Someone has been to the gym! The top-tier Hilux debuts a jacked new footprint with a wider track and taller ride, but underneath the flex, has it changed enough to compete with the best?
2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue 4X4 double-cab
Have we hit that point on our purchase journey where automotive products need to be packaged in a similar way to detergents and cereals?
You know the drill, the same box, but with a bold starburst flash; ‘New and Improved!’ ‘Even brighter whites!’ Or in the case of the 2023 Toyota Hilux Rogue; ‘Now wider than ever!‘
As, aside from a bit of a shoulder pump, the new-model-year version of the range-topping variant of Australia’s favourite vehicle is mostly unchanged.
It’s not a bad thing, as that updated packaging looks great, and there is very clearly more wide included, but you’ll need to look elsewhere if you were expecting an all-new recipe.
But like they say, if it isn’t broken… do you really need to fix it?
How much does the Toyota Hilux Rogue cost in Australia?
Saying very little has changed on the new Hilux Rogue includes one hugely important factor, the price.
For 2023, the Rogue is listed at $70,200 before options and on-road costs. That’s the same as the less-swole 2022 model. Considering nearly every other new car is increasing in price without growing wider, this is welcome news for buyers.
And while we may have had a little fun with our pretend box of Hilux-Os, the Rogue has been treated to a number of engineering changes behind those pumped arches to support the new phat stance.
The track has been increased at both ends by 140mm (7cm wider on each side) with new suspension arms supporting the new 1675mm front width (up from 1355mm) and a new axle at the rear supplying a 1690mm rear track (increased from 1550mm).
There are new rear suspension dampers, which contribute to a 20mm increase in ride height (ground clearance is up from 247mm to 265mm) and even a rear anti-roll bar that is said to improve the car’s torsional rigidity.
Oh, and you now get four-wheel disc brakes, with the front rotors increasing in diameter by 25mm.
We even spotted an older Rogue to show the difference in width.
Throw on those pumped wheel arch flares, mudflaps, dark grey 18-inch wheels (up from 17-inch), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and an engine immobiliser, and the 2023 update is more significant than it looks.
However, the changes are limited to the Hilux’s footprint and safety technology, as the interior, engine, transmission and fundamental structure of the ute remain the same.
You even choose from the same palette of nine colours, with metallics like our car’s Silver Sky remaining a $675 premium.
Worth noting too that the extra hardware increases the Rogue’s mass from 2173kg to 2196kg, and given the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) remains unchanged at 3050kg, the payload reduces from 877kg to 854kg.
A 3500kg-rated tow hitch and wiring harness are standard though. The Gross Combination Mass (GCM) of the Hilux and trailer is 5850kg.
This isn’t your best choice as a working ute though, given the standard powered roll-top cover, integrated sailplane and carpeted tub with LED lighting doesn’t exactly scream dirt-hauler. You only have two tie-down points too.
So where does a $70,200 Hilux sit in the grand scheme of utey things?
It’s a hefty $8270 more than a lower-grade (and thinner) Hilux SR5 4X4, $3010 more expensive than a Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.0, $2700 over an Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain, but only $10 dearer than a V6 Wildtrak.
Heading the other way, the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior is $390 more expensive, and a Mazda BT-50 Thunder asks $1090 more.
| Key details | 2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue |
| Price | $70,200 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Silver Sky metallic |
| Options | Metallic paint – $675 |
| Price as tested | $70,875 plus on-road costs |
| Rivals | Isuzu D-Max | Mazda BT-50 | Ford Ranger |
How much space does the Toyota Hilux Rogue have inside?
The hard-wearing and ergonomically excellent interior of the Hilux hasn’t been painted with the same dress-up brush as the exterior, so if you have experienced any high-spec Hilux of recent years, you’ll know what to expect.
On the plus side, there’s great storage from the twin gloveboxes, glasses holder, a centre console with 240-volt outlet port, double central cup holders, key tray and additional pop-out drinks holders in front of each dash-end vent.
Flavoured milk enthusiasts can relax too, as we’ve confirmed you can fit both a standard coffee cup, a round plastic container or even square 600ml cardboard iced coffee carton in these.
