Toyota Hilux GR Sport on sale in Australia – widebody, uprated suspension with 224 PS/550 Nm; RM222k

Following Toyota Australia’s debut of the Hilux GR Sport in January for the Australian market, the flagship double-cab pick-up truck has now gone on sale Down Under, priced from AUD73,990 (RM222k) before on-road costs.

The range-topping Hilux GR Sport sits on the same wide-track platform as that of the Hilux Rogue – which is priced marginally lower at AUD70,760 (RM212k) – in the Australian market, which means the pick-up truck’s footprint has grown by 135 mm and 155 mm in front and rear track widths respectively, along with a 15 mm increase in ride height compared to lesser variants in the model’s range.

Styling of the wider, sportier Hilux flagship comes from the Toyota Australia design team in Altona, Melbourne, and has been inspired by the Toyota GR DKR T1+ that has won the Dakar Rally two years in a row.

Its exterior design isn’t just for styling, as the front bumper has been designed to offer a more generous approach angle as well as ground clearance, while GR badging is applied to the blacked-out front grille, and the tailgate. A large GR logo has also been applied to the cargo bed.

Overfenders feature on the GR Sport version, offering increased width compared to the regular variants of the Hilux, covering the wheels which are positioned in wider wheel track widths. These are due to a new design of wishbones in front as well as a wider rear axle, growing front and rear track widths by 140 mm and 155 mm, respectively.

Joining the altered suspension geometry is a set of KYB dampers specifically tuned for the Hilux GR Sport, while the rear stabiliser bar has been removed to liberate more suspension travel.

Wheels are 17-inch alloys units in gloss black, shod in 265/65R17 Bridgestone Dueller all-terrain tyres. Fortifications include a Dakar-inspired front skid plate, steel rock rails and red-painted recovery points, developed locally by Toyota Australia conversions and accessory team.

The mechanical alterations specific to the GR Sport has not altered the Hilux braked towing capacity of 3,500 kg, says Toyota. The Hilux GR Sport gets outfitted with a towbar with tow ball and a seven-pin trailer wiring harness.

Motive power is by the manufacturer’s 2.8 litre turbodiesel engine that has been uprated by 10% to produce 224 PS and 550 Nm of torque, up from the 204 PS and 500 Nm of torque in its previous iteration. The Malaysian-market Hilux GR Sport has been given the more powerful engine this month.

These outputs are sent to a six-speed automatic transmission that has been recalibrated to suit the increased power and torque, and the braking system now features ventilated disc brakes at all four corners, as compared with the front-disc, rear-drum setup of other versions. Brake calipers on this GR Sport are painted red.

Inside, the cabin of the Hilux GR Sport gets the performance-inspired look to match, using leather-accented, perforated suede upholstery for the seats with grey contrast stitching. Red seatbelts offer added visual highlights, as do the red central marker on the steering wheel, which gets shift paddles and a GR logo while foot pedals are in aluminium. A nine-speaker JBL system brings the audio.

For the Australian market, the Toyota Hilux GR Sport is offered Glacier White, Frosted White, Silver Sky (Stunning Silver from late 2023), Eclipse Black and Feverish Red exterior colour finishes, of which Glacier White, Frosted White and Feverish Red can be paired with a two-tone black roof for a AUD$1,000 (RM3,013) premium. The Malaysian-market Hilux GR Sport is priced at RM169,800 OTR without insurance.

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