The third iteration of the Hilux GR-Sport finally gains a sense of occasion and stance – if not performance – worthy of its race-ready badging. Is this the best modern Hilux package?
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Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 DC 4×4 GR-Sport III Fast Facts
- Price: R999 000
- 0-100 km/h: 9.81 seconds
- Top speed: 175 km/h
- Power: 165 kW
- Torque: 550 N.m
- CAR Fuel index: 10.08 L/100km
- CO₂: 229 g/km
Championed by suitably quirky “you’re a farmer, not a cowboy” local television commercials from the mid-90s and continued via similarly themed subsequent marketing campaigns, the considered decision by Toyota to seek to broaden the appeal of its Hilux bakkie package beyond proven workhorse has certainly paid off. Via nameplates like Raider, Legend, Dakar and more recently GR, the popularity of the lifestyle-focused Hilux double cab package has grown to neatly complement this bakkie’s best-selling standing in the South African market.
In the wake of increased pressure from the likes of Ford within a growing performance-focused sub-segment – and in anticipation of an all-new, ninth-generation Hilux being announced in the coming months – Toyota has harnessed the popularity of its Gazoo Racing division to lend the Hilux its most convincing sense of presence and occasion to date.
Developed in Australia but built in South Africa, the third Hilux to wear GR badging gains a widebody stance compared with the rest of the modern range. Complemented by a 140 mm broader track up front and a 155 mm stretch at the rear wheels, the new GR-Sport gains distinct moulded wheel arch extensions occupied by standard-issue 17-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain rubber. A bespoke grille application and sticker set, a 20 mm-thick aluminium bash plate and model-specific branded roll hoop complete a package available in black, white, grey and a signature Arizona Red exterior colour.
A potential missed opportunity considering both the application and price point of these types of vehicles, the GR-Sport is only fitted with a leather tonneau cover as opposed to a more versatile solid item. A rubberised load bed is included.
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The ambiance of the Hilux’s relatively basic yet impressively functional interior is lifted via bolstered and branded seating finished in leather and suede, red seatbelts, an aluminium pedal set and a sport steering wheel with transmission paddles. Keyless entry and a premium audio system are included, as is smartphone-mirroring technology, but the fact there’s only one USB port is disappointing.
Tuned to deliver 165 kW and 550 N.m of torque, in this application the brand’s venerable 2.8-litre GD-6 engine offers just enough punch for this purposeful-looking double cab to feel lighter on its feet than its flagship Legend 50 RS sibling. Indeed, this is the first Hilux fitted with this four-cylinder turbodiesel to dip below 10 seconds for a 0-100 km/h sprint on our test strip.
More than outright performance, the appeal of this combination of the proven 2.8GD-6 and six-speed automatic transmission remains its now familiar impressive levels of refinement and relative efficiency (averaging 10.04 L/100 km on our fuel route). Designed with off-road excursions and gravel travel in mind, the newest Hilux GR-Sport gains “outboard-mounted” KYB-sourced monotube dampers at the rear, and the aft sway bar has been deleted to allow for greater wheel articulation in tough conditions. There’s a 20 mm gain in ground clearance compared with the Legend 50, while braking performance has been improved via larger front discs and the adoption of 15-inch discs at the rear replacing the more common drum setup.
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While an altogether broader stance, upgraded suspension and plump all-terrain rubber grant the GR-branded Hilux a suitably imposing stance on the road, this setup also affords this package a notably superior default ride quality compared with other models in the line-up. There aren’t quite Ranger Raptor levels of compliance and controlled rebound on offer, rather this feels like Toyota signed off the best compromise between playfulness and still necessary sturdiness.
In the 1985 blockbuster movie Back to the Future, Michael J Fox’s main character is overjoyed to discover his time-travelling exploits have resulted in a brand-new black Toyota (Hilux) SR5 Truck parked in his parent’s garage. Complete with flared wheel arches, all-terrain tyres, nudge bars and a row of KC spotlights; for moviegoers of this generation, this was the ultimate Toyota pick-up. Nearly 40 years later and based on the eighth-generation package, the new Hilux GR-Sport seeks to mimic this sense of occasion.
While Toyota has stopped short of granting its sportiest production Hilux to date the kind of performance to take on the likes of the modern Ranger Raptor, it’s encouraging to see the firm becoming altogether bolder when it comes to small yet noteworthy modifications to its beloved double cab package. Away from workhorse duties, this is our favourite modern Hilux.
Intriguingly, the GR-Sport’s closest natural rival, the Ranger Tremor, similarly relies on an upgraded suspension and standard-issue all-terrain tyres for its added sense of adventure and occasion compared with the double cab package on which it’s based. The R1 million question is which will prove more popular…
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Find the full feature in the August issue of CAR Magazine.
