If you don't want to hear my honest opinion and just want to hear the "new" 70 series as being nothing but awesome, then stop reading now.
You may love Toyotas, you may know sales statistics, you might know resale values better than I do, but those things aside, I am going to give my promised unbiased review of the 70 series ute, powered by the long-awaited V8 diesel.
I started off with little fuel in the tank (the low-fuel light was on) so there was enough evidence to suggest, there was not a lot of weight to haul for such a claimed tough, reliable truck. Overlooking the old cosmetics, I climbed in the truck forgetting what I knew were low power and torque figures for a modern V8 diesel, and started the engine. I would say it sounded pretty nice. The feel of an old workhorse amused me for a while. I tried to like the car, so I overlooked the old looking, yet flimsy interior, where the grab handles actually partly pulled away from the cheap door trims, while I said to myself "forget that, this is a workhorse." So my focus was on the V8 diesel. We headed towards Belgrave, where my confidence just grew faster and faster, realizing how unpowerful this thing really is. It felt like a 3L Navara STR diesel, when it came to power and torque. The engine was slow to pick up revs, it didn't even feel that torquey. The engine shuddered on taking off in second gear, when in doing the same thing with the same (little) throttle effort in a Astra diesel, it actually felt good. I was going to try test the power and torque on the steepest
hill in
Upwey, which meant at first I was going to drive up Burwood Hwy from Upper Ferntree Gully. This is where we got to test maintaining and accelerating in gear without revving the V8 diesel engine. This really should have been this engine's main strength. In fact, it should have done this with a heavy trailer. I noticed the engine was willing to maintain the 80km/h up the
hill without downshifting (at 2000rpm) but it was not willing to increase it's speed. My only thoughts were, I was glad it didn't have a heavy load. From then on, it only got silly. After reading claims of it being able to smoke tyres, I decided to give it a go. The easiest way to do that is to drop the clutch in first and hang a corner. there was wheel chirping, but that was only due to giving the truck such a hard time, the wheels did not break and continue to break traction by "smoking the tyres". You can't really put this down to technology or a sophisticated rear
suspension system, when it just has a solid axle and leaf springs, and no traction control. The truck did not give the sensation of the F250 7.3L V8 of easily out accelerating cars, approaching high speeds effortlessly, this 70 series, seemed to be needed to be "driven" to get there. That is what 4 cylinders are for. The 7.3 Powerstroke has a size advantage for sure, but the Toyota has an intercooled, Common Rail diesel, that SHOULD have more power and torque than the old Powerstroke. Sure the 70 series ute has a purpose, and it's not drag racing. But the tests i put it through just proved its limitations, and for $60,000 to have an old truck with no more payload than a Hilux, less seats, no ABS, automatic available, a V8 diesel with the power of a 4 cyl diesel. At 60km/h in 4th gear, I should be able to feel awesome torque that I know would work
well in towing and
hill climbing. This truck did not have that sensation at all! You can't even blame the gearing, as the ratios feel quite short for a V8 diesel, and STILL no acceleration. It doesnt tow more than any other 4x4, and the engine certainly does not improve it, like 8 cylinders should. It might look the part for you, but so does an old second hand one.
I will say it again, Toyota! Bring out the Tundra to Australia! Give this engine the 220kw it deserves!