Toyota Hilux is the new addition to Indian Army fleet

Indian Army has added the Toyota Hilux 4×4 pick-up truck to it’s fleet after the addition of the Mahindra Scorpio Classic. Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced that it has delivered the first batch of the Hilux 4×4 pick-up trucks to the Indian Army after two months of rigorous testing. The Northern Command of the Indian Army’s Technical Evaluation Committee has done the testing of the Hilux. According to reports, the pick-up truck was tested in stringent weather, difficult terrain condition.

As per a Twitter post, Toyota Kirloskar Motor delivered three Hilux to the Indian Army officials at an event. However, there is no information on the total number of the ordered models.

Toyota Hilux joins Indian Army fleet

The Indian Army recently ordered 1850 Scorpio Classic cars from Mahindra following an order for 1470 units of the Scorpio SUVs. The Army already has many 4x4s models in its fleet such as Maruti Gypsy, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari Storme (GS800) and Tata Xenon pick-up, and others. The Hilux becomes the newest 4×4 the join the fleet, quite understandably for its off-road capability and Toyota’s renowned reliability. However, there is no information on how the customized Army-spec Hilux differs from the civilian-spec model.

Recently, the Indian Army also acquired a fleet of the Mahindra Scorpio Classic, which is touted to replace the older units of the Maruti Gypsy that have served the Army for almost two decades. The armed forces are also looking to integrate EVs into its fleet, with the Indian Air Force recently acquiring 12 Tata Nexon EVs for its services.

Toyota Hilux: engine and specs

The off-road Hilux is powered by a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel offering 204hp and 420Nm of torque. The Automatic version produces 500Nm. Transmission options on the Hilux include a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
The Hilux gets a four-wheel drive system as standard, and for improved off-road ability. It also has a low-range gearbox, and front and rear electronic differential locks. It has an approach angle of 29 degrees and a departure angle of 26 degrees along with a water-wading capacity of 700mm.