2022 Toyota HiLux GR Sport launched in Japan

UPDATE, January 2023: New HiLux GR Sport revealed

It's no full-bottle high-powered GR HiLux, but the new 2023 HiLux GR Sport does get more power and torque than the regular model – making it a rival, of sorts, to the Navara Warrior and Ranger Raptor. In the meantime, we'll keep hoping for a proper performance upgrade in future GR HiLux. Details below.

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The story to here

The 2022 Toyota HiLux GR Sport has gone on sale in Japan, providing the best look at what Australian buyers can expect if and when the model eventually lands here.

As with other GR Sport models in the Toyota range, the HiLux GR Sport doesn’t add any extra performance, rather it is a predominantly visual upgrade thanks to a body kit featuring wheel arches, a revised grille and bumpers, and new black 18-inch alloy wheels.

The GR Sport uses a similar version of the body kit found on the HiLux Rogue sold in Australia – with a total width of 1900mm – but painted to go with the vehicle’s body colour.

A centre section of the front bumper provides a smoother, colour-matched look, coupled with a ‘TOYOTA’ grille – as found on the LandCruiser GR Sport.

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While the powertrain remains unchanged, engineers from Gazoo Racing have fettled with the chassis to deliver a “dedicated suspension [tune] that improves steering response and realizes flat and comfortable driving,” a translated statement from Toyota Japan read.

As with the HiLux Revo GR Sport unveiled for the Thailand market in recent months, the Japanese HiLux GR Sport gets a new interior look with synthetic leather and suede upholstery, front sports seats, dark silver highlights, GR Sport badging and instruments, sports pedals, and paddle shifters.

In May 2021, a spokesperson for Toyota Australia said “[The HiLux GR Sport is] not on our radar at the moment, but if it becomes available globally, we’d definitely be interested in it.”

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4X4 Australia contacted the company’s local representatives and was told "Toyota Australia is continually looking at opportunities to expand the Toyota GR range with more exciting models however at this stage, we have no announcements to make."

Those wanting a high-performance Toyota GR HiLux will likely have to wait until the next generation arrives in 2025 at the earliest.

According to a recent report out of the US, the next-gen HiLux will share its underpinnings with the Toyota Tacoma pick-up sold in North America, meaning a greater variety of powertrains could be made available to the Australian market.