Summarize

As predicted in our double cab shootout earlier this week, Toyota has unleashed its Hilux Legend 50 special edition range to celebrate that bakkie’s golden jubilee in South Africa. First launched in 1969, Hilux has firmly rooted itself as a South African icon that has once again just shattered the record for the most of one new vehicle model to sell in a single calendar month with almost 5,000 units shifted in June 2019.

Toyota fans have also become used to Hilux celebrating its anniversary every five years, starting with Legend 35 in 2004,  followed by the Legend 40, 45 and 2014, Legend 45 was another sell-out success. Now Hilux has gone gold and voila, enter Legend 50!

The Golden Jubilee Hilux gets several titivations including a fully gloss blacked-out upper and lower grille and fog-lamp surrounds among several other new front bumper garnish enhancements and a little Legend 50 badge punctuated by those glinting daytime running LED headlamps. The lower doors gain black protective mouldings, there are chrome wing mirrors and door handles and black side steps.

Moving further back, Legend 50 adds a custom rear styling bar, a textured, heavy-duty tonneau cover and satin-silver roof rails, a black rear bumper, smoked taillamps and a low-profile towbar is fitted as standard – enhancing utility. Add Legend 50-specific two-tone 18” alloy wheels shod with 265-60-R18 all-terrain tyres and all the badges to complete the look.

Inside, Legend 50 adds premium black leather trim with blue stitching on extra and double cab models, with a stylish chrome strip offset by gloss-black trim across the dashboard, branded silver door scuff plates and carpet set. Add white-faced dials with orange needles and a cog-shaped motif each side of a 4.2” TFT display with steering wheel control for audio, compass, navigation prompts, trip info and fuel consumption readouts.

Answering our prayers in that department, Legend 50’s infotainment system has also been upgraded to an enlarged 8” display now flush mounted and integrated into the dashboard. But the great news is a return to good old rotary knobs for volume and tune functions, along with key-function shortcut buttons for touchscreen interface, on-board satellite navigation, DVD, USB, Bluetooth and Aux interfaces. The multi-function steering and a reverse camera adds comfort and convenience.

Another major Hilux step is to keyless Smart entry and button-start ignition functionality starting with Xtra Cab and Double Cab Legend 50 models, while the whole Legend 50 range gets a full suite of active and passive safety features a from driver, passenger, knee and body-type dependent curtain airbags to ABS, VSC, EBD, Brake Assist and Hill-assist Control. 

Legend 50 is applicable to all Hilux Raider models in Single, Xtra and Double Cab powered by the 130kW 420Nm 2.8 GD-6 engine paired with both 4x2 Raised Body or 4x4 drivetrains, while Double Cab models are also available with the good old 4-litre V6 4x4 auto. All models carry a 3-year/100 000km warranty, a 9-service/90 000km service extendable via your Toyota dealer. 

SC 2.8 GD-6 RB M R472K

SC 2.8 GD-6 RB A R491K

SC 2.8 GD-6 4X4 M R537K

SC 2.8 GD-6 4X4 A R557K

XC 2.8 GD-6 RB M R511K

XC 2.8 GD-6 RB A R530K

XC 2.8 GD-6 4X4 M R578K

XC 2.8 GD-6 4X4 A R598K

DC 2.8 GD-6 RB M R579K

DC 2.8 GD-6 RB A R598K

DC 2.8 GD-6 4X4 M R647K

DC 2.8 GD-6 4X4 A R668

DC 4.0 V6 4X4 A R712 100

Toyota has also upgraded its Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 models to the new 8" infotainment system now featuring much needed traditional rotary dials for volume and tune functions along with key-function shortcut buttons, touchscreen interface, on-board satellite navigation, DVD, USB, Bluetooth and Aux interfaces, also all operable via the multi-function steering wheel, along with a convenient reverse camera.

2.7 VVTi RB 6 A R490K

2.4 GD-6 RB 6 M R509K

2.4 GD-6 RB 6 A R529K

2.4 GD-6 4X4 6 A R556K

2.8 GD-6 RB 6 M R606K

2.8 GD-6 RB 6 A R626K

2.8 GD-6 4x4 6 M R672K

2.8 GD-6 4x4 6 A R692K 

4.0 V6 4x4 6 A R730K