Tag Archives: Toyota

NEW CARS

2025 Toyota Hilux: The Legend Reloaded (At Last)

The wait is (almost) over for Toyota’s next Hilux — and frankly, it’s about time. After months of grainy spy shots, forum debates, and more leaks than a worn-out radiator hose, Toyota has finally confirmed that the all-new Hilux will make its official debut in Thailand on November 10. To mark the occasion, the automaker dropped a short teaser video, giving us our first official look at the next generation of its iconic midsize pickup.

Sharper Looks, Familiar Bones

Let’s start with what we can see. The 2025 Hilux steps into the spotlight with a leaner, meaner face. Slimmer LED headlights flank a more sculpted hood, while chunkier bumper intakes give the front end a purposeful, almost Tacoma-like stance. A big, bold TOYOTA badge sprawls across the grille — subtlety clearly wasn’t invited to this design meeting.

From the side, the new Hilux keeps its well-known proportions. The dual-cab silhouette, signature sports bar, and muscled fenders remain intact, but the details have evolved. At the rear, the taillights now adopt angular LED graphics that modernize the truck’s backside, complete with a tailgate that features a neat integrated lip spoiler. The teaser truck rides on seven-double-spoke black alloys, because no modern pickup is complete without a set of dark wheels to emphasize its toughness.

Inside Scoop: SUV Vibes Incoming

Toyota hasn’t shown the interior yet, but leaked images have already given away the game. Expect a digital instrument cluster, a freestanding infotainment display, and an angular dashboard design that moves the Hilux closer to SUV territory in both look and feel. Toyota is also said to be improving material quality, which should make life inside feel a little less “contractor at dawn” and a little more “executive off-roader.”

Under the Skin: Old-School Strength with New Tricks

Despite the new face, the next-gen Hilux isn’t jumping to Toyota’s shiny TNGA-F platform — the same architecture that underpins the new Tacoma and Land Cruiser. Instead, it sticks with an updated version of the existing IMV ladder-frame chassis, a tried-and-true setup that’s helped the Hilux earn its bulletproof reputation across deserts, jungles, and job sites worldwide.

Toyota promises reworked suspension tuning and a beefed-up suite of driver aids to help bring the truck up to modern expectations. Translation: it should feel a bit less agricultural and a bit more composed on paved roads.

Powertrain: Diesel Still Rules (for Now)

Under the hood, the familiar 2.8-liter turbodiesel remains the workhorse of choice, now paired with a mild-hybrid system. Output holds steady at around 201 horsepower (204 PS) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque, channeled through an automatic transmission to either two or four wheels.

Don’t expect to see the smaller 2.4-liter diesel or the 2.7-liter gasoline engine hang around much longer — recent filings suggest both are headed for retirement. Down the road, Toyota is expected to roll out hybrid and fully electric variants, ensuring the Hilux can keep its reputation for torque while appealing to the increasingly electrified pickup crowd.

The Competition Heats Up

When it lands, the new Hilux will be marching straight into a battlefield bristling with talent. The Ford Ranger continues to set the benchmark for ride comfort and tech, the Volkswagen Amarok offers Euro flair, and the Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, and Mitsubishi Triton each bring their own loyal followings. Add in newcomers like the Kia Tasman and a growing swarm of Chinese entries, and Toyota’s latest truck will need more than just its legendary name to stay on top.

Coming Soon

We’ll know all the details — pricing, trims, and just how “new” the new Hilux really is — when Toyota pulls the covers off on November 10 in Thailand, where production will continue. One thing’s for sure: after nearly a decade of service from the outgoing model, the world’s favorite pickup is finally getting the reboot it deserves.

Source: Toyota

Tuning

Suzuki Jimny Gets a Toyota Makeover—Sort Of

Suzuki’s pint-sized adventurer, the Jimny, has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Despite Suzuki’s long-standing partnership with Toyota—which has spawned a handful of rebadged models—the little off-roader has remained proudly independent. Until now.

Enter ill Garage, a Japanese tuner with a mischievous sense of humor and an eye for design mashups. Their latest project, dubbed the CH:AMP conversion, takes the Jimny and gives it a front-end transplant inspired by Toyota’s utilitarian Hilux Champ pickup—also known as the Rangga, Stout, or Tamaraw, depending on the market. And if you squint just right, you might even catch a hint of Toyota’s new baby Land Cruiser FJ in the mix.

What’s in a Face?

Up front, the CH:AMP swaps out the Jimny’s familiar round-eyed stare for rectangular headlights, a chunky two-piece bumper, and a simple, boxy grille. The result looks equal parts rugged and retro—more budget Toyota than boutique Suzuki. Every element is finished in black to play nice with the contrasting roof and widened fenders of the demo car, which also sits slightly lower thanks to a set of 1.5-inch (38 mm) lowering springs.

Adding to the show-truck flair are dummy towing hooks, chunky all-terrain tires, and aftermarket wheels. It’s the kind of visual trickery that might make you look twice in a Tokyo parking lot—only to realize that, legally speaking, it’s not quite a Toyota. To make that crystal clear, the tuner stamped “CH:AMP” in big red letters across the grille. A tongue-in-cheek move, perhaps, but also a smart one to keep Toyota’s legal team at bay.

