South Africans love to accessorise their vehicles, especially those built to venture off the beaten track. You know, overlanding. In fact, OPC’s own Calvin Fisher owns a kitted out Porsche Cayenne. Thought the German marque’s midsize SUV is only designed urban environments? Well, think again. It can go anywhere! You can watch his journey with his overlanding Cayenne here.
However, the first vehicle you probably thought about first when we mentioned the fitment of overlanding accessories was, well, that of the Toyota variety. You know, the Hilux, Fortuner, Land Cruiser, or even the RAV4.
We won’t judge you. Toyota-badged off-roaders were the first vehicles that jumped to our minds as well. Well, that and, to be cheeky, the extremely customisable Suzuki Jimny, which we drove to Botswana and back. But the latter aside, it’s Toyota that arguably rules the roost when it comes to accessories. There are many!
Indeed, over the years, the Japanese automaker has developed a range of accessories to cover the core needs of its customers. There are nudge bars (you know, the good ol’ bull bar), styling bars, tow bars, side steps, and canopies.
However, for Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) it has become apparent that customers wanted even more accessories that would suit their lifestyles and, especially, outdoor activities. The answer to this? Launching a new accessories programme for the South African market.
So, what can you expect from the Associated Accessory Products (AAP) programme? Well, for starters, the latter will complement currently available accessories to enable customers to customise their Toyotas as they wish.
In addition, AAP offers a one-stop-shop. Yup, you can fit your Toyota with an array of accessories through the APP programme at your Toyota dealer. And, as we all know, there are many of the latter around SA. It doesn’t only apply to our market, however. This programme will also be rolled out across Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and eSwatini.
You’re probably wondering about the suppliers of the accessories? Well, Toyota has collaborated with some of the most respected suppliers in the industry to provide roof racks, cross bars, rooftop tents, roof boxes, bike carriers, fridges, recovery boards, solar panels, battery management systems, roof consoles, and more.
Suppliers include Ironman 4X4, 4X4 Megaworld, Front Runner, IVXIVBUSHINDABA, and Thule. But what about pricing? You needn’t worry. The accessories will be in-line with current aftermarket pricing.