Australia has a deep affection for the Toyota HiLux, and the Rugged X is Toyota's acknowledgement that some buyers want a factory off-road package rather than an aftermarket build. It is one of three new special variants, alongside the Rogue and Rugged, that Toyota introduced after extensive local market research and feedback from HiLux owners.
The Rugged X is only available with the 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine, which is the stronger of the two diesel options in the broader HiLux lineup. The absence of a petrol or smaller diesel option reinforces that the Rugged X is aimed at buyers who know exactly what they want from a capable off-road ute.
The HiLux competes at the top of the ute segment against the Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Holden Colorado, Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-MAX. The Rugged X adds an extra dimension by bundling serious off-road hardware with Toyota's warranty and dealer network backing.
The full review is on the CarTell.tv YouTube channel above.
