2007 Toyota Hilux reviews

Toyota Hilux 3.0 Invincible auto 2007

We’d intended to get a used Amazon, but very strong used values coupled with hefty road tax penalties made us think about a pick up instead. Automatic is a must, Ford were just about to launch their own 3.0 litre automatic ranger, but no one at Ford could tell me where the engine or gearbox came from, and not wishing to be unpaid R&D for a new model we decided to check out others. Navara went into limp mode on the test drive and my wife hated the sound and drive of it, so that left new Mitsubishi L200 which looks odd and we really wanted a 3.0 litre for the extra torque anyway. It only left Toyota which was what we wanted anyway and having owned a Landcruiser 3.0 litre Diesel before which was completely reliable and built like the proverbial brick outhouse I knew the motor would be good... but you still have to check the opposition to confirm. So we test drove the Hilux, both liked it and Toyota did us a fair price... dead lucky here, we ordered 2 weeks before Top Gears North Pole trip was shown, wouldn’t have got any discount after that as no one knew of the new model prior to that. Vehicle turned up sure enough for 1st Sept, all good. Righto, the gearbox is a dream smooth changes and good instant pulling power, small criticism here, the engine has huge low speed power, maximum torque from 1400rpm, so even though the gearbox locks in 4th when up to speed it will change down before needed, shame Toyota couldn’t have put some sort of manual override button, we could semi permanently lock top gear on the open road, but hey ho as I said a minor point in the grand scheme of a good auto box. Nice little touch, there is a release button for the gearstick beside it, so you don’t need to turn the ignition on and put foot on brake to select neutral if you want to roll forward on a slope or example. Engine is very willing, reasonably quiet, and pulls like a train. The vehicle is high geared in top something like 2200 rpm at a genuine 80mph, so high speed cruising is easy though you can pay at the pumps for that. Fuel consumption varies between 27 and 30ish, the former if you boot it and you could get worse than that, the latter for normal running, which I think is reasonable for a 2 ton brick. Didn’t go for leather, 2 reasons didn’t like the one bland grey colour and it’s slippery and cold (no seat heaters) for my wife’s bum ;) that’s 3 reasons... Very good to drive, can be skittish in the wet, tyres need to be carefully chosen, I’m a user of winter tyres anyway during the cold spell and this vehicle is transformed on higher quality tyres, the original fitments weren’t the greatest in my humble opinion. Following that idiotic biased Elk test video on youtube Toyota had the knee jerk reaction of stopping using the 16" wheels on the Invincible and fitted 15" instead, they tried to get us to have new 15" (HL3) wheels under warranty but we’ve not had a problem with the handling save for my above comment over tyre choice, so we are still running the 16" wheels, if I’d wanted an HL3 I’d have bought one and saved myself a couple of grand. The paint seems a bit easy to scratch, and I daresay we’ll be having it repainted much better in a few years time, as this truck is here with us till the end of it’s days (or ours). This seems to be a problem with many new vehicles, this modern paints just don’t wear like the old stuff. Underside prone to rusting, definitely a case for heavy spraying with rustproofing chemicals/paint underneath. Mirrors though they are electric and very good being huge and well placed are not heated even as an option, this was a bad oversight and Toyota should really have offered a retro fit service to their customers with this... whether the 2009 facelift model has heated mirrors I know not. I have a bit of a feeling that they didn’t want Hilux pinching too many sales from Landcruiser, so didn’t make them too luxurious, mind you their pretty good anyway. Well it’s now exactly 2 years old, no problems at all as expected. Toyota’s service dept is it’s usual efficient self and the servicing costs are reasonable say around £180 for intermediate (year 1 and 3) and £270 for full (year 2), I don’t think that’s bad at all, and I do pay extra to have a new fuel filter annually, that for some reason isn’t in the service schedule, but I like my vehicles serviced proper like, and I slip in a half yearly oil change myself. Engine oil change is recommended at 9K miles by the way. The fuel filter has proper primer plunger fitted, unlike much of the competition which is just another old fashioned belt and braces approach to the way they build their working vehicles, a good thing as far as i’m concerned. Hope this is a little help to anyone considering a Hilux, I would recommend without hesitation, relatively simple tough pick up that should turn out to be totally reliable, and seems to be keeping it’s value quite well where the competition is being given away at 3 or so years old.