2026 Toyota Hilux Unveiled With First-Ever Electric Version

As promised, Toyota has just unveiled the next-generation Hilux. Making its global debut in Thailand, the 2026 Toyota Hilux may look a lot different from the previous model, but it carries a lot of familiarity. Oh, and there’s a new, fully electric variant, too.

Take a look at the 2026 Toyota Hilux, and you’ll see its slimmer LED headlights flanking a black panel. This is where the Toyota script is written, and below it is a borderless mesh grille. Now, the familiarity from the outgoing generation is evident in its side profile. Though the fenders have been slightly reshaped, the doors and window line are nearly the same as the outgoing model.

As for the rear end, you get a new tailgate design with the Hilux logo stamped on its tailgate handle. There are also new LED taillight graphics and a new rear bumper. Overall, the design changes are quite drastic, even if the side profile carries a sense of familiarity.

Inside the 2026 Toyota Hilux, you’ll see a comprehensively updated dash design with a predominantly horizontal motif. There’s also an increased use of soft-touch plastics, along with more leatherette trims. Two large screens also dominate the dash design, adding a new layer of technology never before seen in the Hilux. And yet, despite the increased technology, there are still a generous amount of physical controls.

Now, as for its powertrain, this is where a huge surprise comes in. Familiar engines remain, though the Hilux’s diesel powerplant will now solely be the 2.8-liter turbo diesel in both standard and 48-volt mild hybrid versions. Whether with or without the mild hybrid, that 2.8-liter diesel produces 204 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. This diesel engine will sit alongside a familiar 2.7-liter gasoline engine for markets outside Southeast Asia. Though its power figures have not been revealed, we won’t be surprised if it is the same as before.

The biggest surprise comes with the first-ever electric Hilux. With dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard, the electric Hilux produces 193 horsepower—an output that’s clearly optimized for efficiency and pulling power. With a 59.2 kWh battery, it has a WLTP-rated range of 240 kilometers. Though the range isn’t that impressive, Toyota compensates for this with “class-leading” charging times. As for its payload, the electric Hilux can haul up to 715 kilos, while the 2.8-liter diesel version can haul up to one tonne.

A hydrogen fuel cell version is coming in 2028, which will also be sold in regions like Europe. This model will serve as a demonstration of Toyota’s continued multi-pathway approach in achieving carbon neutrality.

The IMV platform of the Hilux didn’t carry over unchanged. As with many new Toyota models as of late, the IMV platform receives significant improvements in terms of suspension tuning and chassis refinement. One of its major improvements is the addition of electric power steering, ditching the outgoing hydraulic setup.

The 2026 Toyota Hilux is already on sale in Thailand, with the rest of the world to start receiving the redesigned pickup as early as the first quarter of 2026.