Toyota Australia has announced a factory-fit gross vehicle mass upgrade for the HiLux, with selected 4x4 variants set to qualify from August 2026 for $4000. The move is aimed at customers who need the ute to carry more, without stepping outside the vehicle maker’s own warranty and safety package.
The company said the upgrade will lift payload by 372kg to 435kg depending on grade, opening the door to a maximum payload of about 1525kg on some variants. The eligible models are the HiLux WorkMate dual-cab chassis, WorkMate dual-cab pickup, SR Extra-cab chassis, SR dual-cab chassis, SR dual-cab pickup and SR5 dual-cab pickup. Front axle capacity on the HiLux 4x4 will rise by 100kg, while rear axle capacity will increase by 280kg.
Toyota said the modifications were developed in Australia and will be offered as a factory-fitted option, a detail that matters because it lets the HiLux keep its five-year warranty. The company also said the package is compatible with all safety systems. For buyers who have long looked to aftermarket suppliers to solve payload limits, the timing matters: by the time the Toyota option reaches customers, brands such as EFS and Ironman 4x4 will already have been selling GVM upgrades of their own.
John Pappas said introducing a GVM upgrade option for the new HiLux would help customers maximise the ute’s load-carrying ability, with benefits for fleet and private buyers alike. He added that making it Toyota’s own factory-fitted option gives the HiLux a real advantage over aftermarket competition because it preserves the five-year warranty and keeps the vehicle compatible with all safety systems.
The extra capacity will not turn the HiLux into a different vehicle, but it does answer a practical problem that has followed work utes for years: owners wanting more payload without sacrificing factory support. From August 2026, Toyota’s factory solution will give some HiLux buyers exactly that choice, and it puts the company directly into a market that outside conversion firms had already claimed.
