Hilux development engineers get to grips with New Zealand conditions

Putting the new-generation Toyota Hilux to the test while crossing the Rakaia River. 

Two of Toyota Motor Corporation’s leading engineers behind the new-generation Hilux visited New Zealand over the weekend to put their latest creation through its paces in the South Island. Their goal was to meet Hilux owners and hear first-hand how they use their vehicles and fully appreciate the unique conditions Kiwi drivers face.  

Designed and built by Toyota Motor Corporation in Thailand, Hilux has earned its reputation in some of the most challenging environments on the planet. It is a global workhorse trusted on every continent. The latest generation, announced in November, includes design input from Toyota Australia and has been extensively tested in Australian off-road conditions to ensure toughness and durability across our part of the world.  

Overseeing the design and engineering development of the new Hilux were Anyarat Sutthibenjakul, Regional Chief Engineer, Sankom Pasri, Deputy General Manager of the Vehicle Performance Engineering Department, and Takeshi Tanabe, Executive Advisor to the Regional Design team, all within Toyota Motor Asia. While they were both in New Zealand, across the ditch in New South Wales, a group of Aussie and Kiwi motoring writers were putting the new Hilux to the test on Australian tracks.  

Anyarat Sutthibenjakul has been involved with the Hilux for more than 15 years and has travelled the world to understand the Hilux customer and experience.  

“The purpose of the trip to New Zealand was to understand more about the market. This is my first time in New Zealand. I have been to many places in the world: Asia, Europe, America, South Africa and Middle East. So, I know how customers use the Hilux, but not New Zealand. It's very attractive and very different from other countries. There are so many locations that I have never experienced before. After seeing the real conditions, the real uses, and talking with Hilux customers, I have strong confidence that what we developed this time for the new Hilux will fit and serve customers well in this country,” she says. 

Anyarat said the main goal set for the new Hilux was simple: make it a lifetime partner for customers. Sold in more than 180 countries and used in hugely varied environments, Hilux needed to meet diverse needs and be part of people’s lives for the long haul, not just a moment in time. 

Takeshi Tanabe says the design of the Hilux makes sure it keeps the original soul, even within an entirely new body.  

“We set the keyword as ‘cyber Sumo’. The Sumo is, as you know, the Japanese wrestler, which is tough, with good stance, but also quite agile, powerful. Then we added ‘cyber’ on top of that, because it has to be a vehicle for the 21st century. It had to be modernised with a new design, but still inside the trustful QDR (quality, durability and reliability), has to be the same, or even improved,” he says. 

Tanabe says the design of the new Hilux reflects the quality of the ute. Certain elements such as the use of chrome were dropped and new angles and trapezoid shapes were used to emphasise the toughness of the vehicle. A more integrated grille, using the body colour, was also adapted to create the impression of more stability and the wide stance of a cyber Sumo. 

Much attention was also given to the on and off-road performance of the Hilux. On their trip in the South Island, the two engineers appreciated the rough terrain, treacherous river crossings and steep hills the Hilux often encounters.  

After visiting New Zealand and talking to Hilux owners and hearing their stories, Anyarat says she is inspired to share her learnings with her team in Thailand, and with others in Japan. 

“With some locations we went to, I never thought that Hilux could make it, you know, crossing the river or climbing up the mountain, but Hilux could do that. This made me think, we need to make the vehicle even stronger for customers in the future. I asked myself, how I'm going to make one product to meet those country specifications but after long research, almost two years visiting so many locations and talking with hundreds of customers, I would say that that requirement is quite similar to what New Zealand Hilux owners need.”  

Customer feedback is vital to how Toyota approaches the design and development of its vehicles. Even the way a new vehicle or new generation is evaluated is influenced by customer feedback. 

“Normally when testing a new Hilux we would carry the full payload and evaluate the vehicle on the full payload condition. But if a customer is driving only with themselves or one passenger, they may feel a bounce. There is some vibration when the ute has not got the full load. So we changed a way of thinking and a way of evaluating the vehicle, and we made a new suspension journey to meet the most common usage conditions of the customer." 

The higher grades of the new-generation Hilux have had a substantial modification to their suspension systems to give a more forgiving ride, particularly when the vehicle is driven alone, with no payload, on the road. The Hilux SR5 and higher grades of Limited and Adventure now feature an increased rear leaf spring suspension stroke, paired with newly tuned damping to minimise shock harshness and elevate ride quality. 

Regarding the future of Hilux, Anyarat says there is a multi-powertrain pathway strategy for Hilux as Toyota is committed to carbon neutrality.  

“Hilux is for work use. We need more power, more towing, more offroad capability, but it's also our duty to give clean air for future generations. So, we came up with the battery electric vehicle Hilux as well. And in the future, Toyota will introduce more electrified product into the market to give cleaner air.  

“But the diesel is still there. It's not so easy to pull diesel out of the lineup, because Hilux is for the Hilux customer, for offroad, for work use, and for traveling to remote areas such as you have here in New Zealand,” she says.