Toyota officially set up shop here in South Africa in 1962 and has established a solid presence through meticulous efforts tailored to our local conditions. Toyota currently has a sales network that extends to 53 African countries and has continued to keep a stellar reputation when it comes to the vehicles they build.
The first Hilux bakkie arrived in South Africa in 1969. This basic 1,5-litre short wheelbase model provided a very attractive alternative to the larger Australian and American utes with their thirsty 6 and 8-cylinder engines that held the major share of the bakkie market at that time. The Hilux enjoyed immediate popularity as an economic solution to light-load transport needs, particularly in fleet and agricultural applications.
It goes without saying that South Africa is one country that is infatuated with bakkies and for good reasons of course. With our horrendous road conditions, a Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max or a Nissan Navara will gladly take on the challenge without flinching, so bakkies make a lot of sense. In addition, the popularity is also due to the ability to carry loads around efficiently and appropriately. Nowadays bakkies are not just limited to being workhorses, they have officially entered the design and style segment. Judging by the design language that is being translated by manufacturers lately, bakkies have become full-on family vehicles. Offering the same level of comfort and luxury you could find in an SUV or sedan in bakkie form.
Toyota has come a long way and we’ve seen their vehicles evolve after countless generations, from the first iteration of the Toyota Hilux all the way up to the new generation Tundra, the automaker hasn’t changed its winning recipe and continues to provide customers with a strong value offering.
However, the manufacturer may dabble in untested waters and will most likely contend a new market in the near future. At the State of the Motor Industry event held at Kyalami this week, Leon Theron, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing remained tight-lipped when asked about a small bakkie to wear the Toyota badge. What he did reiterate with great confidence was “watch this space in the next 3 years for the LCV segment with potentially a small bakkie from Toyota.”
This could be an entry-level bakkie, something smaller than the Toyota Hilux and there is a high chance it could be one of the first electric bakkies to touch South African soil although with such limited information, this is all just speculation. We don’t know what Toyota is going to call this bakkie yet, we’re not sure if it will wear an old and forgotten nameplate (Toyota Stout) or be an entirely new vehicle.
Toyota bakkies are usually associated with the Hilux from the 1970s but go back further and you’ll find that in 1964, the Japanese carmaker launched the half-ton Toyota Stout 2WD in America and other markets. This was the first time the carmaker toyed with the idea of a light pickup truck in North America, which proved to be a learning curve for the company. Could the Stout nameplate be making a comeback in that case?
