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Few nameplates will ever reach the level of respect and recognition achieved by the Toyota Hilux.
The truck is an ordinary sight on the planet’s most mercilessly inhospitable terrains and it has earned a reputation for being nearly indestructible. It wasn’t born as an off-roader; 4x4 wasn’t on Toyota’s mind when the original model made its debut in 1968. This is how it all started.
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Before the Hilux
Toyota made several pickups before introducing the Hilux, including one based on the Corona (pictured) and a standalone model named Stout. In 1966, it formed an alliance with Japan’s Hino Motors. Toyota agreed to focus on making light commercial vehicles while Hino took on the responsibility of building medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The Hino Briska – a small pickup introduced in 1965– joined the Toyota line-up the following year.
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The original Hilux (1968)
The Briska’s replacement adopted the name Hilux, a combination of the words high and luxury. Hino manufactured the model but, as outlined in the 1966 agreement, Toyota sold it as its own throughout Japan. Toyota envisioned a small truck for buyers who needed to carry bulky items but didn’t want to sacrifice the comfort and features found in a passenger car.
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The original Hilux, by the numbers (1968)
The first-generation Hilux didn’t offer much in the way of off-road prowess. Offered only with rear-wheel drive, it came with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine rated at 70hp, a four-speed manual transmission with a steering column-mounted shifter and just enough ground clearance to tackle a dirt trail without leaving sheet metal or oily bits behind. Three passengers could squeeze onto its bench seat if they were skinny enough.
Toyota expanded the line-up with a long-wheelbase model in 1969. In America, already one of Toyota’s most important foreign markets, the Hilux initially received a 90hp engine but it wasn’t made available with the longer wheelbase. American-spec models stood out with turn signals mounted on top of the front wings because the standard ones located above headthe lights were too small to comply with the country’s safety regulations.
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The Hilux and its peers (1968)
In the Toyota line-up, the Hilux joined two existing pickups based on the Corona and the Crown, respectively. Both models were essentially commercial variants of passenger cars and similar in concept to the utes that were becoming immensely popular in Australia. Toyota believed that sector of the market needed to be checked rather than cultivated. It quickly axed its car-based pickups to make room for the Hilux.
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The second-generation Hilux (1972)
The original Hilux didn’t last long. Toyota introduced the second-generation model in 1972.
Though the engine range stayed the same, a less rudimentary interior turned the truck into a more pleasant place to travel in while servo-assisted brakes made it safer to drive. Sales continued in America, where buyers could finally order the long-wheelbase truck, and Toyota began selling the Hilux in the UK shortly after the second-generation model’s debut.
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Blazing its own path in America (1970s)
Hilux buyers already demanded more, especially in the US where trucks were fast becoming leisure vehicles rather than back-to-the-basics machines used only on farms and construction sites. In response, Toyota launched a higher-spec model in 1974 with a more powerful engine and an available three-speed automatic transmission. It also began selling camper shells and added an adventure-oriented trim level named SR-5 to the line-up.
Finally, Toyota decided to phase out the Hilux nameplate on the American market. The truck became known quite simply – and quite unimaginatively – as the Truck.
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The third-generation Hilux (1978)
The third-generation Hilux arrived in late 1978. The evolutionary design changes hid several significant improvements including a redesigned suspension that provided a smoother ride and front disc brakes on many of the more expensive variants. Toyota also expanded the line-up with extended- and double-cab models in select markets.
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The Hilux goes 4WD (1979)
10 years after its introduction, the Hilux still followed the same basic formula outlined by Toyota and Hino when they developed the original model. This changed in 1979. Toyota launched a four-wheel drive model that used proven components sourced from the 40-series Land Cruiser. The first diesel-powered Hilux arrived not long after. It came with two- or four-wheel drive. The diesel and four-wheel drive combination paved the way for the Hilux that roams the globe in 2018.
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Pickup-turned-SUV (1981)
In America, Winnebago and Toyota turned the third-generation Hilux into an SUV-like off-roader named Trekker. The process of transforming a Hilux into a Trekker involved welding the bed to the cab, cutting out the wall between the two sections and installing a fibreglass shell with side and rear windows. The Trekker then received full carpet and a rear bench.
Historians disagree on the number of Trekker conversions performed and official records are lost to history. Most peg the final figure between 1000 and 1500. Both two- and four-wheel drive variants were produced, all with the 2.2-litre engine, and most were sold in the western parts of the US. In hindsight, the Trekker was the 4Runner’s direct predecessor.
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The fourth-generation Hilux (1983)
Toyota replaced the Hilux surprisingly often during the 1970s and 1980s. It introduced the fourth-generation model in 1983. The truck flaunted its newfound off-road capacity with a rugged-looking design characterized by a more angular front end and flared wheel arches. The line-up swelled to 20 variants; buyers could choose between single- and double-cab trucks, a petrol or a diesel engine and either two- or four-wheel drive.
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The 4Runner (1984)
The Trekker set the stage for the original 4Runner, which Toyota designed on its own and introduced in 1984. Starting with a fourth-generation Hilux, the firm removed the rear wall to clear up space for five passengers and added a removable roof. Toyota noted it also made the rear suspension softer to improve the 4Runner’s ride.
