2012 Toyota Hilux

Toyota Hilux

Toyota’s Hilux isn’t just another bakkie—it's what the Hilux should have been from the start: a workhorse tough enough for the red dust of the Northern Cape or the tight, pothole-riddled delivery routes through Durban’s industrial sprawl. Loyalty runs deep here. Hilux die-hards don’t so much buy their bakkies as inherit them, and you see that in the used market: not a single new listing among the 115 available, just a spread of pre-loved, hard-worked machines. Prices start at a wallet-friendly R89,950 for the old-timers with serious mileage and climb up to a hefty R869,900 for those late-model, low-kilometre units. The median sits at R419,900, which feels about right for a bakkie that’s as much a family staple as a business tool. Most shoppers will find themselves circling the 2.4 GD-6 SRX double-cab, which accounts for the bulk of listings between R359,995 and R439,900, while the 2.4 GD S single-cab holds up the budget end of things from R279,000 to R422,500. If you want the bells and whistles, the 2.8 GD-6 Legend auto extended cab stretches your budget to R729,900. Average mileage is a chunky 144,083 km, so timing chain checks on the 2.4 are just smart maintenance. You’ll spot Hilux models dating as far back as 1977, and that matters—longevity here isn’t marketing fluff, it’s baked into the numbers. Against the Ford Ranger, the Hilux doesn’t pretend to be plush, but it’s unbeatable on spare parts and long-term running costs. For most South Africans, that’s the point.