Namibia is confidently emerging as one of southern Africa’s growth economies with huge natural reserves of uranium and diamonds. The former German colony, which got independence from South Africa in 1990 covers a huge land mass that equals the combined area of Germany and Spain. Weather can be hot and harsh so life can be tough, for man and beasts, not to mention a Hilux. That’s why Toyota took us to Namibia to confirm the toughness of its seventh generation Hilux pick-up.

Without a 4x4 crew cab, life would be close to impossible in Namibia. This is an environment where the Toyota Hilux traditional virtues of quality, durability and reliability (QDR) are truly appreciated.

Toyota introduced the latest Hilux with its new 2.4 litre turbo-diesel engine. This is the second new global diesel engine after the new 2.8 litre Land Cruiser engine introduced last autumn. Both are AdBlue engines and Toyota has put the filler cap under the bonnet rather than in the fuel filler area, even if that looked like a re-think.

The new engine delivers more power and torque than before. It’s also smoother and more balanced to the ear. There is a new six-speed manual gearbox as part of the upgrade, which will be more popular in Ireland over the automatic. This manual gearbox is smooth and very comfortable to use, with minimal internal vibration. Combine the two and Toyota is promising a 9% improvement in fuel economy for the new Hilux.

For Irish farmers, the improved towing rating is also welcome. The new crew cab Hilux has a 3.2t towing rating, up from 2.5t and that jumps to 3.5t if you opt for the slightly cheaper single cab version. We didn’t have the opportunity to test the Hilux towing ability, but will soon.

Toyota engineer Nakajima discussed this towing issue with me at the launch. While he accepts that other refreshed competitors quote higher towing figures, he puts a lot of confidence in the heavy-duty chassis and rear axle fitted to the new Hilux.

The Hilux took a beating during our almost 800km of driving across a mix of testing conditions. Out on the gravel roads we were comfortable at speeds up to 100km/h. Moving to more challenging areas and the new low range came into operation. Toyota has replaced the previous two-lever arrangement with a single six-speed gear lever and a dash mounted, and electrically operated dial to engage high- and low-speed four-wheel-drive.

Operating this dial takes a little getting used to and for safety reasons cannot be shifted into low 4x4 while on the move. The Hilux also comes with a centre differential lock and electronically operated hill descent control system and also hill start assist.

Namibia provided the conditions to test all features. These ranged from hard road driving to shifting gravel roads and finally flowing soft sand dune driving.

This new Hilux will continue to satisfy drivers who want to be assured of durability and reliability. The comfort zone is the new area for Hilux. The cab interior in well improved, coupled with a new suspension front and rear. Improved rear leaf springs are used to give a more comfortable ride.

The dash area is totally modernised and almost standardised with the design of the Land Cruiser. This gives the impression that this new Hilux is getting closer in comfort and driveability features to the Land Cruiser. There is a new central touch screen system for the radio, and a reversing camera is standard on all but the entry model.

Entry prices start at €36,500 including VAT, €3,000 more expensive than the current model. Toyota Ireland claims that’s because there has been no price increase on the Hilux for some years.

Toyota needed to win back some kudos for the Hilux; the new competition from Nissan, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen was eroding its position in the comfort area, not the area of durability and reliability. And to add to the value of these latter two, Toyota has extended the chassis and body corrosion warranty to 20 years.

The new Hilux can win back that battle;. The use of the touch screen and new 4x4 dial system are going to be the fresh challenges for new Hilux drivers. They are not insurmountable. The improved Hilux driveability will add to the better deal that brings a stronger 4x4 crew cab to the market and one that continues to set the benchmark even higher.

Toyota Hilux 2.4 DLX

Engine 2.4 litre

Engine power 150hp

0-100km/hr 11.7 seconds

Economy 14.3km/litre

Fuel tank capacity 80 litres

CO2 emissions 178g/km

Road tax band Commercial €333

Main service 20,000km

Euro NCAP rating NA

Towing rating 3,200kg

Warranty 5 years/ 200,000km

Entry price €36,500

NI price £21,510