Why special edition celebrating 55 years of Hilux is #1
Am I the only one who laughs out loud every time I read or hear how some latest new bakkie brand that nobody has ever heard of, is going to come and give the Hilux and its established market a run for its money? Really? Toyota’s established rivals know why not to do that. It’s called egg on the face.
Anyway, of all the new bakkie launches of late, and there have been many, most of which names we’d otherwise take as a detergent or a boy band, this is the only one that actually counts. Long in the tooth, the Toyota Hilux legend 55 may very well be. But it remains far and away South Africa’s favourite bakkie.
Month in, month out, year after year, decade to decade, the good old Hilux goes unbeaten. In September again, they sold 3639 Hiluxes. That’s more than any of the Chinese brands with all their badges combined, sold. Toyota, by the way, sold almost fifteen thousand cars in South Africa last month. So remember that next time you read some crap about some unknown taking on the best!
55 celebrates a significant Toyota Legend
Anyway, the Legend 55. Simply put, this bakkie celebrates 55 years of Toyota Hilux sales in South Africa. That in itself is a clue why not to worry too much about Johnny-Chen Come-Lately. By far South Africa’s best-selling bakkie of all time, the first, humble Toyota Hilux was launched in 1969. To celebrate 35 years of that, Toyota released the Legend 35 in 2004.
Against all expectation, the 35 sold a bomb. So five years later, Toyota did it again and the Legend 40 was a sell-out success too. Same for the Legend 45 in 2014, and the Legend 50 in 2019. Each edition carried the Hilux story forward, celebrating its proven toughness with extra kit that perfectly reflected the needs of South African drivers of the time.
Since then, the straight Legend did service as the range topper, but now, 55 years down the line, you guessed it, cue the ‘all new’ Toyota Hilux Legend 55. This latest special-edition line-up replaces that Legend and will be available until 2026. Read into that, what you may! Available in Xtra or Double Cab and packing s few latest Legend design and convenience tweaks, this is the range-topping .8 GD-6 4×4 Double Cab AT.
55 adds robust and refined touches.
To that exceptionally well proven and most popular basic Hilux Legend, the 55 adds what Toyota calls some robust and refined touches. Such as exclusive badging, chrome-branded bash and scuff plates, logo puddle lighting and a shark-fin antenna. Limited edition, they tell us. Without ever compromising that practical, hard-wearing Hilux nature.
Step aboard to sport seats with embroidered headrests and heavy-duty rubber floormats. The regular CarPlay and Auto endowed 8-inch touchscreen multimedia is boosted by 9-speaker premium JBL audio, and don’t forget the load bay. This is the best bakkie, after all. This Legend 55 gets a rubberised load box under a secure lockable roller shutter, a branded styling bar, detachable tow bar, and even roof ornament.
Powered by Toyota’s trusted 2.8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel rather than the GR and some other models’ high output version, the trusty 150 kW 500 Nm unit is paired to that refined 6-speed automatic transmission. Toyota is selling Hilux Legend 55 in ten different colours including Dark Green Mica Metallic and hearing aid beige. But they gave us a white one! So there’s plenty freedom of choice.
You know what you will get from a Hilux
There’s not much new to write home about driving the venerable Hilux. Quack-quack and it opens up to a familiar scenario. The premium perforated leather upholstered and piano black trimmed cabin with bespoke interior accents and panels under a black ceiling with cool blue mood lighting, set it apart.
Finger the button and the healthy 150 kW and 500 Nm GD6 fires up in familiar tone, clacking quietly away. It may not be the GR, but this basic engine was indeed given 30 extra kilowatts and 80 more Newton-metres a few years back. The larger turbocharger and improved common rail injection mated to Hilux’s improved ratios in the familiar six-speed automatic gearbox still deliver a truly laid back and easy drive.
We’ve always liked how a Hilux rides, holds the road and handles too, so nothing new there either. Continuous development and upgrades have kept this chassis surprisingly well sorted. Steering feel is positive, quick and responsive and the brakes, also often improved over this Hilux version’s life, are sharp and effective too.
Toyota still has that recipe spot on
Legend 55’s 8-inch infotainment is on the small side, but still its far better by its simplicity than most of its idiot rivals ever will ever be. Buttons and knobs look after the main functions, leaving touch to take care of more arbitrary interface needs. As it should be. It packs CarPlay, which works a treat, and Auto, Bluetooth with a USB and Google Maps. But we still miss wireless charging. Come on, Toyota!
The radio still has good old AM. Bravo! All controllable via the multifunction wheel to play on Legend’s fine JBL 9-speaker sound. Complete with frisbee-like dash-top speakers to add a bit more zing. The dials are bright and easy to read, but the quite effective multifunction tilt-able steering wheel however remains way short on length adjustment.
So yes, there’s good reason to laugh out loud every time you read or hear some wet behind the ears PR and journalism that the next weirdo bakkie is going to teach the Hilux how. In 50 years we’ve seen them all come. And go. Yet there’s still just one King of Bakkies, and here it is. See, Hilux keeps on dominating the top spot in local new car sales month in, month out, because Toyota still has that recipe spot on.
It’s been like that since day dot. It may not be the newest or the best bakkie out there. But that peerless and rock solid foundation of Quality, Durability and Reliability just keeps Hilux right on the button. That’s the winning recipe. Now with just a touch of added Legend 55 spice. — Michele Lupini
Images & testing: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Toyota Hilux Legend 55
2.8 GD-6 4×4 DC AT
Engine: 150 kW 500 Nm 2.8-litre turbodiesel I4
Drive: 6-speed automatic 4x4
Payload: 750kg
Max Towing: 3500kg
ROAD TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 4.23 sec
0-100 km/h: 9.97. sec
0-120 km/h: 13.87 sec
0-160 km/h: 24.34 sec
400m: 16.9 sec @ 132 km/h
80-120 km/h: 7.17 sec
120-160 km/h 12.31 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 175 km/h
Fuel: 7.9 l/100km
CO2: 298 g/km
Range: 1000 km
Warranty/Service 3y100K/9 service 90Kkm
LIST PRICE: R935K
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