Toyota Tamaraw

The cabin layout of the Toyota Tamaraw has the same boxy and rectangular influence in the design of the elements, which makes the interior of the pickup look and feel unique. Featuring an all-black theme, the cabin of the Tamaraw has dashboard carvings between the rounded AC vents on the corners, along with contrast orange accents around the AC vents and dashboard corners.

Coming from the Hilux, the four-spoke steering wheel of the Toyota Tamaraw, which misses out on audio and Bluetooth controls, is accompanied by a 2-DIN audio system, which supports a 2-speaker audio system. However, Toyota does give an option of a touchscreen infotainment system in place of this basic 2-DIN audio system. 

The asymmetric-looking lower centre console of the dashboard of the Toyota Tamaraw has dials for the manual AC, along with the transmission lever and cup holders placed over the floor console. The equipment levels of the Toyota Hilux Champ feel very basic, which reminds me of the utilitarian and functional image of the pickup truck. 

The Tamaraw is the smallest pickup truck from Toyota in the Philippines car market, and that is evident from its compact size and dimensions. The Toyota Tamaraw has sharp lines on the side and a few unique-looking design elements at the front, which gives it a distinctive appearance.

The squared-off look of the Toyota Tamaraw comprises an all-black fascia, where this compact truck gets octagonal LED headlamps with LED DRLs and a wide grille with bold-looking Toyota lettering and squared inserts. The outer edges of this entire fascia have rectangular amber turn indicators on the extreme corners. The muscular-looking blacked-out front bumper with tapered edges makes the front profile look more purposeful.

As mentioned above, in the side profile of the Toyota Tamaraw, there are sharp creases flowing through the door panels and fenders. While the fenders come attached amber turn indicators, the door panels have blacked-out rearview mirrors mounted on them. The Toyota Tamaraw has 14-inch steel wheels as standard, with the rear bumper of the truck having the basic-looking rectangular halogen tail lamps.

The double wishbone with IFS coil springs and stabilizer at the front and a leaf spring setup at the rear of the Toyota Tamaraw have a rugged and long-lasting feel in their construction. This sturdiness of the suspension setup gives it a good advantage in load-carrying duties, especially over the worst terrains. However, the downside to it is an uncomfortable ride quality, which feels unsettled at times. 

The standard engine option across the entire variant lineup of Toyota Tamaraw is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which has been shared with the Hilux pickup truck. This engine is available with a 6-speed automatic transmission in the Dropside AT variant and a 6-speed manual transmission in other variants. With a maximum power output of 150 PS, this engine produces 400 Nm torque output with the automatic transmission and 343 Nm with the manual transmission. 

While the Toyota Tamaraw is available with dual front airbags and ABS with EBD in other markets, where it is known as Hilux Champ, the Philippines-spec version of the truck misses out on all these safety features. This is a huge miss, considering that these are essential safety features for today’s times. Nevertheless, the Tamaraw does come with three-point ELR seat belts for both occupants in the cabin.  

Barring the basicness of the overall package due to the lack of several features, including the essential ones, the Toyota Tamaraw performs the best where it matters. This compact truck follows the legacy of other Toyota trucks with its durable and rugged construction, reliable powertrain and excellent load-hauling abilities.