The Toyota Hilux, also known historically as the Hi-Lux and in Japanese as the Toyota Hairakkusu, is a line of pickup trucks made and sold by the Japanese automaker Toyota. Although they could be set up in a variety of body designs, the bulk of these vehicles are offered as pickup truck or cab chassis types.
In most areas, the pickup truck was marketed under the Hilux moniker, but in North America, the Hilux name was dropped in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck in 1976. Even though the SR5 (Sport Runabout 5-Speed) option package was also available on other Toyota vehicles, such as the 19721979 Corolla, it was more commonly referred to as the truck in North America. The Trekker, the wagon-style Hilux, was renamed the 4Runner in North America, Australia, and Venezuela in 1984. In Japan, it was renamed the Hilux Surf. Toyota released the mid-size T100 pickup model in North America in 1992, which necessitated separate designations for each vehicle other than “Truck” and “Pickup Truck.” Since 1995, the 4Runner has been a stand-alone SUV, and more contemporary Hilux vehicles look distinct from Tacoma models.
The Fortuner SUV and the Innova minivan share the same ladder frame chassis architecture, known as the IMV, as the Hilux since the seventh generation vehicle was debuted in 2004.
Toyota announced plans to release an electric-powered Hilux in six years in 2019.
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In This Article...
Why did Toyota cease production of the Hilux?
In 1968, the Toyota Hilux made its debut as a small vehicle that could go everywhere. Even the suspension was independent rather than built on a frame. Eventually, in the 1990s, this small vehicle turned out to be a fantastic choice for business fleets.
The Toyota Hilux was adored by drivers as a luxurious option that was also practical. It was adaptable and offered a smooth, comfortable ride. However, the last Toyota Hilux we saw in the US was in 1995! The Toyota Hilux wasn’t very safe, and maintaining current emission requirements would be challenging. As a result, Toyota discontinued the Hilux in the US and introduced the midsize Toyota Tacoma.
Toyota Hilux: Is it the same as Tacoma?
The Tacoma and Hilux are significantly distinct trucks, despite the fact that they may appear to be very similar to a casual observer. The latest generation of each has, however, been available for roughly the same amount of time.
The third generation of the Texas-made Tacoma and the eighth generation of the Hilux, built at factories all over the world, including Thailand, a significant market for the truck, respectively, went on sale in 2015.
st Generation (19681972)
The Briska and the Light Stout were replaced by the Hilux, a new bonnet-style truck that made its dbut in March 1968. The car was designed by Toyota, and at its Hamura Plant, Hino Motors, Ltd. developed and produced it.
The 1.5-liter 70 PS unit (2R) utilized in the engine was also used in the Toyota Ace. The Hilux utilized a separate frame design with a stiff axle and leaf springs at the back and a double wishbone/coil spring front suspension. The transmission had a column shifter and was a 4-speed manual. The Hilux had a cargo bed that was 1,850 mm long and could carry three passengers and 1,000 kg of payload.
Why cannot I purchase a Hilux in America?
The so-called “Chicken Tax” is to blame for the lack of Toyota Hiluxes in the United States. This tax refers to a 25% tariff that the U.S. government levies on imported goods like brandy, potato starch, and dextrin as well as light trucks like the Hilux. If the Toyota Hilux were produced in the United States, it could be sold for a reasonable price and not be subject to the Chicken Tax.
Toyota must produce a truck in the United States in order to avoid paying this tax. The Tacoma is essentially Toyota’s answer to the Chicken Tax.
Therefore, Chicken Tax prevents the Hilux from competing in the American pickup truck market since this tariff drives up the price of the vehicle. On the other hand, you are free to import a Toyota Hilux from someplace else in the world. There are no legal restrictions on purchasing a Toyota Hilux in the United States.
Can a Toyota Hilux be driven in the US?
The Toyota Hilux is totally legal to import from elsewhere in the world if you so choose; it is not prohibited in the United States. However, after including in all the import-related expenses, such as the 25% Chicken Tax, you’ll find that your little truck actually cost you much more than a brand-new Toyota Tacoma, and you’ll lose a lot of money when you try to sell it.
What makes the Hilux such a hit?
In 2010, the Hilux fueled with jet fuel successfully completed an epic 5,900-mile drive to the South Pole without encountering a single mechanical issue. This was done in an effort to surpass the South Pole in addition to the North Pole.
As a result, the HiLux continues to be successful due to a number of factors, including its reputation as a dependable workhorse, Australia’s continued love of four-wheel driving, a vast array of variants, a comprehensive sales and service network, high resale prices, and a large market share.
No rivals in the major Japanese brands have been able to match the overall sales numbers of the Toyota HiLux for decades.
Still, since the 2011 arrival of Ford’s most recent Ranger, there has been activity at the station.
The Ford and Mazda engineers that designed the Ranger in Australia did a fantastic job.
The Ranger might lead in private sales if the fleet and government purchases were eliminated.
As it stands, the four-wheel-drive Rangers edged out the four-wheel-drive HiLuxes for the entire year of 2017 (36,932 to 35,297 sales), with Mitsubishi’s Triton coming in third with 20,513 sales.
