Toyota India Has No Plans For A Petrol Hilux At The Moment

The wraps are off the India-spec Hilux ahead of its launch in March 2022. Based on the Fortuner and Innova Crysta’s platform, the Hilux will be rolling off the assembly line with the 204PS 2.8-litre diesel engine. If you had your eyes on a petrol-powered one, there’s bad news as Toyota isn’t considering one at the moment.  

Toyota’s reason is quite simple: there simply isn’t enough demand for petrol in this space. Quite justifiable, in our opinion, as still plenty of customers buying products at this price point prefer diesel power given the lower running costs. Also, a large petrol engine in a vehicle weighing over two tonnes is a disaster for fuel economy, especially in a country where fuel prices are soaring.  

That said, if there’s enough customer interest around the petrol Hilux, Toyota could eventually bring one in the future. If introduced, we suspect it to utilise the Fortuner’s 166PS 2.7-litre mill, paired with the 5-speed stick shifter and optional 6-speed automatic. Internationally, there is also the choice of a smaller 150PS 2.4-litre diesel motor. 

At the moment, customers can pre book the Hilux, which will come in two trims. Deliveries are slated to begin from April. We expect prices to begin close to the Fortuner’s–that is from over Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom).