Toyota SA Motors has confirmed the 2.4-litre GD-6 turbodiesel will return to the Hilux range in the first quarter of 2027, more than half a year after the new-generation bakkie launched without it.
Why the 2.4 GD-6 was not at the launch
When the 9th-generation Hilux was launched in South Africa in June 2026, all seven derivatives came with a single engine option: the 2.8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel, paired exclusively with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The Legend grade adds a 48V mild-hybrid system on top of that same engine.
For the first time in years, there was no smaller, cheaper diesel option, and no manual gearbox. That's a problem for the buyers who've historically leaned on the 2.4 GD-6: fleet operators, small businesses, and anyone who wants a manual workhorse rather than an automatic double cab.
What Toyota has confirmed for 2027
Toyota SA Motors says the 2.4 GD-6 will join the 9th-generation lineup in the first quarter of 2027, and it will be offered exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission, unlike the auto-only 2.8 GD-6.
The delay comes down to emissions compliance, not demand. Riaan Esterhuysen, senior manager for PR and corporate communication at Toyota SA Motors, says bringing the engine up to the next Euro compliance level required significant engineering resources, which pushed the timeline into 2027.
How Toyota is bridging the gap
Toyota isn't leaving 2.4 GD-6 buyers without options in the meantime. The outgoing 8th-generation Hilux, which launched in South Africa in February 2016, will stay on sale alongside the new range until the 2.4 GD-6 arrives in the 9th-generation lineup. That's a meaningful bridge: the 8th-gen Hilux moved 36,525 units in South Africa in 2025 alone, and it remained the country's top-selling vehicle overall, a title it's held for more than 50 years.
If you're weighing up a used or outgoing 8th-gen model in the meantime, our Toyota Hilux buyer's guide unpacks which years and engines are the strongest buys.
The 9th-generation rollout is also staggered by design. At launch, only two Xtra Cab and five double-cab derivatives were offered, with the single cab and further variants still to follow. The 2.4 GD-6's 2027 arrival fits into that broader, phased plan rather than being an isolated fix.
What this means if you're buying now
If you need a manual, budget-focused Hilux today, your realistic options are:
- Buy an 8th-generation 2.4 GD-6 while it remains available, either new-old-stock or used,
- Wait for Q1 2027, when the 9th-generation 2.4 GD-6 manual arrives,
- Consider the 2.8 GD-6 now if the automatic gearbox and higher price aren't dealbreakers; our long-term test of the Hilux Legend 55 and review of the 2.8 GD-6 48V double cab Raider both cover what daily life with that engine and gearbox is really like.
There's no official pricing yet for the 2027 2.4 GD-6 derivatives. Once Toyota releases pricing and spec details closer to launch, that's the next piece of this story worth tracking.
