A month with Hilux 48V brings out the best. And worst.
Looked at with a cursory glance, this Toyota Hilux looks quite the part with its most recent Raider facelift. But as they say, never judge a book by its cover. That said, however, spending a bit more time than usual with a test unit brings out far more about the car. Which is exactly what we did for a month over December.
It is of course the new 48V. Toyota doesn’t call this first electrified Hilux a hybrid. The 48V is rather a beefed up start-stop system. Its 12 kW and 65 Nm of electric power comes by a starter-generator mounted to the 2.8-litre turbodiesel four-pot. The one that’s all the rage in Toyotas across the range right now. It works in the background to secretly harvest braking energy through a belt-driven motor generator.
Seamless Raider electrification works in secret
More a helper than a hybrid per se, it cannot power the car on its own or even take over when running. But it seamlessly gets on with business. You hardly even know it’s there. The electrical gubbins are coupled to a 7.6 kg 48V battery sitting under the rear bench. In typical Toyota hybrid style, the lightweight cell charges up under deceleration and braking and deploys a 5% efficiency boost under power.
In reality, it’s among the better start stop systems out there and works quite intuitively even if it’s a bit too involved. Stops more often than some of us would like. Added to Hilux’s 2.8 GD6 turbodiesel, the new 48V starter generator ups total power to 162 kW and 565 Nm.
Toyota claims the system brings a more comfortable drive to the Hilux in traffic, thanks to quicker throttle response and a quieter stop-start-up, but it also improves off-road ability. That's thanks to electric power delivering smoother acceleration on tough terrain and the regenerative braking system improving stability on hill descent. Can’t argue with that.
Toyota also claims 7.4 litres per 100 km
On the road, it may be slight, but you feel that electric 12 kW and 65 Nm at work, especially on pulling away, and also when driving slowly. More so while doing a little off-road work. 48V was also quicker than the last Rader we tested back in 2019. For the record, that bakkie ran to 100 km/h in 10.19 seconds, did the quarter-mile in 17.1 seconds at 130 km/h, and pulled from 80 to 120 km/h in 7.83 seconds.
Compare those numbers to what 48V achieves in the block below. And also consider. So is the new 48V system in the Hilux? We’d say definitely so. So technically, the good old Toyota Hilus remains petty well competitive. And as noted up top, it looks quite the part in spite of its growing length of tooth.
Hilux 48V hauling ability remains unchanged. Toyota also claims an unchanged 7.4 litres per 100 km and 195 grams per kilometre CO2 for the 48V. But we think they’re just being coy on that.
Raider spec looks great. But what about the rest?
Other 2024 Hilux enhancements include waterproofing improvements to allow wading at depths of up to 700 mm. And if this Raider looks different, you’re right too. This is the recent facelift. We quite like it. Set apart by a handsome face with sculpted headlamps and an edgy trapezoidal grille and bumper, the Raider has its own signature look. More practical graphite-coloured 17” alloys running pliant 265-65-R17 rubber. All good.
But what about the rest of it? Nothing much has changed inside. Packing Toyota’s most recent seamless 8-inch floating screen centre stage, it boasts CarPlay and Auto mirroring infotainment. It also packs Google Maps and Waze, as well as Apple Music, JOOX, Spotify, and SoundCloud music streaming, and a reverse camera too. Wireless telephony is supported via Bluetooth with a USB input.
But in this day and age, ‘most recent’ just doesn’t cut it anymore. That comfy, all too familiar Hilux cabin is but dated and some of its systems quite annoying in the long run. For instance, you cannot use CarPlay without a cable. We also wish we could find a way to have all four doors unlock at once, without having to delve deep into some dark cyber cave. And the rear tailgate really should be part of the remote central locking .
Efficiency, performance keep it interesting enough
We trust all of that, and a lot more will be resolved when the New Hilux arrives, plausibly in December for an early 2026 SA release. In the meantime though, this 48V Hybrid Hilux Raider toe in the water should suffice very well as a stopgap. It adds a little efficiency and a performance to keep it interesting enough for now. – Michele Lupini
Images & test data: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V DC Raider
Engine: 162 kW 564 Nm 2.8-litre td I4 mild hybrid
Drive: 6-speed automatic RWD
Payload 865 kg
Braked Towing 2750 kg
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 4.09 sec
0-100 km/h: 9.75 sec
0-120 km/h 13.46 sec
0-160 km/h 26.29 sec
400m: 16.8 sec @ 134 km/h
80-120 km/h: 6.89 sec
120-160 km/h: 12.83 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 175 km/h
Fuel: 7.4 l/100 km
CO2: 195 g/km
Range: 1075 km
Warranty/Service: 3y 100K/3 service 90K km
LIST PRICE: R785K
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