LONG-TERM UPDATE 4 | Playing the economy game with our Hilux

Respite offered by recent fuel price decreases is likely to be short-lived as February hikes loom.

The cost of go juice is a perpetual source of worry and complaint for motorists. Go back as far as you like — and I often do via a collection of old motoring magazines — you will find critical words against the ever-burgeoning outlay required for those litres of fuel needed to run our wheeled steeds.

At some point in the future we will look back with nostalgia at how, “back in our day”, a litre of 95 unleaded cost “only” R21.77 at the coast and R22.49 inland.

Perhaps at that point we'll be lamenting the lofty sums needed per kWh to charge our cars (if the electric revolution is fully realised).

This week I decided to conduct an informal economy exercise with the Toyota Hilux X-Raider 2.4 GD-6 4x4 automatic that has been in my possession since November 2023. It is scheduled to return to its owners, Toyota South Africa, at the end of the month.

My previous missive about the trusty double-cab covered the durability of its cabin when subjected to the task of dog transport.

Toyota claims 7.7l/100km. The vehicle was delivered with just more than 1,800km on an average of 10l/100km indicated by the on-board computer. It was probably driven with a heavier foot during that time, serving in promotional duties in the hands of different drivers.

What also ensured the average stayed in double digits was most of my time had been spent driving it in urban settings. Back roads from home to office, grocery shopping and so on.

How low could we get the readout to go? My intention was to find out, resetting the consumption indicator just before joining the N1 in a northerly direction. Opting for a loop mixing highway, stop-go between traffic lights and congestion would offer a more accurate view into the sipping propensities of the Toyota.

The vehicle now has about almost double the mileage on its odometer since delivery. It has remained in 4x2 mode, save for one occasion where my colleague Phuti Mpyane borrowed it for heavier-duty hauling.

The Hilux was nosed gently onto the N1. The air-conditioner was on and the fan was on a low speed to maintain a comfortable temperature. About 10km into the journey, using the benefit of coasting to keep momentum and hovering at about 100km/h, the readout showed a low 4.1l/100km.

It cruises in reasonable quietness at this speed. The turbocharged-diesel motor is faintly audible as the tachometer needle ticks over under 2,000rpm. At some point we saw 120km/h, still vigilant and judicious with the throttle.

Approaching the off-ramp at Winnie Mandela Drive, a convoy of trucks broke my stride, requiring a bit more accelerator pedal depression to keep pace uphill. My consumption went up to 4.7l/100km.

It started to climb, edging through the inevitable traffic at that big intersection where the robots never work and where civilians not directly employed by the city are known to direct traffic.

Hooking onto Cedar Road, the busy R552 that connects Fourways to Lanseria, there is more congestion to negotiate.

Arriving at my coffee stop 27km after starting, the readout was 5.4l/100km. The Hilux has two driving modes selectable via buttons by the gear lever console. They are self-explanatory, one marked ECO and the other PWR (power).

Complementing the more efficient setting is an economy indicator that scores your driving out of 100, with a trio of tabs: Start, Cruise and Stop.

The bars illuminate based on how smoothly you set off, the frequency with which you take advantage of coasting opportunities and braking inputs. Achieving full marks is difficult. The best figure it showed me was 76/100.

On the return journey in the opposite direction, the roads were busier and a heavy downpour meant slower speeds and fewer opportunities for coasting once back on the freeway.

A detour at 14th Avenue, cutting through the various ascents of Northcliff, had also been thrown in for good measure. Ending at my starting point by the Gordon Road N1 off-ramp, the Hilux showed an average consumption of 7.5l/100km over the past 60km.

At that rate, you might expect to eke just more than 1,000km from its 80l tank. Or 800km, if you do your sums based on the thirstiest case scenario of 10l/100km based on exclusively urban usage. After my 14km commute to the office the next day, consumption had settled at 8.4l/100km.

Double-cab owners will relate that filling up an 80l tank from empty is not for the faint of heart. The wholesale price of 50ppm in Gauteng is R20.73, working out to just more than R1,600 to fill the Hilux. Still, you could be a Land Cruiser 70-series owner having to fill combined 180l tanks.

The Hilux promises to get more economical this year as a mild hybrid derivative is on the cards.

LONG-TERM UPDATE 4: 2023 Toyota Hilux Raider X 2.4 GD-6 4x4 automatic

ODOMETER ON DELIVERY: 1,825km

CURRENT ODOMETER: 3,573km

AVERAGE CONSUMPTION: 8.4l/100km

PRAISES: Driven sensibly you can achieve decent consumption figures.

GRIPES: My partner insisted the lack of vanity mirrors be mentioned. So, there.