2024 Toyota Hilux GR Sport

Tough Truck with Extra Performance

Just to be clear: My view on the Toyota Hilux GR Sport is that I don’t see it as a direct competitor to the diesel Ford Ranger Raptor. Not even close.

That’s not to say that the GR Sport can’t hold a candle to the Raptor. On the contrary; the Hilux GR Sport does have more power, but what Toyota did was to go in a different direction when they were doing the work to build and spec this performance-enhanced version of their pick-up truck.

When they launched the GR Sport last year, the Hilux generation was already quite dated as it was first launched in 2015. We can’t help but notice that the vehicle does feel a step or two behind its newer rivals if we are just looking at it from the outside, inside, the cargo bed, and more. Heck, even the current Navara which was launched a year earlier in 2014 even gets the benefit of a new dashboard now.

So the current 2024 Hilux does feel and look older, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing for a truck. A vehicle that has had a longer time in terms of its platform and generation will already be a mature product. Long story short, a late model of a particular generation should be the best in breed in terms of overall reliability, as opposed to an early model of a new generation as all the kinks and issues have been ironed out and improved.

What really attracts customers to the Hilux GR Sport is that it is an enhanced version of the Hilux, and we can see it with all the kit they fitted on the outside. The front aero bumper is different, and now has scoops on either side. The black grille is wider and features the classic TOYOTA instead of the oval T. The side steps, door handles, mirrors, and the HILUX emblem on the door are now black. But perhaps the most prominent is the extended fender flares for that wide-body look. If each exterior “aerosthetic” enhancement adds visual horsepower, then the Hilux GR Sport certainly has lots of it.

There are some strange oddities that we can see on the vehicle though. For starters, the rear GR sail or sports bar on the bed is gone; there was a recall on it because of cracking issues, and the demo car did not have it. The other is the use of side steps rather than the more off-road proper rock sliders found in GR Sport models specced for other countries.

The third and perhaps more crucial is the choice of rolling stock. This Hilux GR Sport does have the black 17” GR-S design wheels, but the tires they selected are too… tame. Yes, it says A/T, but the outside diameter (OD) of the tire and the tread pattern are too small and conservative, respectively. Toyota should have thrown the conservatism out the door for this model and gone for the BFGoodrich tires found in Hilux GR Sport models with a larger OD and blockier tread. It would just look more proper, instead of a gym bro that skips leg day… every day.

The cargo box or bed isn’t different from the standard Hilux models either. Size-wise, it’s not the biggest, but it’s a proven one that can take a lot of stuff with no problem. It can even fit a European pallet if need be. The thing about the bed though is that Toyota didn’t enhance it with some functional upgrades like maybe a side box step on the bumper, a lid of some kind, or even a power outlet. If you want those things, you have to buy them yourself.

The story is the same inside: the dashboard is exactly the same, as are the seats and other bits and pieces. Yes, Toyota did put in some neat touches with the red GR-S seatbelts, embroidered GR logos on the headrests, suede and leather combination upholstery, a centerline indicator on the steering wheel, GR ignition button, and GR-S mats, but those are pretty much just accessories.

Nothing really substantial has changed, as there are no special traction modes, no auxiliary button panel, no fancy heads-up display, and no clinometer. At least you get wireless charging with wireless Apple Carplay and wireless Android Auto. Oh, it does get paddle shifters, but does it make a difference?

On the road, it certainly doesn’t seem like it. The Hilux GR Sport does come with an up-tuned 1GD turbo diesel engine, which explains why it is more eager to accelerate given the extra 20 PS and extra 50 Nm. Keep in mind though that this isn’t a huge jump in the great scheme of things, but we still appreciate extra power as well as the extra braking power; this GR Sport does get enhanced GR brakes.

There is a slight difference in fuel economy; the GR Sport does consume a little bit more, as we found ourselves averaging about 7.5 km/l in the city. That was to be expected of a little extra power, but still, the feel of acceleration isn’t a night and day difference, and that also applies to the suspension.

We half expected an improved ride similar to the glide philosophy of the Ranger Raptor, but that’s not what we’re getting with the GR Sport. Yes, Toyota did change out the suspension with enhanced monotube shock absorbers, but the rear still has leaf springs and not coil springs. So if you rode aboard a Raptor and expected the same out of a GR Sport, you’ll be disappointed.

What won’t be disappointing is that you still have the carrying capability just like any other Hilux. Toyota Philippines didn’t mention an exact cargo load number, but we don’t expect it to be far off from the standard models, whereas the Raptor has about half the capacity of standard leaf spring Ranger variants.

The other change is Toyota removed the rear sway bar. The negative effect is that you do feel a difference with a bit more body motion on the road. The positive effect is better articulation of the rear solid axle; that’s what off-roaders want out of a 4x4 truck, as it frees up the rear axle to dip and find traction if you're on a very uneven trail.

Personally, I am glad that Toyota added some more performance to go with all the visual horsepower they put into the Hilux to make it worthy of the GR Sport badge. I’ll maintain the opinion that I don’t see this as a direct Ranger Raptor diesel competitor because a lot of the things a driver can do with the Ford can’t be done by the Hilux GR Sport and vice versa.

The Raptor sacrifices the load-carrying capability of the truck to give a performance that can be enjoyed at speed over rough roads and terrain. If you try driving fast on rough ground with the GR Sport you may want to check with your chiropractor afterwards. Instead, you’ll be driving slower, but you’ll be able to carry heavier things if that’s your purpose. That I think is the main difference and the best way to interpret what Toyota wanted to gain with the GR Sport.

It’s still a Hilux but with extra performance.