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Thursday / 6 February 2025
HomeFeaturesThe R1-million Toyota Hilux – What you get for your money

The R1-million Toyota Hilux – What you get for your money

Toyota raised its prices in July by about 3% for the majority of models in its catalogue, including the best-selling Hilux bakkie.

As a result, the Hilux has officially breached the R1-million mark, with the top-spec Legend RS model now selling from R1,003,000.

While this generation of the bakkie has been on sale since 2015, it hasn’t faltered in popularity and still puts to shame its closest competitors, as well as each and every other car on the market, when it comes to monthly sales charts.

With seven figures now separating a buyer from the flagship model, we revisited the Hilux to see what it offers to justify this imposing price tag.

Diesel power

The headlining Hilux makes use of a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel power unit in partnership with a six-speed automatic gearbox with a low-range transfer case.

The driveline sends 150kW and 500Nm down to the part-time 4WD system which mainly operates in rear-wheel drive, but can be switched to four-wheel propulsion with a switch inside the cabin.

This configuration assures a fuel spend of 8.0l/100km, a top speed of 175km/h, a maximum cargo limit of 775kg, and a towing cap of 3,500kg

A limited-slip diff is fitted as standard for maximum traction during wheelspin situations, as are hill and downhill assist which prevents the vehicle from rolling back on inclines or locking its wheels on steep descents.

Moreover, the Hilux benefits from 18-inch alloy wheels and the highest ground clearance of any bakkie on the South African market at 286mm – a surprising 14mm more than the high-performance Ford Ranger Raptor with its purpose-built Fox shocks – lending the Toyota a maximum water-fording depth of 700mm.

It also has a relatively aggressive approach angle of 29 degrees, a break-over angle of 23 degrees, and a departure angle of 26 degrees for traversing trickier terrains.

The Legend RS designation further gives the double cab a few additional model-exclusive fitments.

This includes an automatic roller shutter over the load box with remote locking, a rubberised bin, a rear sports bar, tailgate assist, as well as a “dust defence kit” that is designed to “help prevent dust from entering the tub by sealing the gaps within the tailgate edge,” said Toyota.

A sedan on stilts

The Hilux is no longer a commercially-focused bakkie that’s only good for hauling construction equipment and going off-road.

It can, of course, still do that, but now it’ll be much more comfortable inside than in days gone past thanks to its car-like cabin that offers plenty of creature comforts in this top-spec model.

For R1 million, the flagship Hilux brings luxuries like leather-wrapped seats, a leather multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, an electric driver seat, a multi-information driver’s display, and an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto playing through a premium JBL stereo with nine speakers.

Over the years the Toyota has also gained features such as keyless entry and start, one 220V and two 12V power sockets inside the cabin, and automatic LED lights; alongside Toyota Connect support which supplies live navigation, battery health monitoring, real-time roadside assistance with impact detection, GPS location tracking, a digital logbook, driver monitoring and rating, and in-car WiFi, all via a smartphone app.

Safety and assistance equipment are abundant, too, taking the form of adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, front and rear parking sensors, ABS with brake assist, seven airbags, and a brake-synchronised pre-crash system that detects when a collision is imminent and activates emergency braking and seatbelt bracing to reduce potential damages.


Toyota Hilux Legend RS


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