No matter which way you look at it, the Toyota Hilux is a thing of beauty. It’s gorgeous from the outside and all raw power from under the hood.
Still, there’s no harm in buying your beloved Hilux a couple of accessories to enhance what the stock ute already comes packed with.
In this day and age, the Hilux's worldwide popularity, combined with online shopping, opened up a huge market for all kinds of accessories. With the multitude of options out there, it's quite challenging to tell apart useful Hilux accessories from the flashy stuff that don't offer much value.
5 Useful Toyota Hilux Accessories to Include in Your List
In this article, we’re going to show you five Toyota Hilux accessories that will make your truck a lot more capable and powerful than ever before.
Let’s get to it.
1. Rims and Tyres
Before we look at any other exterior ute accessories, let’s start with the basics. That’s right! The rims and tyres on your Hilux play an incredibly crucial role. So if you’re looking for useful accessories to spend your money on, this would be an excellent place to start.
Don't forget: the rims and tyres are like shoes for your Hilux. All of that raw engine power is of little use if the vehicle can't get a good grip on the ground beneath it.
The stock tyres that come with the Hilux are pretty impressive all around, but there are plenty of upgrades on the market that will turn your Hilux into the beast that it is.
One of the top examples for this is the Scorpion ATR tyre by Pirelli. With tyres like these, you'll get added grip and handling whether you're driving on a highway or off-road. Plus, they endure wear and tear much better than a lot of other brands.
You may also look out for other top brands like Silverstone, Bridgestone, General Grabber and more.
2. Bull Bar
If you're not familiar with this accessory, a bull bar is an added barrier that goes on the front of your Hilux. Typically, they come in the form of tubing made of steel, aluminium, or other hard material that can take a hard impact.
Sometimes called a kangaroo or nudge bar, it’ll protect the front side of the Hilux against a strong blow. That could be a collision with another vehicle, or God forbid, an off-road accident with a wild animal.
Some bull bars are pretty basic, but others can also include spotlights or indicators mounted on them. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, depending on your needs and personal tastes.
3. Interior Storage
Of course, exterior ute accessories aren’t the only ones you might want to invest in. There are plenty of functional Hilux accessories for the inside, such as interior storage units. The two most useful types would be top shelves which go on the roof where your visor is located and tailgate storage units.
But why would a Toyota Hilux require additional storage when there's lots of space already? Well, two reasons. Firstly, you may want extra storage units to keep smaller items from sliding around the truck bed. A perfect example of this would be your collection of power tools you bring to the job site every day.
The second reason is to protect those tools or whatever items you’re storing. Many pickup truck storage solutions can be locked to protect your assets.
4. Tonneau Cover
Pickup trucks are amazing as they are, especially with the open cargo bed at the back. The open cargo space makes utes versatile and utilitarian, but you may want to protect it from the elements and thieves. That's where the tonneau cover comes into play.
Tonneau covers are available in both hard and soft types, and they work by covering your payload nicely. As you might imagine, this accessory offers heaps of benefits, most notable of which is to secure your cargo by keeping it out of sight and reach.
Plus, all that cover also guards your cargo against the elements like rain, snow, dust and direct sunlight.
But here’s something that you probably never realised: the tonneau cover also improves your Hilux’s gas mileage!
That's right! When your cargo bed is exposed, it makes your truck a lot less aerodynamic. Put in a tonneau cover, and your Hilux will experience a lot less drag, making it much more fuel-efficient.
Some sources go as far as to claim that you’ll save 10% on gas mileage with a tonneau cover!
5. Tow Bar
If your Hilux doesn’t have a tow bar, then that’s one of the most useful exterior ute accessories you should invest in. Let’s be honest here. You’d be wasting the Hilux’s potential if you don’t own a tow bar.
The Hilux is a rugged workhorse, and besides carrying heavy loads and going off-road, it's also the ideal vehicle for towing. Whether that means towing a trailer, an RV, or whatever, installing a tow bar opens up a whole range of functionality you didn't have before.
Bonus Tip: Get a Cordless Vacuum
Here's a bonus tip: buy yourself a cordless vacuum. Store it in your Hilux at all times, and keep it fully-charged whenever possible. That will probably be one of the most useful interior ute accessories you'll ever buy, and here's why.
Any type of car will gather a lot of dust over time, not to mention things like food crumbs. That goes double for a ute like your Hilux, especially if you continually take it off-road or onto dusty job sites.
As a result, your Hilux’s interior will always get dirty. But with a car vacuum, you’ll be able to give the interior a quick once-over anytime you need to. That’ll keep it looking clean without forcing you to drag your full-sized vacuum out all the time.
You'll appreciate that vacuum even more if the Hilux doubles up as your personal vehicle since you can clean it up before you let your family hop into the car as well.
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By Ray Hasbollah