Bangalore, January 20, 2022.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), today, launched the iconic
Hilux in the Indian market to cater to the needs of customers seeking an incredible
lifestyle utility vehicle that is best suited for off-roading adventure drives
on tough terrains, and everyday city use. The name Hilux, which is derived from
‘high’ and ‘luxury’, known for extreme ‘toughness’ and ‘ruggedness’ across
terrains of the world for decades.
Today’s launch ends the wait for many SUV
aficionados looking to experience the Hilux on the tough roads of India. The Toyota
Hilux has been developed considering the local conditions and requirements even
as it stays true to its character. The highly anticipated lifestyle vehicle was
launched in a mega event today in the presence of Toyota Motor Corporation
(TMC) Chief Engineer - Mr. Yoshiki Konishi, Toyota Regional Chief Engineer - Mr. Jurachart Jongusuk, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM)
Managing Director - Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura, TKM Executive Vice President of Sales
& Customer Service - Mr. Tadashi Asazuma and TKM General Manager of
Strategic Business Unit, Mr. Wiseline Sigamani.
Globally, the Hilux sales has surpassed 20 million units
winning hearts of millions from over 180 countries. For over 5 decades and
through 8 generations, the Toyota Hilux has moved with the times to create
exceptional experiences and an unbreakable bond with those who desire for awesomeness in their daily drives be it business or family.
With world-class engineering, enhanced safety, advanced technology and
best-in-class comfort, the Toyota Hilux offers many first-in-segment
features.
This global icon’s reputation of being a powerful performer
is courtesy of the rigid Innovative Multi-purpose Vehicle (IMV) platform and a
strong powertrain system. It is the same platform (body-on frame chassis
construction) that underpins the Innova Crysta and Fortuner which have been a
runaway success in India and across many countries. These segment-leading and
admired models continues to receive positive feedbacks from customers, thanks
to a wide range of remarkable features coupled with a robust engine, while also
offering absolute confidence regardless of driving conditions, amazing
endurance, low cost of maintenance, and great practicality for various usage
purposes of these vehicles.
The Hilux is loaded with features a heavy-duty
turbo engine and diamond-like carbon coating on the piston rings for maximized
frictional efficiency. The result is a whopping 500Nm of Torque which is by far
the best in the segment. In essence, the Hilux is an unrivalled amalgamation of
performance, power and fuel efficiency in its class. The Variable Flow Control
to the power steering has boosted drivability making the steering lighter at
low speed in city traffic condition & heavier at higher speeds cruising on
a highway. The steering dynamics intelligently adapts according to the drive
mode - switching from Eco to Power, or Power to Eco. Being true to its
reputation of being a tough outdoor companion, the Hilux features a large
flatbed deck which provides unmatched flexibility to carry anything from outdoor
gear to sports kits.
With the IMV frame structure at its heart, the
Hilux has set new benchmarks in off-road capabilities. The Hilux comes with an
unmatched water wading capacity of 700mm meant to maneuver though Indian
trails. The exceptional wheel articulation and the adoption of Electronic
diff-lock also gives the Hilux unimaginable off-road capability in the toughest
of conditions with greater fuel efficiency. In real sense, it is based on
Toyota’s philosophy of “customer first” - truly understanding customers’ expectations
and desires, testing and driving on a wide variety of local road conditions, to
experience & feel the multi-functional elements. Indeed, it is a wholesome
package of renowned ruggedness, recreational lifestyle, performance, responsiveness,
and safety.
The length & height of the Hilux give it a
presence like no other. The engine hood, front bumper, lower guard, and bumper
corners converge to bring focus to the bold & sophisticated trapezoidal piano
black grille with chrome surround, Distinctive LED Rear combi lamps give a
dynamic presence and enhance nighttime visibility. The sophistication is
further enhanced with striking 18” alloy wheels.
The Hilux truly offers the most advanced experience by beautifully
harmonizing performance with glamorous interiors that combines sophistication
and practicality with innovation, style and design. The leather seats, soft
touch interiors with metal accents give it a modern and progressive look. To
enhance driving comfort the vehicle comes equipped with Front parking sensors
to ease parking in tight city conditions. The Tablet style 8" touchscreen
infotainment system with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay ensures you’re always
in control and connected on the go.
