New Toyota Hilux will arrive in Brazil early to counter Ford Ranger offensive

The new generation of Toyota Hilux will arrive in Brazil ahead of schedule. According to the launch schedule in Argentina obtained by the Autoblog website, the medium pickup will debut commercially in the neighboring country in 2026, between December 12 and 17, when dealerships begin to deliver the first units. The Brazilian landing should come next, a few weeks apart, according to Autoesporte.

The change is significant. Until then, rumors pointed to a launch only in the first quarter of 2027, a deadline compatible with what the president of Toyota Argentina, Gustavo Salinas, had said in November 2025: production in Zárate would begin at the end of 2026 and sales the following year. The Argentine plant supplies all of Latin America.

The anticipation is read in the sector as a response to the advance of competition in Brazil. In July, the Hilux lost the monthly leadership of medium pickup trucks for the first time in 58 months, surpassed by the Ford Ranger by 33 units — 3,402 against 3,369, according to Fenabrave. Year-to-date, the Japanese company is ahead, with 26,732 registrations.

Thinner front and large

SUV panel Visually, the pickup has undergone a deep redesign. At the front, the headlights have become thinner and closer to the hood, joined by a bar that bears the Toyota name written in full, and the grille has been redesigned with straighter lines. The cabin has also changed: it has a horizontal console, a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a multimedia center of the same size and a higher finish than the current model. The stringer chassis structure has been maintained.

Diesel first, electric later

Also according to Autoblog, the Argentine debut will be made with the “almost complete” range – only the top versions will be missing, precisely those that bring the 48-volt mild hybrid system (MHEV), coupled to the 2.8 turbodiesel. The start, therefore, is with the conventional turbodiesel, with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and 4×4 traction.

The 100% electric version, with a 59.2 kWh battery, is scheduled for the Argentine summer of 2027, that is, the first quarter. It will also leave Zárate, but with most of the components imported in the initial phase, and will only be offered to company fleets in the first months. The new SW4, the SUV version of the pickup, would come in the fall of 2027.

There is also an item on the calendar that is of direct interest to Brazil: for the second half of 2027, Autoblog points to the launch of Toyota’s “half-ton” compact pickup, with a monocoque structure and based on the Corolla Cross platform. This will be manufactured in Brazilian territory and should face rivals such as Renault Niagara.