Toyota Hilux 2026 Production in South Africa: Investment, Output and Timeline

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Toyota has started building the ninth-generation Hilux at its Prospecton plant in Durban, South Africa. The investment reached 10.4 billion rand — Toyota South Africa Motors' largest ever commitment to a single model — with planned output of around 140,000 pickups a year, more than half of them earmarked for export.

Of the total, 7.2 billion rand went into production readiness and another 3.2 billion rand into developing local suppliers. The project includes a 29,300 square meter logistics center, a new frame-coating line and a welding shop due for completion in June 2027. Suppliers are separately investing 2 billion rand of their own.

The plant has built the Hilux for 56 years, turning out more than 2.9 million units for 74 markets across Africa and Europe. More than 4,300 people work the line, and the supplier chain supports roughly 27,000 jobs.

The changeover won't be abrupt. The eighth generation will keep rolling alongside the new model until 2027, which should limit the risk of supply disruptions. The ninth-generation Hilux has already launched in Europe with an electric version and a Hybrid 48V diesel, and it has also picked up British interior and hybrid-tech details ahead of its UK launch.

Toyota hasn't yet disclosed how South African output will be split between powertrains and export markets. The next checkpoint is real production volume once the new welding line comes online in June 2027.