The Toyota HiLux will offer an optional GVM upgrade on select model grades, fitted on the production line rather than at the dealer – or through an independent supplier.
Toyota is set to add a factory-fitted Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) upgrade option to the HiLux four-wheel-drive ute to help it fend off pressure from the Ford Ranger Super Duty.
The optional upgrade will raise the maximum payload on applicable HiLux grades by 372kg to 435kg, depending on the variant, taking the maximum payload as high as 1525kg.
Priced at $4000, the GVM upgrade is fitted on the Toyota production line in Thailand, and must be ordered with a vehicle from new, rather than as an accessory installed at the dealer or arrival port in Australia.
It is also unavailable as an upgrade for existing owners of the latest HiLux.
The GVM upgrade comes with longer monotube shock absorbers on the rear axle, along with upgraded axle capacities, boosted by 100kg at the front and 280kg at the rear.
The upgraded version is rated with a 1590kg front axle capacity and 1980kg rear axle capacity. The revised suspension also increases ride height by 10mm.
The GVM upgrade will be limited to four-wheel-drive automatic HiLux model grades, with no option to upgrade single-cab or manual-transmission models.
The line-up will encompass the Workmate dual-cab chassis, Workmate dual-cab ute, SR extra-cab chassis, SR dual-cab chassis, SR dual-cab ute, and SR5 dual-cab ute variants.
Mechanically, the GVM-upgraded models retain a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 150kW and 500Nm, paired with a six-speed automatic and dual-range four-wheel drive.
The SR and SR5 remain equipped with Toyota’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which switches the engine off when stopped to save fuel, and provides a small performance boost under acceleration.
Toyota’s approach falls short of the mechanical overhaul offered on Ranger Super Duty models, which get revised engine cooling, upgraded axles, locking front and rear differentials, and heavy-duty brakes.
The HiLux upgrades are applicable only to the Gross Vehicle Mass and vehicle payload, and leave the towing capacity and Gross Combination Mass (GCM) figures unchanged from their original factory specifications at 3500kg and 6300kg, respectively.
By comparison, the Ranger Super Duty has a maximum 4500kg towing capacity, 8000kg GCM, and a payload of up to 1825kg on dual-cab versions.
The Toyota line-up also includes the LandCruiser 70 Series, as a more hardcore competitor to Ford, but it is also limited to a 3500kg tow rating.
As a factory-fitted option, the HiLux GVM upgrade is covered by the same five-year warranty as the rest of the vehicle, and will be available from August 2026.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
