2026 Toyota HiLux: New details unearthed for next-gen ute

The 2026 Toyota HiLux is edging closer to its global unveiling, and now have more details via official documents submitted by the Japanese automaker to Australian government authorities.

While details of the new HiLux have yet to be officially confirmed by Toyota, an Australian Design Rule certification application published by the federal government’s Department of Infrastructure reveals several new details about the next-generation ute.

The paperwork confirms the next HiLux will gain a central airbag for first-row occupants – helping to match the safety equipment offered by the likes of Ford, Isuzu, Mazda, Kia, and GWM, among others.

Toyota lists 16 different variants of the new HiLux so far – curiously though, all internal model code designations suggest they will be powered exclusively by versions of the company’s long-running 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, known as the 1GD-FTV.

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The documentation also only lists two engines: the 1GD-FTV (HI), being the high-powered version found in the HiLux GR Sport, and the 1GD-FTV (MHV), which is the 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain with slightly reduced performance.

This strongly points to Toyota dropping both the 2.7-litre petrol and 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engines for its entry-level HiLux variants.

While it’s unlikely to appear before the ute’s first update due around 2028, Toyota is believed to be preparing its all-new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine for the HiLux, as reported by CarExpert last week.

With the engine said to be shared across several performance models from Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) sub-brand, it could give the Japanese car giant a way to provide a direct competitor to the Ford Ranger Raptor and its twin-turbo petrol V6.

Leaked patent drawings of the HiLux’s exterior and interior have provided an idea of what to expect when the new model is officially revealed – with the cabin borrowing several elements from other off-road Toyota models including the LandCruiser,Prado, and Tundra.

Though the ladder-frame platform, doors and roof panels will be carried over from the outgoing model – now a decade old – the front and rear ends will adopt a new look.

As we’ve reported recently, the 2026 Toyota HiLux is expected to make its global debut at the Thailand Motor Expo in late November, ahead of its Australian release in early 2026.

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