Reports coming from Thailand and Australia have revealed that the next generation Toyota Hilux, slated for 2016 will have an all-new engine lineup. Images have also surfaced showing design details of the 2016 Toyota Hilux and its interior. The front end features a new chrome grille extending into the headlight clusters which feature Daytime Running Lights. There are also more prominent fenders as well as new alloy wheels, chrome door handles and mirror caps, as well as larger rear doors. On the inside, there seems to be a tablet-like touchscreen which will take of infotainment. With all the recent spy shots, it seems likely that the 2016 Toyota Hilux will be fully revealed soon.

New Hilux Engine Range

If the rumours are to be believed the most powerful engine in the new Hilux will be a 2.8-Litre turbodiesel engine. Its claimed outputs are 132 kW and 450 Nm of torque which compares well with the current 3.0-Litre turbodiesel’s 120 kW and 343 Nm. This diesel motor can be mated to both a six-speed manual and automatic transmission. Strangely the torque figure drops to 420 Nm on the manual derivative.

The new entry spec turbodiesel model is a 2.4-Litre with 125 kW and 400 Nm of torque. As far as the diesel motors go, the engine range looks good, power and torque figures are a reasonable step forward and the general movement towards downsizing has been implemented. There’s the option of six-speed auto or a five-speed manual but the manual again goes along with a drop in torque to 343 Nm.

The petrol engine is the 2.7-Litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated unit with 116 kW and 240 Nm. This engine appears to be the same as the outgoing unit and therefore is likely to use the current four-speed auto or five-speed manual gearbox.

Interestingly from the spy shots the new Hilux looks to have a multi-link rear suspension as opposed to the leaf springs most bakkies employ. This setup is probably going to be reserved for the higher end leisure bakkies, while the single-cab workhorses will probably still be leaf sprung.

The final intriguing update that we can garner from some of the spy shots doing the round is an autonomous braking system that intervenes when an accident is imminent. The system will be a first for Toyota commercial vehicles. The system will also improve the Hilux’s Euro NCAP score.