andy replied:

I have just purchased a Hilux dual cab for the same reasons as you. Traded a Turbo Diesel Landcruiser 80 series. I too was worried about internal space and did some testing of a few models. The SR5 was equal in options as the Landcruiser with more carrying capacity in the rear (with a canopy). I have had to put in a heavy duty rear suspension for carrying and towing. The rear legroom in the hilux is better than the pre 97 models and the front seat goes back further. The kids and mother in law have never complained about space however 3 adults in the back seat would be a bit of a squash on trips. I can reccommend the Turbo as I didn't get one and find that the lux struggles a bit when fully loaded. You can maintain 100 no probs but overtaking is a real bitch on the highway. There are heaps of aftermarket products available for the new lux and I have found the SR5 a heap more comfortable than my mates standard dual cab.

There is an optional "safety kit" available which has duel airbags, abs and a few other things but new it will cost you a couple of g's more. Checkout the Toyota USA websight. You can see the whole list of options that are available and can "build your own truck" online. You can even get 360 degrees views and all colour options. Toyota Australia have a similar service but not quite as good. By the way the yanks call the Hilux a Tecoma.

No common faults in fact my 70,000 kms have been trouble free. 1 set of tyres, oil every 5,000 km's and a couple of broken headlight globes. Two probs that I have since rectified one being the exhaust gasket blew out at 60,000. Easy and cheap repair. The second one is that the front torsion bars sagged a couple of inches when I fitted Bull bar, whinch, side rails and steps. They just wern't designed for the extra weight. I found that they had heaps of adjustment left and cranked them up a couple of notches and they now ride level again. This job took 5 minutes with a jack and a spanner.

In comparison to the other models the hilux drove better, was better fitted out and had better ground clearence and availability of aftermarket parts. The lux was more expensive and in hindsight I wished i had gone the turbo. The main critisisim that I have about these models is that the standard fuel tank is only 66 litres. Good for about 600km's. I have an aftermarket one 115 litres good for about 1000 km's. Great vehicle though. Andy

andy replied:

I have just purchased a Hilux dual cab for the same reasons as you. Traded a Turbo Diesel Landcruiser 80 series. I too was worried about internal space and did some testing of a few models. The SR5 was equal in options as the Landcruiser with more carrying capacity in the rear (with a canopy). I have had to put in a heavy duty rear suspension for carrying and towing. The rear legroom in the hilux is better than the pre 97 models and the front seat goes back further. The kids and mother in law have never complained about space however 3 adults in the back seat would be a bit of a squash on trips. I can reccommend the Turbo as I didn't get one and find that the lux struggles a bit when fully loaded. You can maintain 100 no probs but overtaking is a real bitch on the highway. There are heaps of aftermarket products available for the new lux and I have found the SR5 a heap more comfortable than my mates standard dual cab.

There is an optional "safety kit" available which has duel airbags, abs and a few other things but new it will cost you a couple of g's more. Checkout the Toyota USA websight. You can see the whole list of options that are available and can "build your own truck" online. You can even get 360 degrees views and all colour options. Toyota Australia have a similar service but not quite as good. By the way the yanks call the Hilux a Tecoma.

No common faults in fact my 70,000 kms have been trouble free. 1 set of tyres, oil every 5,000 km's and a couple of broken headlight globes. Two probs that I have since rectified one being the exhaust gasket blew out at 60,000. Easy and cheap repair. The second one is that the front torsion bars sagged a couple of inches when I fitted Bull bar, whinch, side rails and steps. They just wern't designed for the extra weight. I found that they had heaps of adjustment left and cranked them up a couple of notches and they now ride level again. This job took 5 minutes with a jack and a spanner.

In comparison to the other models the hilux drove better, was better fitted out and had better ground clearence and availability of aftermarket parts. The lux was more expensive and in hindsight I wished i had gone the turbo. The main critisisim that I have about these models is that the standard fuel tank is only 66 litres. Good for about 600km's. I have an aftermarket one 115 litres good for about 1000 km's. Great vehicle though. Andy

andy replied:

I have just purchased a Hilux dual cab for the same reasons as you. Traded a Turbo Diesel Landcruiser 80 series. I too was worried about internal space and did some testing of a few models. The SR5 was equal in options as the Landcruiser with more carrying capacity in the rear (with a canopy). I have had to put in a heavy duty rear suspension for carrying and towing. The rear legroom in the hilux is better than the pre 97 models and the front seat goes back further. The kids and mother in law have never complained about space however 3 adults in the back seat would be a bit of a squash on trips. I can reccommend the Turbo as I didn't get one and find that the lux struggles a bit when fully loaded. You can maintain 100 no probs but overtaking is a real bitch on the highway. There are heaps of aftermarket products available for the new lux and I have found the SR5 a heap more comfortable than my mates standard dual cab.

There is an optional "safety kit" available which has duel airbags, abs and a few other things but new it will cost you a couple of g's more. Checkout the Toyota USA websight. You can see the whole list of options that are available and can "build your own truck" online. You can even get 360 degrees views and all colour options. Toyota Australia have a similar service but not quite as good. By the way the yanks call the Hilux a Tecoma.

