The New Toyota Hilux Is the Pickup Truck We Can’t Have 

Doug completely misses that the Hilux can haul a payload of more than 1,440lbs more than the Tacoma and can tow more than 1,000lbs more than the Tacoma. It has a much more expensive fully boxed frame and much stronger suspension, meant for a lifetime of hard usage. Instead he focuses on nonsense bells and whistles that the Hilux lacks, completely missing the entire point of the truck and it’s customers.

"Its all about utility!" THATS WHAT TRUCKS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE

An older version of the hilux is what Top Gear tried (unsuccessfully) to test to destruction all those years ago. One of the main reasons it's almost indestructible is that simplicity.

I think its important to note that this truck is by no means the top spec hilux you can get globally. The hiluxs we have in NZ can come with radar cruise, proper infotainment, day time runners etc. Plus the tailgate should be on the central locking system

Should note; here in Australia and probably many other markets much more standard features are available as well as optional equipment. LED lighting incl DRLs, leather interior, adaptive cruise, bigger screens, more exterior styling features with optional TRD packages including bull bars and such. This is a strange model from an Australian perspective, this looks like an SR5 but gut poorly optioned. In Australia would have a similar vehicle with a lot more features.

As an Australian who has seen every single variation of this hilux...that is quite possibly the worse barwork I've ever seen on one 🤣

Looks like my ideal truck! Everything you point out that it is missing or doesn't do well is what I don't want my truck to have anyways.

Good review Doug. However, I must point out that Toyota sells the Hi-Lux very differently depending on the market. Here in Panama, we can purchase the whole line of Toyota products, either through the dealer or by certified importers of Toyota US products, and here they sell the Hi-Lux at a big premium. The basic work truck single cab is the one you can get for 20K, but the top-of-the-line Hi-Lux is pushing 50K, and with the known availability issues, you bet the dealer is asking for more. Definitely, the Hi-Lux is the work truck every country boy/farm owner wants to have, as it is reliable, you can find spare parts everywhere you go, it is rugged, and you can find a mechanic anywhere that can fix it for you. It outsells every truck sold here by far. Regardless, people do daily drive Hi-Luxes in Panama around town and in the country (or the interior as we call it here). You may also want to review the Nissan Frontier US vs. the model we get in Latin America. They may look the same, but they are different all around. One thing I do find different, in Panama we don't get the tool pack they give you with the car in Mexico. That must be a Mexican spec unique to them. No car in Panama is sold with such a tool pack. You get the basic tools to fix a flat and a reflective triangle sign.

It’s worth to point out that in some markets (like Brazil where I live), the Hillux have some amenities such as: adaptive cruise control, front collision assist etc. although it keeps being a basic vehicle (the mid trim doesn’t have parking sensors in 2022).

Hey Doug great review Aussie here, the Hilux is the best seller here and has been for years. I think those hooks in the back are actually for hanging grocery bags on so they don't roll around on the back seat when off-roading on the correlated dirt roads between farms and the local towns.

If this came to the states I would buy it in a heartbeat. A lot of Americans don't even know what the Hilux is but as Doug stated in the video there's a lot of Americans do. Ram, Ford and GM strayed away from utility years ago and it's just sad. This is truly my dream truck.

It would’ve been cool if you were able to sample an Australian or South African market Hilux as they have similar (if not the same) infotainment as the Tacoma. That along with a reverse camera, DRLs, dual zone cc, adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, and even ambient lighting (shocker). It would’ve been cool to see what the difference really is, but obviously in Mexico the market is clearly more utilitarian. Also, the Hilux is used more as a family hauler than a workhorse in both markets as well, which would explain the relative luxury in comparison to the Mexican market derivative. In South Africa the Hilux is offered with an N/A 4.0 gas V6. It’s rarely bought however.

The new Hilux actually has daytime running lights and quite luxurious than this model. Looks even more aggressive as well! Best selling van in SA, love it to bits!

A minor correction to the info presented by Doug. The Tacoma is also sold in Mexico along with the Hilux. Toyota has been selling both for many years but targeting different sectors. In this case, the Hilux is the quintessential workhorse, while the Tacoma is the more luxurious, powerful, and, of course, more expensive alternative.

The biggest point that Doug missed is that the Toyota hilux is designed specifically to mount an RPD machine gun or even an RPG 7 in the bed. We can’t get either of those weapons in the US so Toyota sells the Tacoma instead which is meant for nothing more than driving to remote yoga sessions deep in the Sierra Nevada.

Nice video Doug, just to add to your description of the Hilux, here in Argentina we get the SRX trim with drl, full led headlights, led tail lights, rear view camera, rear climate vent, rear charger, leather interior, android auto/ apple car play, digital climate control and Adas. In México may be that the highest trim of the Hilux isn’t as equipped just not to compete with the Tacoma.

Hi, Doug! Here in Brazil we have the Hilux SRX. It’s the top model and it comes with lots of equipment like a better infotainment system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, LED lights, sound system by JBL, digital air conditioning, 360° angle view camera, parking sensors and other safety features like pre-collision assistant (with pedestrians and cyclists detectors,) adaptative cruise control, automatic brakes and lots of stuff. This model is very expensive for us Brazilians: it costs around 68 thousand dollars. The power train is diesel but it isn’t the same that you experienced in the Mexican Hilux that you reviewed: all Hilux models sold here have a turbodiesel engine with 2.8 liters and 204 CV (except the GR-S, which engine has 224 CV and other tweaks in the gearbox and suspension to make it more sporty).

Take a shot everytime Doug says “basic” or any variation of the word “utility” 🤣

Me watching with my 2016 Tacoma. I dont have any of the fancy frills he mentioned in my Tacoma. 🤣🤣🤣

I love this vehicle simple gets the job done will last for a long time. Wish more manufacturers would make a good affordable vehicle like this.

