The production version of the Toyota Hilux Champ has been revealed in Thailand. In essence, it is a more affordable and basic iteration of the mighty popular Hilux pickup truck. The latter has been a prominent product in the Japanese auto giant’s portfolio in the international markets for a long time now. With many updates and generational changes, it is quite expensive to own now. Resultantly, Toyota thought of offering a relatively similar product in application but at a much lower price point. Based on the IMV 0 platform, it could even spawn a more affordable Fortuner in the times to come.
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Toyota Hilux Champ
At the recently concluded Japan Mobility Show, the Hilux Champ was displayed in multiple guises including a mobile cafe, cargo truck, ambulance, off-roading vehicle and camper. This is just a glimpse of the range of applications the owners could deploy it in. From the outside, the truck features a retro-modern theme with rugged grille and LED DRLs integrated into the headlamp cluster, an upright bonnet, a sturdy bumper, 14-inch steel wheels, long and short wheelbase versions, a single cab layout with 2 doors, and more. It will have bench seating to accommodate 3 passengers (except automatic trim). All in all, the exterior styling is absolutely basic.
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Specs
This is where things get quite interesting. The customers will be able to purchase the Hilux Champ in three powertrain options – a 2.0-litre petrol making 137 hp / 183 Nm, a 2.7-litre petrol producing 164 hp / 245 Nm and a 2.4-litre diesel mill generating 148 hp / 343 Nm (400 Nm in automatic) of peak power and torque respectively. The transmission duties will be carried by a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearbox. It would be interesting to witness how capable this pickup truck turns out to be.
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Author’s Note
Needless to mention, this news has got Toyota fans excited. What’s more crucial is the possibility of a compact Fortuner from this Hilux. At the moment, the Fortuner is excruciatingly, expensive. The top model costs a jaw-dropping Rs 60 lakh, on-road. With something like this Hilux Champ as a donor model, Toyota could offer a version of the Fortuner in a much lower price bracket. That is bound to boost the demand and excitement around the already successful SUV. We shall have to wait a bit longer to know if it will make it to our shores.