With 11,796 two-wheel drive utes delivered as opposed to 5796 for the Ranger, the HiLux struck back.
However, despite the fact that the four-wheel-drive ute category is highly competitive, with competitors from all over the world, it will be decades before Toyota’s legendary HiLux goes out of business.
The Toyota Hilux is dependable.
Toyota is renowned for being dependable. The Toyota Hilux has long been regarded as the most dependable truck ever, even more so than Toyota as a whole.
Hilux or Tacoma, which is superior?
According to Autoweek, the 2019 Hilux has an updated 2.8-liter inline-four turbodiesel engine. This has a 201 horsepower and 369 lb-ft torque output.
Customers of the Tacoma have a choice between a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 159 horsepower and a 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 278 horsepower, according to U.S. News & World Report. Only TRD trim levels provide the manual transmission option. The rest of the lineup includes a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Tacoma has two- and four-wheel drive choices. Both the Tacoma and the Hilux are available with two or four doors, as well as either long or short pickup beds.
Toyota designed the Tacoma with towing in mind while favoring a higher payload with the Hilux. The Hilux non-chassis cab can tow 1,650 pounds while the Tacoma can pull up to 6,800 pounds. But compared to the Tacoma’s 1,685 pounds, the Hilux can carry up to 2,240 pounds.
Hilux or Ranger: which is superior?
Even if the Toyota Hilux has almost legendary qualities and the Japanese company behind it is reputable, the Ford Ranger still triumphs based solely on specifications. In comparison to its Toyota rival, it provides you with a lot more features and power options at a lower price. The higher grade variations that offer you active and passive car protection include a ton of features. These not only make the vehicle safer, but also easier to drive. Based on what the spec sheet suggests and the Ford Ranger’s more competitive pricing for what the vehicle can provide, the Ford Ranger wins this head-to-head comparison.
What variations of the Toyota HiLux are there?
Learn about the HiLux grades.
- WorkMate. Single-Cab, Extra-Cab, and Double-Cab are all available as cab-chassis. Double-Cab is a pick-up option.
- SR. Single-Cab, Extra-Cab, and Double-Cab are all available as cab-chassis. Extra-Cab and Double-Cab are available for pick-up.
- SR5. Double-Cab is a cab chassis option. Extra-Cab and Double-Cab are available for pick-up.
Which HiLux model is the best?
The family’s dependable workhorse is the standard 3.0 Diesel. Even though it is slower and less potent than the KZ-TE, the SFA 2.4 and 2.8 varieties of diesel are still far superior. These models, in my prejudiced opinion, provide the best fusion of comfort, dependability, off-road prowess, and good looks.
What makes the HiLux so trustworthy?
As a result, the HiLux continues to be successful due to a number of factors, including its reputation as a dependable workhorse, Australia’s continued love of four-wheel driving, a vast array of variants, a comprehensive sales and service network, high resale prices, and a large market share.
Can I purchase a car in Mexico and import it to the United States?
An R34 cannot be registered or operated on public roads in the United States before 2024, according to the NHTSA, and is only permitted for use on tracks. This calls for specific NHTSA approval and the conversion of the vehicle to track-only use prior to importing.
That still leaves one border open, therefore today we’ll talk about how to bring an automobile from Mexico into the country without the use of a professional business. Fortunately, importing an automobile from Mexico is not all that dissimilar from doing it almost everywhere else. The procedures for importing an automobile from Mexico are largely the same as those for shipping one from outside, with the exception of the fact that you can just drive the vehicle across the border.
Let’s take a deeper look at the procedures you must follow in order to legally import and operate a Mexican vehicle in the United States.
What factory makes Toyota Hilux?
What Country Makes the HiLux? Since Toyota moved Hilux production from Japan to Thailand in 2004, the HiLux models that are now on the market are made in Thailand. At its factory in Hamura, Tokyo, Hino Motors, a Toyota affiliate, produced and created the earlier generation Hilux models.
Why doesn’t Toyota offer diesel motors for sale in America?
The main reasons why the Hilux is not sold in the American market are the Chicken Tax/tariff issue along with market preferences, but there are some more factors to take into account as well:
- Emissions Hiluxes have always had relatively “agricultural” powerplants (particularly the older models). The bulk of Hiluxes sold in countries like Australia and New Zealand are diesel models. For instance, the current Hilux is only offered in New Zealand with a turbo-diesel engine, which is definitely in violation of many American states’ emission/pollution laws. In reality, Toyota explicitly states on its American website that due to emissions regulations, company does not sell diesel-powered automobiles in the United States. Some contend that the truck’s discontinuation in America, where gasoline and diesel engines are more common, is also due to the Hilux engine lineup’s emphasis on diesels.
- Safety
- America has historically tended to have tougher requirements for automobile safety than many other markets. While more recent Hilux models are regarded as safe vehicles in the areas where they are sold, previous models were unquestionably less secure. To certify the Hilux to US safety requirements would cost Toyota a fortune and possibly need vehicle modifications. One of the reasons the Hilux is not also marketed in the Canadian market is due to safety concerns and lack of compliance.