- Close to a hundred crews tackle eight tasks on the white dunes of Atlantis
- Motoring media put the all-new Toyota Hilux through its paces in soft sand
- Overall victory goes to an 18-year-old Hilux, with Toyotas filling four of the top six places
The 2026 Toyota Atlantis 4×4 Fun Day took place on Saturday, 3 October, with close to a hundred four-wheel-drive crews taking on eight tasks on the white dunes of the Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserve, outside Atlantis in the Western Cape. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) was again the main sponsor of the event, which is organised by the Four-Wheel Drive Club of Southern Africa, Western Cape, and has become a fixture on the province’s off-road calendar on the first weekend of October.
A cool, cloudy start soon gave way to sunny and mild conditions, although a strong wind blew across the dunes for the entire day.
Toyota products made up more than half of the entry list, from a 1983 Hilux to current-generation models. Toyota dealers in the region also played their part, with Rola Toyota, Bidvest McCarthy, NMI Toyota Kuilsrivier and CFAO Toyota Cape Town each supporting one of the tasks.
TSAM used the occasion to give members of the motoring media time behind the wheel of the all-new Toyota Hilux, in Legend 4×4 guise, in demanding conditions. The media cars were stock standard, with the exception of new Dunlop Grandtrek A/T tyres, which were fitted because they perform very well in off-road driving conditions. Four media crews took on all eight tasks alongside the rest of the field: Brendon Staniforth (Maroela Media), Justin Ford (Wheels24), Chad Luckhoff (AutoTrader) and Oliver Keohane (CAR Magazine). Staniforth, partnered by his wife Leonora, was the best-placed of the four. TSAM’s Riaan Esterhuysen also competed on the day.
“The Atlantis 4×4 Fun Day is exactly the kind of event we love to be part of,” says Riaan Esterhuysen of Toyota SA Motors. “It brings families and friends together, it is run by people who are passionate about responsible off-road driving, and it shows what these vehicles are built to do. Seeing the all-new Hilux take on the dunes alongside Hiluxes that are 20, 30 and even 40 years old was a highlight for us.”
Overall victory went to Willem and Karla van Schalkwyk in a 2008 Toyota Hilux. They scored 203.75 points to finish more than 11 points clear of the field. Josia Frick and Franco Smit were second in a 2013 Toyota Prado on 192.375 points, narrowly ahead of Tristan von Weichardt and Luzaan Lucas in third on 192 points. Conrie and Marisa Conradie placed fourth in a 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser, while Abri and Janene van der Merwe were sixth in a 2007 Toyota Hilux.
As is tradition, most of the prizes on the day were handed out by lucky draw, thanks to the support of the event’s sponsors.
