In a recent media briefing on its realigned product strategy, Toyota South Africa (TSAM) confirmed that in the next two to three years, it plans to offer a “more affordable” bakkie in the local market.
When pressured about the prospects of a Toyota-branded compact bakkie during a Q&A session, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at TSAM, Leon Theron, said: “Hopefully, we should have something in the next couple of years which is not a half-tonne, but will take the market by storm.”
He said the vehicle is going to provide the “same sort of space” as a Hilux but that it won’t be nearly as expensive.
This rules out the possibility of it being a direct competitor to the Nissan NP200 – the only small bakkie currently on the market.
The new, more affordable Hilux will be unveiled towards the end of 2025/beginning of 2026, and there’s a possibility that it will also be built at TSAM’s production plant in Durban, however, this is still under deliberation with Toyota headquarters.
A lot of potential
With bakkie prices rising rapidly over the past decade, Toyota is targeting a relatively untapped segment with the upcoming wallet-friendly Hilux.
The affordable end of the market is limited when it comes to these vehicles, especially double cabs.
Currently, the only real players taking part in this category are GWM with the P-Series and Steed, and Mahindra with the Pik Up – none of which have the name recognition and extensive dealer network that comes with the Toyota badge.
Moreover, the cheapest bakkie on sale, the NP200, can’t match the loading capabilities and space that a Hilux-sized vehicle does. Rumour also has it that Nissan will cease production of the NP200 by the end of this year, leaving a huge gap in the market for cheap bakkies.
If none of the other established bakkie builders such as Ford, Isuzu, or VW make a move to capitalise on this end of the market, the new, more affordable Toyota will likely be enjoying rather healthy sales among the existing competitors.
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