After passing rigorous tests, Toyota Hilux joins Indian Army vehicle fleet

Indian Army has received the first batch of the Hilux pick-up truck from Toyota Kirloskar Motor. The vehicle was put through two months of rigorous testing and evaluation by the Northern Command of the Indian Army's Technical Evaluation Committee before deciding to induct these vehicles into the fleet, Autocar India (ACI) reported.

As a part of the evaluation, Toyota Hilux was tested in rough terrain and challenging weather conditions which included driving it at altitudes of 13,000 feet to testing its performance at sub-zero temperatures. This is the first time when Toyota has supplied vehicles to the Indian Army. The Hilux has a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine under the hood. With its induction, the Hilux has joined the ranks of the Scorpios and Safari Stormes which are already a part of the Army's fleet.

 

Besides the Toyota Hilux, the Indian Army already maintains all-wheel drive vehicles like Maruti Gypsy, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari Storme (GS800), and Tata Xenon pick-up, among others.

Known for its reliable off-road performance and overall capability, the Toyota Hilux is an understandable choice to take care of the Army's operational requirements.

The Army released a statement about the induction of the Toyota Hilux fleet and said, “We are happy to receive the first fleet of Toyota Hilux, which measures up to the requirements of the Indian Army. We acknowledge TKM’s support to customise the Hilux, passing through our stringent road tests with its strong off-roading strengths and extreme performance under stringent weather, and difficult terrain conditions, which is key to our requirements. We look forward to utilising this fleet of Hilux for the purposes meant.”