Safety is paramount to Toyota, to ensure the safety of both the
driver and passengers, the Toyota Hilux packs the most advanced safety features
across its variants. The ABS, EBD, Brake Assist System and Hill-Start Assist
Control ensures safe driving in any given road conditions, making it the most
desirable car. With features such as reverse camera, clearance sonar and back
up sonar for all variants, with seven SRS airbags, Downhill Assist Control and
Vehicle Stability Control, customer is assured to experience the thrill and joy
of driving the safest Toyota Hilux.
As a result of high-levels of in-built safety features, Toyota Hilux
was awarded a 5-Star Crash Safety Rating by New Car Assessment Program for
Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP).
Further, the new GR DKR Hilux T1+ developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing
team brings the outstanding victory at the 44th edition of Dakar Rally 2022,
which is considered the most grueling rally event, held at Saudi Arabia
recently. This spectacular win with new Toyota GR Hilux is a testament of
Toyota’s ability to continuously push the limits of engineering and build
ever-better cars.
Talking about the design concept of Toyota Hilux, Mr. Jurachart Jongusuk, Toyota Regional Chief Engineer, said, “In our pursuit of developing ever-better cars, we conduct deep analysis of consumers’ driving needs and varied usage of vehicles in local conditions with greater market insights. Considering their wants and desires for an enriching mobility experience, we are pleased to bring to India the tough and invincible Hilux based on the strong IMV lineage.
Powerful, sophisticated and built to last, the Hilux is a testament to Toyota’s world-class engineering, enhanced safety and best-in-class comfort rightly channelized to position the go-anywhere, do-anything vehicle for those seeking adventure, thrill and enriching moments with friends and family”.
Commenting on the launch of the Toyota Hilux, Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director, TKM, said, The launch follows our ‘customer first’ philosophy of responding to the ever-evolving expectations of various customer demographics, with new product offerings. Today, as India continues to make larger economic strides, many customers are seeking a sophisticated lifestyle vehicle that delivers exceptional on & off-road prowess and fulfil their daily urban mobility needs be it work or pleasure.
The Hilux will cater to these customer demands and hopefully spawn a new genre in the country. Further, this launch will set the path for us in India to welcome many more new customers to the Toyota family and help us achieve our goal to deliver “Mass Happiness to All”. We look forward to bringing more awesomeness in the time ahead as we begin 2022 with landmark moments.”
Sharing his views, Mr. Tadashi Asazuma, Executive Vice President – Sales & Customer Service, TKM, said, “The launch of Hilux brings out the key essence of “unmatched toughness & sophistication”. Customers will get to enjoy the Quality, Durability, and Reliability that they have experienced with the successful models as Innova Crysta and Fortuner. For many of our loyal customers, this new offering will be a step up in their journey with Toyota. Our desire is to continue to excite them and our new customers with lifetime experiences that fulfil varied needs and provide a bouquet of options.
The Hilux which draws inspiration from the lifestyles of people who don’t give up, brings together the best of all worlds. Further, to supplement the amazing experience of Hilux, we are much excited to launch the specialised range of accessories for adventure-oriented customers’, truly reflective of the design concept. These range of suggested accessories will amplify the versatility of the Hilux. To know more about such accessories, we urge the customers to visit and explore at their nearest Toyota touchpoints.
There is already a good response from our existing and newer customers in the run-up to the launch and we are confident that this will peak even further.”
Bookings for Toyota Hilux
are open, Ex-showroom prices will be announced in March 2022 before we
start the deliveries in April 2022. Customers
can either book the car online (www.toyotabharat.com)
or visit their nearest Toyota dealership.
The Toyota virtual showroom
enables customer to experience the Hilux from comfort of their home. A true
reflection of ‘We Are Where You Are”. Now Customers can seamlessly get a
360-degree external and internal views, check out all the available variants
and colors, experience the key features and get variant-wise comparison. It
also allows customers to e-book at the click of button."