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Have you ever driven through the bush at dusk or dawn and been greeted with scores of suicidal wildlife? Without some protection up front, it will put a quick stop to your trip.
In addition, a quality bull bar will improve your approach angle for off-road driving. Investing in a high-quality bull bar is a smart choice to protect your HiLux and to ensure safety while driving.
With so many options, styles and sizes available, it's important to do your research and choose a bull bar that meets your specific needs and preferences.
- What it is: Often a big lump of steel out the front of your HiLux that is vital to anyone who travels country roads regularly, or anyone who needs somewhere to mount accessories.
- Why you need it: Frontal protection to guard vital bits of your HiLux including the radiator and headlights, as well as house essential aftermarket gear like spotlights, winches and antennae.
- Buying tips: Before you add close to 100kg to the front of your 4x4, ensure the bull bar you’re looking at will meet your requirements and is suitable for your specific vehicle. Ensure it is airbag-compatible and includes all the required tabs and holes for the accessories you want to mount. Some come with recovery points and some have hoops around the headlights for extra protection. Also consider that the extra weight will certainly require a suspension upgrade.
Here are four products we recommend. They’re intended as a starting point, to give you an idea of what’s available.
JUMP AHEAD
| Construction | Winch-compatible | Recovery points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARB Summit | Steel 60.3mm tube | Yes | No |
| Ironman Commercial Deluxe | Steel 50mm tube | Yes | No |
| TJM Outback | Steel 63mm tube | Yes | Yes |
| EFS Xcape | Steel hoopless | Yes | No |
ARB Summit steel bull bar
The state-of-the-art Summit MKII bull bar takes key components of its flagship namesake and kicks it up a notch with an ultra-modern design that’s constructed to turn heads.
Summit MKII has eliminated front buffers and now features robot welds on the front face of the bar, to highlight ARB’s excellence in sheetmetal fabrication.
Fog light design has been significantly updated to include a plug-and-play indicator/clearance light/DRL and fog light within one complete unit, for an integrated approach and to incorporate these requirements on modern vehicles.
Specifications
- Materials: Steel with 60.3mm tube (87kg)
- Winch-compatible: Yes
- Recovery points: No
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Pros
- Compatible with 360° camera
- All the mounts and tabs you could ever need
- That classic bull bar design
Cons
- Lack of recovery points
Ironman Commercial Deluxe steel bull bar
Not only does an Ironman 4×4 bull bar increase your protection and provide a mounting platform for other accessories, but it’s also great to look at. Ironman 4×4 bull bars are constructed from the highest quality SPHC oil-and-pickled steel.
Specifications
- Materials: Steel with 50mm tube (87kg)
- Winch-compatible: Yes, up to 12,000lb
- Recovery points: No
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Pros
- Able to fit a 12,000lb winch, which should pull your HiLux up a tree
- Two high-lift jack points
- Colour-coding available
Cons
- Lack of integrated recovery points
TJM Outback bull bar
All-new cato straps and 63mm outer pipework provides added strength, damage deflection and headlight protection, while its multi-fold channel has been strategically pressed and CNC-folded to maximise impact strength. The TJM Outback bull bar includes 8000kg rated recovery points.
Specifications
- Materials: Steel with 63mm tube
- Winch-compatible: Yes
- Recovery points: Yes
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Pros
- 8000kg rated recovery points included
- All the mounts and tabs you could ever need
- Provision for forward-facing camera
Cons
- Winch cradle only rated to 9500lb
EFS Xcape bull bar
A low profile, bumper replacement-style bull bar, the Xcape bar is winch-ready and features LED lights, robot welds, improved approach angle for off-roading, and appealing design for city drivers.
Specifications
- Materials: Steel bumper replacement, no hoops (87kg)
- Winch-compatible: Yes
- Recovery points: No
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Pros
- Sleek bumper replacement design
- Excellent approach angle and clearance
- Suits those less worried about animal strikes and more concerned with off-road clearance
Cons
- Lack of recovery points
- Limited mounting points for accessories
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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