As tough as granite, more powerful than a locomotive, bold enough to make the district nurse wobble on her bicycle – and yet, when needs be, as cool and sophisticated as a pint of rough cider. The legendary ‘unbreakable’ Toyota Hilux Invincible X double cab bucks the trend towards titchy tiddlers with their self righteous ‘Holier-than-thou’ hybrid habits and washing machine electric motors – emphasising that thankfully we still live in a world that has room for a big motor and a big-hearted owner who takes the bull by the horns, refuses to roll over, and makes critics of his sturdy individualism eat his dust. The world’s best-selling pickup – with origins going back 57 years – has been a Dakar Rally winner and topped 27 million sales. It’s safe to conclude, therefore, that it has top notch off-road capability. Engage 4wd low range and the Hilux could take you places where your correspondent would fear to tread thanks to the automatic limited slip diff, active traction control and other tech.wonders,
It radiates (at the risk of upsetting the Ministry of Wokeness and Associated Nonsense)…. ‘masculinity’. (No doubt my editor will expurgate my disgracefully inflammatory copy). You won’t find one parked outside a poodle parlour for vegan owners of cute lap dogs. Nor would you turn up in one to a consciousness raising conference for non-assertive exponents of quasi-confrontational gender politics.
Would even Nostradamus have predicted its success? A war-horse that is also perfectly family-friendly. A work-a-day load-lugger that doubles as a charabanc for holidays and picnics with Aunt Maude.
The Hilux Invincible X, rides roughshod over old expectations. So successful is it, that no-one would be surprised were the vicar to turn up in one for evensong. The pick-up, in other words, is no longer an aberration: no longer an incursion into the comfort zone of old motoring habits. Rather it stands for innovative and flexible thinking, representing an integrated approach to striking the perfect work/life balance.
Critics of pickups – there are such folk – suggest that owners deceive themselves into thinking that they bought a utility vehicle for that very purpose – whereas they are really flaunting the metallic equivalent of large biceps. Heaven forbid that one should challenge such views.
Much better to let the £40,270 (plus vat) Invincible X speak for itself. You might imagine it to address its critics like this.
‘Friends. If you don’t approve, remove your cardboard cup of flat white coffee out of the way of my fat tyres running on smart 18 inch black alloys before they squash it completely along with your objections’.
But, Hey! Who would suspect that such a big hunk of pickup muscle comes with a comfort package that puts many a saloon to shame?
Inside the capacious cabin expect ‘room plus view’, cushioning and cosseting with dual-tone leather upholstery, heated seats, tactile trim plus touchscreen, sat nav, climate control plus cruise control….all in all an all-round, feel good package of high quality.
The 201bhp 2.8 4cylinder diesel driving through a six speed manual gearbox (You can, of course, have automatic) gives outstanding mid-range acceleration. When unladen and In ‘power’ mode it leaps forward at a rate of knots that out guns most traffic. Torque, of course, is far more useful than top speed – but if you must know, it can reach about 110mph.
Despite the brute power on tap, It’s also a well balanced combination that challenges many cars for effortless sophistication. You would not believe what a smooth operator it can be (if you keep the revs at a sensible level) yet it packs enough muscle to handle a payload of 1,030 kgs to 1,090 kgs with a 3,500 kg towing capability: you could pull out wisdom teeth with one of these as well as your boat/caravan/trailer etc.
On challenging road routes handling is good and ride quality is surprisingly compliant. It’s a confidence inspiring vehicle in which you feel totally safe and secure.
With brawny beauty the high and mighty up-rearing of metallic majesty gleams with uncompromising purpose: you’re very much aware of admiring glances.
To some it might want for gentility but for a beefy builder like my pal Dirk Mallory (Do you know him?) it’s definitely built to order, with an assured stance that brooks no nonsense.
‘Do get to the point and tell us what it’s really like. It can’t be suited to boulevard cruising on sunny afternoons in Bournemouth. Utility must surely trump sybaritic serenity’ I hear you say. Well… that’s not the case. You get your cake and you can eat it.
Years ago pick-up drivers – who were usually unshaven and displayed a gluteal cleavage – were incarcerated in a spartan cell, but now comfort and style for them and their passengers ride high. On the outside there might be that glamorous sheen of a Mister Universe but that comfy interior is another matter.
You could rock up to The Palace in one of these – not only to point the crumbling brickwork but to collect your GCSE awards, with the wife alongside and the kids in the back.
“By Gum!” Exclaimed Dirk. “I’ve got a bad back but can’t even tell’.
“That’s because it rides well despite the suspension being tuned to cope with heavy loads.” I pointed out.
Not to get too technical, construction quality is outstanding. That’s why you can get a 10 yr. warranty if you stick to servicing requirements.
Economy isn’t too bad either. I got about 37 mpg when driving gently because for most of the time the engine is running at little more than tickover.
So you just put on your Stetson and ride the rugged trail like a ramrod drover. It has all the necessaries
“My word” exclaimed Dirk. “Not a single one of my fillings has been dislodged.”
I smiled and put on an album of his favourite band, Shock of Ages and selected the track ‘Lodestar’. A load of heavy metal? As nothing to the Toyota Hilux Invincible X.
