The Toyota Hilux Raider is the most popular variant of the nation’s best-selling bakkie, followed by the Legend, and the GR-Sport.
It’s no secret that South Africans can’t get enough of the Hilux – it has held the number-one position on the country’s sales charts for decades and demand doesn’t seem to be waning even with the current generation nearing 10 years on the market.
However, while it’s common knowledge that the Japanese bakkie wipes the floor with its competitors every month, it’s unknown which model buyers pick up most frequently.
We know that the Hilux dominates the single-cab (SC) segment, but the picture can sometimes look a little different in the double-cab (DC) sector.
We therefore got in touch with Toyota South Africa (TSAM) to find out which of the 45 individual Hilux specifications on the market is the most popular of them all.
The most popular of them all
In response to our queries, TSAM confirmed that the Raider was the “top-selling” trim in the Hilux family in May, accounting for 520 of the bakkie’s total of 2,367 sales, or roughly 22%.
The Legend came in second at 300 purchases (13%) and the GR-Sport in third at 150 (6%).
The remainder was split across the Chassis Cab, S, and SR specifications – though the company didn’t divulge the sales figures of these particular grades.
Regarding the body style, TSAM revealed that there was a near-even split between DC and SC registrations, while the Xtra Cab silhouette was responsible for 350 sales.
From this, we can deduce that the DC and SC shapes each accrued around 1,000 sales last month, give or take a dozen.
TSAM couldn’t provide TopAuto with information regarding the most popular powertrain options for local customers, contending that doing so would give its competitors too many insights.
Given that the Raider is the most sought-after flavour of the Hilux, the Raider Double Cab is probably the best-selling model in the entire 45-strong range as this version of the bakkie is only available in DC and Xtra Cab guises.
With this knowledge we can do a bit of guesstimation as to what is likely the most picked drivetrain.
Looking at the pre-owned market, there are currently exactly 141 examples of the 2024 Hilux Raider DC listed for sale on AutoTrader as of the time of writing.
Of these, 51 feature the 2.4GD-6 drivetrain and 90 the 2.8GD-6, showing that the larger engine option was clearly the preferred one for Hilux buyers over the last six months.
Filtering down even further, all 90 of the used Hilux Raider DC 2.8GD-6 units on AutoTrader are automatic, with 43 being rear-wheel drive and 47 being 4×4.
Using this data we can draw the conclusion that the most popular version of Toyota’s top-seller is the Hilux 2.8GD-6 DC 4×4 Raider Auto.
What you get
Coincidentally, the Raider range was updated for the South African market this week so anyone picking one up from June onwards will get a slightly more refined bakkie than customers of the past.
The facelift gave the Raider a revised appearance through the addition of a new honeycomb grille in matte black, black fog lamp bezels, a colour-coded front bumper, black side mirrors, and a black rear bumper.
Standard kit on the most popular Hilux now encompasses 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, a multifunction steering wheel, a multi-information driver’s display, an 8.8-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather upholstery, an electric driver’s seat, voice commands, and six speakers.
It also offers several safety and assistance programmes, such as adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, hill-assist control, downhill assist, trailer sway control, ABS with brake assist, front and rear parking sensors, seven airbags, and a pre-crash system that detects an imminent collision and activates emergency braking and seatbelt bracing to reduce potential damages.
Powering this particular double cab is a 2.8-litre, turbocharged diesel plant pumping out 150kW and 500Nm.
A six-speed automatic transmission relays drive to all four corners through a part-time 4×4 system with low range, while a limited-slip differential completes the bakkie’s arsenal.
Fuel usage for the configuration comes in at 8.0l/100km, and it enables a maximum payload capacity of 790kg and a towing capacity of 3,500kg.
For off-road aficionados, this Raider also provides a ride height of 286mm, a wheelbase of 3,085mm, and a maximum water-wading depth of 700mm.
The Hilux 2.8GD-6 DC 4×4 Raider Auto currently sells for R858,600, which includes a 3-year/100,000km warranty and 9-services/90,000km service plan.
Updated Toyota Hilux Raider DC
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