Toyota HiLux RogueIFELTPRETTYswish driving
around in the top-of-the-
range Toyota HiLux SR5+. It’s
easy to see why the versatile
dual-cab ute is currently
Australia’s best-selling
vehicle. But when I spotted
a Toyota HiLux Rogue, I
realised I was no longer king
of the castle; someone had a
better toy.
Being a motorcyclist, I
had no idea what a HiLux
Rogue actually was, but I
knew it looked hotter than
the SR5+ I was driving, so
I called Toyota and asked
the question. It turns out the
Rogue has only just been
released on Aussie soil,
and only a few uppity car
journalists and a handful of
punters had taken delivery of
one, but the new model was
rolling out fast.
The Rogue is one of three
new fresh-look models aimed
at giving the HiLux a slightly
more premium appeal. At
$61,690 (six-speed auto only),
the Rogue sits above the
also-new Rugged ($54,990,
or $56,900 for auto) but below
the Rugged X ($61,690, or
$63,690 automatic).
All three of the new modelsarepoweredbythesame
2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine
as the existing HiLux range.
As the name suggests,
the Rugged models look
more, er, rugged, whereas
the Rogue has an urban look
with slightly diff erent front-
end styling, but there’s still
no mistaking it for anything
other than a Toyota.
One of the best features
is the tonneau cover, which
is secured via the keyless
central locking system and
uses gas struts to make
opening and closing a breeze.
The extra security means
I can pack my gear into the
tray the night before hitting
the road.
The tray itself is lined,
and I could imagine it being
a comfy little place to get a
couple of hours sleep.
Inside the dual cab, the
Rogue is similar to the SR5+,
with plenty of luxury touches,
including electric leather
seats and enough buttons to
keep me amused for hours.
With our fl ash new trailer
about to be delivered, Team
AMCN is going to look pretty
fl ash at future race meetings.
CHRIS DOBIEThe camera was also easy to
use thanks to the handlebar
controller, and I could easily
scroll through any music I
wanted to play.
What we didn’t like
Probably the hardest thing to
get around is the price, but the
trade-off is that NuViz actually
works. I think it is most useful
in the city, where you need
navigation and the speeds aren’t
as fast. Out on the open road I
prefer to just ride – not listen to
music or talk – and I don’t really
want the added weight hanging
off my helmet. The extra 240g
is not overly noticeable around
town, but on a long trip I became
aware of it.
Verdict
I won’t go so far as to say it’s
a must-have in town, but it is
bloody useful. The navigation is
what appeals to me, and it works
really well. No wonder KTM
bought into this; I believe that,
when this tech gets just a little
smaller, it will be included on all
bikes as a dash replacement.
Should you buy one? If you’re
a heav y commuter and have the
cash available, yes.
And a word of warning: read
the reviews on Amazon. Like
most tech products, some people
have had the exact opposite
experience to me when it comes
to usability, so do your research.
MATT O’CONNELLPROS
Towing ability
Toyota reliability
Sedan-style cabinCONS
Can’t lane splitToyota Rogue
$61,690 (+ORCs)
Toyota.com.au
1300 865 682You asked...
Will it communicate with
other brands of comms?
NopointifIcan’ttalktomy
pillion.
Yes,willconnecttomost
Bluetooth devices.Beingoutsidethevisor,did
wind move the image or is
the mount rock solid?
I had no problems, but I’ll admit I
used it mainly in the city.The authorities could
argue that it could place
torque on the helmet in
an accident, therefore
rendering it illegal.
Authoritieswillalwaysargue.
Nearlyallcopswearprotruding
commsorcameras.I’llriskit.Is it noisy?
If it did add wind noise, it wasn’t
noticeable at the speeds I was
travelling.More than three items of
information – surely that
becomesadistraction?
IfoundtheHUDuncluttered–
andwhenIdidlook,Ifocused
straight on to the information
I needed.Rogue trade-up