Toyota has chosen the 2026 Brussels Motor Show as the stage for the European debut of the all-new Hilux. The ninth generation of the brand’s most globally recognised pick-up arrives with a broader mission than any version before it: retain the mechanical DNA that made Hilux famous, while introducing electrified drivetrains for a changing regulatory and operational landscape.

This is not a concept or a design study. What Toyota is showing in Brussels is a production-ready Hilux, and for the first time in its long history, the range will include a fully battery electric model alongside a hybrid diesel variant.

Evolution, not reinvention

Since its launch in 1968, the Hilux has been defined by a simple promise: it works, and it keeps working. With more than 27 million sold worldwide, Toyota has little incentive to rewrite that formula.

The new model stays loyal to the fundamentals. It remains a body-on-frame vehicle, offered exclusively in double-cab configuration for Europe, balancing load-carrying ability with everyday usability. Toyota’s familiar Quality, Durability and Reliability mantra still underpins the platform, from the ladder chassis to the suspension geometry.

Visually, the new Hilux adopts a sharper, more angular design language. Toyota describes it as “Tough and Agile”, but the more relevant point is that the proportions remain conservative: no exaggerated styling, no lifestyle gimmicks. This is still a working vehicle first.

Two electrified paths

Rather than forcing a single solution, Toyota is applying its multipath strategy to the Hilux range. In Europe, two electrified powertrains will sit at the core of the line-up.

The volume model will be the Hybrid 48V version, pairing Toyota’s 2.8-litre diesel engine with a mild-hybrid system. This setup aims to improve refinement, reduce emissions and enhance low-speed drivability without altering the basic character of the vehicle.

Alongside it sits the first fully electric Hilux … a significant shift for a model long associated with remote, fuel-dependent operation.

Hybrid 48V: familiar mechanics, smoother delivery

The Hybrid 48V system builds on the diesel drivetrain already used in the current Hilux. A compact lithium-ion battery supports the engine during acceleration and low-speed driving, reducing noise and smoothing throttle response.

Crucially, the practical numbers remain intact. Payload stays at one tonne, towing capacity at 3.5 tonnes, and wading depth at 700 mm. The hybrid components have been integrated without compromising ground clearance or off-road geometry.

Toyota has also retained its off-road electronics package, including Multi-Terrain Select, Multi-Terrain Monitor and Panoramic View Monitor – systems designed to assist with traction control and low-speed manoeuvring in difficult terrain.

For most European buyers, this will be the default choice: a diesel pick-up that behaves more cleanly and more quietly without losing its core capability.

Hilux BEV: electric, but still a Hilux

The more radical step is the Hilux BEV. This is not a crossover-style reinterpretation, but a full electric drivetrain integrated into the same ladder-frame architecture.

Power comes from a 59.2 kWh battery feeding front and rear electric axles, creating permanent all-wheel drive. Combined torque output is split between 205 Nm at the front and 268 Nm at the rear.

Toyota’s provisional WLTP figures suggest a range of up to 257 km in mixed driving, rising to around 380 km in urban conditions. Payload capacity drops to 715 kg and towing to 1.6 tonnes … still usable, but clearly positioned more towards urban and regional work than long-haul expedition use.

Importantly, off-road geometry remains largely unchanged. Ground clearance stands at 212 mm and wading depth matches other Hilux models at 700 mm. A dedicated BEV version of Multi-Terrain Select adapts braking and torque delivery for low-grip surfaces, while shift-by-wire controls replace mechanical gear selection.

The result is a pick-up that operates silently, with instant torque and zero tailpipe emissions, but still follows the same structural philosophy as its diesel counterparts.

Timing and positioning

Toyota plans to introduce the Hilux BEV in Europe from April 2026, with the Hybrid 48V model following in July. Conventional diesel and petrol engines will remain available in selected markets outside Europe.

Performance figures, equipment levels and pricing have yet to be confirmed, but the strategy is already clear. Toyota is not replacing the Hilux. It is widening its scope.

For the first time, the Hilux is no longer just a global workhorse. It is becoming a platform – one that can support combustion, hybrid and fully electric use cases without abandoning the mechanical principles that built its reputation in the first place.

Whether customers are ready for an electric Hilux in remote environments remains an open question. But Toyota’s message is unambiguous: electrification is now part of the Hilux story, not an optional side chapter.

TOYOTA EUROPE