It’s been nearly a decade since the current generation Toyota Hilux came out, but the pickup still shows no signs of slowing down. We’ve seen several facelifts, power upgrades, and even a sporty version in the last nine years. It’s safe to say then that the Southeast Asian and Australian markets have taken the Hilux to a new level.
But over in Japan, the Hilux lives a quieter life. There’s no wide-fendered GR-S version, and the engine choice is far more sedate than what we have in this part of the world. Still, that’s not stopping Toyota from giving the home market version a few updates this year.
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The updates are mild in this case, and certainly not what we’re used to over here. In Japan, the changes made to the Hilux are more for safety than anything else. Over there, the Hilux (finally) gains a 360-degree view camera. There’s also a new color for the base model, Platinum White Pearl Mica.
As you can probably tell by now, these changes are already present in the Philippine market model. Clearly, pickups don’t have the same fanfare in Japan compared to Southeast Asia and Australia, but the Japan-spec Hilux is an interesting curiosity, nonetheless.
It’s worth pointing out that the Japan-spec Hilux doesn’t even get the 2.8-liter turbodiesel. Instead, it sticks to the smaller 2.4-liter that powers the local 4x2 base and mid-spec models. There’s no Conquest look there, either and there are only two variant choices there, Z and GR Sport. But regardless of trim level, it does come with four-wheel drive as standard.
How much is the Hilux in Japan, you ask? The entry-level Z starts at ¥4,072,000, while the GR Sport retails for ¥4,312,000. Converted to local currency, that’s around P1,550,000 and P1,640,000, respectively.
