Toyota has delivered the first lot of Hilux pick-ups to the Indian Army. The vehicle was selected after two months of meticulous considerations and evaluations by the Northern Command of the Indian Army’s Technical Evaluation Committee. The Hilux was put through its paces across varied weather conditions, high altitudes over 13,000 ft and sub-zero temperatures.
Toyota has become one of the carmakers to supply to the Army. This is the company’s maiden vehicle supply to the Indian Armed Forces. Other vehicles in the Army include Maruti’s Gypsy, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata GS800, Tata Xenon pick-up and more.
That said, it is not yet known if the Hilux would be delivered stock or Toyota will incorporate specific tweaks as per the customer requirements. According to a statement released by the Army, they acknowledged Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s efforts to complete the stringent tests of the Army. The vehicles will be used for its designated purposes.
The pick-up comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, ventilated seats with leather upholstery, 8-way power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, cruise control and automatic headlamps. In the safety department, Hilux benefits from 7 airbags, a rear-view camera, VSC, traction control and Variable Flow Control steering.
The Toyota Hilux comes with a 2.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This is rated at 204 HP and 420(MT) / 500(AT) Nm of peak torque. It comes paired with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.
A four-wheel drive system is offered as standard. It also gets a low-ratio transfer case, front and rear electronic differential locks, approach angle of 29 degrees and a departure angle of 26 degrees. The Hilux also boasts of 700 mm of water wading capabilities.
Under the hood, the Hilux gets a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel that produces 204hp and 420Nm of torque (500Nm in the case of the automatic). Transmission options on the Hilux include a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
The Hilux gets a four-wheel drive system as standard, and for improved off-road ability, it also gets a low-range gearbox, and front and rear electronic differential locks, limited-slip differential and Active Traction Control. It has an approach angle of 29 degrees and a departure angle of 26 degrees. Additionally, the Hilux has a water-wading capacity of 700mm.
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