New Toyota Hilux 9th generation (2026): engines, frame, what changed

Toyota updated the Hilux not with cosmetics, but with a full generation change: on November 10, 2025 in Bangkok, the company unveiled the ninth Hilux. The pickup remained body-on-frame, gained a new design, electric power steering and the broadest powertrain lineup in the model’s history — from a diesel with a 48-volt hybrid system to a fully electric version, with a hydrogen variant promised for 2028 as well. We break down what exactly has changed, what remains from the predecessor, and what this means for owners and accessories.

Contents

• Key points in one minute
• Design: “Tough & Agile”
• Frame and chassis: evolution, not revolution
• Engines: from 48V diesel to electric
• Dimensions and off-road capability
• Interior and safety
• When sales start in Europe and Ukraine
• Bull bar, side steps, bed cover: what about accessories

Key points in one minute

• Generation. Ninth. Global premiere — November 10, 2025 in Thailand; European premiere — at the Brussels Motor Show in January 2026.
• Frame. The ladder frame is retained, wheelbase unchanged — 3 085 mm. The frame and body have been reinforced; for the first time in Europe, the steering gets electric power assistance.
• Main engine for Europe. 2.8 L diesel with a 48V hybrid system: 204 hp (150 kW) and 500 N·m, towing up to 3.5 t, payload over 1 t.
• Electric. Toyota’s first body-on-frame EV: 59.2 kWh battery, two electric motors, all-wheel drive, up to 257 km WLTP.
• Next. A hydrogen fuel-cell version is expected in 2028.

Design: “Tough & Agile”

Toyota calls the exterior concept “Tough & Agile” — and for Asian markets also “Cyber Sumo”. In practice, this means a new front end with different proportions: narrow LED headlights are connected by a horizontal bar with TOYOTA spelled out in large letters — a nod to classic Hilux models. The bumper, grille and fender claddings form a single sculpted shape.

The electric version does without a traditional grille altogether — in its place is a textured geometric pattern. At the rear, there is a new step integrated into the bumper for easier access to the bed, and the side step has been redesigned. For Europe, the pickup is offered only with a double cab (Double Cab).

Frame and chassis: evolution, not revolution

Despite its status as a “new generation,” the Hilux has not moved to a new platform like TNGA-F, as the Land Cruiser Prado did. According to Toyota and the Australian automotive press, it is based on the same ladder frame, with the wheelbase unchanged (3 085 mm), and the cab doors and roof carried over from the predecessor. However, the frame has been refined:

• in the Japanese version, the side frame rails are thicker, and 36 welding points were added to the bed floor — higher rigidity and fewer vibrations;
• for the electric version, a new front and an additional rear crossmember appeared, and some other crossmembers were changed to accommodate the rear electric axle;
• for the first time on the European Hilux — electric power steering: easier low-speed maneuvering and less kickback through the wheel off-road;
• springs and dampers have been retuned for the stiffer body.

The suspension layout is classic for Hilux: independent double wishbones up front, and a solid axle on leaf springs at the rear. On the electric version, the rear axle is De Dion type — also on leaf springs.

Engines: from 48V diesel to electric

Toyota calls its approach “multi-path”: instead of a single bet, several types of powertrains for different markets.

2.8 L diesel with a 48V hybrid system

The 2.8 L turbo diesel works together with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery (it sits under the rear seat and does not take up cabin space), a motor-generator and a DC-DC converter. For Europe, this is the main, best-selling version: 204 hp (150 kW) at 3 400 rpm and 500 N·m across 1 600–2 800 rpm. WLTP consumption is 9.7–10.0 L/100 km. In Japan, where the pickup went on sale on May 28, 2026, this engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic and part-time four-wheel drive with the Multi-Terrain Select system.

Hilux BEV — the first electric Hilux

The 59.2 kWh battery (80 cells, liquid cooling) is located under the floor between the frame rails. Two electric axles provide permanent all-wheel drive: front — 80 kW and 205 N·m, rear — 128 kW and 268 N·m. Range is up to 257 km on the combined WLTP cycle and up to 380 km in the city. With 125 kW fast charging, the battery goes from 10 to 80% in about 30 minutes. More about this version — in our review of the electric Toyota Hilux.

Classic ICE and hydrogen

For some markets in Eastern Europe, Toyota keeps the regular 2.8 L diesel and 2.7 L gasoline engines without the hybrid system. A hydrogen fuel-cell Hilux (FCEV) is promised for 2028 for Europe and Oceania.

Dimensions and off-road capability

The difference in clearance between the diesel and electric versions is large — the battery under the floor takes almost 10 cm. That is why, for serious off-roading, towing work and long trips, the logical choice remains the 48V diesel, while the electric version is for the city, municipal services and short work routes.

Interior and safety

In higher trims there is a 12.3-inch Toyota Smart Connect multimedia screen and a same-size digital instrument cluster; in base versions — a 9-inch screen and a 7-inch cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available, as well as wireless charging and over-the-air software updates. The center tunnel has become more spacious; on the electric version, the drive-mode selector is electronic.

The third-generation Toyota Safety Sense suite is standard in Europe. New for Hilux include: Lane Tracing Assist, emergency steering assist, an emergency stop system if the driver does not respond, blind-spot monitoring and door opening warning.

When sales start in Europe and Ukraine

According to Toyota Europe, the electric Hilux goes on sale from April 2026, and the Hybrid 48V diesel version from July 2026 (in the UK, deliveries started in mid-June and July respectively). In Japan, the pickup has been on sale since May 28, 2026.

As of publication, Toyota Ukraine had not announced an official sales start date for the ninth generation in Ukraine. Since the Ukrainian office is part of Toyota’s European structure, most likely the 2.8 L diesel will be offered here — either with the 48V hybrid system or without it. The final list of engines and trims should be уточнювати with official dealers.

Bull bar, side steps, bed cover: what about accessories

The frame and wheelbase remained the same, and the doors and roof did too, but the front body section, bumpers, fenders and mounting points on the new Hilux are different. So it is not worth carrying over accessories from the predecessor “by eye”: a bull bar, heavy-duty bumper or front protection must be developed specifically for the new generation so as not to block the radar and cameras of the safety systems and not to interfere with airbag operation. The catalog already has a section Toyota Hilux 2025- рр. — the first model-specific item there was the EuroCap hood deflector. Bull bars, side steps and bed covers developed specifically for the ninth generation will appear later — we indicate compatibility for each item in the product card.

If you have an eighth-generation Hilux (2015–2025), the selection is already large:

• bull bars and front protection in stainless steel — chrome and black;
• side steps — from aluminum running boards to heavy-duty metal Dakar steps with illumination;
• roller shutters for the bed — aluminum covers that protect the cargo area from rain and prying eyes;
• mud flaps, including model-specific ones for 2015–2022 versions and GR Sport 2024+.

We deliver via Nova Poshta across Ukraine; orders from 15 000 ₴ — free with our own transport.