Car review: Toyota Hilux 2,4 GD6
Being a motoring journalist means that you need to travel A LOT! It’s early morning flights, long drives, business presentations, and of course deadlines! It often looks as if we don’t actually work but rather just enjoy driving new cars, sleeping in fancy hotels and eating delicious food. But work is still work right? Well not always.
A couple of weeks back I attended the launch of the new Toyota Hilux. There was one derivative we didn’t get to drive, the 2,4-litre GD6. So Toyota treated a select few of us to a trip to Mozambique to experience this very capable vehicle and what a treat it was.
White Pearl Resorts was the chosen destination (Side note: be prepared to be very, very jealous reading this post). This exclusive resort is situated on the south east coast of Mozambique in Ponta Mamoli. The views are breathtaking and it boasts another level of tranquility. Two kilometres of untouched coastline surround this hidden gem. If you enjoy the feeling of being the only person on earth, then a walk along this beach will help you achieve this. There is nothing but sand, sea and Casuarina trees not mentioning the abundance of marine life. Dipping your feet in to the warm ocean, and by warm I mean 27 degrees Celsius, is like heaven on earth. I grew up in the Atlantic Ocean and have no problem with cold water, in fact, it is the one thing that rejuvenates my soul, but there is nothing quite like bobbing about in a tropical ocean, enjoying the smells and the healing effects on your skin and mind.
But before I get too carried away on the incredible location let me tell you something about the Hilux 2,4 GD-6. This is the ‘middle child of the Hilux line up and most often neglected,” so says Toyota South Africa’s Senior Manager of Communications, Clynton Yon. This 2,4 Global Diesel (GD) engine replaces the outgoing 2,5-litre D-4D and offers improvements in performance and fuel efficiency. This new engine sees an increase of 46% in power and a whopping 72% increase in torque.
A reduction in compression ration means that the engine strains less and so is notably quiet. With four people in the car the performance of this 2,-litre engine was more than impressive. In fact, we drove up to Mozambique in the 2,8 mated to an automatic transmission and felt it to be a bit sluggish, we did however have four occupants and about seven people’s worth of luggage in the load bay. This 2,4-litre mated to the six-speed manual transmission was far more impressive. On road driving was a breeze and with a quick downshift in gear, overtaking was effortless. It kind of goes without saying that off road, both the 2,8 and the 2,4 were a doddle. Bearing in mind we had previously driven this route in the new Rav4.
With that said, even with the revised suspension, if there is one tip I can give you; never opt to be a rear seat passenger in a Hilux when 4X4ing. You will need the following: a sports bra (even the men), an empty bladder, a cushion for your kidneys and an ice-pack for all the ailments you may experience afterwards. The best place to be is in the driver’s seat, which is always the case for me anyway, the ride is a whole lot softer and more pleasant from this position.
A really handy feature for a trip to somewhere like Mozambique has to be the electronic 4WD switch. Beforehand you were never quite sure if you were in 4WD. Now you can easily change between 2WD, 4WD and 4WD low range. And you can change it on the fly (at certain speeds).
What’s interesting to note is that since Hilux launched at the end of February, more than 854 double-cabs have been sold and over 2 360 units overall. So once again the Ford Ranger, which is also selling like hot cakes, has its work cut out for it.
The model line up is as follows:
Single-Cab
- 2.4 GD 5MT
- 2.4 GD 5MT A/C
- 2.4 GD-6 RB SRX 6MT
- 2.4 GD-6 4X4 SRX 6MT
Xtra Cab
- 2.4 GD-6 RB SRX 6MT
Double Cab
- 2.4 GD-6 4X4 SRX 6MT
- 2.4 GD-6 RB SRX 6MT
Mining Models
- 2.4 GD-6 4X4 SR 6MT – Single Cab
- 2.4 GD-6 4X4 SR 6MT – Xtra Cab
Click here for pricing of the new Toyota Hilux
All models are accompanied by a 5 year or 90 000 kilometre service plan (whichever occurs first) with service intervals set at 10 000 kilometres.
I thought I would let the location speak for itself with a few pics. I wish I had captured the moment we swam with dolphins or the turtle excursion. Oh well, next time! Don’t hate the player people!