When Toyota began talking about the next-generation Hilux, many expected a clean-sheet redesign, especially with the brand’s latest TNGA-F architecture already underpinning such models as the Land Cruiser 300 and the Tacoma.
Instead, Toyota decided to retain the IMV ladder-frame platform for the 2026 Hilux. On the surface, this move may seem conservative. However, according to a report by Australian media outlet carsales, it reflects Toyota’s deliberate strategy shaped by how the Hilux is used across much of the world.
Anyarat Sutthibenjakul, Toyota Motor Asia’s Regional Chief Engineer, spoke to Car Sales about the matter. The executive said that Toyota evaluated several key points when finalizing the 2026 Hilux’s development direction. These include build quality, long-term durability, dependability, off-road capability, ownership costs, and safety standards – factors that vary in importance and market preferences across many regions. Among these, the total cost of ownership emerged as the most decisive factor.
Sutthibenjakul stated that in many emerging markets where the Hilux plays a critical commercial role, adopting the TNGA-F platform would have pushed the pricing beyond what customers can reasonably afford. She also noted that platform development studies for the 2026 Hilux started four years ago, with the decision to enhance the existing IMV architecture finalized around two and a half years later.
Moreover, Toyota also considered weight as another factor. The TNGA-F architecture is designed to support larger vehicles. While it brings benefits in refinement and rigidity, it also adds mass. For a midsize pickup truck that must balance payload, fuel efficiency, and emission compliance, additional weight can be a disadvantage, particularly in markets with strict tax or regulatory thresholds tied to vehicle mass.
For Toyota, retaining the IMV platform for the 2026 Hilux doesn’t mean the model is being held back from evolving. On the contrary, Toyota has continued to refine the chassis, suspension tuning, and powertrain under the IMV platform. The familiar 2.8-liter turbo-diesel remains, now complemented in specific variants by a mild-hybrid system aimed at improving efficiency and durability without compromising reliability. Safety systems, infotainment tech, and cabin materials have also been updated to meet modern expectations.
Toyota says that this isn’t the Hilux’s final form. Engineers have acknowledged that future regulatory pressures, especially emission standards, will eventually require more substantial changes, including electrification. For now, Toyota appears confident that evolving a proven platform is the best way to serve the Hilux’s global customer base.
