We headed up to Gauteng for the Japanese brand’s annual State of The Motoring Industry event. Here’s a preview of the new Toyotas for SA in 2026.
All appears to be well for Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) with our market sales increasing by almost 16% year-on-year, taking the total to new vehicles sold to almost 600 000! While we are a bakkie-obsessed nation, it was the passenger car sales which did the heavy lifting.
If you look at the top 15 best-selling passenger vehicles in South Africa in 2025, 6 of them were Toyotas. Cynically you could say Suzuki also deserves some applause as the Toyota-badged creations such as the Starlet Cross and Urban Cruiser featured. The locally-assembled Corolla Cross was SA’s best-selling crossover and 3rd-placed passenger vehicle with 22 191 units sold.
Of course we can’t talk about Toyota and not mention the bakkies, and the (LCV) segment grew 7.8% year-on-year to 143 637 units, and again the Hilux dominated the sales charts, an accolade it has held for over 50 years. Will the new 9th-generation Hilux continue this run?
What about the future of the Prospecton plant?
Now while 2025’s sales were great and the 2026 forecast looks positive, Toyota South Africa Motors CEO Andrew Kirby shared concerns about the future. Having attended Volkswagen Group’s Indaba just a week earlier, the parallels were uncanny.
As a reminder, SA’s car manufacturing operations supply vehicles for both local consumption and export and the majority of those are headed to the United Kingdom and European Union. With both markets heading towards internal-combustion bans and severe reductions in emissions over the next 5 years, demand for SA-built vehicles which won’t comply with EU regulations will stop.
“We cannot become a purely import-driven market. With the right small policy adjustments, we can strengthen competitiveness, attract new investment and grow the economy,” Kirby said.
New Toyotas for SA in 2026
As you can see by the list below, Toyota/Lexus will be focusing a lot on new energy vehicle launches and range expansions. Curiously, there was no sign of the all-new 9th-generation Toyota Hilux and very little mention of it. We’re going to assume that TSAM will be holding a separate event for its locally-assembled legend.
Toyota bZ4X/Lexus RX BEV
Toyota will be launching its first battery-electric vehicle in the form of the bZ4x and it promises all-wheel drive, around 450 km of range and a claimed 0-100 kph of 5.1 seconds.
Its premium twin, the Lexus RZ is also earmarked for introduction and will be hitting SA roads as soon as the end of February 2026. It too will have all-wheel drive and will be available with the updated 80.5 kWh battery.
Lexus RZ 600e BEV
This outrageous-looking creation is the sportiest iteration of the electric Lexus RZ. It makes 315 kW and features plenty of carbon fibre parts.
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ
The new FJ will serve as the entry point to the Land Cruiser brand. It’ll be powered by a 2.7 naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine making around 120 kW. It will feature low-range as well as a rear differential, so the LC offroad legacy remains!
Toyota RAV4 HEV and PHEV
The new-generation RAV4 will come to market with three engine options, ICE, HEV and Plug-In Hybrid electric vehicle. There’ll be three grades and we’ll see the debut of the GR-Sport badging on the RAV4.
Corolla Cross GR-S HEV
The new Corolla Cross GR-S will be available in both hybrid and internal-combustion engine configurations, will feature unique styling elements like bespoke 18-inch alloy wheels and some cabin enhancements.
Land Cruiser 300 1M-HEV
The Toyota Land Cruiser 300 range will gain a hybrid powertrain. We suspect its the same engine as the Lexus LX 700h and those outputs pack a punch! There’s 341 kW and 790 Nm, and it should use less fuel than its non-hybrid siblings.
Looking to the future!
Toyota South Africa confirmed its looking at bringing in a few of its brand-new GR GTs. This promises supercar performance with a new 4.0-litre V8 engine with an electric assist making 478 kW and 850 Nm. There are no performance figures as yet, but Toyota says it’ll have a top speed of 320 kph and feature things like carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo. Start saving!
