Still tough but trendy

The Toyota Hilux Legend advances an already winning product. It is still one tough bakkie, just an improved, premium version.

- Glenda Williams

How things have changed. When I was growing up, bakkies were consigned to plots, farms and manufacturing facilities. The idea of a utilitarian bakkie as a conventional passenger vehicle would have been sniffed at back then. Unsurprisingly, the sight of one on the streets of suburbia was rare.

Now they are a dime a dozen. And a lot swankier. The degree of comfort, technological prowess and convenience that these sophisticated workhorses afford their drivers and passengers is now on a par with most passenger vehicles.

But toughness has not been lost in the pursuit of sophistication. Remember that Top Gear episode featuring a bakkie that kept going despite being clobbered with a wrecking ball, crashed into a tree, having a caravan dropped on it, submerged in water and even set on fire? That was a Toyota Hilux.

While I was not about to resort to that type of torture in my testing of the Toyota Hilux Legend 2.8 GD-6 4x4 RS double-cab, I was keen to ascertain whether toughness endured in the new flagship. So, I made my way to true bakkie country and got my answer on the banks of the Vaal River.

Modern, bold expression

Aimed specifically at the leisure user, the Hilux Legend, Toyota’s new flagship-grade, comes with more presence. The design language still retains that Hilux ruggedness, albeit with a more modern appearance.

An imposing front façade features LED headlights and fog lamps, and a black outlined trapezoidal grille integrated with the front bumper, bonnet protector and skid plate.

Style improvements have produced a sportier profile too, courtesy of 18-inch alloy wheels, bold wheel arches and chunky footplate, while rear treatment includes a graphite rear bumper and Legend-specific tailgate garnish.

Improved comfort and functionality