Summarize

There is a significant difference between being the Boss of Bakkies and being the King of  Bakkies. We like to think of the King of Bakkies more or less as our most recent Best Bakkie – or at least a more recent bakkie that will become Best Bakkie this year – a great combination of practicality, utility, performance, comfort, style and all those things necessary to make any bakkie great.

The Boss of Bakkies is quite simple. That’s the Toyota Hilux – South Africa’s best selling vehicle of any kind since the cows came home and while it may not fully match some of the traits that we like to consider when crowning that King every year, Hilux does enough well enough to ensure it will long remain the bestseller for probably as long as it has been so, if not longer.

There are other very good reasons why Hilux is the Boss of course, not least of all that Toyotaness that spreads far further than its famed Quality, Durability and Reliability. Traits that spread to rock solid dealer dependability, being a member of a most powerful club and what it will muster when you ultimately put it to pasture – go price a used Hilux. If you can find one, that is!

Anyway, let’s get back to the here and now – meet the handsome blue Hilux Raider 4x4 that’s been my steed for the past few days. Its colour at least stood me apart from the hordes of white ones in the village main street, but it certainly attracted the tyre kickers parked outside the pub – not that its new, the manne just appreciate a new Hilux!

Now far more rugged looking with that new grille and scowl – probably the reaction to consumer think tanks that rated other bakkies more macho, the new look does divide as much as it conquers, but it’s handsome none the less – those twinkling daylight running LED headlights adding even more visual impact.  

Of course, being a Hilux there is no reason to flaunt on unnecessary hide and seek – even at Raider level, cloth manual pews suffice where Toyota’s rivals throw spec and value at their bakkies in a vain effort to steal sales. Not that Hilux is at all under-equipped – it packs a cool blue themed infotainment system, a reverse camera, automatic climate control, cruise control, seven airbags, stability and traction control and Trailer Sway Control among many other trinkets.

We like the look of the touchscreen, but to be honest, we’d far prefer a knob to tweak onboard essentials like audio volume. Try change the audio volume or select another pane by fingering that screen while motoring on a good old SA rutted regional dirt road, where you’d first expect to encounter a Hilux like this. 

It’s just not possible – you adjust everything else as your finger bounces around touching the boxes for the radio tuner, making a pocket call or select AM while the volume stays exactly where it was! Keep the screen, but rather give me buttons for the main tasks!

Packing Toyota’s now venerable 2.8GD-6 Global Diesel lump bristling with advanced thermal combustion technology, common rail and intercooled variable nozzle turbocharging for fine engine response from around 1600rpm, Raider does very well. It delivers its retinue in a burbling, friendly big brother style with early-ten second 0-100km/h acceleration, impressive tractability and decent economy too.

But is Hilux the best performer? Hell no! The latest 2.4-litre Triton was for instance three-quarters of a second quicker in our tests – that’s the bakkie acceleration King right now, while the 2 litre Amarok is half a second quicker too and we’ll get back to you on the new 10-speed auto 2-litre Ford Ranger soon. Yet the Boss still gets away with it to kill all of those rivals with their better pricing, bells, whistles and the rest too, to remain the top seller every month, every year, every decade.

For a 4x4, the Raider is smooth on the road with decent road holding and fine handling qualities, while steering feel is positive, quick and responsive and its off-road and 4x4 credentials are pretty well impeccable.  It’s quiet in on the road too. 

So there you have it, Hilux may not be the King of Bakkies right now – there are a few too many other far younger and more advanced pickups out there for this one to steal that throne. But Hilux is without doubt the Boss and that is hardly likely to change anytime soon – for reasons well beyond just the bakkie it is, too. – Michele Lupini.  

ROAD TESTED: Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 Raider DC 4x4

Engine: 130kW 420Nm 2755cc turbodiesel I4 

Drive: 6-speed manual 4x4

Payload:          850kg

Max Towing: 3500kg

ROAD TESTED:

0-60km/h: 4.04 sec

0-100km/h: 10.20 sec

0-120km/h: 14.82 sec

400m: 17.1 sec @ 129km/h

80-120km/h: 7.94 sec

CLAIMED:       

VMax: 180km/h 

Fuel: 7.6 l/100km

CO2: 200 g/km

Warranty/Service 3y 100K/5y 90Kkm

LIST PRICE: R616K

RATED:    79%