It might have been 50 years since England won football’s world cup but close behind this anniversary is that of the Toyota Hilux pick up which was first launched in 1968.

And it’s fair to say that since those heady days of the 1960s the Hilux has done considerably better than English football.

Who would have thought it?

After its launch in 1968 in Japan, the Hilux arrived on European shores the year later and since then around world sales are heading to the two million mark.

Last year more than 34,000 were sold in Europe making it the best seller with more than 23 per cent of the market share.

And since it first arrived more than 18 million models have been manufactured and it is a vehicle which is loved by both the good guys and the bad guys in the Middle East and Africa.

The thing I like most about Toyota is that it does not boast about the fact that is the world’s largest manufacturer. Yet if there is a problem about one of its models it immediately holds its hand up and puts that problem right, usually at no cost to the customer. This is something which other manufacturers would do well to copy.

But what about the new Hilux? Even though it is designed to be a workhorse it is actually fun to drive.

You know it is tough, durable and rugged and it has improved enormously since and almost has a touch of class about it.

Despite being a bit of a big chap the Hilux makes its way through the urban area like a ballet dancer because the controls are nice and light.

It has a new 2.4 litre four cylinder diesel engine producing 161bhp and 400Nm of torque from around 1,600 rpm.

It can carry a bigger load than earlier models and it’s almost like driving a car with its attractive interior.

But just remember that this is a vehicle which has been driven to both the north and south poles.

Its only real competitor is the Mitsubishi L200 which is considerably cheaper than the Hilux but the experts reckon that they are somewhat different.

About the new model there’s not a great deal in the way of changes because customers like their vehicles as they are so this rather a facelift than a massive change.

There is still the Single cab which has more load space; the Extra Cab, which has a 2+2 seating layout and the Double Cab which has the five seat layout.

There are three trim levels: entry-level Active is single or extra cab only and aimed at the commercial vehicle market, while Icon is the cheapest double cab variant with a more upmarket look. Invincible and in particular Invincible X models have a host of luxuries.

You take this to a party and if the venue was poor just use the vehicle because even the Active models get air-con, heated door mirrors, Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls and a cooled glovebox, plus safety kit like hill start assist and trailer sway assist.

Icon models have 17-inch alloys, privacy glass, electric folding mirrors, cruise control, Toyota’s Touch 2 multimedia touchscreen with DAB radio and a reversing camera.

The Invincible model gives you18-inch alloys, Keyless start, LED headlamps, and dual-zone climate control, with safety kit like a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection and Lane Departure Warning thrown in.

The Top-spec Invincible X has sat-nav, parking sensors front and back and two-tone machined alloys.

All Hilux models in the UK come with the sole option of a new 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine with 148bhp. It’s mated to either a six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic gearbox on top trims.

Miles per gallon is around 40 and the CO2 emissions are 186g/km. The auto model is around 36 mpg and 204 g/km. On the performance front the 0-62mph arrives in almost 13 seconds and a little more for the auto gearbox.

There’s good storage in the Hilux with two gloveboxes, one on the top of the dash and one directly below, and both are a decent size. There’s also a central bin underneath the armrest and two cup holders in the centre of the dash. Space in the front is good and in the back there is enough space for two.

Because they are confident about their product Toyota offers the new Hilux with a five-year/100,000 mile warranty cover to help it compete with the latest pick-up rivals.