It’s a spacious and easy-to-use front cabin, with plenty of grab handles and good visibility throughout. Leather accented trim is standard, the driver’s seat is powered and both front seats are heated.
The material quality is good, and of course, the build quality is excellent. But that’s all to be expected.
On the flip side, even with all of this, the Rogue feels just a bit dated inside. Especially next to more modern options like the new Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50.
Case in point, there are no automatic wipers. There are no USB ports for rear passengers.
Speaking of back seats, these have never been a highlight of the Hilux, as you sit very upright with limited head and leg room for taller passengers. Do try a kids-and-all fit test if you are looking at a Hilux as a family car, just to make sure you’ve got enough comfort back there on longer trips.
| 2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue | |
| Seats | Five |
| Payload | 854kg |
| Length | 5320mm |
| Width | 2020mm |
| Height | 1870mm |
| Wheelbase | 3085mm |
Does the Toyota HiLux Rogue have Apple CarPlay?
Let’s be honest. One USB port really isn’t enough in this day and age. We would have loved to see Toyota take this opportunity to add USB support in the rear cabin or even in the rear-view mirror for a dashcam, but sadly your charging or audio connectivity is supported by a single USB-A port in the lower dash.
There are a pair of 12-volt outlets, plus a 240-volt plug in the centre console, but they too are almost expected these days.
The eight-inch LCD touch screen is a carryover item, and although it is well featured with DAB digital radio, support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and integrated navigation, the interface is still clumsy, the device projection isn’t wireless, and there is motion lockout on the use of the navigation tools.
Audio comes via a nine-speaker JBL system, but apparently, you can trim $750 from the list price and opt for a six-speaker system to potentially get into a car sooner.
Is the Toyota HiLux Rogue a safe car?
The Toyota Hilux was awarded five-stars by ANCAP when tested in 2019, and was only let down for the lack of junction assistance and back-over mitigation AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking).
| 2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2019) |
| Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Toyota HiLux Rogue have?
Lane departure alert (with steering intervention), AEB with cyclist and pedestrian detection and seven airbags are part of the standard safety equipment suite. For 2023, the Hilux scores blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert.
How much does the Toyota Hilux Rogue cost to maintain?
On the surface, the Hilux servicing costs seem reasonable at just $260 a visit. However, the 2.8-litre engine requires six-monthly (or 10,000km) trips to the dealer which means your first three years (under the $260 cap) will ring in at $1560.
Things go up from here, with services at four-years or 70,000km up to 100,000km costing roughly $320, $723, $501, and $412 for a total of $3517 (or $703 per year) for five years.
Insurance based on being a 35-year old male in Chatswood NSW (with the car garaged, owned outright and with a near-spotless record) comes in at $2436 per annum.
Throw those together and your Hilux will cost $3k per year just to keep running, before registration and fuel.
| At a glance | 2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue |
| Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 6 months or 10,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1560 (3 years) $3517 (5 years) |
Please note, insurance based on a comparative quote for a 35 year old male driver, living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
Is the Toyota Hilux Rogue fuel efficient?
The small 4.2-inch LCD multifunction display between the analogue dials on the instrument binnacle provides good feedback on cruise control as well as trip data and fuel consumption.
We found the familiar 2.8-litre four-cylinder running at a very happy 9.1L/100km on a combined run (up on the 8.4L/100km combined cycle claim, but down on the urban-only 9.3L/100km reading), but did see sustained use of 7.1L/100km on a short freeway run, again lower than the claimed 7.8L/100km highway cycle.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 8.4L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 9.1L/100km |
| Fuel type | diesel |
| Fuel tank size | 80L |
What is the Toyota HiLux Rogue like to drive?
I’d love to say that from behind the wheel you can tell the 2023 Toyota Hilux Rogue is wider and taller than it used to be. I’d love to say that the increase in track and changes to suspension geometry change the way the car feels, and improve its on-road handling and adventure prowess.
