When I arrived Rupert gave me a run down on the power output of the different models, as well as my Hilux 3-0 D4D which I am using as a reference point. Allan joined us and after a quick look around the 2.4 we took off on a test drive. The 2.4 with 6spd manual we drove was punchy and powerful and sure as hell impressed. It was no slouch and after a little while I got used to the clutch and it was plain sailing. Up the fairly steep Polkadraai hill I was driving in 6th gear at 120 when I put foot down and it actually accelerated and kept on accelerating until we hit the top of the hill traveling much faster than when we entered it.... That is indeed impressive!!
On the other side of the hill we changed drivers and Allan drove back to the showroom. I will post his impressions later.
Back at the showroom we got into a metallic black 2.8 Hilux Auto. Same route we took before. I am not a fan of autos, but this one is a definite improvement on the old D4D Auto. I would consider buying this auto... seriously. The run up the Polkadraai Hill was equally impressive and the Hilux pulls like a steam train.
Allan took the wheel on the way back to the showroom. We were 4 fully grown Afrikaans men in the Hilux, and all of us had more than enough leg room. It is big inside.
These Hilux Double Cabs are not mere bakkies anymore. They have evolved into SUV's with loadbins. Big, lots of gadgets, electronics, comfortable seats and soft ride. It is a car.. handles like a car, rides like a car, and all the mod cons of a car.
Unfortunately we were unable to take the Hiluxes out on a 4x4 trail to test their abilities there (where it matters most) because of time constraints. But Rupert promised a run out to Welgelegen one Saturday afternoon in the near future. For today we settled for dicing Golf GTi's between traffic lights..
For the first time in my life I drove a Hilux that is not white... That was a refreshing feeling.. smile emoticon
After each drive Allan inspected the vehicles from top to bottom... Here is his (more technical) impressions of the new Hiluxes we drove this morning. I agree 100% with his sentiments..
"My eerste ontmoeting met die nuwe Revo;
Hy lyk soos hy lyk, soos ons hom nou al meer as n jaar lank op kiekies sien en die lang snoet en oosterse blink goeters sal gou op ons groei. Die binnewerk is heeltemal nuut, dit lyk of daar n tablet in die middel staan gemaak is met genoeg funksies om n tiener n paar uur besig te hou, die sitplekke is n groot verbetering en die sit-posisie is effens meer regop en gemaklikker as die ou een, been ruimte agter is ook nog meer en die 60/40 agtersitplekke is n nuttige ekstra. Hy lyk total nuut binne, niks is oorgedra van die ouer Hiluxe nie behalwe die standard plasing van al die kontroles. Die afwerking is goed soos van Toyota verwag word, daar is ook n ekstra gat met n deksel vir al ma se goeters aan die linker kant.
Onder lyk hy nog soos n Vigo, dieselfde tipe onderstel, voor-en agter veerstelsel en die uitleg en plasing van al die hoof-komponente is ook dieselfde, maar die hoeke van die skokbrekers, veerblaaie en kronkelvere het wel baie aandag gekry, die rit is baie beter en lekker stewig, gelukkig nie oormatig sag soos n Isuzu nie, maar ook nie heeltemal so geplant soos n Amarok nie, daar sit die duitsers hulle nog biekie kop aan.
Ek is beindruk met altwee diesels wat ek gery het, albei se krag-kurwes is lekker lank, glad en begin heel onder die enjin klink nog soos n Hilux, maar die gekletter as hy koud is, is gelukkig weg. Dit gaan baie moeilik wees om tussen die 2.4 en 2.8 te kies, hulle voel baie dieselfde, die 2.4 is ook lekker lewendig, nie so gevrek soos die ou 2.5 nie, albei het ook voor gemonteerde tussenkoelers. Die sespoed ratkas doen dit vir hom, die ratverhoudings is na aan perfek en voel lekker positief al sit die R nou waar my Citigolf s’n was. Die ses-spoed auto is baie meer verfyn as die vorige een, in “manual mode” bly hy in die rat wat jy kies, hy volg nie sy eie kop soos meeste ander autos nie, die oorskakeling is seepglad.
Voor die jaar uit is, staan hulle in wit rye by die malls en met skaap-tralies, dieseldromme en “John Deere stickers” voor die koperasie, die boere sal hom deeglik toets en ek sal hom nog in die veld moet ry om te kan se of hy oor twee jaar n Legend 50 genoem mag word, maar sy teerpad maniere, kraglewering en rygerief het my verbaas, hy lyk soos n wenner, stewiger, stiller lekerdererer."
Thanks Rupert G. Mansfield for inviting us and for all your trouble!!
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