The Hilux received a major update for this year that brought on exterior and interior improvements.

It also had some mechanical tweaks with improved 2.4- and 2.8-liter engines. The 2.8-liter 1GD engine, in particular, boasts a larger turbocharger, increased pressure in its common rail system, and other improvements to bump up the outputs to 204 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. It also has a reduced idling speed (680 rpm from 850 rpm) for improved off-road traction.

Toyota engineers also introduced longer leaf springs to suppress road vibrations, wider spacing of the springs for stability while cornering under load, and even revised the attachment points to promote steering stability. The refresh also has re-tuned spring rates, shock absorbers, and suspension bushings as well as revised cabin mounts. All in all, these improvements are designed to deliver a more agile handling response while improving ride comfort, particularly when unladen on country roads and over speed humps.

“Every other year since 2009, the International Pick-up Award (IPUA) is presented to the most efficient 1-tonne pick-up truck in business today. As a multi-functional vehicle produced and sold globally, both the product and marketplace continues to evolve with many brands setting high standards in performance, safety, driver and passenger comfort,” explained Jarlath Sweeney, Chairman of the International Van of the Year Award jury, which organizes the competition.

Previous winners of the prestigious IPUA title included the Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger (both twice) and the Nissan Navara.