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2023 Toyota HiLux towing mirrors guide

Lapping the country in a caravan? You'll need a quality set of towing mirrors

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Throw a caravan or camper trailer behind your HiLux and rear visibility will be extremely limited.

There’s not much you can do about the rear-view mirror, but you can certainly upgrade your side mirrors with a set of quality towing mirrors to increase visibility for the driver and ease manoeuvrability.

With many different types of towing mirrors on the market, there's bound to be a mirror that suits every HiLux owner, and we're here to help you pick the right one.

  • What it is: Towing mirrors that replace the OE mirrors are larger and can be adjusted for width, so you can use them with wider caravans and trailers.
  • Why you need it: To stay legal and safe, otherwise you’ll have dangerous blind spots when towing wide trailers. Government guidelines state the driver is required to see 20 metres past the widest point of the towed vehicle.
  • Buying tips: Keep in mind the functionality of your factory mirrors, as quality replacement mirrors will include the same functions. You can buy cheaper clip-on mirrors, but they’re simply not as functional as replacement mirrors and don’t provide the same level of visibility. Add to this they will bounce or vibrate and can be easily forgotten or stolen.

Here are some products we recommend, and we’ll add more as they become available. For this guide we have omitted generic clip-on mirror extensions and included only quality replacements.

JUMP AHEAD

Mirrors per sideExtendablePowered
Clearview1-2 Yes – 3 positionYes
MSA1Yes – 4 positionYes
OCAM2YesYes

Clearview towing mirrors

Clearview Accessories has a few different options: Compact; Original and Next Gen. The Compact mirrors are designed to be a comparable size to OEM mirrors and include a single mirror per side. Original and Next Gen mirrors are taller and include a flat mirror and convex mirror on each side. Both types have three levels of extension. Compact models are recommended for vehicles with large canopies or for towing anything under 15ft.

Specifications

  • Mirrors per side: 2 (one flat, one convex)
  • Extendable: Yes, 3 position
  • Powered: Yes
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Pros

  • All three mirror types include powered options and indicators
  • Two-part mirror on Original and Next Gen for increased visibility
  • Raw finish option for those who want to colour-code

Cons

  • N/A

MSA 4X4 towing mirrors

MSA 4X4’s patented, SEMA award-winning Towing Mirrors feature a large single mirror that pivots on a heavy-duty extension slide and allows the mirror to extend when towing and return to a normal driving position when not towing. Featuring four extension positions and a unique pivoting design, these mirrors are highly versatile.

Specifications

  • Mirrors per side: 1
  • Extendable: Yes, 4 position
  • Powered: Yes
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Pros

  • Includes powered options and indicators
  • Market-leading five-year warranty
  • Unique pivot design

Cons

  • Only the single option, so missing some functions of competitors

OCAM towing mirrors

A budget option without losing too much functionality over competitors. These mirrors feature a two-mirror-per-side design for fantastic visibility and extend a whopping 200mm compared to OEM mirrors. These mirrors come in a black or chrome finish and include indicators.

Specifications

  • Mirrors per side: 2 (one flat, one convex)
  • Extendable: Yes
  • Powered: Yes
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Pros

  • Bargain pricing
  • Two-part mirror for increased visibility
  • Huge 200mm extension over OEM

Cons

  • Fewer positions than competitors


How we review products

4X4 Australia has been reviewing four-wheel drive vehicles and aftermarket products for more than 40 years.

When looking for the best accessories for your make and model of 4WD, there are some things essential to making sure you have the best off-roading experience.

When we compare products, here are some of the things we consider:

  • Warranty
  • Build quality
  • Value for money
  • Time and ease to set-up/install
  • Weight
  • Fit and finish
  • How well it gets the job done
  • What materials they’re made from
  • Corrosion/UV resistance
  • Coatings
  • Compatibility with other accessories
  • Compliance with ADRs and vehicle safety systems
  • Country of manufacture
  • Load ratings, to determine what's the best product across each price point.

We also consider user reviews and our own experience with these products to make sure our recommendations are for the best on the market.

Disclosure: When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. We also include products that we do not earn a commission from.

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Todd Hore

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