premium workhorse
For more than five decades, the Hilux has been dominating the tar and dirt roads of Southern Africa. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Toyota introduced two special new models. GQ experienced both in Botswana and Zimbabwe
when you (very) successfully sell a specific car model, you don’t mess much with the concept.
So even after half a century, Toyota’s Hilux is still a Hilux. Tough and reliable. And while the new Legend 50 is available as a Raider replacement with 50 derivatives and three body shapes (single, xtra and double cab), the limited edition GR Sport comes in 4x4 auto only.
Unfortunately, the
600 units are already spoken for. Engineered by Toyota’s international motor sport division Gazoo Racing (hence GR), the Hilux GR
Sport is set apart by a more impressive body kit and modified suspension. Priced at R707 400, it wasn’t meant as competition to the mighty Ford Raptor, which is about R70 000 more expensive – and impressive. But it’s a sign for things to come. With the GR Sport featuring a slightly lowered suspension, stronger shocks, stiffer front springs and cosmetic updates, Gazoo Racing is testing the Raptor market – with room for more.
Back to the “normal” model, badged Legend 50 and following in the tyre tracks of the very successful Raider. In June 2019 alone, Toyota sold 4 700 Hilux units in SA, making it the top-selling vehicle in South Africa, with more than one million sold since 1969.
The newest version of the workhorse-turnedlifestyle pickup features a blacked-out grille in a gloss finish, two-tone wheels in a unique silverblack and Legend 50 badging all over the car, inside and out. They also updated the infotainment with a 20.3cm screen.
The drive itself is still very much the same. With no load in the back, it’s quite uncomfortable on dirt, more obvious in the stiffer GR Sport than the Legend 50. But I’m sure Gazoo Racing will take care of this in the near future, with more power and a suspension similar to the Fox one in the Power Ranger. Or to put it in a bird of prey context, if the Ford Ranger Raptor is a fish eagle, the new Hilux is still a buzzard.