During a recent trip to Japan, Calvin Fisher managed to get into the functional cabin of Toyota’s upcoming new workhorse, touted as the successor to the Stallion.
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Meet the Toyota IMV-0 Concept – or Innovative Multi-Purpose Vehicle Zero. As in, zero chance what you’re looking at isn’t the second coming of the Toyota Stallion. As for the Concept part, is it still a concept car if I’ve driven it? Because I have.
Toyota Stallion Fast Facts
- Price: TBA
- Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel
- Transfer: 5-speed manual transmission
- Current: 110 kW @ 3,400 rpm
- Couple: 400 Nm @ 1,600 rpm
- Driven wheels: rear end
- Load capacity: 1000 kg
Like the IMV-0 itself, there’s a lot to unpack here.
The experience upon arriving at Toyota’s test and development facility, just a few miles from Mount Fuji, was as these top-secret things usually go. We were given color-coded adhesive stickers to cover the camera lenses of our smartphones, briefed in detail about the heavy burden of an information embargo, and then provided with the mandatory list of rules we had to adhere to. Formalities aside, we were led to a series of sleek-looking test cars from Toyota and Lexus, each displaying some stunning technology – some of which is reviewed in the February issue of CAR Magazine. What caught my South African eyes, however, was a familiar shape: a cute box that had been unveiled days earlier at the Japan Mobility Show. One that immediately brought back memories of Toyota’s beloved stallion.
That original F40 Stallion utility vehicle was released on South African roads in 1986 and it was based on which a passenger version called the Venture was born. For nearly thirty years, it would be a beloved staple that transported goods and people, mobilized businesses as pickup trucks, served as van-style school buses and everything in between. Even before the term ‘lifestyle cup’ was ever invented. Fast forward to today, and the passenger market couldn’t be more different, although crucial: there is no less need for a rugged, affordable multi-purpose utility vehicle.
You’re next, champ
You may have noticed that international publications refer to the IMV-0 concept as the ‘Hilux Champ’. While they may be right, that would be to ignore the rich history of not just the Stallion but, if we’re honest, another Japanese manufacturer with a rich heritage that uses the same name for its own long-discontinued pickup of half a ton. Here we are betting on the name 2024 Toyota Stallion.
Either way, as a package this new Toyota is immediately likable. First, there are those Lego brick-like aesthetics that echo the big boxy full-size Toyota bakkies like the US-based Tundra.
It looks cool, with Toyota’s marketing department taking advantage of this by launching different versions of the vehicle at the Motor Show. This included a range of variations outfitted as TRD-inspired racing trucks, a few lifestyle versions and of course a fleet of mobile coffee shops, vans and more. The potential feels truly limitless here and starts the moment you see one in the metal, the configurable flat deck offering a true blank canvas.
Related: Why the Toyota Stallion Could Be the Right Product at the Right Time
Our test car had shallow sides and a matching tailgate, so it had a very familiar and versatile profile. As I clambered aboard, I noticed a comfortable cabin covered in hard plastic surfaces and a continued trend toward bold geometric shapes in design and execution. Instruments are sufficient, they don’t make any bold moves toward lifestyle vehicle ambitions, instead focusing on all the gear you’ll need in your mid-size utility. There are plenty of shelters and storage bins throughout which should be useful for the daily use of a commercial vehicle.
Speaking of gears, there are five forward gears here in addition to reverse, mirroring the typical five-speed manual transmission you’ll find in an entry-level Hilux, in this case paired with the well-known 2.4-liter GD-6 turbodiesel engine. Finally, it is powered by combustion, despite initial reports that the IMV-0 would have an electric powertrain.
Related: What Will Toyota’s Stallion Compete Against?
Clutch roll-off results in the familiar diesel engine pull, an agricultural growl, a torque or a shunt – so there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking to report here. What followed were a few “hot” laps around a banked oval in Toyota’s new van. It accelerated well enough, changed lanes exactly as you’d expect and when I was on the middle pedal there were no surprises.
As South Africans, we tend to romanticize our youth because many of us, to some extent, grew up behind a stallion or a business. Those were the days when these types of machines had bulletproof reliability and lots of character. There is no reason to believe that this won’t be the same for the families of hardworking South Africans once this new workhorse hits the market.
This part is speculation
The way I see it, the IMV-0 will do exactly what it says on the tin. That is, to be a relatively affordable, modular and easily customizable commercial vehicle that will appeal to a broad spectrum of South African businesses. I imagine the IMV-0 will also be around R40,000 cheaper than its nearest commercial Hilux counterpart, which might not offer the same degree of modularity.
Think of the IMV-0 as a box, or better yet a blank page – most likely with a common drivetrain to keep costs down. That it looks like a full-grown Tonka Toy will only endear it more to a truck-loving Mzansi, as it builds on Toyota’s legacy of rugged, versatile mobility.
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