Latest teaser confirms Fox shocks and a huge jump in capability for Toyota HiLux’s American cousin
Toyota and Ford have been gunning for one another in key ute segments globally for decades now and that rivalry has just been underlined by the latest Tacoma TRD teaser out of the US, which shows the upcoming pick-up will feature disc rear brakes and high-performance Fox shock absorbers.
Both generations of Ford Ranger Raptor have been fitted with Fox shocks as standard, as was the old semi-skim Ranger FX4 Max – though its spiritual successor, the Wildtrak X, features Bilsteins.
Even so, Toyota clearly isn’t mucking about when it comes to the off-road capability of its most rugged Tacoma, and while the QS3 shocks might not be as advanced as the Live Valve units in the Raptor, they’re still an impressive upgrade over the stock OEM offerings and will undoubtedly enhance the Tacoma’s composure off-road.
The inclusion of disc rear brakes is another nod to this newfound surefootedness and follows the standard fitment of the technology on the Aussie-spec HiLux Rogue and the upcoming GR Sport.
Odds are then that the next-generation HiLux will feature disc rear brakes at least in the upper half of the range – just like the Ranger – when it arrives within about two years, while both the Rogue and GR Sport look primed to inherit a more advanced chassis set-up beyond the already uprated outboard monotube damper arrangement.
As previously reported by carsales, the ninth-gen HiLux is widely anticipated to adopt the same TNGA-F ladder platform as the Toyota 300 Series LandCruiser, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Sequoia and indeed the new Tacoma.
Given the HiLux and Tacoma are both sold as mid-size pick-ups in their respective markets, it’s more than reasonable to expect both styling and mechanical similarities between the two models, especially in the next generations.
As such, we’re looking forward to the imminent reveal of the new Tacoma as a promising preview of the all-new HiLux, which is expected to arrive Down Under in either 2024 or 2025.
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Keyword: Toyota Tacoma TRD flaunts more potential hardware for new HiLux