DRIVEN: Facelifted Hilux Raider 2.4 GD-6 4×4 is a car for all seasons

In the ever-growing world of bakkies, the Toyota Hilux is one of the most preferred as it is solid and possesses a no-nonsense stance. 

Although it might not give you all the attention as the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok (to name a few), it is one bakkie that can take a beating, and that’s why Toyota keeps pushing out units every month in Mzansi.  

For the month of January alone, 2 661 units of the Hilux found homes across South Africa, and that sets it as the brand’s best-selling vehicle and a bakkie I would like to own someday. 

Which brings us to the Toyota Hilux Raider 2.4 4×4 GD-6 in the manual guise I sampled over the festive season. 

The current generation of the Hilux has been around for close to five years now and Toyota facelifted it in 2020 to keep it fresh in the ever-growing bakkie segment. 

I must admit, my refreshed test unit looked robust and even though some of my mates had difficulty pinpointing the changes, the changes are there.

Unlike its 2.6 GD-6 stablemate, the changes are very subtle.

It comes fitted with new slim-line headlamps, new front grille and fresh new bumper design. There is a large, trapezoidal front grille with broad chrome border while the fog lamps now boast a boomerang shape. 

There is also an integrated bumper guard, plus four-bulb halogen headlights 

The interior is well-equipped, however, it does not feel particularly plush. The seats offer optimum cushioning for all passengers. 

The 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as well as an additional USB port for the rear passengers, worked with so much simplicity.

The interior has plenty of space in the front seats, thanks to the height and reach adjustable steering column. There are storage pockets sprinkled throughout the cabin for items such as water bottles and wallets. 

Just in time for my usual festive trip to Bushbuckridge, I went down to my hometown which sits some 480 km away from our offices in Kempton Park. 

After filling up the Hilux Raider 2.4 GD-6, I headed to the N4 and what I found impressive was the 80-litre fuel tank. I managed to cover almost 333 km and I still had over a half tank of fuel left. 

The Hilux Raider GD-6 2.4 4×4 is powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with 110 kW and 400 Nm plus a six-speed manual transmission and a 4×4 setting that can be operated by a rotary switch. 

On the road, the Hilux Raider GD-6 2.4 4×4 isn’t quite as comfortable as some competitors, yet it does a great job during long journeys while absorbing bumps and other road imperfections.

The engine shows the need to get up and go with strong pulling power in all 6 gears. There is a power mode and that sharpens the engine’s response whilst also giving it that extra power; ideal for towing situations.  

The Hilux Raider GD-6 4×4 is easy to drive around town, thanks to the light six-speed manual transmission as well as a reverse camera that made parking a simple.

Like most bakkies I have tested, the load bin would slightly jitter with no load in there but that’s how the suspension has been tuned for some serious stuff.  

There is something about Toyota bakkies when driven on gravel terrain that they feel planted, leaving less to bemoan about. The Toyota Hilux Raider GD-6 4×4 handled such tasks at hand with so much simplicity, from driving up the rocky mountain, water crossing to transporting goods for my mom’s building project. 

A full month with the car, I averaged 9.9l/100km and that is with highway and city driving.  

The Toyota Hilux Raider GD-6 4×4 has built its name as a reputable model over the years that can withstand any task thrown at it. It fits as a car for all seasons.