Toyota’s revved-up Raider 2.4 GD-6 4×4 has all of the upgrades of a way of life bakkie with out the limitless price ticket writes Braam Peens forward of his time with the mannequin forward of the festive season.

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It’s about as frequent a indisputable fact that South Africa is a bakkie-mad nation as it’s that we’re unbeatable within the Rugby World Cup. Following the dovetailing of bakkies from single-cab workhorses to double-cabs and tremendous cabs of their phase categorisation over time, due to their makers continually narrowing the hole between utility autos and passenger automobiles, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than one other sub-division was born within the final decade: the approach to life bakkie.
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These are utility autos that present all of the off-roading goodness as any of their different four-wheel-driven ladder-frame chassis brethren, however with a fair stronger emphasis on consolation, ease of use and fitment of appearance-enhancing equipment.
On the gross sales charts, the venerable Toyota Hilux – now in its eighth era and launched in 2015 – continues to high the figures month after month. That is regardless of the second-gen Ford Ranger, launched on the finish of 2022, having moved the sport on because the definitive way of life bakkie.
As considered one of a number of responses, till the ninth-generation Hilux arrives later in 2024, Toyota has taken to sharpening the approach to life attraction of its present Hilux providing. But it surely comes with a twist – and it’s a great one.
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As a substitute of piling the accoutrements onto a range-topping 2,8-litre mannequin and slapping it with a seven-digit worth that’s out of attain for many bakkie patrons, Toyota has opted to interchange the extra inexpensive Raider GD-6 2.4 4×4 fashions with a brand new model referred to as the Hilux Raider X Restricted Version, which retains the aforementioned mannequin’s mechanicals, thereby maintaining it inside price range for a lot of aspiring patrons.

Obtainable in guide (R674 800) or automated (R706 300) guise, each variations produce 110 kW and 400 N.m (from simply 1 600 r/min), whereas delivering a money-massaging 7,7 L/100 km and seven,6 L/100 km of common gas consumption.
The Hilux Raider X might be recognized by 17-inch black alloy wheels, matte black fender protectors with crimson insert detailing, a chrome grille inset bar with Hilux badging, a louvred rear styling bar and an built-in tonneau cowl defending a rubberised load field. The latter is accessed by a straightforward opening and shutting, spring-assisted tailgate for one-handed ease of use.
You’ll want to hold a watch out for our experiences with the Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD-6 4×4 Raider X over the subsequent few weeks on CAR’s social media channels.