There’s no beating around the bush here: The current Toyota Hilux is old. It landed here in 2015 and has received a series of updates and upgrades over the years. Despite the age, it’s still the country’s best-selling pickup by a huge margin.
Yes, the Toyota badge plays a huge factor on why it sells so well. But aside from that, those constant tweaks have been enough to keep customer interest up. After all, you don’t stay at the top if you don’t continuously improve yourself. Kaizen, as the Japanese would say.
And those minor improvements have brought us to the top-spec variant, the GR-S. It’s the biggest, baddest, and boldest version of the Hilux yet with bravado oozing out of its bulging fender flares. Truth be told, it’s easy to dismiss it as Hilux with a body kit, but those who know, well, know it’s more than that.
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The GR-S (or GR Sport) model of the pickup has been around for a while already. There have been two versions so far, one with a slimmer and narrower body, and the one you see sitting in showrooms now. Either way, we’ve been looking forward to driving it, and we finally have our chance.
Styling
It’s an overly familiar shape by now, but it still looks good in our eyes. In GR-S form, it gets a slimmer, sportier front bumper, gloss black trims, chunky all-terrain tires, and other bits that make it look tougher. It’s not that the standard Hilux looks feeble, but this variant kicks things up a notch.
Mind you, the styling changes are actually functional. Take that front bumper, for instance. The approach angle is steeper to allow this Hilux to go over obstacles without snagging on anything. At the same time, it’s loaded with skid plates to prevent underbody damage.
Interior
This is where the Hilux is starting to feel its age. To put it bluntly, it’s fallen behind the much newer competition, especially in terms of space efficiency. The front footwell feels tight, and rear legroom isn’t that great, either. The body feels narrow compared to its competition, especially against its newer rivals. What felt like a spacious cabin before now feels a little too cozy.
There are some good points, though. The dash doesn’t look too outdated, and in all fairness, there is some flair going on in there. Okay, it still has elements from older Toyota models, but we wouldn’t call it too ancient in there.
But what we like most about the Hilux is the ergonomics. It’s simple, straightforward, and easy to use. You don’t really need to open the owner’s manual to figure things out, which should be a good thing for most. The layout is, well, as Japanese as they come, following the mantra of ‘the car should adjust to you’ and not the other way around.
We’re no fans of the most faux carbon fiber trim to be ever used on a dashboard, though.
Engine performance
This is the part we say the GR-S is more than a Hilux with a body kit. Yes, it uses the familiar 2.8-liter turbodiesel that has powered this model since 2015. Okay, power has risen over the years, but the most powerful tune is used in the GR-S. In this case, it makes 221hp and 550Nm, 20hp and 50Nm more than the fairly punchy Conquest variant.
We’re glad to report that you do feel that extra power on the road. Pull is strong at low revs, and it keeps and going until it runs out of puff at about 3,500rpm. Admittedly, it’s not overwhelmingly fast, but as far as pickups go, this is brisk enough for most. We reckon a sub-10 second 0 to 100kph time.
But what surprised us is fuel efficiency. Despite the large displacement, chunky all-terrain tires, brick-like aerodynamics, and just six gears, it still returns nearly 14km/L on the highway. Around the city, we observed 7.7km/L to 8.5km/L, not bad for this kind of vehicle.
Ride and handling
Whereas the powertrain is its highest point, ride and handling is where the Hilux GR-S struggles. We’ll make one thing clear, though: It rides heaps better than the standard Conquest…not that the benchmark is set high.
Depending on who you ask, ride comfort ranges from firm to downright choppy. For those who thought that the GR-S package will soften the ride like, say, the Raptor did for the Ranger. We’ll definitely say that you should try this pickup out before you buy.
Does that mean it handles better because of the stiff suspension? Er, not really. Truth be told, it feels identical to Hiluxes we’ve driven in the past, but perhaps there’s a touch more stability thanks to the wider suspension track. We’re not complaining, though, as it never really felt sloppy behind the wheel. Only the heavy steering might be a turn-off for potential buyers.
The best thing about that Hilux’s dynamics would be the brakes. Toyota typically does well in that department, and this pickup is no exception. Also, this pickup feels more at home on the rough stuff than on pavement. Mind you, it’s still a rough and tumble experience, but we prefer driving it on ruts because, well, it just feels indestructible…at the expense of our spines and necks.
Extra features
The Hilux still uses a rather old-school hydraulic power steering arrangement. Which is why we were surprised to see advanced driver assist features in this model. Retrofitting such a system in an old platform isn’t easy, but props to Toyota for making it happen.
There’s adaptive cruise, for starters, as well as lane keep assist. Blind spot warning is also present, as well as a 360-degree view camera. Never mind that the resolution reminds us of the early days of YouTube, but at least it has it. The GR-S also benefits from having rear disc brakes.
Features? There’s the usual wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that most automakers offer these days, as well as wireless charging. Of course, there’s a barrage of airbags and stability control.
Verdict
The comparisons between this and the Ford Ranger Raptor are inevitable. The thing is, the latter is more a lifestyle vehicle, while the Hilux GR-S can still be used for utility if needed. Granted, the payload capacity is a little less, but the GR-S can still carry heaps more than the Raptor.
But is the GR-S a Raptor hunter? Well, no, but it may not be entirely a bad thing. As mentioned, there’s still a good degree of utility here. It is, after all, a Hilux. But if Toyota really wants to chase the Ford down, we have a few suggestions.
First off, the company should choose one focus: either performance or utility. This pickup tries to do both, but still leans more towards its blue-collar roots. Off-road modes would be welcome, but we understand that old-school off-roaders might prefer the challenge of a mostly mechanical system. Lastly, the steering could be a touch lighter just to make it a touch more maneuverable on, or off-road.
The next-generation Toyota Hilux is slated for the 2026 model year. With that, we have pretty high expectation given that it’s been a solid decade since this generation first came out. The current model is still a good choice in its class, and the GR-S is a welcome addition. But we want more out of the entire range once the all-new model comes out.
Specs: 2025 Toyota Hilux 2.8 GR-S 4x4
Price: P2,198,000
Engine: 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel
Power: 221hp
Torque: 550Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Layout: Four-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 8/10
