The new Toyota Hilux Champ has officially launched in Thailand in bakkie, minivan, and SUV guise.
Based on the brand’s IMV 0 platform, the Champ is intended to be a more affordable and versatile offering than the fully-fledged Hilux, which is steadily edging towards being a lifestyle vehicle as opposed to a workhorse, with its price tag mirroring this evolution.
The Thai market introduction gives us our first detailed look at what the new bakkie will offer, should it come to South Africa in the future – something that is looking more and more likely as time passes.
Champ specifications
In the Southeast Asian nation, the new Hilux Champ is available in 11 customised configurations across chassis cab and short (SWB) and long-wheelbase (LWB) versions, covering a wide variety of business styles and uses.
The chassis cab measures 4,705mm long, 1,785mm wide, and 1,735 tall; the SWB comes in at 4,970mm, 1,785mm, and 1,735mm; and the LWB at 5,300mm, 1,785mm, and 1,735mm – with ground clearance pegged at 164mm regardless of the model.
Depending on the derivative, the single cab drives the rear wheels through a 2.0-litre or 2.7-litre petrol engine, or a 2.4-litre diesel, connected to either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic shifter.
The petrol motors generate 102kW/183Nm or 122kW/245Nm, while the diesel does 110kW/400Nm, and each power unit supports a maximum payload capacity of one tonne.
The Champ’s deck further features bolt holes at various locations so that custom accessories can be easily attached using bolts and nuts, and in Thailand, the automaker can source more than 100 accessory manufacturers for each customer to customise the bakkie to their unique needs.
The interior of the Hilux is as spartan as they come, with electric windows, sliding and reclining seats, two speakers (but no radio), a 12V power outlet, and a manual aircon being the standout amenities.
It also gets LED daytime running lights, 14-inch steel wheels, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, and two airbags. The flagship boasts LED projector headlights, too.
In Thailand, the Champ’s pricing ranges from 459,000 to 577,000 baht, which equates to approximately R245,000 to R308,000 at current exchange rates.
South African availability
Toyota South Africa (TSAM) earlier in 2023 all but confirmed that the Champ would be reaching local soil towards the end of 2025/beginning of 2026.
At a media briefing on its realigned product strategy in May, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at TSAM, Leon Theron, mentioned that in the next two to three years, the subsidiary plans to offer a “more affordable” bakkie in the local market.
Initially expected to be a compact model that rivals the Nissan NP200, Theron killed the rumours by saying “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, a box that the Champ ticks, but that it won’t be nearly as pricey.
There’s a possibility that it will also be built at TSAM’s production plant in Durban, however, this still remains to be confirmed. The Thai Champ is being produced at the manufacturer’s Samrong, Thailand plant.
Toyota Hilux Champ
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