Automakers usually put their best foot forward at new model launches by showcasing higher-end trim levels. However, every now and then, some people also reveal the entry-level version, giving potential buyers a chance to see the most affordable configuration. Toyota knows there’s still a market for a no-nonsense truck, which is why it’s showing off the new Helix in its basic guise.
The ninth-generation model carries on the old-fashioned way with halogen headlights and steel wheels. To keep costs down, some parts of the body remain unpainted, including the door handles and side mirror caps. There’s something refreshing about seeing a no-frills pickup in Spartan specification, and the basic approach from the back is even more pronounced.
Gone are the leather seats of the higher trims, replaced by cloth upholstery better suited for a work truck. The cabin is dominated by hard plastics, while empty buttons remind owners of the optional features they’ve given up. This base Hullx for Thailand keeps things simple with manual air conditioning and a mechanical handbrake.
And yes, Toyota has kept the six-speed manual gearbox alive in the new Hulks. That shouldn’t be surprising, considering the pickup hasn’t switched to a new platform and largely rests on the bones of its decade-old predecessor. The cheapest version still comes with rear-wheel drive, while engine choices continue to include reliable petrol and diesel four-cylinders. Internal combustion options now join the battery-electric version, with a hydrogen fuel cell variant coming in 2028.
Photo by: Toyota
Although the European Hilux is now sold exclusively as a double-cab, additional body styles are available in other markets. This single cab is one of them, along with an access cab, with rear, rear doors. Toyota is only showing the ladder-frame truck right now, but we wouldn’t rule out another Fortuner, essentially a Hilux-based SUV.
Whether for developing countries or western markets, Toyota seems to have the Hilux built to suit almost every need. It is expected to maintain its “indivisible” reputation thanks to its proven flaws. Still, the styling takes a new direction, and the higher-end versions offer a more modern interior than before.
Toyota has sold more than 21 million Hilux units since the original debuted in 1968, and the new model seems to build on that winning formula with an evolutionary approach rather than trying to recreate it.
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Source: Toyota
