TOYOTA Hilux Double Cab Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

The eighth generation of the Toyota Hilux came on the market with a second facelift in June 2020, after the one introduced in 2017.

The Hilux was known for its reliability and trustworthy capabilities. The pick-up won the Dakar rally-raid race, the North Pole, and the Icelandic volcanos. Its rugged chassis and reliable drivetrain made it a great choice for off-roaders as well.

The 2020 model came with essential updates at the front fascia with a redesigned grille and LED headlights. From its sides, the 2020 double-cab Hilux featured 18" light-alloy wheels. It looked more like a lifestyle utility vehicle than a utility truck with that design and stylish exterior elements. In the back, the new LED taillights improved the car's visibility.

Inside, Toyota upgraded the Hilux interior with a new design for the dashboard and driving post. On the center stack, an 8" infotainment unit combined the car's entertainment and other information on the same screen. The enhanced multimedia system featured a new touch-screen and incorporated both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A JBL sound system was available.

Under the hood, Toyota installed a revised 2.8-liter turbodiesel unit. It gained few horses even if it had to comply with the stricter Euro 6d emission regulations. A 6-speed manual was fitted as standard while a 6-speed automatic was on the options list.

The eighth generation of the legendary Toyota Hilux received a mid-cycle facelift that completely transforms the look of the model while getting several updates that improve its fuel efficiency. The revamped model was unveiled officially at the 2017 Thailand International Motor Expo.

The biggest exterior change compared to its predecessor is probably the bigger engine grille, which is related in style with the one found on the latest Toyota Tacoma made for the United States. Both the grille and the fog lamp surrounds are now finished in a chrome-like appearance, with the overall look being a lot more imposing than before.

There is also a redesigned front bumper with integrated fog lights, while the rear end has remained largely unchanged. New alloy wheel designs and colors complete the exterior revamp, while some Hilux versions get a glossy black grille and a grey rear bumper bar.

Thanks to updates made to various areas of the powerplants and gearbox, most Hilux versions equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission are a bit more fuel efficient than before, but mechanically they are largely unchanged. Oddly enough, all diesel versions get a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) switch now, which allows the driver to manually initiate a cleansing burn of the soot captured by the filter during low-speed driving.

The eighth generation of the Toyota HiLux was introduced in 2015 and was available in three cabin versions, with the four-door Double Cab as the biggest one of them all.

By this generation, the Japanese automaker had already gained huge experience and knew its customers. It knew that the Double Cab, for instance, was not just a work-truck anymore but also a family car used for daily duties and for going camping, fishing, or hunting. In addition, the towing performance made it an excellent vehicle for a horse trailer.

Topping the sales charts all over the world thanks to its trustworthy capabilities, the HiLux came on the market in 2015 with an improved look. Thus, in the four-door version, the pickup didn't look like you were driving around in your dad's farm truck. The front-end design receives new headlights and a lifted bumper in the front, with two horizontal slats on the grille. Thanks to the four-door bodywork and the bed in the back, which could have been covered with a topper, the HiLux was the darling for everyone who needed a vehicle able to carry almost a metric ton.

The DoubleCab provided a bench seat in the back fit for up to three adults. Still, the legroom for the middle-seated passengers was not impressive. In addition, the straight-up bench seat was uncomfortable for long travels. But Toyota took more care about the front-seated occupants. The dashboard offered an SUV-like design, with better materials and an option for a 7" infotainment system. It didn't have that basic look of the older models.

One of the reasons why the HiLux was so successful was its reliability and its ruggedness. For the eighth generation, it relied on a new ladder chassis, stronger than before. For the 2015 model, the HiLux received a new range of engines, with either a 2.4-liter or a 2.8-liter turbodiesel unit. The older 3.0D4-D was retired.

Toyota introduced a second facelift for the HiLux's seventh generation in 2011 and offered the well-known pickup with a choice of bodyworks, including the four-door Double Cab.

Created to fit five adults inside and take them to the top of a mountain, the refreshed HiLux Double Cab was family-friendly and suitable for a team of workers. In addition, the bed in the back was big enough to fit any tools they needed.

The Double Cab version was designed primarily as a leisure vehicle. That's why the automaker changed the car's exterior to fit customers' tastes. Thus, apart from the base model, it came with body-colored bumpers and a chromed grille. In addition, Toyota offered standard fog lamps from mid-grade up. Finally, thanks to its rear doors, the ingress and egress to the car were easier.

Inside, the HiLux Double Cab featured a pair of bucket seats at the front separated by a center console where Toyota placed the gear selector and the low-range transfer case between the two front occupants. The automaker installed a bench fit for three passengers in the back, with a storage area underneath. In addition, while the base trim level featured cloth materials and vinyl door cards, the HiLux featured more comfort and amenities on the upper trim levels, such as heated seats and an automatic transmission.

Under the hood, Toyota installed a choice of inline-four engines between 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter displacement with power ranging between 75 hp and 120 hp. A two-speed transfer box was fitted on all 4x4 models, and a limited-slip differential was on the options list, depending on the market.