The new Toyota Hilux may get a cabin styled in the same way as the Land Cruiser Prado’s, claims 4x4Australia demonstrating what looks like a leaked image of the pickup’s fascia. We hear that the truck may debut in December and go into production in Thailand.
The pic shows a front panel (interior fascia) that looks ready to be installed onto the new Hilux. It lacks certain important units, like the dashboard and the climate control system, but otherwise looks unmistakably similar to that of the new LC Prado. Having said that, we cannot guarantee that the photo isn’t of an earlier pre-production version.
A closer look reveals a two-tone finish, a couple of glove compartments on the left-hand side, cup holders near the pillars and an infotainment display encased in a large frame with buttons at both sides. In all likelihood, the Hilux cabin won’t be as deluxe as that of the Prado. It may even not get the latter’s 12.3-inch head unit. Then again, the photo just might be showing a base trim or something. Toyota has yet to reveal the ninth generation of the Hilux properly, so speculation is all we have in the meantime.
Moreover, there is no consensus on whether the truck will retain its current platform or move to the affordable IMV chassis. The one thing that seems clear is that it won’t be based on the company’s expensive TNGA architecture. By all indications, it will continue using a 2.8-liter TDI engine in tandem with a 48V starter-generator, but a more upmarket hybrid powertrain option is not out of the question, either. It may arrive based on the company’s i-Force Max system rated at 330 PS (325 hp / 243 kW) in the Toyota Tacoma. It might even get the GR (Gazoo Racing) badge.
