[Image: X / Toyota South Africa]
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has unveiled big plans for 2025, kicking things off with four new models hitting showrooms in the first and second quarters.
But the real excitement revs up in July when the Hilux Legend 55 joins the lineup as the latest chapter in the much-loved Legend series.
Rolling out five years after its predecessor, the Legend 55 will share the same widebody design and track suspension as the Hilux GR Sport III, minus the mono-tube shock absorbers to avoid overlap. Positioned between the Legend RS and GR Sport III, it brings some bold exterior upgrades, including extended wheel arches, a black grille, fog light bezels, mirror caps, roof rails, a slick sports bar, and a branded bash plate. Standard features also include a tow bar, roller shutter, and rubberised load bin.
Completing the rugged makeover are unique alloy wheels, side steps, and a bespoke dark green hue. While TSAM is keeping interior details under wraps, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Leon Theron teased “a lot of changes,” hinting at spec upgrades and exclusive Legend branding.
As for what’s under the hood? Theron remained tight-lipped, saying powertrain details are “still under discussion”, per The Citizen.
Before the Hilux Legend 55 steals the spotlight in July, Toyota SA has another showstopper lined up—March marks the much-anticipated arrival of the Fortuner GR Sport.
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After years of speculation, sparked by exclusive variants in Indonesia and Thailand, this performance-focused SUV is finally hitting local roads. It shares some DNA with the Hilux GR Sport III, adopting the same mono-tube shock absorbers and GR-tuned off-road suspension.
Visually, it gets an aggressive makeover with 18-inch GR alloy wheels, black honeycomb front and rear bumpers, a bold GR grille, black side steps, roof rails, and mirror caps. Darkened clusters for the LED headlights and a honeycomb lower air intake complete the muscular look.
Step inside, and you’ll find GR-branded Alcantara sports seats and alloy pedals, with other likely touches including a leather-wrapped GR steering wheel, GR-themed floor mats, infotainment graphics, a GR starter button, and bold red stitching on key interior elements.
Under the hood, the Fortuner GR Sport packs an upgraded 2.8 GD-6 engine pumping out 165kW and 550Nm, channelled through a recalibrated six-speed automatic gearbox to either the rear or all four wheels.
Pricing remains a mystery, but whispers suggest it could break the R1-million barrier, making it the priciest Fortuner to date.
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Also revving onto local roads in March is the refreshed GR Yaris, now featuring Toyota’s new eight-speed Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) and a slight bump in power.
Unlike in Japan, where the 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder G16E-GTS engine pushes out 224 kW, the South African model will be dialled down to 210 kW—likely to avoid clashing with the GR Corolla on price or due to quality concerns. Still, it retains the same impressive 400 Nm torque as its Japanese and European counterparts.
In addition to the new gearbox, which uses a torque converter and predictive software for lightning-fast shifts, the GR Yaris gets a host of interior and tech upgrades. These include a restyled centre console, a new digital instrument cluster, and a driver-angled 12.3-inch infotainment system. On the safety side, Park Assist and an improved reverse camera come standard.
Pricing is still under wraps, but it’s expected to carry a premium over the manual’s current R848,600 price tag.
2025 is shaping up to be a powerhouse year for Toyota SA!
[Source: The Citizen]