Toyota South Africa navigated the highs and lows of the news cycle last week. First, the crash-test results for its Starlet hatchback were released by the Global New Car Assessment Programme, and a zero rating for adult occupant protection grabbed headlines.The car tested was the two-airbag model first released in 2024, of which there are as many as 20,000 on local roads. Though the range was updated in September 2025, with six airbags made standard, this variant is still to be assessed.On the opposite side of the spectrum was the brand’s takeover of agricultural festival Nampo, with a Guinness World Record set for the largest number of Hilux models parked in one location. A special draw gave one faithful fan the chance to drive off in a new-generation Hilux.The festivities continued post-Nampo when Toyota hosted its first-ever matsuri (“celebration” in Japanese) event at Kyalami.We attended the shindig, and while the brand showed off models such as the latest FJ Cruiser, the bZ4X electric car and the new RAV4, the big draw was undoubtedly getting seat time in the ninth-generation Hilux. It could well be the most important vehicle of 2026 in the South African context, given it is the country’s best-selling car.The ninth-generation Hilux has an aerodynamic front end. (Toyota) Last year, Toyota shifted 36,525 units of the bakkie — evidencing a wide gap between it and the country’s second-best seller, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, which notched up 26,067 sales in 2025.Now, our Hilux encounter at the matsuri was extremely brief — just a single lap around Kyalami’s compact handling track. We are scheduled to test the double-cab extensively during a trip to Namibia in June and expect a much deeper level of insight into the new offering from that bonding session.You might notice that the side profile of the Hilux is largely unchanged from before, save for the fitment of new alloy designs and minor trimmings.The ninth iteration carries over a significant portion of its predecessor’s architecture, but with extensive refinements in the areas that matter most. And before you blast that approach, remember that the development of the Hilux lineage has always been characterised by steady, measured evolution, not radical change.The most striking aspect of the new Hilux is possibly its enhanced level of connectivity. For example, it boasts a smartphone app that, among other functions, allows the car to be shut down remotely.The new Hilux represents a huge improvement in cabin quality. (Toyota) Indeed, the car’s popularity with criminals is well known, so this feature is among a raft of new measures aimed at deterring theft.The face of the 2026 Hilux adopts the futuristic theme used in contemporary Toyota models such as the Corolla Cross and the RAV4, featuring serpent-type slit-eyed headlamps and a toothy grille. Bakkie backsides tend to look generic and nondescript, and it would be much the same here were it not for the prominent Toyota lettering on the car’s rear end.But that is a problem for those driving behind you to worry about. As a new Hilux buyer, what you are going to be taken aback by is the great leap forward made in the area of cabin quality and design.The car’s fascia bears a strong resemblance to that of the excellent Land Cruiser Prado, and even uses the same steering wheel design found in the large SUV.A scene from Toyota's record-breaking Hilux gathering at Nampo. (Toyota) There is plenty more in the way of soft textures and classier garnishes, but you’ll be glad to know that typically durable Toyota feel has not been sacrificed. And when you fire up the 2.8-litre GD-6 motor, you will immediately tell there has been a more than generous dollop of insulation added to the mix.Even at idle, the noise, vibration and harshness levels of the new Hilux are as starkly different as the taste of biltong and celery when compared with those of the old.Around the short but technical handling circuit, the steering felt lighter than before, though there was little opportunity to plant the power pedal down, as we were driving in convoy. Slowing down to create a gap between myself and the car ahead of me gave me a chance to boot it out of a corner. The vehicle seems responsive enough, but what strikes me is just how much quieter the cabin is.On first impressions, the extra layer of interior plushness and overall refinement addresses some of the longstanding deficiencies attributed to the outgoing Hilux, especially when it is viewed in contrast with the Ford Ranger, its competitor in the leisure double-cab space.In addition to spending more time with the Hilux next month, we will also be attending the line-off parade for the eighth-generation vehicle at the automaker’s KwaZulu-Natal plant.It may seem to be a lot of pomp and circumstance, but for a car that contributes so much to the local economy, it is warranted.