The latest Toyota Hilux is a very capable pick-up, but there are better tow cars.
For one thing, the Hilux is really slow, taking a tedious 21.1 seconds to pull a caravan from 30-60mph. It doesn’t feel especially stable, either.
Our drivers could feel the Hilux wandering at motorway speeds, especially in a crosswind. The Al-Ko ATC sensors on the caravan also picked up some movement when slowing down.
It’s not all bad, though. The 11m stopping distance from 30mph is reasonable, despite a couple of big thumps from the caravan while slowing. And although the handbrake needed a firm pull to stop car and caravan rolling backwards, the Toyota was otherwise unfazed by the hill-start test.
Although we rate the VW Amarok more highly than the Hilux, the Toyota nonetheless shows how much pick-ups have improved recently.
The cabin is better finished than the previous generation’s, and the Hilux’s steering offers both weight and accuracy.
Safety standards have improved, too, with a five-star rating from Euro NCAP for vehicles equipped with a safety pack.
Choose Invincible spec and there’s a lengthly roster of standard kit, including 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, climate control, a touchscreen multimedia system and a reversing camera.