Toyota Hilux - an adventure in Namibia
If we are looking for real strong SUVs among new cars, then first of all we need to look at pickup trucks. At the presentation of the newest, eighth generation Toyota Hilux, we were able to verify this - having driven through the hot deserts of Namibia.
Namibia. The desert landscape is not conducive to the settlement of these territories. The country, which is more than twice the size of Poland, is home to just 2,1 million people, 400 of them. in the capital Windhoek.
However, if we want to test the capabilities of an SUV - low population density is just an additional incentive - then the area is not conducive to settlement. We are not going to settle down, but a ride is a must! For several days in this sunny and dry place, we traveled from Windhoek, where we landed, to Walvis Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. Of course, there are paved roads connecting most of the cities to each other, but for us the most important will be the vast, almost endless gravel road.
Day one - to the mountains
The day before we had a moment to organize, we got to know the local fauna and went to bed for the previous 24 hours spent in airports and planes. Already at dawn we sit down in the Hilux and drive west.
We spent a moment on the pavement, and we can already tell that Toyota has taken a bow to amateur users - and there are more and more of them in the pickup segment. Toyota Hilux steers confidently in a given direction, although without a load the body rolls heavily in turns. Sometimes we preferred to move along the curve more slowly, but with more comfort, than to watch all the objects in the middle move from one end of the car to the other. We add that in Namibia the speed limit on paved roads reaches 120 km/h. Traffic is amusingly light, making it easy to cover long distances – locals estimate travel times at an average of 100 km/h.
We must not forget that we are all the time in Africa - here and there we notice oryx, the largest antelopes that we will see in Namibia. The herd of baboons that ran across the road near the airport is also impressive. We quickly descend from the asphalt to the gravel road. We drive in two columns, clouds of dust rise from under the wheels. Looks like from an action movie. The surface is very rocky, so we keep enough distance between cars so as not to be left without a windshield. We move all the time with the rear axle drive - we attach the front axle with the appropriate handle, but there is no point in loading the drive yet. Our convoy of cars is always moving at a speed close to 100-120 km/h. What is surprising is the driving comfort in such conditions. The suspension picks up bumps well, and its operation does not resemble a boat drifting through the waves. This is due to a redesigned spring that is 10cm longer, moved 10cm forward and lowered 2,5cm. The front sway bar is thicker and the rear dampers are moved forward to improve driving stability. However, comfort is provided by shock absorbers with larger cylinders, which dampen small vibrations better. Unexpectedly, the soundproofing of the cabin is also at a decent level. Isolating both aerodynamic noise and transmission noise works well - a torsional vibration damper has also been added for this purpose.
We enter the camp in the mountains, where we spend the night in tents, but this is not the end. From here we go further to the loop of the off-road route. Most of the route was covered with a 4H drive, i.e. with front-wheel drive connected, without downshift. Loose earth strewn with small and large stones, Hilux did not even moan. Although the ground clearance seems considerable, depending on the version of the body (Single Cab, Extra Cab or Double Cab), it will be from 27,7 cm to 29,3 cm, the driveshaft and axles are located quite low - not every stone will crawl between the wheels. , but the shock absorber stroke increased by 20% is useful here - you need to attack everything with the wheels. If necessary, the engine is protected by a larger and thicker casing - three times more resistant to deformation than the previous model.
Rolling on such stones, we will experience constant bending of the body. If it were a self-supporting structure, a good drive would overcome the same obstacles, but here we have a longitudinal frame that copes with such an operation much better. Compared to the frame of the previous model, it received 120 more spot welds (now there are 388 spots), and its cross section has become 3 cm thicker. This resulted in a 20% increase in torsional rigidity. It also uses "excellent anti-corrosion solutions" to preserve the body and chassis. The galvanized steel frame is designed to resist corrosion for 20 years if body components are treated with anti-corrosion wax and anti-splash coating.
The Pitch & Bounce Control system looks interesting. This system modulates torque to compensate for head movement when going up or down a hill. It raises the moment from above, then lowers it uphill. These differences are minimal, but Toyota says passengers experience significantly greater ride comfort and a smoother ride feel. The driving seemed comfortable given the conditions we were driving in, but was it thanks to this system? It is hard to say. We can only take our word for it.
And as the sun sets, we return to the camp. Before going to sleep, we still rejoice at the opportunity to see the Southern Cross and the Milky Way. Tomorrow we will wake up again at dawn. The plan is tight.
Day two - towards the desert
In the morning we drive through the mountains - the view at the top is breathtaking. From this place we can also see where we are going to go next. The winding road will take us to the level of the endless plain, on which we will spend the next few hours.
The most important point of the journey awaits us at the end of the route. We reach the sand dunes, aptly named Dune 7. Our off-road guide asks us to deflate the tires exactly 2 minutes after parking. Theoretically, this should have reduced the tire pressure to 0.8-1 bar, but, of course, this was also then carefully adjusted by the compressor. It just felt faster that way. Why is such a procedure necessary? Driving through wetlands, we get a large area of \uXNUMXb\uXNUMXbcontact with the wheels on the ground, which means that the car will sink into the sand to a lesser extent. However, you must be careful. Such pressure is very low, as a certain journalist from Switzerland found out, who tried to turn back too quickly - he managed to tear the tire off the rim, which stopped our column for several tens of minutes - after all, the jack is useless on the sand.
