Auto tested more than 80 cars in 2024. As is tradition, we re-publish our twelve favourite tests of the year as our Best Tests daily through December. Then we present three Auto Special Awards in Best EV, Best Bakkie and Performance car of the year 2024. And then we choose the Top 3 Best Tests, before we announce Best Test 2024 on 1 January 2025. So come back for your daily Auto entertainment everyday through your holidays!
Today is Auto’s BEST BAKKIE Day. What Won? Read on!
Auto Best Bakkie 2024 3rd: Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD DC V-Cross 4×4
Auto Best Bakkie 2024 2nd: RAM 2500 Laramie 4×4 US Trucks RHD
Auto Best EV 2024 WINNER!: Toyota Hilux Sport GR III S
GOODBYE GR III S IS THE HILUX KING
If this is how good the old one is, just image next Hilux?
Nobody is arguing that the Hilux is long in the tooth, but the old girl just keeps on giving. In probably the last year of its decade and a half reign, Toyota has added two new models, the 48V mild hybrid, if we are allowed to call it that. And this. The third generation of the GR III S. Which is probably the best of its sort.
Look at it in this new widebody guise, with its latest of many a grille design and facelift, and it does not seem to be a Hilux. It appears far smaller than you know it is. Probably because of that newfound breadth brought about by a wider track and those spats. They’re filed by the coolest wheels we have ever seen on that bakkie.
GR III S brings best together in a great old Hilux
Took a while to figure out what inspired these 17-inch alloys. But it was even better when the penny dropped. They’re a splendid take on the wonderfully intricate rims on the boss of all Gazoos – the 010 World Endurance Champion Hypercar. The rest of it screams just one thing. The Proudly Made and Run in South Africa Hilux. Quite a look, eh?
It first appeared in Australia just on two years back. This South African one adds our previous generation Hilux GR Sport’s 165 kW 550 Nm GD6 engine. To present, well, the ultimate Hilux of its current generation. All we could think of to improve it now would be that 48V starter generator. Come on Toyota SA, how about that for a final built up to the far more electrified next Hilux. And the Great Good Bye to this one?
So, what about this boldest and most powerful Toyota Hilux to date? They tell us that this bakkie’s bold new nose was sculpted in the wind-tunnel. Which all goes to show in its slighter than apparent appearance. And to best cool to that uprated 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel. It also gets steering wheel paddle shifters for its 6-speed gearbox, now tuned for extra power and sporty driving. And an auto limited-slip differential too.
‘heavy duty’ suspension sets GR III S apart
Taking a tape measure to it, those front and rear tracks are a respective 140 and 155 mm wider. The rear dampers have also shifted outboard of the chassis rails for better on-road steadiness and off-road wheel articulation. Talking dampers, these higher-force heat-dissipating monotube shocks are also complimented by stiffer front coils for best front-to-rear suspension balance.
Add longer and tougher front lower control arms for the front suspension with GR III’s ‘heavy-duty’ suspension, aided and abetted by Drive Mode Select. All of which bring improvements in stability, handling and roadholding that manifest themselves immediately. And that in spite of those clearly more dirt track oriented, fat and gnarly all-terrain tyres.
This one even gets four-wheel-disc brakes. The new 312 mm rears get single-piston floating callipers to complement the existing twin-pot set-up clamping the 338 mm front rotors. The King of Hiluxes also gets rear recovery points, and heavy-duty rock sliders instead of side-steps. Don’t mention Raptor…
Torquier, stronger engine brings great advantages
The big news however remains under the bonnet. Fifteen kilowatts up to 165, torque also jumps 50 Newton-metres to a 550 peak. For whatever reason, this bakkie also uses the extra grunt far better than the previous GR II did. It better that mark by almost a second to break our famous four-pot turbodiesel bakkie road test record by all of a tenth of a second. That mark was set by the latest Ranger biturbo, by the way.
All those other trademark Hilux advantages remain in place. Braked towing capacity remains a heady 3,500 kg, with a 790 kg payload for a of 5,855 kg maximum GCM. Impressively torquey, this more powerful engine brings significant advantages down at the bottom and towards the midrange. Especially when towing. And it becomes ever the more noticeable, the harder you work it.
The GR-tuned six-speed auto box also plays a major part. It simply shifts to the optimal cog every time. So, GR III S pulls like a bastard. Which also makes passing and overtaking an absolute synch. Fuel consumption is good enough. Albeit a tad north of the claimed 8 litres per hundred. Ride is choppy unladen. Especially experienced from the rear seat. Which is also a bit tight now, compared to later double cabs. Old Hilux is also noisy through the wind, and once again, more so in the back.
Not much new inside Hilux GR III S
There’s nothing much new inside. Which means a good, stylish, if ageing cabin. And even us mere humans can still work its good old school, if a tad tardy and small infotainment. A good thing that. Because only Martians and beings of intelligence way beyond our own, will ever be able to operate some of this bakkie’s mad rivals’ systems.
At the end of the day, this goodbye Hilux is probably the ultimate, and best of its breed. Of course it will soon be replaced by the yet to be revealed all-new Hilux in the not too distant future. That one will share its heart with the new US market Tacoma. From what we can gather, it’s going to be a huge step forward. Which judging by this bakkie, will mean something quite amazing. Bring it on! – Michele Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Toyota Hilux Sport GR III S
Engine: 165 Kw 550 Nm 2.8 litre turbodiesel
Drive: 6 speed automatic 4x4
Load Capacity: 790 kg
Braked Trailer: 3,500 kg
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 3.91 sec
0-100 km/h: 8.77 sec
0-120 km/h: 12.23 sec
0-160 km/h: 25.20 sec
0-400m: 16.4 sec @ 136 km/h
80-120 km/h: 6.19 sec
120-160 km/h: 12.90 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 175 km/h
Fuel: 8.7 l/100 km
CO2: 229 g/km
Range: 920 km
Warranty/Service: 5y 100K/9 service 90K km
PRICE: R999K
How does it shape up?
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Best Bakkie Roll of Honour
2004: Toyota Hilux 3.0 KZ-TE Raider 4x2 DC
2005: Isuzu KB300 TDI DC 4x4
2006: Volkswagen T5 Transporter 2.5 TDI 128 DC
2007: Nissan Navara 2.5 DCI 4x4 DC
2008: Ford Ranger 3.0 TDCI SuperCab XLT
2009: Chevrolet Lumina SS Ute
2010: Nissan Navara 2.5 DCI XE 4x4 King Cab
2011: Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4Motion DC
2012: Ford Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak DC 4x2
2013: Foton Tunland 2.8 DC 4x4 Lux
2014: Toyota Land Cruiser 79 DC 4.5 V8 D
2015: GWM Steed 6 DC 2.0 VGT 4x2 Xcape
2016: VW Amarok 2.0BiTDI HiLine DC 4x2 A
2017: Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD6 4x2 DC Raider
2018: Mitsubishi Triton 2.4Di-D DC
2019: Nissan Navara 2.3D double cab LE auto
2021: Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD6 4x4 DC Legend
2022: Mahindra Scorpio Pik Up Karoo
2023: Ford Ranger 2.0 BiTurbo DC XLT 4x4
2024: Toyota Hilux Sport GR III S