INTERVIEW | Talking future Hilux with Toyota's Simon Humphries​

01 February 2023 - 15:54
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Simon Humphries, head of design at Toyota.
Simon Humphries, head of design at Toyota.
Image: Supplied

The Toyota Hilux remains one of the best-selling model lines in South Africa, with segment leadership spanning decades.   

So how will the manufacturer balance the pursuit of market hegemony while evolving the iconic bakkie for changing times?   

We had a virtual chat with Toyota head of design Simon Humphries, who has been with the company since 1994.  

“The Hilux is one of my favourites,” Humphries said, before remarking that its progression from commercial and workhorse orientation to a more emotive appeal had been interesting.  

South Africans need no introduction to the enduring Hilux.
South Africans need no introduction to the enduring Hilux.
Image: Supplied

“It is recreational and everything else that goes with that, so what will happen with Hilux, in my mind, is it will become more exciting, not just about practicality, but practicality with emotional design,” he said.

Without giving too much away, Humphries was careful to add that the core, heavy-duty roots of the pick-up would not be abandoned.

“We are going too have to widen the range of the Hilux. It is not just a case of moving it higher up the hierarchy but also bringing people in at the lower end.”  

The Toyota e-Palette.
The Toyota e-Palette.
Image: Supplied

Locally, we have seen the expansion of the Hilux appeal in versions such as the GR-Sport, which packs a host of meaner styling accoutrements, positioning it in line with similarly jazzed-up double-cab offerings such as the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Isuzu D-Max V-Cross.   

At the recent Toyota state of the motor industry conference, a video narrated by Humphries promised future models would not look like fridges on wheels.   

Asking the design head to unpack this a little further, in addition to describing what the average Toyota might resemble 20 years from now, he hinted at a modular way of doing things.   

New Prius looks better than ever.
New Prius looks better than ever.
Image: Supplied

“Think not so much about the styling but the way the car is going to be made. In 2044 you will be able to buy cars that are specifically tailored to your needs. They will be more exciting and will offer bigger experiences. Every day you could be driving a different car and you have to look at it on that scale.”  

Asked about his favourite projects during his career at Toyota spanning nearly three decades, he named three recent releases.   

First, the radical 2019 e-Palette, an upright, pod-like concept for future urban mobility. It was billed by the brand as a symbol of its transition from carmaker to mobility provider, employing autonomous technologies and electric propulsion.   

Next on Humphries' list is the latest Crown.

The reinvented Toyota Crown.
The reinvented Toyota Crown.
Image: Supplied

“At the beginning of the project we started off with minor changes for the existing Crown and we got trashed by the president, Akio Toyoda,” he said.   

Toyoda said he did not want a minor change but a totally new expression that would take Crown into the next era.   

“So we went away and brought back a completely new concept for the Crown. The Crown is a historical vehicle in the Japanese market, it is a big thing, we changed it and he was really supportive and on board, it came out so differently to what it had been until now.”  

Third, Humphries cited the release of the new Prius as a proud moment. Even casual observers will agree the latest model is a considerable visual leap over its conservative predecessors.   

“Prius has a lot of numerical values we have to meet. This time we said, 'let us do it for the love of cars', so people who buy into it no longer feel they have to make compromises. That car has been very well received since its global release in December.”

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