Toyota Hilux pickup truck, the terrorists’ car of choice, has been given a thorough makeover for 2012.

The new model maintains the qualities of its predecessors, toughness, durability and reliability, while introducing a new design and a more refined interior.

The interior features a new upper dashboard design in which a new, horizontal centre instrument cluster reinforces the breadth and roominess of the cabin. It incorporates Toyota Touch, a 6.1”, full colour, touch screen multimedia unit. It even has iPod compatibility, so the suicide bombers can listen to some relaxing tunes as they drive the car, loaded with explosives of course, through the gates of a foreign embassy in the Middle East! It only lacks AK-47 holsters.

Jokes aside, the new cabin is significantly improved in terms of design and quality, with darker finishes with a greater colour consistency throughout the interior, and the addition of silver ornamentation.

On the outside the 2012 Hilux comes with a new bonnet, radiator grille, headlamps and front bumper, plus new front and rear wings. It also gets 15” and 17” steel and alloy wheels, and new door mirrors. The new model is available in four grades: DLX, the new DLX+, SR and SR+.

The new DLX+ grade is available with 2WD or 4WD 2.5 D-4D powertrains mated to a manual transmission in Single Cab, Extra Cab and Double Cab body styles, and with a 4WD 3.0 D-4D powertrain and manual transmission as a Double Cab only.

2012 2WD 2.5 D-4D models benefit from a 24 hp increase in power. The engine now develops 144 hp at 3600 rpm and 343 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm. It is rated at 7.3 l/100 km and CO2 emissions lowered by 26 g/km to only 193 g/km. Thanks to the adoption of a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) both 2.5 D-4D and 3.0 D-4D engines are now EURO V compliant.