Toyota will bring back a HiLux GR Sport in 2027, with the head of Toyota South Africa confirming the flagship off-road variant is on the way. Andrew Kirby told Cars.co.za that "next year sometime" there would be "an exciting product", adding "that's about all I can say".
The confirmation revives a badge that has been absent from the new-generation HiLux line-up. The ninth-generation ute launched in Australia in December 2025 without the GR Sport, leaving the Rogue and Rugged X diesel variants at the top of the local range at $71,990 before on-road costs.
What Kirby said, and what he did not
Kirby's comments, reported by Cars.co.za, are the only official confirmation of the model so far, and they are deliberately thin. He gave a rough timing of 2027 and described the vehicle only as "an exciting product". Toyota has not published power, torque, suspension specification, pricing or a launch date for the new GR Sport.
The previous GR Sport was a serious piece of kit rather than a sticker pack. The Australian version arrived in 2023, inspired by Toyota's Dakar Rally off-roaders and priced at $73,990 before on-road costs. It paired a more potent tune of the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel with unique bodywork, wheel-arch extensions, all-terrain tyres and a bespoke suspension set-up using KYB shock absorbers and revised spring rates, plus a 15mm ride height increase and wider front and rear tracks.
That recipe explains why the badge matters. The GR Sport is the variant that puts the HiLux directly against the Ford Ranger Raptor, and its return gives Toyota a flagship ute to sit above the workhorse and lifestyle grades rather than relying on the Rogue and Rugged X to carry the top end.
Australia has not been confirmed
Toyota Australia has not confirmed a HiLux GR Sport for Australian showrooms. The local arm does already sell GR Sport grades of the Yaris Cross, Corolla Cross, C-HR, LandCruiser 300 Series and the new-generation RAV4, so the badge is familiar here, but that is not the same as a commitment on the ute.
There is a supply question underneath the silence. South Africa is a right-hand drive market like Australia, but it sources its HiLux from Toyota's Prospecton plant in Durban. The previous GR Sport was built in Thailand, as is the rest of the current Australian-market range, and it is unclear whether Australia could take a South African-built GR Sport if the flagship variant is not also produced in Thailand. Ford offers a useful comparison: it sources hybrid Ranger versions from South Africa while importing the rest of the Ranger line-up from Thailand.
Toyota Australia's broader brand strategy offers a hint of intent without a promise. GR (Gazoo Racing) was announced in late 2025 as one of five core brands the company would focus on, alongside Toyota, Lexus, Century and Daihatsu. A performance halo for the country's best-selling ute fits that plan neatly, but buyers should treat the Australian GR Sport as likely rather than confirmed until Toyota's local division says so.
What buyers still do not know
Pricing for the new model has not been announced. The last Australian GR Sport listed at $73,990 before on-road costs, and the current Rogue and Rugged X sit at $71,990, which gives a rough sense of where a flagship would land without settling anything.
Production location for the 2027 model is also unconfirmed. Thailand built the previous GR Sport, South Africa builds that market's HiLux, and Toyota has not said which plant will supply the new variant or whether Australian cars would come from either source.
What is settled is the timing window and the intent: a GR Sport HiLux is coming in 2027 according to Toyota South Africa's boss, and it will resume the model's role as Toyota's answer to the Ranger Raptor.
