New Delhi: Six-time World Champion and Olympic medallist M. C. Mary Kom has taken delivery of the all-new ninth-generation Toyota Hilux, weeks after the lifestyle pickup was launched in India on July 28, 2026.
The vehicle was formally handed over to Mary Kom at a Toyota outlet in the New Delhi NCR region as part of an Independence Day celebration.
The association brings together one of India’s most decorated sporting personalities and a vehicle built around toughness and endurance — qualities Mary Kom has displayed rather convincingly over a career spent inside boxing rings rather than off-road trails.
Toyota said the latest Hilux continues the nameplate’s focus on rugged capability while introducing changes aimed at improving comfort, technology and everyday usability.
The ninth-generation model has been developed under Toyota’s “Tough & Agile” concept and features an exterior inspired by what the company calls its Cyber Sumo design. The styling is intended to give the pickup a wider, stronger and more commanding appearance.
Power comes from a 2.8-litre diesel engine, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Hilux also receives Multi Terrain Select (MTS) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC), features designed to improve its ability to negotiate challenging surfaces and steep descents.
Inside, Toyota has equipped the pickup with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a digital instrument cluster and connected-car technology.
Other equipment includes a 360-degree camera and additional comfort features intended to make the Hilux more suitable for daily use as well as recreational and adventure-oriented driving.
On the safety front, the new Hilux comes with seven SRS airbags and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), among other systems.
Toyota said the recently launched model has received a strong response from customers in India, reflecting growing interest in vehicles that attempt to combine off-road capability with premium equipment and lifestyle-oriented versatility.
The Hilux is among Toyota’s longest-running global nameplates, with a history spanning more than five decades and a presence across more than 180 countries and regions.
Mary Kom’s association with the model also gives Toyota a high-profile sporting connection. Her career has been shaped by discipline, resilience and repeated comebacks at the highest level of competition — attributes that neatly fit the rugged image traditionally associated with the Hilux.
With the ninth-generation Hilux, Toyota is seeking to broaden the appeal of the pickup beyond purely utility-driven use, positioning it as a vehicle capable of handling difficult terrain without making its occupants feel as though comfort was left back at base camp.
For India’s still relatively niche lifestyle-pickup market, the new Hilux represents another attempt to blend workhorse toughness with increasingly car-like technology and comfort. Having a six-time world champion behind the wheel may not change the terrain, but it certainly adds some heavyweight credentials to the story.
