• Toyota Nigeria Takes New Hilux Through All-terrain Test

As competition in the pickup truck segment becomes more intense among automakers and new vehicle dealers, Toyota appears determined to keep its workhorse, the Hilux, on the top of the performance chart.

According to Toyota Nigeria Limited, the new Hilux has been built with a number of new features that will make the vehicle do well on any kind of terrain without compromising the riders’ comfort.

One of the new features of the vehicle that elicited positive response from many Nigerian pickup fans at a recently held Abuja test drive for the new generation Hilux is the new way of engaging the four by four.

Old and prospective customers that attended the exclusive Hilux show were said to have been excited by the superlative performance of the vehicle, particularly the switch system of engaging the four wheel drive instead of the traditional auxiliary gears.

The three-day Abuja event, according to Toyota Nigeria Limited, “was carried out with a clear objective of showcasing the traditional strength of the Hilux and the unique selling points of the model.”

It specifically said the event was designed to show “the motoring public once again the uniqueness of the brand in terms of its ruggedness and durability as the model has evolved over the years as a model to beat in the segment both in product development and brand visibility.”

The TNL said three units of the Hilux were released for the test drive, which was done on different terrains configured as road tracks. This was meant to make the people experience the vehicle under different road conditions prevalent in the country.

For instance, the auto firm said every driver that participated in the Hilux test drive was made to move the vehicle from a smooth road to a rough stony terrain, sandy road, marshy environment, hilly terrain and road with deep potholes.

Toyota Nigeria said it invited representatives of the armed forces, the Nigeria Police Force, fast moving consumer goods industry, construction industry and non-governmental organisations, among other main users of the pickups to be part of the event.

This, it said, was informed by the fact that most of the activities of these companies in Nigeria were usually carried out in difficult and tough terrains.

Specifically, it stated that the first day of the event witnessed an average turnout of invitees with dealers’ representatives in attendance.

“Customer were driven through the configured terrains with the distinctive features of the new generation Hilux expected from a four-wheeler in the Hilux,” the auto firm stated.

The second day of the event was said to have recorded a significant turnout of fleet customers with officers and men of the armed forces attending.

It stated, “Fleet buyers from the Force Headquarters and other corporate bodies were also on the ground as they came early enough to see the demonstration of the vehicle on the configured track. Most of them also took turns to drive the vehicle to confirm its strength and extent of ruggedness.

“Of particular interest was the test drive by the men of the army headquarters who were taken on the drive in batches.”

The third day of the event had officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps who were said to be quite impressed with the performance of the Hilux as it was adjudged to be of very high safety standard.

Representatives of other organisations such as the National Ecological Fund , Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and National Aids Control Agency were around to test the performance of the vehicle under tough road conditions.

All the dealers’ representatives present at the event received product knowledge training from the TNL marketing department on each day of the event.