesy of fatbastard/cha) for i'd say about 2 kms total, and it felt solid. i guess the tagtag would come out on extended rides huh?

kinain din ng hilux ni cha yung gen 2.5 pajero namin in a drag race once both shift to 3rd gear (both a/t). heheheh.

[OTEP]

Nasaan na ang pics natin marvin.

[RedHorse]

additional reason to wait for the new Ford Ranger he he he

[mbt]

dropped by otep's house today in between errands for a brief impromptu off-road run at a nearby construction site...


* The Hilux is one the most stylish pickups on the market even if the 255/70R-15 wheels look a tad puny. Such an imposing presence on the road.


* Very good rear axle articulation (approximately 10 inches of travel), though it won't match a Patrol's or Land Cruiser's.

[oldblue]

dropped by otep's house today in between errands for a brief impromptu off-road run at a nearby construction site...


* The Hilux is one the most stylish pickups on the market even if the 255/70R-15 wheels look a tad puny. Such an imposing presence on the road.

yan lang ang isa ayaw ko sa Hilux, maliit nga ang gulong nya. and I managed to compare its height side by side with 2nd gen strada sa parking lot. mas mataas pa din hilux

[mbt]

* Uh... the double-open-diff Hilux is hopelessly stuck. The stock Bridgestone Duelers are too slippery for off-road work. The absence of a rear limited-slip diff doesn't help things at all.


* Big blue smoke-belching wagon once again comes to the rescue hehe

[RedHorse]

that's it. nabawasan na ng isa ang choices ko sa pickup

[Ito_Citytoto]

that's it. nabawasan na ng isa ang choices ko sa pickup

yeah me too... but that is to be expected. matagtag talaga basta truck chassis. baka mag 2nd hand na land cruiser na lang ako. kwento din kasi sa akin ng barkada kong may hilux, yung dad nya na naoperahan sa backbone 2 years ago di nakatagal ng 15 minutes sa pagddrive ng pickup not only hilux but other pickups as well. hmm napaisip tuloy ako kung bibili ako ng pickup o hinde. mga cable lang naman at networking cards/modems ang ikakarga ko

[ARB]

time to change to OME shocks and springs for better ride, more ground clearance and longer travel

[carlocaraddict]

the hilux was with me the whole day last tuesday. sobrang tagtag. What I hate about the test unit was the manual transmission (as expected kasi truck siya) long throw. Ok naman yung engine. Space is average for me. Yup, its too big for me. Tama nga si marvin, puro bubong makikita ko sa rear view mirror hahahaha. I had a difficulty in parking the Hilux kasi nga malaki and hindi ako sanay sa pick up. Potholes sa Vito Cruz ext? no prob with the hilux.

[mbt]

* With 160 horses and 253 lb-ft of low-end torque, Hilux drivers will NOT be wanting for power... for uh... donuts. hehehe.


* This puppy sits way up high and will make you feel like the king of the road. Hulking Patrols and Expeditions suddenly seem smaller. Hilux drivers will be looking out the rooftops of sedans when they look out the window. The skyscraper height is one of the Hilux's strongest points.

Just look at how a stock Hilux easily matches the ride height of Otep's lifted blue Pajero with 33" mud tires.

[carlocaraddict]

marvin, buti tinanggal na yung stickers ng press unit nila hahaha.

[number001]

Judging by the plates "XSG-166", this is Toyota's very test unit usually loaned out to the media. Its same one they reviewed in TopGear, C-Magazine's Econo Fuel run, etc..

Just curious, why did Toyota lend it out this time and are you supposed to a write a formal review just like the magazine publication?

[carlocaraddict]

[mbt]

number001,

you are correct, this is Toyota's press unit that was lent to us.

[OTEP]

Just me:
*For a working truck, Toyota couldn't have chosen a worse interior color (except maybe for white?). Shows dirt, easily stained, seems difficult to maintain.
*Tons of switch blanks on the dashboard. A nice place to put switches when you build-up the truck. Otherwise, does nothing but cheapen the interior.
*A/C vent selectors have no windshield (defrost) setting. Face and foot/face are your only choices. No cabin heater, too.
*What is that rubbermaid thingie occupying the driver's side door bottle holder?
*Tires are not up to task and not up to size (easily remedied).
*Bouncy ride (as expected from a pick up truck)
*Trucky shifter (forgiveable, its a truck after all)
*They stole the horn from a Kia Picanto.

I did like:
*Adequate power
*Stylish

[vicoyski]

Wow! Sarap naman that you get to take home units to test drive... That must be lotsa fun!

[vhenok]

Uh-oh!

Saw about 20 just-delivered units complete with customized color and design/logo of the owner parked just outside Medical City.....they all carry MERALCO colors & logos!!!

Calling would-be owners of this units.......hope you're reading this thread!

Goodluck on your brand new service units....!

[Ito_Citytoto]

question lang, how does it compare to flex ride suspension system of Dmax or

Hyper Ride Dynamics Suspension (SUV like daw, pero i doubt it) of the new

Triton/Strada. No info yet on rangers ride dynamics tho . has anybody at least

test-driven a 4x4 dmax? and how does it compare to hilux..

Wow thanks Mbt for the very helpful information/mini review. andami ko tuloy

iconsider na pros and cons