If we were to include the fleet variants, the Toyota Hilux has the widest range of variants available in the pickup class. There are presently 16 to choose from, far more than any of its competitors.
Now, a 17th trim level joins the range. Or should we say, rejoins the range? See, the GR Sport model has returned, slotting just below the GR-S.
Care to guess what it actually is? At first, we thought it’s the GR-S version sans the more powerful tune of the 2.8-liter turbodiesel. Upon checking the specs, it’s still exactly the same. Output is still rated at 221hp and 550Nm – the most powerful diesel in its class, by the way.
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The suspension arrangement is exactly the same, too. From the beefier dampers and springs to the wider track, the GR Sport is a dead ringer for the GR-S. Nothing has been changed inside, either.
It retails for P2,164,000, which is P14,000 less than the GR Sport. So, what makes it less expensive? The simple answer is, there’s no sports bar on it. Our friends from Carguide.ph reminded us that Toyota took out the sports bar in the GR Sport briefly, which probably explains why the test unit we had before didn’t come with one.
Why, you ask? It’s because the brackets used were at risk of cracking and could send the accessory flying off the back. Not ideal while on the highway, and it’s nightmare fuel for an entire generation that watched Final Destination.
In case you’re wondering, the sports bar-equipped model is back with the proper brackets, but you can still get the model without one. We reckon Toyota brought back the GR Sport name for the sake of distinction between those with or without it.
With that, the Philippines is literally the only market that has both GR Sport and GR-S variants of the Toyota Hilux. Yes, we dug deep into this, and the rest of the world calls the sporty Hilux either the GR Sport or GR-S and not both. Odd fun fact, indeed.
