Legend 55 makes its customary five-year debut using the same wide body design as the GR Sport III. Image: Jaco van der Merwe
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has announced its plans for 2025 by unveiling four new models on-sale in the first and second quarters of this year.
Joining the already detailed facelift Corolla Cross, the tail section of the mentioned timeline, July, will see the arrival of the Hilux Legend 55 as the fifth instalment in the hugely popular numbered Legend range.
Arriving the now customary five years after the previous rendition, the Legend 55 will use the same widebody design and wide track suspension as the Hilux GR Sport III, but seemingly without the mono-tube shock absorbers as a means of avoiding possible overlapping.
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Likely to be positioned between the Legend RS and the GR Sport III, noted differences from the former include the latter’s extended wheel arches, a black grille, fog light bezels and mirror caps, roof rails, a new sports bar, Legend 55 branded bash plate, a standard tow bar and a roller shutter plus a rubberised loadbin.
Model unique alloy wheels, side-steps and a bespoke but unnamed dark green hue complete the exterior’s transformation.
While details of the interior didn’t emerge, TSAM Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Leon Theron, said “a lot of changes” will be made, hinting at a possible specification upgrade and unique Legend badging.
At the same time, Theron also declined to comment about the Legend 55’s powertrain details, saying, “These are still under discussion”.
Pre-dating the Legend 55’s unveiling, March will see the equally eagerly awaited arrival of the Fortuner GR Sport.
Long rumoured for South Africa ever since the availability of two market specific versions in Indonesia and Thailand four years ago, the Fortuner will leverage off of the Hilux by receiving the same mono-tube shock absorbers and GR-tuned off-road suspension.
Aesthetically, the Fortuner GR Sport will ride on 18-inch GR alloy wheels and receive GR front and rear bumpers, a black honeycomb GR grille, black side-steps, roof rails and mirror caps, a honeycomb lower air intake, and darkened clusters for the LED headlights.
Confirmed inside are GR-branded Alcantara sport seats and GR alloy pedals. Although not mentioned, other unique touches are likely to include a leather-wrapped GR steering wheel, GR floor mats, GR graphics within the infotainment system and instrument cluster, a GR starter button and red stitching on the dashboard, seats, gear lever, doors and handbrake.
Up front, and as expected, the Fortuner GR Sport will get the same uprated 2.8 GD-6 engine as the Hilux GR Sport III with its outputs of 165kW/550Nm going to the rear or all four wheels through the recalibrated six-speed automatic gearbox.
While no pricing was disclosed, speculation points to the GR Sport possibly becoming the first Fortuner to get close to or break through the R1-million mark.
As a comparison, the current range-topping mild-hybrid Fortuner 48V VX has a sticker of R961 800, while the conventional non-electrified VX retails from R918 600.
Arriving in the same month as the Fortuner GR Sport, the updated GR Yaris will make its market introduction not only with the new eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT), but also a bump in power and torque over the six-speed manual.
Showcased just over a year ago at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the DAT-equipped GR Yaris carries over the GR Four four-wheel-drive system and limited slip differential, but as mentioned, premieres the new ‘box that adds 18 kg to its overall mass.
A torque converter rather than a dual-clutch, the box sports predictive software Toyota claims results in faster gear changes than not only the manual but also when the paddle shifters are used in manual mode.
Unlike in Japan, South Africa won’t get the full 224 kW output from the G16E-GTS three-cylinder 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, most likely as a result of either quality concerns, or deliberate prevention to clash with the GR Corolla on price.
As such, the local market GR Yaris will develop 210 kW, yet retain the same 400 Nm torque output as in Japan and Europe.
Confirmed though is the restyled centre console, new digital instrument cluster, the driver-angled new 12.3-inch infotainment system and on the safety side, Park Assist as well as an improved reverse camera.
As with the rest of the models revealed, bar the mentioned Corolla Cross, pricing for the GR Yaris DAT wasn’t revealed, however, expect a premium over the manual’s current sticker of R848 600.
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