Wider, more powerful Toyota Hilux confirmed for New Zealand

Thursday, 2 March 2023

The Hilux GR Sport was first unveiled in January.

Toyota New Zealand has confirmed one of its worst-kept secrets; it will be launching the new Hilux GR Sport locally later this year.

The Australian-developed Hilux GR Sport debuted in January, with Stuff reporting at the time that Toyota’s local arm was set to make an announcement about the model in the first quarter of 2023.

The GR Sport features a wider track, uprated damping, and a 10% rise in power and torque.

The Hilux GR Sport is due to arrive in showrooms in mid-2023, becoming the third new ‘Gazoo Racing’ product to join the company’s line-up this year following the GR Corolla and Yaris GR Sport.

Pricing for the GR Sport has yet to be confirmed, although it will likely outrank the $63,390 SR5 Cruiser 4WD ‘wide body’. It’s also tipped to undercut Ford’s equivalent $92,990 Ranger Raptor V6.

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“Hilux has a legendary reputation for toughness and reliability. New Hilux GR Sport will reinforce the unbreakable bond Kiwis have with Hilux as a brand and vehicle,” says Toyota New Zealand’s General Manager of New Vehicles, Steve Prangnell.

“Inspired by our iconic Dakar Rally race utes, Hilux GR Sport will deliver new levels of driving experience both on and off-road by capturing the spirit of Toyota Gazoo Racing.”

As previously reported, the Hilux GR Sport gets a more powerful engine, aggressive bodywork, striking bolt-on wheel arch extensions, rock sliders, bright red tow points, and ventilated brakes.

Its track is 140mm wider at the front and 155mm at the rear than a standard Hilux, growing its footprint and helping it accommodate Bridgestone all-terrain rubber and a more heavy duty suspension set-up consisting of stiffer coils, new wishbones, monotube shocks, and a reinforced rear axle.

Under the bonnet, Toyota’s familiar 2.8-litre turbo diesel has received “revised turbo-supercharging and fuel-injection control” leading to a 10% rise in both power and torque – each now rated at 165kW and 550Nm.

This more powerful donk is exclusively paired to four-wheel drive and a 6-speed automatic that Toyota says has been revised to handle the increased load.

Prangnell adds that the new model does not deter from Toyota’s focus on lowering the tailpipe carbon emissions across its range.

“From electrified vehicles such as hybrid electric cars and SUVs to highly functional utes and vans, Toyota are committed to reducing our tailpipe carbon emissions by 46% by 2030 while still offering customers the vehicle of their choice,” says Prangnell.

“We plan to do this through a balanced portfolio of product which includes Hilux GR Sport, which will make up 5% of our total Hilux volume for 2023.”