Naming a vehicle after one of the toughest off-road events in Earth is therefore quite a bold statement, especially one that happens to be the best-selling new car in the country. I recently got behind the wheel to find out if this Hilux does indeed live up to the Dakar moniker.
The new face of Hilux
Compared to the standard Raider model, the Dakar gets a restyled front-end which give the Hilux a more aggressive appearance than before, with the look being completed by a gloss black honeycomb grille, xenon headlights with integrated daytime running LEDs, black door handles and mirror caps, a metallic grey skidplate and arguably the biggest highlight, the new Inferno Metallic paint finish.
Small changes inside
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Don’t expect the same massive changes inside though, where the Dakar mainly gets a new instrument cluster, a black roofliner, black leather seats with contrasting grey stitching and metallic black detailing. A big plus though is that the infotainment system now benefits from satellite navigation, which until now has been limited to the top-spec 4.0-litre model.
That power
As my Dakar 4x4 tester happened to be fitted with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, it does come with the detuned version of the 2.8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel engine that produces 420Nm as opposed to the 450Nm offered by the six-speed automatic.
You do however still get 130kW and two driving mode; Eco and PWR as well as the iMT or intelligent Manual Transmission function that blips the throttle when shifting down, which Toyota claims has been added to smoother shifts when towing.
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With the PWR and iMT switches engaged, the Dakar feels quick and rides surprisingly well given the rock-hard ride of previous Hilux’s, while the additions of a low range gearbox and Down-Hill Assist control means it can go very far off of the black stuff.
Verdict
Overall, the Hilux Dakar remains a quality offering although at the time of penning this article, I was pilot the lesser SRX powered by the smaller 2.4-litre GD-6 oil burner that makes 110kW/400Nm and fitted with the same manual ‘box albeit without the iMT and Eco as well as PWR functions.
In SRX guise, the Hilux comes with cloth seats, a more basic infotainment system, manual air-conditioning and a few other items, which in all honestly, you don’t need.
What you will notice is that it delivers a ride quality similar to the SRX and an engine which is more eager despite being 400cc’s smaller and lacking 20kW/20Nm. It also has black door handles and mirrors but crucially, in 4x4 guise, is priced at R492 900, a whopping R108 200 less than the Dakar.
In my option at least, the SRX is all the Hilux you will ever need, but if the new face and trimmings tickle your fancy, then the Dakar makes an option that is hard to beat.
