TOYOTA HILUX
AT 2,4 GD-6 4x4 Raider
No double cab comparison would be complete without what many South Africans consider the quintessential double-cab bakkie. We did have to scramble to get the Hilux into the mix for this comparative test and must thank Klipbokkop’s Gerhard Groenewald for availing us of his personal 2,4 GD-6 4x4 Raider automatic. A vehicle that does without some of the niceties of the Legend RS but is also more affordable as a result.
We are all too familiar with the Toyota’s legendary pedigree as a much-loved favourite of farmers, miners, nature conservancies and families, owing to its reputation for reliability and toughness. We’re also well aware of the perennial tussle between Toyota and Ford for top-tier placing in the local one-ton pick-up sales stakes and we are keen to see just how some of the less-established players measure up to this stalwart of the segment.
This particular model occupies the middle of a vast Hilux double-cab portfolio and its list of toys and extras may look modest when compared with its rivals; however, it is keenly priced, solidly constructed and is perhaps the best example of a no-nonsense workhorse that’s comfy enough to double as family transport in this company.
On paper, the well-proven 2,4-litre turbodiesel may look out of its depth but its ability to serve up that 400 N.m at a low 1 600 r/min and well-measured gearing means it’s pleasingly exible and as up to the task of trundling along the tarmac as it is tackling terrain that sometimes leaves competitors agging in its dust.
Given the increasingly lifestyleoriented proviso expected of double cabs these days, this Hilux Raider may come across as somewhat spartan when lined up against its rivals but there’s no doubting that when things get tough, this could likely be the bakkie standing tallest.
“I KNOW IT’S MY BAKKIE, SO YOU MIGHT SAY I’M BIASED, BUT A HILUX IS ALWAYS GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY, WITH GREAT PEDIGREE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO DO THE PERFORMANCE TESTS WITH THE 2,8 GD-6.”