A funny thing happened the other week. A dual cab work ute was revealed as the most popular vehicle on Australian roads.
And that’s not even the crazy part. Believe it or not, that ute was a Ford Ranger - not, as you might have expected, the perennial winner of that honour, the Toyota HiLux.
The Ranger 4X4 was the top selling vehicle in any category and the HiLux was merely runner-up - gobbling up almost 10 per cent of the market between them, regardless of segment.
And while it is not the only time this has happened, it’s a pretty rare event.
Not only that, but before the ink was dry on that news, the Ranger also won the coveted Drive Car of the Year award - as judged by the Nine/Fairfax motoring writers.
Ford dealers were quite rightly cock-a-hoop, but one suspects this didn’t please the good folks at Toyota.
In fact if you thought Toyota might just let this one through to the keeper, you apparently haven’t been paying attention for the past 50 years.
There were extenuating circumstances, of course - Toyota experienced supply chain issues that temporarily slowed sales.
Regardless, Toyota Empire has wasted no time Striking Back - and the weapon of choice is Toyota’s all-new HiLux GR Sport.
The response has been almost instantaneous, with a wall-to-wall advertising campaign rolled out for the new flagship of the HiLux range.
So you can imagine there’s been no shortage of effort and resources going into the GR Sport and an impressive and up-market thing it is.
It’s the most expensive, most powerful and most attractive HiLux to hit the roads (and beaches), as has been heard on TV.
While the HiLux badge is an iconic part of the Toyota narrative - this GR version represents a major step, moving the dial with its eye-catching performance, impressive tech and serious road cred.
It dethrones the HiLux Rogue which has been the nominated range-topper for a couple of years - a task it inherited from the now-defunct SR5.
But while the HiLux’s go-anywhere, weekday warrior reputation remains, Toyota has decided to nudge the 4x4 in new directions with this GR model.
To cut a long story short, Toyota won the world famous Dakar Rally last year and it has never seen an opportunity it didn’t like - hence the massive ad campaign.
Toyota is equally at pains throughout the GR media kit to mention its links to the Dakar Desert Rally - boasting about inclusions like a “Dakar-inspired” front skid plate, steel rock rails and red-painted recovery points (in case you find yourself wheel-deep in the desert sands at some point).
Like the HiLux Rogue upon which the GR is built, it gets wider than normal track, 17-inch black alloy wheels Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tyres. All good for your next desert adventure.
But, with Dakar no doubt in mind, the biggest advance has been in its performance including a newly-tweaked and seriously sharpened diesel engine, which is a ripper.
The GR designation (named after Toyota’s Gazoo Racing rally and performance team) ensures it’s been given any go-fast bits that might come along.
Under the same umbrella it has also developed some of the most impressive models in the company’s history - none more so than the incredible Yaris GR Four (more than 200km from a three-cylinder engine) and, at the other end of the spectrum, the Supra GR.
You could be forgiven for thinking this big, very capable HiLux doesn’t really belong alongside those other GR-badged Toyotas - it’s a diesel ute, for goodness sake.
But no.
It’s not a patch on its fellow GR models, in a straight-up contest, but then again the Yaris doesn’t immediately strike us as filling the role of a load-lugger during the week.
The HiLux diesel delivers a startling punch with its 2.8-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder configuration making 165kW and a hefty 550Nm. Driving through a well-sorted six-cylinder automatic and a sophisticated off-road capability it literally scorches away from the red lights.
The transformation has continued Inside, where the GR DNA has been liberally sprinkled about the plush cabin with leather and suede trim, high-end audio and it looks remarkably like some of its GR siblings.
Toyota says the performance enhancements have increased power by a not-to-be-sneezed-at 10 per cent, while the intuitive six-speed auto, fitted with gear change paddles, adds more street cred.
Red seatbelts, black grille and wheels, oversized wheel flares and smart-looking instrument panel and dash complete the visual picture.
All of which makes the GR Sport a pretty attractive proposition at $73,990 - just $3000 more than you’ll pay for a fully-speciified HiLux Rogue.
Watch out, you Ford Ranger drivers.
TOYOTA HILUX GR SPORT
HOW BIG?
It runs on a slightly wider track than the average HiLux and sits a little higher as well - affording a commanding driving position but making it hard to complete a U-turn.
HOW FAST? This was the thing that most impressed us about the GR Sport - push the Power button on the centre console and it delivers some rather un-diesel performance.
HOW THIRSTY?
It sips a pretty impressive 8.1L/100km - not bad for a work truck/fishing vehicle and desert racing champion.
HOW MUCH?
OK, take a breath. It’s the most expensive model in the HiLux range at $74,990 - about $3000 more than its standard Rogue sibling.
