Has Toyota missed a trick with Hilux GR-S III?
South African buyers in the top-tier leisure end of the double-cab market have more options than ever before.
The assortment is varied for those in want of the ultimate pickup that blends power, plushness and visual characters making bold statements in any environment, whether dropping the children off at school or parked in the office lot.
Toyota has been the local market leader in sales for decades. And to protect that hegemony, the company is known for taking a more conservative approach in the way its products are developed.
Its latest iteration of the Hilux GR Sport colours just outside the margins in comparison to the play-it-safe executions that preceded it. But one still wonders, in this current landscape of formidable bakkies, could the Japanese automaker have done even more? Or is there a reason to speculate that there would be potential for an even more outlandish Hilux on the cards down the line?
Before we talk a little more about the latest GR Sport, we should look at the past attempts at a sportier Hilux.
In case you might have been living under a rock for the past few years, the GR acronym denotes Gazoo Racing — the banner under which Toyota fields its performance-orientated wares, with a spectrum ranging from aesthetic tweaks to full-on road racers developed ground-up with sporting intent.
Back in 2019, Toyota launched the first Hilux GR Sport. lt sported upper-case Toyota designation on its snout, 17-inch alloys, plus a model-specific livery. The interior fascia wore a red strip spanning its width, complemented by an upgraded infotainment system and sprinklings of GR logos — on the start button and embroidered onto the seats.
But that was the extent of it. The 2.8 GD-6 unit was unchanged at 130kW and 450Nm, linked to a six-speed automatic with 4WD. Suspension tweaks were minor, comprising revised shock damping and increased front spring rates. At the time it cost R707,400 and just 600 were made.
Referring to my August 2019 road test on the model, it struck as a major disappointment versus the beefier double-cab picks on sale at the time. That included the Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI, with its athletic straight-line performance earning it descriptions as a GTI bakkie of sorts. There was also the first Ford Ranger Raptor (then powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged-diesel), packing Fox shocks, and the Isuzu D-Max AT35 wielding a 3.0-litre turbocharged-diesel, plus serious overlanding hardware.
In September 2022 came the next iteration of the Hilux GR Sport. This time it had a slightly more assertive styling package. Yet again Toyota touted “new monotube shock absorbers paired with stiffer coil springs” — but there was also more in the way of power. Now it offered an extra 15kW and 50Nm taking things to 165kW/550Nm, accomplished via ECU calibration. Still, it only resulted in a claimed 0.65-second saving where the 0-100km/h sprint was concerned. It cost R865,400.
The 2024 Hilux GR Sport III is undoubtedly the most assertive expression of the breed yet. Aesthetically, you can easily tell that the makeup runs deeper than a mere sticker job. Its flared wheel arches, model-specific 17-inch alloys and chunky BF Goodrich tyres mean business.
In certain ways the model echoes the wide-bodied flavours of the North American market Toyota Tacoma. The suspension and brakes were revised. Power remains unchanged from the previous GR Sport. It costs a snip under R1m.
Interesting to note, it is not the most expensive new Hilux money can buy: that honour goes to the 48-volt mild hybrid derivative which is listed above the R1m mark.
We had a taste of the latest Hilux GR Sport at its introduction in the Western Cape, driving through the Garden Route and challenging George mountain dirt tracks.
The added refinement and more upmarket interior appointments shone through, with the GR Sport offering a significantly more polished character than any of its predecessors — or any Hilux for that matter.
But one could not help but think about other flagship rivals in the bakkie ambit. Take the current Ford Ranger Raptor for instance, with its throaty twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 motor, dune-jumping suspension kit and borderline-obnoxious exterior execution.
To be fair, Toyota did not cite the Raptor as a competitor, but it did make reference to the Ranger in Wildtrak-X trim (R1,040,600).
Like the Hilux it too is shod with off-road rubber. It has a slightly smaller displacement, but its 2.0-litre, twin-turbocharged-diesel has outputs that are not far off (154kW/500Nm). It has Bilstein dampers, a more progressive cabin and tricks such as a trail-turn assist function, applying the brake on the inside rear wheel which reduces the turning radius by up to 25% — useful off-road.
Toyota also mentioned the latest Isuzu D-Max AT35 (R1,170,339), riding on heavy-duty Bilstein shock absorbers like the Ford, bolstered by a serious wheel-and-tyre pairing aimed at genuine overlanding supremacy.
One of the big trump cards of the Hilux is that it undercuts these two alternatives in price. We should also factor in the inevitable strength of resale values, the expansive Toyota dealership network and of course, the proven reputation for durability the Hilux has earned over decades.
Still, Toyota does have the hardware to create something that would truly rival super-double-cabs like the V6 Raptor.
Imagine the prospect of a Hilux powered by the mighty 3.3-litre V6 diesel unit that does service in the Land Cruiser 300? And further enhanced by suspension inspired by the set-ups deployed in the monstrous Hilux specimens that serve in Dakar Rally pursuits ...
Let us not forget that the Hilux is built in KwaZulu-Natal, supported by extensive, ongoing research & development for local market conditions. The model is the best-selling vehicle in the country.
So there would be plenty scope for Toyota product boffins to justify the creation of a super-Hilux, armed with a hefty displacement, serious chassis fortifications and an even wilder exterior repertoire.
We all know that there would not be a lack of demand for such a product in South Africa.