Retro Inside, Too

Inside, ill Garage offers a pair of retro seat cover options in Cognac Brown or Charcoal Black, mixing leather and braided inserts for an old-school vibe. Rear seatback pockets add a touch of practical charm—something any small SUV owner can appreciate.

Two (and a Half) Jimnys Walk into a Garage…

The CH:AMP treatment fits both the three-door Jimny Sierra and the stretched five-door Jimny Nomad, but the narrower kei-spec Jimny sold in Japan doesn’t make the cut. Customers can order individual parts à la carte or go all-in with a factory-style pre-converted Jimny, new or used, delivered straight from ill Garage.

How Much for the Fun?

Pricing starts at ¥360,800 ($2,300) for the base setup with halogen lights, or ¥386,100 ($2,500) if you want LEDs. Paint and installation are extra. From there, the options list reads like a candy shop for modders:

  • Lowering springs: ¥55,000 ($350)
  • Dummy towing hooks: ¥49,000 ($320)
  • Real towing hooks: ¥98,000 ($640)
  • Baja-style fog lights: ¥165,000 ($1,100)
  • Rugged rear bumper: ¥132,000 ($860)
  • Sport muffler: ¥66,000 ($430)
  • Seat covers: ¥85,800 ($560)

Add it all up and you’re still looking at less than the cost of a mild Wrangler option package—but with ten times the personality.

Not a Toyota Fan? No Problem.

If Toyota styling isn’t your flavor, ill Garage also offers a Ford Bronco–inspired Jimny conversion. Either way, it’s proof that the aftermarket hasn’t lost its sense of humor—or creativity.

The CH:AMP might not make your Jimny faster, but it definitely makes it harder to ignore. And in a world where individuality is often crushed by badge engineering, a face-swap like this feels refreshingly cheeky.

Source: ill Garage

NEW CARS

Toyota Kids Mobi: The EV That Lets Your Kid “Drive” Before You Hand Over the Keys

Toyota’s booth at this year’s Japan Mobility Show felt more like a Pixar movie set than an auto expo. Between spider-like delivery bots and a six-wheeled Lexus minivan, the automaker’s lineup brimmed with ideas that could’ve rolled straight out of an animated future. But among all the robotics and rolling oddities, one little pod stole the spotlight — and plenty of hearts.

Meet the Toyota Kids Mobi, a self-driving, bubble-shaped EV designed exclusively for children. Framed as “safe and secure AI-powered personal mobility for kids,” it’s equal parts toy, tech showcase, and sci-fi fantasy brought to life.

The design looks like it was dreamt up by a team of engineers and preschoolers in equal measure. The smooth, pod-like body hides its wheels inside rounded fenders, and the front end wears animated LED “eyes” that blink and smile. Even the roof-mounted sensors are shaped like ears, giving the whole thing the charm of a cartoon sidekick.

Lift the upward-swinging canopy, and inside sits a snug single seat tailored for children up to 130 cm tall (about 4 feet 3 inches). Once your future commuter climbs in, the canopy seals shut and the car’s built-in AI companion — adorably dubbed the UX Friend — springs to life. The assistant chats, tells stories, and plays games during the ride, turning every trip into something between a lesson in autonomy and a Pixar short.

Despite being fully autonomous, the Kids Mobi still lets kids “participate” in the drive — a subtle way of giving them a sense of control without actually handing over any. “It’s not just adults who want to drive and enjoy some time to themselves,” Toyota explains. “Kids also want freedom of mobility. And just as adults have cars, kids deserve a trusty sidekick.”

Letting a child roll off solo in an AI-powered pod might sound like a Black Mirror episode waiting to happen, but Toyota insists the system’s goal is safety. In fact, the company argues that, one day, autonomous pods like this could be safer than a traditional school bus.

Of course, the Kids Mobi remains very much a concept — part of what Toyota calls the “ultimate goal” of its AI x Robotics Data Center. Translation: this is a research platform, not a production promise. But that doesn’t make it any less fascinating.

And the fun doesn’t stop there. Just a few feet away on the show floor, Toyota also unveiled Chibibo, a four-legged delivery robot with all the personality of a mechanical puppy. Designed to trot alongside people or vehicles, it can carry small parcels — or even a kid’s backpack — up stairs and through narrow alleys. When it’s not hauling, it crouches down in a resting pose like a loyal robotic pet.

If Toyota’s vision pans out, the next generation of school drop-offs could look a lot different: your kid zipping off in a bubble EV with their robot companion trailing behind. Until then, Kids Mobi is parked firmly in the concept zone — though show visitors can climb inside for a photo op and take home an exclusive keychain.

For now, it’s equal parts whimsical and weird, but unmistakably Toyota: always a few steps (and wheels, and legs) ahead in imagining how mobility might look when even the kids get their own ride.

Source: Toyota