A Toyota Hilux takes an aluminium canopy in two ways: mounted on the factory tub, or on an aluminium tray that replaces it. Dual cab, extra cab and single cab each need different lengths, and payload — not looks — should drive the spec. UTE HARIO builds Hilux canopies to measure in Melbourne.
Why the Hilux is the easiest ute to get wrong
The Hilux has been Australia’s best-selling ute for most of the last decade, so there’s no shortage of canopies advertised to fit it. The catch is that “fits a Hilux” covers three cab styles, two mounting surfaces and a spread of tray lengths. A canopy sized for a single cab tray is close to a metre longer than one for a dual cab tub. Order by model name alone and you can end up with a box that overhangs the tray, fouls the cab, or leaves 300 mm of dead space you paid for.
Getting it right starts with two questions: which cab, and tub or tray.
Tub or tray: the first decision
The factory tub on a dual cab Hilux gives you roughly 1550 mm of internal length, with wheel arches intruding into the floor. A tub-mount canopy sits on the tub rails and turns that space into lockable, weatherproof storage. It’s the cheaper path and it keeps the vehicle looking close to stock.
Swap the tub for an aluminium tray and the picture changes. A dual cab tray runs around 1800 mm, the floor is flat from edge to edge, and the canopy mounts to proper steel-reinforced points rather than tub sheet metal. You gain length, width and a stronger platform — which matters once drawers, a fridge and tools go in. Most trade and touring builds we do on the Hilux are tray-and-canopy for exactly this reason. If you’re still weighing the two, our canopy vs tray comparison walks through the trade-offs in more detail.
Sizing by cab style
Dual cab: the shortest tray of the three, around 1800 mm. A full canopy here still swallows a fridge slide, drawers and a decent tool load, but plan the layout before fabrication — on this length, every module has to earn its floor space.
Extra cab: tray lengths sit around 2100 mm. This is the sweet spot for tradies who want a full canopy without giving up the back seats entirely — enough length for a workbench-style fitout with room left over.
Single cab: around 2400 mm of tray. You can run a full-length canopy, or a part canopy over the rear two-thirds with open tray in front for long stock, ladders or a dog box. On single cabs we build both configurations regularly.
These lengths are typical, not universal — trays vary by build and year. We measure the vehicle before cutting any aluminium, so the numbers on your Hilux are the numbers we build to.
Payload: do the maths before you spec
A current diesel dual cab Hilux carries a payload of roughly one tonne — the exact figure is on your door placard and it includes you, your passengers, the tray, the canopy and everything inside it. This is where material choice stops being a preference and becomes arithmetic.
A 5000-series marine-grade aluminium canopy for a dual cab typically weighs between about 80 and 140 kg depending on height and door configuration. A comparable steel box can double that. On a vehicle where the tray itself already claims a share of the payload, the difference between aluminium and steel is the difference between carrying your full kit legally and running overweight every day. Our note on 5000-series marine-grade aluminium covers why we use this alloy and nothing lighter-duty.
Mounting: what a proper Hilux fit looks like
On a tray mount, the canopy bolts through the tray floor into the tray’s crossmembers — no load on the ute body at all. Sealing runs the full perimeter, and the canopy floor sits flush with the tray so nothing catches when you slide gear in.
On a tub mount, weight spreads across the tub rails via a mounting channel, with clamps rather than drilled holes where possible. Done properly, the tub is untouched underneath and the canopy can come off without leaving scars — worth knowing if the Hilux goes back at the end of a novated lease.
Either way, allow for the high-mount brake light and the sports bar if fitted; both are routine to work around, but only if the fabricator knows about them before the build.
Fitting out the space
The canopy is the shell — the fitout is what makes it work day to day. On Hilux builds the common additions are gullwing side doors for kerb-side access, slide-out drawers under a false floor, a crossdeck toolbox behind the cab, and roof racks rated for a rooftop tent or ladders. Central locking tied into the vehicle’s fob is a popular add-on for trade utes parked on site.
If the canopy needs to come off between the work week and the weekend, a jack-off system lets one person remove it in minutes — we covered how these work in our jack-off canopy guide.
What a Hilux canopy costs
A tub-mount canopy is the entry point; a tray-and-canopy combination costs more but replaces two purchases with one integrated build. Because every UTE HARIO canopy is built to order in our Melbourne factory, the price tracks the spec — length, height, doors and fitout — rather than a brand-name markup. Send us your cab style and how you use the ute, and we’ll quote the build rather than a catalogue number.
Key takeaways
- Hilux fitment splits three ways: dual cab (~1800 mm tray), extra cab (~2100 mm), single cab (~2400 mm)
- Tub mount is cheaper; tray mount gives a flat floor, more room and stronger fixing
- Payload is about a tonne all-in — aluminium at 80–140 kg leaves room for gear, steel often doesn’t
- Measure the actual vehicle; “fits a Hilux” is not a specification
Frequently asked questions
What size canopy fits a Toyota Hilux dual cab?
On a dual cab tray, most Hilux builds run a canopy around 1800 mm long. On the factory tub the internal space is shorter — roughly 1550 mm — so a tub-mounted canopy is sized to match. UTE HARIO measures the vehicle before fabrication, so the fit is exact either way.
Can I keep the factory tub or do I need a tray?
You can mount a canopy on the factory tub, but most owners who want full-height storage swap to an aluminium tray first. The tray gives a flat floor, more width between the sides and stronger mounting points. If you mainly want weather cover over the tub, a tub-mount canopy does the job for less money.
How much does an aluminium canopy weigh on a Hilux?
A 5000-series aluminium canopy for a dual cab Hilux typically lands between about 80 and 140 kg depending on length, height and doors — before you load it. That leaves most of the Hilux’s roughly one-tonne payload for gear, which is the main reason aluminium beats steel on this vehicle.
Do you build canopies for the extra cab and single cab Hilux?
Yes. Extra cab and single cab trays are longer than the dual cab’s, so the canopy grows with them — a single cab can carry a full-length canopy or a part-canopy with open tray space in front. Every UTE HARIO canopy is built to the tray on the vehicle, not to a generic template.
