India
will on January 20, 2022 see the launch of a new pickup truck, the Toyota Hilux.
It will enter a niche market that has not really evolved in the country despite
the presence of Isuzu Motors’ D-Max V-Cross
which made its debut mainly as a commercial vehicle (D-Max).
Isuzu currently
sells the D-Max V-Cross and Hi-Lander pickups in the passenger vehicle segment
and prices for the same start at sub Rs 20 lakh. Despite the best efforts of
the company and being a first mover, Isuzu is only able to sell a handful of
such passenger vehicles in the country. In November 2021, according to SIAM,
the company sold a mere 56 units of the passenger pick up.
ISUZU LAUNCHES NEW BS VI COMPLIANT V-CROSS
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With
Toyota announcing its entry into this pickup segment, it means that the two Japanese
brands will have to bitterly fight to keep abreast in this segment. Isuzu Motors
has been finding it hard to grab real numbers with the D-Max V-Cross double cab
passenger pickup vehicles in the country.
Deliveries
of the Toyota Hilux may commence only by March 2022. The Hilux will all likely
come with a 2.8 litre diesel engine which does service in the popular Toyota
Fortuner. The Hilux may initially come in CKD form and will be assembled at the
Bidadi plant of Toyota Kirloskar in the southern state of Karnataka.
The
2.8 litre diesel engine will produce a max ooutput of 204hp and a peak torque
of 420Nm for the manual transmission, while the automatic will produce a peak
torque of 500Nm. It will have a 4 wheel drive system with electronic
differential locks, besides several other modern features.
The Toyota Hilux will have 18 inches wheels,
LED headlamps, touchscreen infotainment system , airbags, etc. Hilux colour choices will include white, red,
grey and silver. Motown India is of the opinion that a petrol variant of the
pickup could see more demand for picks because in India diesel passenger
vehicles are allowed to ply on roads for only ten years unlike petrol vehicles
which can run for 15 years, after which they need to be compulsorily scrapped.