The Indian Army has received the first batch of Hilux pickup trucks from Toyota Kirloskar Motor. The Technical examination Committee of the Northern Command of the Indian Army put the Hilux through a two-month long, rigorous examination process before allowing it to join the fleet. It was put to the test under challenging conditions, including sub-zero temperatures and 13,000-foot altitudes.

The Indian Army possesses a large fleet of 4×4 vehicles, including, to name a few, the Maruti Gipsy, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari Storme (GS800), and Tata Xenon pick-up. The Hilux joins the fleet as the newest 4×4—understandably so given its off-road prowess and Toyota’s illustrious reliability. It is unknown, though, whether the Army-spec Hilux differs in any way from the type made for civilian use.

The Indian Army issued a statement saying: “We are pleased to receive the first fleet of Toyota Hilux, which meets their needs. We gratefully welcome TKM’s assistance in customising the Hilux, which passed our demanding road testing thanks to its excellent off-roading capabilities and exceptional performance in challenging weather and terrain. We are eager to use this fleet of Hiluxes for their intended functions.

Recently, the Indian Army also purchased a fleet of Mahindra Scorpio Classic vehicles, which is expected to replace the Maruti Gipsy vehicles that have been in service with the Army for about 20 years. The Indian Air Force recently acquired 12 Tata Nexon EVs for its services, demonstrating the armed forces’ desire to incorporate EVs into their fleet.

The Hilux’s engine is a 2.8-liter, four-cylinder turbo-diesel that generates 204 horsepower and 420 Nm of torque (500 Nm for the automatic). The Hilux has two different gearbox choices: a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

The Hilux comes with a four-wheel drive system as standard equipment, as well as a low-range transmission and front and rear electronic differential locks for better off-road performance. It has a 26-degree departure angle and a 29-degree approach angle. The Hilux can wade through 700mm of water in addition.