Top 3 Toyota Hilux features that stand out from the competition
No matter how hard the other manufacturers try, they just cannot seem to disrupt the Toyota Hilux’s domination of the local light commercial vehicle market. Why is this? Does the Hilux have a special ingredient that makes it immune to all onslaughts, or is it mainly because a great reputation matters more than anything else? We went looking for the answers.
The perennial favourite
Bestowing the title of “South Africa’s Official Vehicle” on the Toyota Hilux isn’t that far-fetched, really. Month after month, this stalwart racks up market-leading sales figures, before being put to use in roles ranging from a farmer’s most-important tool to family transport on the school/office/mall run — and everything in between. This has been the state of affairs for many years, and no matter how hard its competition tries, they just can’t seem to break the Hilux’s stranglehold on the local marketplace.
Related: Celebrating 50 years of Toyota Hilux with the Legend 50 and GR-Sport.
How come the Hilux is so popular? Well, for one thing, it comes with a rock-solid reputation as a durable workhorse, and for another, its ubiquity means that many people immediately picture a Hilux when the word “bakkie” is mentioned. Add immense aftersales support, both from the manufacturer and from a plethora of aftermarket service- and parts purveyors, and a very wide model range to the picture, and it becomes clear why the Hilux has come to define its market segment.
This is quite understandable, though: in a market where a long and hassle-free service life is the primary consideration, the Hilux is well-proven to exceed expectations. And, when the time comes to sell it on, owners will benefit from that same reputation, and be rewarded with high residual values in the used-car market. Because, as we’ve established by now, the Toyota Hilux will always be in demand, whether second-hand or new. But what else does a Hilux offer that sets it apart from the competition?
1. Strong resale value
Due to its popularity, the Toyota Hilux is equally sought-after in both the new- and used marketplace. Its renowned durability is an obvious reason for this: the chances are that a Hilux with 200 000 km on the clock will be good for at least as many more kilometres, so a relatively trouble-free extended service life is a very strong possibility.
This also goes some way towards justifying a new Hilux’s comparatively steep pricetag – it costs more to buy new, but will also depreciate less than the alternatives would, so owners will get a greater percentage of their money back when it’s time to sell it on. Take the range-topping 2.8GD-6 4x4 automatic as an example: they’re still worth about 75% of their price when new in 2016, in spite of having notched-up 100 000 km (or more) over 4 years. That kind of value retention is unusual in commercial vehicles, and reflects the sustained strong market demand for Hiluxes both old and new.
2. Wide dealership network and strong aftersales support
There are almost 200 Toyota dealerships spread across South Africa, with representation being especially strong in rural areas – in other words, those places where Hiluxes are supposed to work really hard. In addition, the Hilux is fairly simple to repair and maintain, with affordable service parts available both from dealerships and non-OEM parts suppliers.
The fact that the Hilux is so widely-known also counts in its favour once the factory warranty and service plans have expired, because just about any competent private workshop will be able to source the right parts and perform mechanical repairs without much hassle. This is especially important when vehicles are used in high-stress, fast-paced businesses, where any downtime of their workhorses could mean a significant loss of income.
Related: The complete guide to buying, owning, and selling a Toyota Hilux.
3. Highly customizable
Once again, the Hilux’s popularity counts in its favour, simply due to the mind-boggling array of aftermarket add-ons available, both from the dealership and from non-OEM sources. As a case in point: Toyota themselves offer no fewer than 61 approved accessories, with anything from custom gear knobs and seat covers to side steps and roof racks available.
And that’s not even mentioning the non-OEM marketplace, where owners can find a vast array of enhancements like suspension lift kits, bigger wheels and fatter tyres to suit any taste, custom bumper assemblies, winches, refrigerators, long-range fuel tanks, canopies, rooftop tents, lockable loadbay covers, rock sliders, and LED lightbars for that “American Roughneck” look.
The bottom line is that, between the Toyota dealerships and the vast aftermarket sector, owners can turn their Hiluxes into the exact vehicle they desire, whether it’s for comfortable overland expeditions or extreme off-roading duties or anything inbetween. Few other local bakkies have such a wide range of available add-ons, and this counts in the Hilux’s favour among owners who want to adapt their bakkies to meet specific needs.
Related: Five things you need to know about the range-topping Hilux Legend 50.
Conclusion
In reality, there’s nothing really exceptional about the Toyota Hilux itself. In its basic form, it can do almost anything the other bakkies can do, and has very similar specifications and equipment levels. It doesn’t have any advantage in ride comfort, power, or feature count, either – in fact, many other bakkies offer better performance, a smoother ride, and more gadgets inside their cabins.
But none of them can boast of the three attributes listed above, at least not to the same extent. That’s what really sets the Hilux apart from the competition: it can be whatever you want it to be, and when you eventually want to sell it, you’ll never have a shortage of buyers beating a path to your door. Maybe the Hilux’s secret ingredient is simply the fact that it is a Hilux…
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