2014 Hilux: Amazing what a bit of a dress-up can do

The upgraded 2014 Toyota Hilux diesel manual is no better off-road than its predecessor, but the $62,790 SR5 that's been in 4wdNewz's hands is a nicer vehicle to be in and around. For example, satellite navigation and a reversing camera, its lens mounted in the tailgate, are now standard. The navigation unit includes SUNA real-time traffic updates. These items are useful, but both can be all but unusable when bright sunlight filters into the cabin, obscuring their screens. That's a widespread problem, not just Toyota's.

A 6.1-inch touchscreen display audio shown in the photo (right) is standard on all models, but not all have the satnav. Also standard is Bluetooth hands free capability and voice control for the audio and phone. An integrated USB AUX jack is standard; two USB devices can be plugged in at any time. All Hiluxes now come with cruise control, and steering-wheel controls for Multi-Information Display (MID) trip data, the audio and phone.
 

4WD Hiluxes now have standard Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Active Traction Control (A-TRC). The traction control, coupled with skilled driving – or perhaps blind good luck – got the 4wdNewz SR5 out of a potentially nasty situation in a spot of unexpected soft ground.

Here's the thing about the 2014 Hilux: despite its age, compared to newer rivals, it continues to be a comfortable, competent vehicle that gets the job done. An old adage in the business community is that nobody ever got sacked for buying an IBM. We feel the same way about the Hilux, despite the 340Nm of torque from its diesel being well below most rivals. In practice, it hardly feels disadvantaged.

The V6 petrol is next up on the 4wdNewz drive schedule.

100+ Mopar accessories, but few will help this newcomer off-road

No question that the just announced Jeep Renegade's a spunk, and the Trailhawk version even has a "crawler" first gear, though not a low-range gearbox. Hot on its heels, Mopar announced more than 100 accessories for it, but most are useless as off-road enhancements; there's even a suspension lowering kit! On the other hand, a cold-air intake and "cat-back" special exhaust may help coax a bit more torque from it.

Toyota's back in front in race for ute sales glory

People "in the know" keep predicting that Ford's Ranger will knock-off the Toyota Hilux as top selling ute for 2014. But with more than three decades of supremacy under its chassis, the Hilux has proved to be a tough truck to knock off. And so it was again in February, with 390 sales topping Ford Ranger on 311 and Nissan's Navara on 272. 

The 4x4 National Park event? No drama here, mate

Damn, that 1997 Wrangler looks like a well set-up vehicle.

Organiser Peter Vahry reports that the weekend's 4x4 National Park safari was accomplished "without drama" – the dryness of the countryside meant that over the two days, not one of the 22 4WDs taking part needed  recovery. Can't have been much fun for the Centipede crowd, then.

Light rain on Friday evening dampened the dust for Saturday morning as the vehicles set off for a six-hour run over a Landcorp farm and adjacent Department of Conservation (DoC) land. "While not very challenging to the 4x4 capabilities of the vehicles, one DoC track of several kilometres, through established Manuka, was a tight fit for many of the bigger 4WDs and required vigilance," reported the organiser. 

Thanks to Peter Vahry for the photos.

Sunday saw the event on completely different terrain on another Landcorp farm. At first glance, it seemed quite flat land, but the pumice soil was actually cut-through by gullies eroded by watercourses, meaning a sequence of fords and bridges as the convoy wound its way to an overview of the Whakapapaiti River.

A presentation on Saturday evening saw Jack Talbot of the Auckland 4WD Club hand over to Blake McDavitt of the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation (RARO) a cheque for $1225.

It's an, er, um … it's a, hang on I'll get it in a minute. It's a 1972 Steyr-Puch Haflinger; 603ccs of pulsing power!