I’d love to say that you feel a significant difference, but short of blind-testing the car back to back with its MY22 predecessor, I can’t, because you don’t.
As, simply, the new Hilux feels just like a Hilux. And that’s what you want because it loops back to our ‘not broken – don’t fix it’ mindset.
Under the bonnet is the well-versed 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 150kW and 500Nm available. The Rogue is available exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Peak performance is offered between 1600 and 2800rpm, where the Toyota pulls willingly even without engaging the gear-hold power mode. Beyond this and you begin to feel the limits of the four-cylinder engine. The Hilux is far better suited to sustained cruising than it is trying to jump off the line.
Arguably, a wider track will lower the car’s centre of gravity and improve overall stability. The taller ride height should afford better entry and departure angles and even the addition of larger all-terrain tyres, and the rear stabiliser bar should make the car feel flatter through corners.
But around town, on the highway or even on rural gravel roads and light-duty off-road tracks, there’s not enough dynamic activity to understand the Rogue’s dynamic improvement.
The ride is still firm, especially at lower urban speeds, where the thump-and-echo of the front then rear suspension hitting bumps and imperfections becomes a standard experience of the Rogue’s daily compliance.
Touring is where the Hilux is most at home, and it is here you begin to see why the trusty ute is so popular. The 265/60 R18 Dunlop Grandtrek highway-terrain tyres are reasonably quiet, and while there is a rattle and hum from the four-cylinder diesel, it’s a pleasant enough place to spend time on a touring drive.
Response is good and the automatic transmission is nearly invisible in its function as you motor along.
The cruise control works well too, with simple controls easily within reach of the steering wheel. Adaptive distance control is standard, but lane keeping is managed by a brake-intervention yaw system rather than an electrically assisted steering function. Not bad, but also not new.
Dip off the highway onto some touring B-roads then unsealed tracks, and the Rogue manages all the transitions without a hint of protest. It’s this effortless ability to handle the multitude of terrain that Australia serves up where the double-cab utes shine, and where the simplicity and stability of the Hilux again benefit the driver’s choice.
While we didn’t head to gnarly off-road trails, we know the Hilux is as good in the bumpy stuff as any, with an easy-to-reach rotary dial selector for high and low-range 4WD, as well as a differential lock part of the standard kit.
One slick hill on our drive loop caused the traction light to flicker as the car struggled with some mud, but even in rear-drive mode on its road-biased tyres, the Hilux barely flinched as it found grip and continued up the climb.
| Key details | 2023 Toyota Hilux Rogue |
| Engine | 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel |
| Power | 150kW @ 3400rpm |
| Torque | 500Nm @ 1600-2800rpm |
| Drive type | Four-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed torque converter automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 68.3kW/t |
| Weight | 2196kg |
| Spare tyre type | Full-size |
| Tow rating | 3500kg braked |
| Turning circle | 12.6m |
Should I buy a 2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue?
We can all agree that in the transition from working commercial vehicle to lifestyle pleasurecraft, particularly at this end of the market, a ute’s style and presence are potentially more important than its load-bearing abilities.
And here, the 2023 Toyota Hilux Rogue ticks the boxes.
The wider stance and more aggressive body flares look great, with the Rogue-specific rear sportsbar-come-spoiler, dark wheels and subtle decals sealing the deal. It even looks great in silver.
But almost like the person wearing brand new Country Road chinos and a pair of unscuffed R.M. Williams boots around town, this is not the hard-working Hilux of old, it’s not even the hard-working Hilux of now.
The Rogue is the touring special. Smart, clean and comfortable, with all the mod cons and a few flashy extras, that works better as a tough truck to park up more than it does to push hard along narrow trails.
The blend of a compromised load bay and road-biased rubber stop it from leading the carrying or off-roading charge, but use it as a long-distance tourer with a bit of flex, and that fancy new packaging might just be the way to get one last push out of the same old box of cereal.
As you have to ask, why would Toyota put all this new hardware into an aging model if not to test and preview it for a whole new generation of Hilux due in a few years’ time.
And as good as this one is, that’s the hot new organic recipe we’re waiting for!
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