The Raptor has been at the top of the food chain for a long time. But that’s about to end if the 2023 Toyota Hilux GR Sport has anything to say about it. Recently unveiled in Australia, this Dakar-inspired Hilux is about to give every other high-performance pickup truck a run for its money.
2023 Hilux GR Sport is tall, wide, and packs more power
Photo: Toyota
Aside from the bigger and wider-looking exterior, there are a few numbers that have been updated in the 2023 Hilux GR Sport. First off, the axle widths at the front and rear have been widened by 140mm and 155mm, respectively. It also comes in at 5320mm long, 1880mm tall, and 2020mm wide. As a reference, our local and more subdued GR Sport Hilux is 120mm narrower and about 65mm shorter.
Along with redesigned wishbone suspension and a reinforced rear axle, this GR Sport will be comfortable in any kind of terrain. Monotube shock absorbers, stiffer coil springs, new 17-inch alloy wheels that come with all-terrain tires as stock, an updated front end, a new grill, and black cladding all round up much of what’s on the outside.
Photo: Toyota
As for the interior, it retains its mainly black motif. It does, however, retain its silver accent pieces and red seatbelts. Red contrast stitching has also been retained on the upholstery, but again, it all looks very similar (if not totally the same) to the previous Hilux GR Sport.
Photo: Toyota
Of course, the GR branding has also been applied to the interior bits, particularly on the steering wheel garnish and even the headrest to which they have been directly embroidered.
“Hilux GR Sport draws on the spirit of Toyota’s Dakar success as a hardcore 4WD that will appeal to customers seeking the quintessential off-road version of Australia’s best-selling vehicle,” Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia vice president for Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, said of the new Hilux.
“It has been designed to turn heads with aggressive in-your-face styling that’s reinforced by a healthy performance boost, enhanced high-speed handling and even better grip on dirt roads,” he also added.
Photo: Toyota
Now on to the most important bits and bobs. This Hilux GR Sport is powered by a 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine. It puts out 221 HP and a whopping 550 Nm of torque, enough to get you into any kind of off-road situation and get you out just as easily. The automatic transmission has been updated with “sportier tuning” and with the paddle shifters that come standard, that should make trekking and crawling a lot more fun.
So yes, we did say that the 2023 Toyota Hilux GR Sport will make Ranger Raptor hunting easy. It’s quite lonely at the top, so Toyota is just giving the Raptor some company. Company that has the potential to challenge its reign at the top of the performance pickup food chain.
What does the Hilux faithful have to say to that?
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