Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200?

The 'boxy' has an old history in Sudan. It is associated with happy occassions like weddings, and sad occasions like burials. It is the carrier of vegetables, bread, milk, the army and the policy. The boxy is a car able to reach the most remote parts of this vast country of Sudan, through desert, savannah and more. Even in the most remote locations, maintenance is easy, requiring just the most basic of mechanical knowledge. 

I could continue to wax lyrical about the Boxy, but I shall turn to more detail on the various models. Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when talking about the Boxy in Sudan is the Toyota Hilux, which many place as the gold standard of steadiness and reliability. Great respect is also given to it's older sister, the Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup 70 or the 'Thatcher', as it is fondly referred to. So we'll cover it in this article, together with one of its fiercest rivals in the small pickup category, the Mitsubishi L200. This category also includes the Isuzu D-Max, the Volkswagen Amarok, Nissan Navara and other Chinese car companies that we won't focus on in this article.

Both the Toyota Hilux and the Mitsubishi L200 are available with gasoline or diesel engines. Don't worry if you don't know which to choose, the article we published a year ago (available here) can help you tell the difference between diesel and gasoline engines. A huge plus for the engines of both of these cars, is that they have been produced for long time (and likely will continue to be produced for a long time). This makes it easier to find good maintenance and spare parts for them.

The Toyota Hilux is available with a 4-valve, 2.0 litre or 2.7 litre petrol engine. The 2.0 litre engine is 140 horsepower and 185 newton meters.  The 2.7 litre engine is 160 horsepower and 246 newton meters. The first option is more fuel economical, but the second option is stronger and more robust. As for diesel, there are several options for diesel engines in the Toyota Hilux. They are 4 pistols, and can come with a 2.5 litre engine or a 3.0 litre engine. The 2.5 litre diesel engine is 144 horsepower and 343 Newton Meters. The 3.0 litre diesel engine is 163 horsepower and 360 Newton Meters.

The Mitsubishi L200 has less powerful engines. It is available with a petrol 4G engine with 4 pistols. This engine is 142 horsepower and 218 Newton Meters. There are 4 valve diesel engines available as well. The most common is the 56  engine which is 2.5 litre, 136 horsepower 320 Newton Metres. The modern 4N15 engine is 2.4 litre and is 181 horsepower and 430 Newton Metres. 

You may have noticed that the diesel engines and the gasoline engines are not very different in horsepower. However, the diesel outdo the gasoline in the torque, which is important. The Boxy needs torque to start smoothly and to pull heavy weight. It does not actually need a high horsepower, because it is not generally used for high speeds. 

So what about the off-road performance of these two Boxies. There are two categories: the first carries a 4x2 logo and is always labeled as "low-voltage". It is more suitable for urban use, thanks to its low fuel consumption. The second category is more suitable for off-road use with a 4x4 or 4WD logo. It is known as "High Boxy" in Sudan as the body is raised higher than the 4x2. It has a four-wheel drive and heavy gears to increase the torque at low speeds. Its suspension systems and other features are developed to withstand the bumpy terrain and the harsh conditions to which it will be subject.
The Boxy in Sudan, particularly in Khartoum, is considered a very practical vehicle. It is not considered a luxury car at all, even though recently we have seen its manufacturers including many higher-end features such as automatic transmission, advanced sound systems and more advanced safety systems such as airbags. 

I know many of you are eager to read about the prices of Boxies in Sudan. But before we turn to this, though, a note of caution. Generally, cars are not a good investment asset as their value diminishes over time. In Sudan, the Toyota Hilux is no exception to this rule, despite the great demand for it, and the high value when selling, even the old models, some of which exceeded the price of modern models. For example, on alsoug.com, we once saw a 1983 Boxy being sold at SDG 280,000, which was SDG 60,000 more expensive than a 2001 Boxy being sold at the same time.

The 2006 to 2014 models of the Boxies in Sudan range from SDG 380,00 to SDG 650,000. The latest range, which was launched in the second half of 2015, start at SDG 635,000 and exceed even SDG 1,135,000 for the 2017 model.

The good news is the Mitsubishi L200 is significantly cheaper in Sudan than the Toyota Hilux. However, its spare parts are more expensive and I don't love the design of the exterior.  But, pricing-wise, it is better. For example, on alsoug.com, we see a 1997 model for SDG 132,000 and a 2004 model for SDG 230,000. Models from 2006 to 2009 range from SDG 190,000 to SDG 320,000. 

We hope this article on pick-ups in Sudan has been helpful. If you have any questions or feedback, please do leave us a comment below. We would love to hear from you.