The , stylized 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 pickup truck or cab chassis variants, although they could be configured in a variety of body styles.
The pickup truck was sold with the Hilux name in most markets, but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck. In North America, 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 wagon version of the Hilux, was renamed the 4Runner in Venezuela, Australia and North America, and the Hilux Surf in Japan. In 1992, Toyota introduced a newer pickup model, the mid-size T100 in North America, necessitating distinct names for each vehicle other than Truck and Pickup Truck. Since 1995, the 4Runner is a standalone SUV, while in the same year Toyota introduced the Tacoma to replace the Hilux pickup in North America.
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 minivan.
Cumulative global sales in 2017 reached 17.7 million units. In 2019, Toyota revealed plans to introduce an electric-powered Hilux within six years.
First generation (N10; 1968)
The Hilux started production in March 1968 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 L inline-four in February 1971.
In April 1969, a long-wheelbase version was added to the range. The short-wheelbase version also continued in production for many more years. The long-wheelbase version was not sold in the North American market until 1972, allowing the Datsun Truck to maintain a strong market presence. The Hilux was offered as a replacement to the Toyota Crown, Toyota Corona, and Toyota Corona Mark II based pickup trucks in Japan, as the Crown, Corona, and Corona Mark II were repositioned as passenger sedans.
In spite of the name "Hilux", it was a luxury vehicle only when compared to the Stout. The Hilux was engineered and assembled by Hino Motors to replace the earlier vehicle that the Hilux was derived from, called the Briska 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 short bed and all were rear-wheel drive. 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 US 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 chassis cab (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: 1968–1971: 1.5 L (1,490 cc) 2R I4 1971–1972: 1.6 L (1,587 cc) 12R I4
North American markets: 1969: 1.9 L (1,897 cc) 3R I4, 1970–1972: 1.9 L (1,858 cc) 8R SOHC I4, 1972: 2.0 L (1,968 cc) 18R SOHC I4,
Second generation (N20; 1972)
In May 1972, the 1973 model year Hilux was introduced, designated the RN20. Nicknamed the "RokeHi" (ロケハイ), a portmanteau of "Rocket Hilux", it has a more comfortable interior along with exterior updates. A "long bed" was an option for the first time in North American markets, although such a version had been available worldwide since April 1969. This received the "RN25" chassis code. The 2.0 litre 18R engine was available in Japan as well, with a three-speed automatic transmission available as an option. The 2.0-litre automatic model managed a "gentle" top speed in a period road test conducted in South Africa, in spite of a claimed .