We get to the starting point and arm ourselves to face one of the most difficult terrain that an all-terrain vehicle can face. We turn on the gearbox, which is also a signal for Toyota Hilux, turn off the traction control system and any systems that may interfere with it. The rear axle has a self-locking differential with electromagnetic lock. As in most cars equipped with such a blockade, it does not always turn on right away, you have to slowly move forward or backward so that the mechanism is blocked. There is also a front differential that can be automatically disengaged in rear-wheel drive mode. This front gear is now equipped with an oil temperature sensor - if the temperature is too high, the system tells us to go into four-wheel drive mode, and if we do not execute the command within 30 seconds, the speed will be reduced to 120 km / h.
To keep warm, we cross several small dunes and park on a flat piece of land. The organizers have prepared a little surprise for us. From somewhere comes the loud noise of a V8 engine. And now he appears on the dune in front of us Toyota Hilux. It descends at full speed, passes us, creating a local sandstorm, climbs another dune and disappears. After a moment, the show is repeated. Are we going to ride like this too? Not necessarily — it was no ordinary Hilux. This is an Overdrive model with a 5-liter V8 producing 350 hp. Similar ones will start in the Dakar rally. We had a moment to look inside and talk to the driver, but despite the pleasant surprise, we have our own business. We want to try fighting the big dunes ourselves.
Instructors give recommendations - the dune above is not flat. Before reaching it, we must slow down, because we want to drive, not fly. However, when climbing higher hills, we have to pick up enough speed and not save gas. The most difficult thing was with the first car, which did not have the opportunity to see the performance performed correctly. We stand again for several minutes, waiting for the gentleman in front of us to accelerate properly and dig in along the road. Important information is transmitted by radio - we are moving with two, we will go uphill for three. Moment is one thing, but we also need to maintain the right speed.
Perhaps with a different engine it would be easier. Only models with the latest engine and completely new Toyota design got to us for testing. This is a 2.0 D-4D Global Diesel developing 150 hp. at 3400 rpm and 400 Nm in the range from 1600 to 2000 rpm. On average, it should burn 7,1 l / 100 km, but in our operation it was constantly 10-10,5 l / 100 km. These 400 Nm turned out to be enough, but a 3-liter diesel engine will certainly do better in such conditions. Someone got versions with a new 6-speed automatic, someone - including me - with a new 6-speed manual gearbox, which replaced the previous 5-speed one. The stroke of the jack, although the jack itself is shortened, is quite long. During the biggest climb, I can't explicitly change two to three. The sand quickly slows me down, but I managed - I didn’t burrow, I’m at the top.
You just have to leave that peak. The sight is horrifying. Steep, long, steep slope. It is enough for the car to stand sideways and the whole car will start working tires - it will roll in a spectacular coup, with me on board. In fact, the muddy sand really started spinning the Hilux, but luckily the instructors warned us about it - “Pull everything out with gas”. That's right, a slight acceleration immediately corrected the trajectory. At this point, we could use the help of the descent control system, but when the gearbox comes into play, it is enough to select first gear - the effect is similar, but without the intervention of the brake system.
Now about what we could and did not do. We managed to load on the "package" from 1000 to 1200 kg, depending on the cab version. We could pull a trailer, the weight of which would be even 3,5 tons - of course, if it were with brakes, without brakes it would be 750 kg. We were also able to open the cargo hold, but the right hardtop lock had jammed. Previous Hilux had this too. We only looked at the side to see the reinforced floor and stronger hinges and brackets. We could also get a model with a completely different rear end - several types are available. An interesting fact is even such a seemingly stupid thing as moving the antenna forward - there will be no problems with installing bodies that will reach the back of the roof.
What are we even going?
We have already checked how Toyota Hilux can cope with off-road - but what has changed in appearance? We have a new front bumper in keeping with the Keen Look principles, i.e. a grille that connects to the headlights and a more dynamic fit. Dynamic yet chunky, the look speaks volumes about how tough the car is. There are also some practical improvements, such as a lowered steel rear bumper to make loading easier.
The interior can be finished with one of three types of upholstery. The first is characterized by increased wear resistance and ease of cleaning. It is logical - we were driving with the windows closed and the internal circuit of the air conditioner, and there was still a lot of dust inside, which was sucked in at every opportunity. The second level is a slightly better quality material, and the upper one has leather upholstery. This is a clear nod to hobbyist customers who find pickup trucks to haul ATVs, surfboards, crossbikes, and the like. Or they want to deduct the entire amount of VAT, although this provision only applies to single-row pickups, the so-called. Single cab. Family trips at the expense of the company are out of the question.
Since this is a modern car, a 7-inch tablet with navigation, DAB radio and similar gadgets, as well as a set of Toyota Safety Sense systems, such as a car collision warning system, await us on board. front. The system resisted this for a long time, but finally succumbed to the clouds of dust donated by the machines of the column ahead of me. A message appears to clean the windshield, but the distance camera and lane control are out of range of the wipers and washers.
One of the best in the segment
new Toyota Hilux this is primarily a new look and proven design solutions. The manufacturer made sure that this car was primarily durable, but also attractive to customers who use the pickup truck in private. Obviously, a significant part of them goes to companies whose activities include transporting goods over difficult terrain - in Poland these will be mainly quarries and construction companies.
I think the new 2.4 D-4D engine will appeal mainly to private sector customers - it's good for off-road, but it needs a little more power to get us up any hill. Other powertrains will be announced soon, as will prices.
We have no choice but to admit that the attempt to put the farmer in patent leather shoes was a success. But will we keep this phrase during the trials in Krakow? We'll find out as soon as we sign up for the test.