No common faults in fact my 70,000 kms have been trouble free. 1 set of tyres, oil every 5,000 km's and a couple of broken headlight globes. Two probs that I have since rectified one being the exhaust gasket blew out at 60,000. Easy and cheap repair. The second one is that the front torsion bars sagged a couple of inches when I fitted Bull bar, whinch, side rails and steps. They just wern't designed for the extra weight. I found that they had heaps of adjustment left and cranked them up a couple of notches and they now ride level again. This job took 5 minutes with a jack and a spanner.

In comparison to the other models the hilux drove better, was better fitted out and had better ground clearence and availability of aftermarket parts. The lux was more expensive and in hindsight I wished i had gone the turbo. The main critisisim that I have about these models is that the standard fuel tank is only 66 litres. Good for about 600km's. I have an aftermarket one 115 litres good for about 1000 km's. Great vehicle though. Andy

andy replied:

I have just purchased a Hilux dual cab for the same reasons as you. Traded a Turbo Diesel Landcruiser 80 series. I too was worried about internal space and did some testing of a few models. The SR5 was equal in options as the Landcruiser with more carrying capacity in the rear (with a canopy). I have had to put in a heavy duty rear suspension for carrying and towing. The rear legroom in the hilux is better than the pre 97 models and the front seat goes back further. The kids and mother in law have never complained about space however 3 adults in the back seat would be a bit of a squash on trips. I can reccommend the Turbo as I didn't get one and find that the lux struggles a bit when fully loaded. You can maintain 100 no probs but overtaking is a real bitch on the highway. There are heaps of aftermarket products available for the new lux and I have found the SR5 a heap more comfortable than my mates standard dual cab.

There is an optional "safety kit" available which has duel airbags, abs and a few other things but new it will cost you a couple of g's more. Checkout the Toyota USA websight. You can see the whole list of options that are available and can "build your own truck" online. You can even get 360 degrees views and all colour options. Toyota Australia have a similar service but not quite as good. By the way the yanks call the Hilux a Tecoma.

No common faults in fact my 70,000 kms have been trouble free. 1 set of tyres, oil every 5,000 km's and a couple of broken headlight globes. Two probs that I have since rectified one being the exhaust gasket blew out at 60,000. Easy and cheap repair. The second one is that the front torsion bars sagged a couple of inches when I fitted Bull bar, whinch, side rails and steps. They just wern't designed for the extra weight. I found that they had heaps of adjustment left and cranked them up a couple of notches and they now ride level again. This job took 5 minutes with a jack and a spanner.

In comparison to the other models the hilux drove better, was better fitted out and had better ground clearence and availability of aftermarket parts. The lux was more expensive and in hindsight I wished i had gone the turbo. The main critisisim that I have about these models is that the standard fuel tank is only 66 litres. Good for about 600km's. I have an aftermarket one 115 litres good for about 1000 km's. Great vehicle though. Andy

scooby replied:

I agree 100% with what Andy has to say. I have a 1999 3Litre SR 5 duel cab and am very happy with it. The turbo would be nice but is much more expensive. The fuel consumption around town is great, 10 litres/100k. Not impressed with the country consumption - 16.5 litres/100k. There must be something wrong, the vehicle is going in to a fuel injection specialist tonight to be checked out, so we will see if they can find something amiss.

Graham Taylor replied:

I had a `94 Triton Double Luxury Cab, can`t really recomend it as the seats got very hard on a long trip. ( front & back) It was a 2.5 turbo diesel, & the performance was only average- not much power, only 70 odd kw, & 200nm torque. Fuel consumption was 25mpg on a trip - 100 -110 kph, 27 mpg on average around town. Rear seat room was only O.K. far adults if the front seats were forwad enough, but as I previously mentioned, every one got a numb bum on a long trip.The later model 2.8 diesel was non turbo, but put out much the same kw, nm figures. Hope you can find a suitable vehicle. Regards G.T.

Bob Y. replied:

G'day Mikell, We've got a Hilux 3 litre D/Cab, knocked up 30k today, not a turbo, but rattles along okay on gravel roads. Rough as guts, but A/M springs would fix that. Reckon the turbo would be the way to go, if they are like the 80 series turbo. Did a 6 hour drive, as a passenger, in a rodeo. Quite smooth with 5 on board, and plenty of hoot, but doesn't have the hilux's clearance. An SR5 would be nice! Enjoy your shopping....

Jason replied:

Mikell,

Have you considered the Land Rover Defender 130 Crew Cab? I have no personal experience with them but they seem to have a good reputation. Might be worht checking out.

Jason

lew replied:

Hi Mikell, I have recently purchaced a new Navara TD after having three
Navara diesels before . This one is great I have two country propertys
150ks apart and towing heavy trailers & machinery between the two is
not a problem. I never had any real problems with the earlier models they just didn't have the power this one has .A common with all of them
was the need to beef up the rear suspension and like most D/cabs not
a lot of room for adults in the back seat. Good luck