The Toyota Hilux is one of the world's best pickup trucks despite the fact it's not sold in the US. Fortunately, we have the Toyota Tacoma, which is about the same size and equally tough and nearly unbreakable. Although the two are mechanically related, there are clear styling distinctions. Well, at least there were. If the leaked images we're looking at are the real deal, courtesy of car export company Milele Motors, then it appears the Japanese automaker has decided to make the facelifted Hilux more closely visually aligned with its North American cousin.
The Hilux now appears to sport a bold grille like the Tacoma's, and the website claims Toyota will offer two headlamps, one LED and another LED/halogen combo for lower trim levels. The taillights are also redesigned. However, these are computer-generated images so there's still a possibility they don't reflect the final design 100 percent accurately.
Aside from the new front and rear ends, the rest of the Hilux appears to be carried over from the current truck. Toyota previously told Australia's CarAdvice that the facelifted Hilux's design has been influenced by the Tacoma, so there's a fairly good chance these renderings are pretty close to the rear deal.
In the coming years, however, Toyota is moving not only the Tacoma and Tundra to a common platform but also the next-generation Hilux. The current Hilux hit the market in 2015 so this latest facelift will keep it fresh for another few years.
We still don't know exactly when the next Tacoma will arrive, but given that the current generation also received a styling update featuring new LED headlights and a few other feature upgrades, chances are it's still a few years away. The full-size Tundra is actually in greater need of a replacement than the Tacoma, and we expect that to redesign to arrive sometime in 2022.
Toyota is in no rush to replace the Tacoma because it's already the best-selling mid-size truck in the US despite fresh competition from the Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator.