The Conquest of the pickup truck segment

The Toyota Hilux started out as a purely utilitarian vehicle before becoming a lifestyle unit that’s as comfortable navigating the streets of trendy BGC as it was doing off-road, and hauling duties up in Dad’s a farm decades ago.

The shift started somewhere in the ‘80s when the fourth-generation Hilux made a cameo towards the tail end of the Michael J. Fox movie “Back to the Future.”

Fast-forward to 2020 and Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) introduces the update to the eighth-generation model, which includes the Conquest variant that boasts of cabin comforts and amenities that can rival some sedans.

In 2019, the Hilux owned 30.5% of the segment and with introduction of the Conquest as a full variant, and not just a trim, TMP aims to solidify its hold on the high-level pickup truck market.

If you’re interest is piqued, take a ride with us as we give the Conquest variant a long and hard look.

The Hilux Conquest comes in four trims, 4x2 in six-speed MT (manual transmission) or six-speed AT (automatic transmission) and 4x4 in six-speed iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission) or six-speed AT.

It comes in actually shorter than the G variant by 40mm, but is wider by 15mm and also taller by 30mm. Each trim of the Conquest already comes with a roof ornament.

The engine of the 4x2 units is the 2.4L 2GD-FTV diesel engine shared with the G and E variants. It puts out 148hp and 400Nm of torque.

On the body is a double wishbone front suspension, leaf spring rigid axle rear suspension, ventilated front disc brakes drum type rear brakes, 18-inch Gloss-black alloy wheels paired to 265/60 R18 tires, bi-beam LED (light emitting diode) headlamps with auto-levelling function, LED daytime running lamps,  LED + line guide + bulb rear combination lamps, LED front fog lamps, intermittent + time adjust windshield wipers, tailgate assist, wide garnish overfenders, an LED deck lamp, a bedliner, a sports bar, and side decals.

In the cabin is a six-way manually-adjustable driver’s seat and four-way manually adjustable passenger’s seat, 60:40 separate rear seats, a 4.2-inch TFT (thin transistor film) MID (multi-information display) in the instrument cluster, leather-wrapped steering wheel with power steering and variable flow control (automatically adjusts steering wheel stiffness upon the speed of the truck, which helps reduce driver's stress), audio + phone + voice command + MID controls on the steering wheel, a Push Start system, one-touch auto Up/Down power windows with jam protection, speed-sensing power door locks, automatic climate control, Cruise Control, an eight-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay + Android Auto + Smart Device Link + Miracast, six speakers, leather door trim with interior illumination, four cupholders and two bottle holders at the front and two cupholders and two bottle holders at the rear, and an illuminated entry system.

Safety features of the Conquest 4x2 are driver + passenger + driver’s knee airbags, Anti-lock Braking System, with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Vehicle Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, child restraint system, emergency brake signal, an immobilizer with horn, reverse camera, and clearance and back sonar (front and rear).

The Hilux 2.4 4x2 Conquest AT is priced at P1.455 million while the Hilux 2.4 4x2 Conquest MT goes for P1.380 million.

As good as all that sounds, TMP still has a few features up its sleeve and you’ll only get it in the Conquest 4x4, whether it’s the six-speed AT or the six-speed iMT. The latter offers 10% lower 1^stgear ratio and 23% higher 6^th gear ratio for a wider spread and better acceleration. This increases fuel efficiency by 15%.

Only on those two variants do you get the 2.8L 1GD-FTV diesel engine with variable nozzle turbo and front-mounted intercooler comes with the world’s first Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology that improves maximum torque by 25% and low-speed torque by 11%. The Toyota-made variable nozzle turbocharger is 30% smaller and comes with newly developed turbine to provide better efficiency and response over a wide rpm range. For cleaner emissions, the Hilux uses a selective catalyst reduction system that eliminates up to 99% of the NOx (nitrogen oxide) it releases into the environment.

It puts out 201hp and 500Nm of torque that’s sent to the pickup truck’s 4x4 drive layout.

It also comes with an auto disconnect differential and a differential lock on top of all that the Conquest 4x2 chassis offers.

All other exterior and interior features are the same between the Conquest 4x4 and the Conquest 4x2.

In terms of safety equipment, the Conquest 4x4 get side and curtain airbags in addition to all that the Conquest 4x2 gets, plus it also comes standard with Downhill Assist Control.

The Hilux 2.8 4x4 Conquest AT is priced at P1.830 million while the Hilux 2.8 4x4 Conquest iMT goes for P1.755 million.

The new Toyota Hilux comes in eight colors, Super White, Silver Metallic, Gray Metallic, Attitude Black Mica, Crimson Spark Red Metallic, Nebula Blue Metallic, Orange Metallic, and Emotional Red (exclusive for the Conquest).

Photos from Toyota Motor Philippines