The Toyota Hilux (; ), stylised as HiLux and historically as Hi-Lux, is a series of pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The majority of these vehicles are sold as a pickup truck or cab chassis, although they could be configured in a variety of body styles
According to Toyota, the "Hilux" name is a portmanteau of the words "High Luxury", this name means "comfortable vehicle with high technology". It was considered a luxury vehicle only when compared to the spartan, heavy-duty Stout. This was due to its additional sedan-like equipment, similar to those found in the Crown, Corona, and Corona Mark II coupé utilities available until the early 1970s.
The pickup truck was sold with the Hilux name in most markets, but in North America, the Hilux name was retired starting in the 1976 model year in favor of Pickup, and later as Truck in the 1984 model year. In this market, the popular option package, the SR5 (Sport Runabout 5-Speed), was colloquially used as a model name for the truck, even though the option package was also used on other Toyota models, like the 1972 to 1979 Corolla. In 1984, the Trekker, the station wagon version of the Hilux, was renamed the 4Runner in Americas, Australia, and the Middle East, and the Hilux Surf in Japan. In 1992, Toyota introduced a newer pickup model, the mid-size T100 in North America, and the Grandlux in the Middle East, necessitating distinct names for each vehicle other than Truck. Since 1995, the 4Runner is a standalone SUV, while in the same year Toyota introduced the Tacoma to replace the Hilux in North America while the latter remains in the market in the rest of the world.
Since the seventh-generation model released in 2004, the Hilux shares the same ladder frame chassis platform called the IMV with the Fortuner SUV and the Innova MPV. Cumulative global sales in 2017 reached 17.7 million units.
| designer = Takayuki Otsuka
| body_style = 2-door pickup truck
| layout = Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
| engine =
| transmission = 4-speed manual
| wheelbase =
| width = as the RN10 in short-wheelbase form with a 1.5 L inline-four engine, generating a maximum power output of in Japanese market specification. The vehicle was conceived by Toyota, and was developed and manufactured by Hino Motors at its Hamura Plant. In Japan, it was available at the Toyota Japan dealership retail chains called Toyota Store and Toyopet Store. The modification to the engine was enough for a claimed top speed of . The 1.5-litre engine was upgraded to a 1.6-litre inline-four in February 1971.
In April 1969, a long-wheelbase version was added to the range, followed by box van models in July 1970. in the niche beneath the larger and older Stout – it replaced the Stout fully in some markets. For the North American market, the only body style was a regular cab with a short bed. It used a typical truck setup of A-arms and coil springs in front and a live axle with leaf springs in back. A four-speed manual transmission was standard.
Starting in November 1971, final assembly of trucks for the United States market was completed by Atlas Fabricators in Long Beach, California, later renamed Toyota Auto Body California. Trucks were shipped from the factory in Japan as a cab chassis (the entire truck, less the truck bed). When the trucks arrived in the United States, a truck bed would be locally built and attached to the chassis before being sent to dealers. The arrangement was a form of tariff engineering, allowing Toyota to circumvent the chicken tax, a 25 percent tariff on imported light trucks. By only importing a chassis cab, Toyota only had to pay a 4% tariff.
Engines
Global markets:
- 1969: 1.9 L (1,897 cc) 3R OHV I4,
- 1970–1972: 1.9 L (1,858 cc) 8R SOHC I4,
- 1972: 2.0 L (1,968 cc) 18R SOHC I4,
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File:Toyota Hilux (California USA Museum).jpg|1970–1972 Toyota Hilux
File:Toyota N10 1600 Pick-up (1974) 02 (cropped).jpg|Rear view
Toyota RN10-D Hilux Long Body Deluxe (No.005) (24042109510).jpg|LWB model
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