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The fifth-generation Hilux (1988)
Toyota explained it developed the fifth-generation Hilux with three main attributes in mind: power, sturdiness and comfort. It paid special attention to the interior and made it more car-like. It streamlined the exterior design and offered double-cab models with a 3.0-litre V6. The fifth-generation Hilux spawned the second-generation 4Runner, which made its debut in 1990 as a more conventional SUV with a second set of doors and a full metal body.
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Volkswagen’s Hilux (1989)
Volkswagen purchased a license to manufacture and sell the fifth-generation Toyota Hilux in Europe. Called Taro, the model was identical to its Toyota-badged sibling with the notable exception of Volkswagen emblems on both ends. The line-up included two- and four-wheel drive models and several cab configurations.
Taro production lasted between 1989 and 1997, first in Hanover and later in Emden. Volkswagen left the pickup segment when it phased out the Taro and didn’t return until it introduced the Amarok in 2010.
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American production begins (1991)
Like many of its rivals, Toyota creatively circumvented the chicken tax (which adds a 25% tariff to all imported trucks sold in the US) by shipping cab-chassis pickups from Japan and installing the cargo box after they cleared customs. This solution lowered tariffs to 4%. It worked for decades until the company decided it made more sense to build its pickups locally.
America emerged as one of the Hilux’s most important markets so, in 1991, Toyota began manufacturing the truck at the NUMMI factory it operated jointly with General Motors in Fremont, California. NUMMI manufactured the Hilux (and, later, the Tacoma) until closed down in 2010. Today, the facility builds Tesla’s Model S, Model X and Model 3 vehicles.
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Introducing the Tacoma (1995)
Building the Hilux in America gave Toyota the opportunity to tailor it to the local market. The changes came with a new name: Tacoma. Introduced in 1995, the first-generation Tacoma handled better and delivered a more comfortable ride than the Hilux, which was still largely aimed at users seeking a work truck. It also wore a more stylish model-specific design and its dimensions grew compared to the Hilux.
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The sixth-generation Hilux (1997)
Giving America its own truck allowed Toyota to focus on making a pickup for the rest of the world. The main difference was that American motorists often used the truck every day; they wanted comfort, power, decent handling and a long list of features. Elsewhere, including in Europe and in Australia, dependability and versatility topped buyers’ list of priorities. Toyota responded accordingly with the sixth-generation model.
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The seventh-generation Hilux (2004)
Toyota made major changes to the Hilux for its seventh generation in order to fend off a growing number of competitors like the Ford Ranger and the Mitsubishi Triton. The truck became bigger, it offered more variants and it followed the Tacoma’s shift towards daily usability. Buyers seeking a stripped-down work truck could still get one, though.
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The eighth-generation Hilux (2015)
As Toyota moved the Tacoma in a more rugged direction with variants like the TRD Pro, the eighth-generation Hilux launched in 2015 increasingly blurred the line between a premium saloon and a work truck. As of 2018 it’s available with a multi-function steering wheel, a configurable screen in the instrument cluster, aluminium-look trim and a touch screen-based infotainment system. Buyers can also select pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, a lane-departure warning system and keyless entry, among other tech features.
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Almost global
In 2015, when Toyota introduced the eighth-generation Hilux, the brand had sold about 17.7 million examples of the truck globally since it launched the first-generation model. The Hilux stood out as the best-selling pickup in Europe in spite of serious competition from models like the Volkswagen Amarok and the Nissan Navara. It also remained immensely popular in Australia, the Middle East and certain parts of Africa.
The then-new Hilux wasn’t destined to become a truly global model, however. Toyota made it clear it had no plans to bring the Hilux back to America, where the Tacoma had just entered its third generation, and it wasn’t interested in selling the truck in Japan, either.
Japanese sales resumed after a 13-year hiatus in 2017.
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Hilux Tonka concept (2017)
In 2017, Toyota’s Australian division teamed up with toy maker Tonka to make a one-off Hilux inspired by the plastic toys commonly found in sandboxes. Starting with a double-cab model, designers added a custom suspension with a six-inch lift and fitted a rugged-looking body kit. The concept embarked on a tour of Australia but it never became a candidate for production.
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Best-selling bakkie and ute
The Hilux’s success still extends outside of Europe. In South Africa, where it’s part of the bakkie segment, it’s the best-selling vehicle by a comfortable margin. Toyota sold 36,422 examples of the Hilux in 2017, a nearly 4000-unit lead over the Ford Ranger. The best-selling passenger car was the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, which logged 28,402 sales.
The story is the same in Australia, where the Hilux is considered a ute. It led the market in 2017 with 47,093 sales, followed by the Ford Ranger at 42,728. The third-place Corolla ended the year nearly 10,000 units behind the Hilux.
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The Hilux tackles Dakar
The Toyota Hilux has competed in the gruelling Dakar Rally numerous times. In 2018, Toyota’s Gazoo Racing team participated in the event with a purpose-built truck powered by a mid-mounted, naturally-aspirated V8 engine. Comprehensive suspension and weight-saving modifications helped the Hilux blast through the desert like a Supra on a race track. Toyota captured the second and third spots on the podium but couldn't beat Peugeot for first.
Note: 2016 Dakar entry pictured.
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