This is the new Toyota Hilux AT35. It’s the latest in a long line of modified off-road vehicles to come from Arctic Trucks – and Toyota says the engineering firm’s chassis and drivetrain improvements have made it the most capable version of the Hilux yet.
The AT35 package is available to order now, priced from £18,780 plus VAT. However, the upgrade can only be specced on the range-topping Hilux Invincible X Double Cab automatic model – so, if you want the package on a new Hilux, you need a total of £63,000 to pay for it.
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Chassis tweaks over the standard Toyota Hilux include adjustable anti-roll bars, uprated Bilstein dampers and new suspension springs. The pick-up’s front and rear differentials also have new gearing, which should make it easier to drive off-road.
Arctic Trucks has also massaged the Hilux’s body and frame to make space for some new 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in chunky 35-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres. All of these tweaks have given the Hilux an extra 65mm of ground clearance, while improving its approach and departure angles by nine and three degrees respectively.
It’s isn’t all go and no show, though. Arctic Trucks has made a few cosmetic tweaks, fitting broader side steps, some unique badges and wider wheel arches to cover the new wheels. There’s a new rear bumper, too, featuring a two-inch receiver hitch that can quickly accept attachments such as tow balls, winches and steps.
As it’s based on the Invincible X variant, the Hilux AT35 also comes as standard with an eight-inch infotainment system, perforated leather upholstery, an ambient lighting system and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat. Buyers also get the standard pick-up’s upgraded JBL stereo, which comprises a 224mm subwoofer and an 800W amplifier.
Toyota and Arctic Trucks do offer a few optional extras for the AT35, such as full underbody protection, a grille-mounted light bar and a Truxedo load bed cover. The pick-up’s tyres can be swapped for BFGoodrich KM3 mud terrain alternatives – and the pair can also supply an on-board inflation/deflation kit with a 12-volt compressor mounted in the engine bay.
The Hilux AT35 is powered by the same turbocharged 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine as the recently updated standard pick-up. It has an output of 201bhp and 500Nm of torque – which means it retains the same 3.5-tonne towing capacity as the standard pick-up.
What do you make of the new Toyota Hilux AT35? Let us know in the comments section below…