CONFIRMED: New Toyota HiLux and Fortuner to be officially unveiled in days: Here’s when you’ll get a proper look at powered-up Ford Ranger rival

The offical unveiling of the new HiLux and Fortuner is just days away, with Toyota to pull the covers off its powered-up Ford Ranger rival on June 4.

Toyota has begun officially teasing the unveiling with a shadow-filled image of the HiLux and Fortuner, promising to illuminate the darkness this Thursday. 

Expect Toyota in Australia to launch the HiLux in Australia as soon as possible. Initially scheduled for a July launch, the production date was pushed back after the Thai factories were shutters amidst the pandemic.

The official build date of the new HiLux was been bumped from May to June, meaning a four week delay, and an expected launch in Australia in August. 

The official unveiling follows com-gen images of the 2021 Toyota HiLux leaking online, with international sites publishing pictures that seemed to capture the new HiLux in final production guise, with a bold new front end, new grille and new LED headlights for top-spec models. The images also revealed new 17- or 18-inch alloys, a blacked-out treatment for the grille, new DRLs and a new rear light cluster.

There’s big news under the bonnet, too, with a power boost to Toyota’s 2.8-litre diesel engine that will up torque to around 150kW and 470Nm, putting it about on-par with the Ford Ranger.

It means the 2021 HiLux and Fortuner will a welcome an approximate 20kW and 20Nm increase from its current power outputs of 130kW and up to 450Nm.

Those changes will join the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the first time, ensuring Toyota’s workhorse is significantly more user friendly than before.

While Toyota in Australia is yet to confirm timing for the updated Fortuner, we’d expect launch timings to near-enough mirror those of the HiLux.