The latest generation of the Toyota Hilux was announced just a few weeks ago, and surely everyone’s already itching to get one. However, not everyone has the means to do so, especially those who unknowingly just got their Hilux before the new one was announced. And what does that mean? People look for alternatives, and what’s one alternative for the populace to get their hands on the latest iteration of Toyota’s workhorse? According to CarExpert, it’s facelift conversions.
Thanks to Thai entrepreneur Pasit Reddevil, who’s been providing conversion services for the current outgoing Hilux (called the Hilux Revo in Thailand) to the latest generation (named the Hilux Travo), owners can now give a much-needed facelift to their beloved pickup, making it feel like they just got it from the dealer all over again.
The conversion process for this facelift is extensive, not just going from a simple bumper change and calling it a day, but rather meticulously fabricating the frame to fit other parts such as the hood, tailgate, and lights, giving the trucks a proper revamp.
As of late, there has been no announcement of prices for the conversions, either from Reddevil himself or a shop he’s affiliated with, being Bangsaen-Shop, a Thai 4×4 accessories shop that specializes in Toyotas.
Now you might be asking, “How is this facelift conversion possible? Wouldn’t it be a bit difficult to go from one generation to another?” Well, the truth behind it is that although the two Hilux models are of different generations, they still share the same platform, making a conversion not that big of a challenge.
As a matter of fact, both the 8th and 9th generations of the Hilux use the same IMV platform that’s been in use since 2004, albeit with minor improvements over the years. Just goes to show “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And Toyota is one of the few companies that’ve earned the rights to that.
Now that the 9th-gen Hilux has yet to be announced here in the Philippines, and the 8th-gen model remains abundant, will we see these conversions make their way here? It’s hard to say as of late, but it’s definitely something to look forward to.
