best hilux ever made Page 8

“Best HiLux ever” depends on whether you value unkillable farm-spec grit, modern grunt, or creature comforts that do not feel like a garden hose.

All are tough, but each asks a different compromise in power, refinement and safety.

Shortlist the standouts below, then choose your poison:

• 2005–2015 (N70) 3.0 D-4D: Pros – rugged, simple, huge aftermarket. Cons – age-related injector wear and safety/tech now dated.
• 2015–2020 (early N80) 2.8 diesel: Pros – better safety and comfort than N70. Cons – early DPF complaints and modest tune.
• 2021–2023 2.8 diesel update: Pros – 150 kW/500 Nm auto, improved ride and tech. Cons – prices crept up; payload can shrink with options.
• 2023 GR Sport: Pros – 165 kW/550 Nm, wider track, beefed-up suspension and brakes. Cons – pricey and still a leaf-sprung ute.

Workhorse buyers lean old-school, daily drivers gravitate to the newer tunes, and tinkerers chase whichever one best suits their bolt-on fantasies.