The Hilux don't have many of the gimmicks or flashy modern stuff, but goddamn this thing can take a beating and still run in the best condition.. it's just a simple pure truck to the core thats just durable af

Here in Brazil the Hilux actually means it's name (High Luxury), it's literally the nicest truck you can have on it's price range and top of the range models are packed with all the amenities and technology. Also where I live where farms and agriculture are the major thing, those things are the most common vehicles around, literally one or two on every street.

That top-trim Hilux in Mexico is definitely just a mid-trim spec in some other places. The top-trim Hilux in Thailand for example, it even got Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, DRL, and some other features not present in the Mexican market.

That's hilarious that this is a Mexican truck, sold in Mexico, that can't be sold in the US. But all the buttons are in English

Doug is the type of guy,to emphasize the whole video about the comfort and features(or lack there of),and still give it equal points to tacoma

Love the Hilux, been riding them since I was a kid. Here in Argentina it's been the most sold vehicle for years, because of its reliability and utilitarian use. Great review Doug! Very detailed. Although I must add, different markets sell different versions of this Truck, here we get from base level all the way to the GR Sport Hilux.

Usually Doug nails the reviews but this time he was so wrong on so many things about the Hi Lux.

Legend says the red Hilux from top gear is still runing great

In Europe, we have a lot of the features, like the new intoning system or the running lights or the backup camera, this particularly Mexican truck doesn't have. But in did, the Tacoma, for our working reality is a bit too much. For off road, we've got a lot of Mitsubishi Pajero, Jeep Wrangler, old Land Cruiser or other Toyota models.

Looks like an older model here.. the dash is different, exterior is different to what we see here in New Zealand. This looks a lot more stripped back too compared to even what we have got here in the past..

I love the hilux . The hillux have what you need The less computerized things it have the more affordable it will be less things to replace No need for special tools to repair or take to dealer for a regular service.

I find it both cool and odd that some markets get both the Hilux and Tacoma. For example Costa Rica and Mexico get both trucks. I believe less features are offered on the Hilux in those markets compared to markets where they only get the Hilux.

Hilux is the number one selling vehical in Australia for 5 years straight. And that’s in the whole vehical market not just 4x4 segment. Vehicals like this fill 5 of the top 10 positions.

The HIlux is one of the most popular vehicles here in Jamaica 🇯🇲. We have from the very basic single cab long bed to the very high spec versions with DRL'S and ambient interior lighting, cruise control,rear diff locks, backup camera a cooled glove box with dual zone climate. Engine choices are limited though. We get the 2.8, 2.4diesel or the 2.7 na gas

the Hilux is a really famous truck and can be seen nearly everywhere you go ,especially here in Thailand (here it's called the Revo = Revolution) where they can be seen used by police ,government agents, offices, transporters, deliveries and there are racing series officially for the Hilux, and the aftermarket scene is huge that it's very common to see a twin turbo or even a quad turbo driving around ( Fun fact...there is also a GR version sold here )

love the simplicity and the old school flavour of this truck, as well of the price, I dont need a 70000$ truck just to show off

I wish we still had trucks like this in the US. I love seeing these when I travel

This car is bullet proof I drove a 2018 one for 4 years 175k kilometers in iraq! 80km deep into the desert to the oil fields The hilux won't let you down 😂

I loved my Hilux, had one for 5 years in the country of Panama, mine was a turbo diesel, got about 27 miles to the gallon, amazing 4x4, the truck floats, it out tows the tacoma, the diesel engine is amazing, I have friends with a Half million miles on there trucks. if they sold them in the states I''d buy one. I've had 2 Tacomas, they didn't come close to how amazing my HIlux was!

Hilux is pretty popular here in southeast asia as it isn't only a car for utility but also serves as a fashion for some people. Here in southeast asia, hilux are equipped with all features you get on a modern toyota like its safety sense and many more. It also have a one sportier trim called the gr sport which frankly kinda look like an american truck from distance. But all things said, that car is very useful for the harshness of our road since that car practically cannot be killed as top gear has tried it with an older hilux.

0:00 This is ... 0:23 Cars & Bids 2:00 Can I borrow You Car 2:07 Quirks & Features 18:50 The Drive 23:40 Conclusion 24:08 The Doug Score

Great review, Doug! I would like to point out that the Hilux is very market dependent. Here, in South Africa, the Hilux is the top dog of "bakkies" (our word for pickup trucks). As an example, the Ford Ranger was our second best selling truck in August, selling about 1800 units. In contrast, the Hilux sold nearly 3500 units. Anyway, the variety offered in different markets is astonishing. As an example, the cheapest variant sold in South Africa comes with a 2.0 N.A. 4 cylinder petrol. But we can also get it with a 2.7 N.A. petrol and a 4.0 V6 petrol. However, the best selling versions are the ones that come with either a 2.4 or a 2.8 turbo diesel. And the top of the range version is the "Legend RS" version, which has a lot more that the one shown in this video. Just one example is that it comes with a lot of body cladding around to make it stand out more. Black wheel arches, different grill and bumper, roll hoop at the back, daytime running lights, etc. It comes with a lot more safety features and tech than the one shown in this video as well. I.e. adaptive cruise control, climate control, auto on/off lights, electric folding mirrors, reverse camera, front and rear PDC... It's still no where near the trucks sold in North America in terms of luxury but I just found it interesting to see how different the Hilux is depending on the market.

Love the look and utility of this truck. Would definitely buy one if I could. Still driving my 2003 tundra. Love it. Bullet proof 4.7 V8.

12:14 Doug: "I don't know why Toyota hasn't put this feature in some of its North American vehicles yet." I'm sure Doug would be shocked to find out Mexico is in North America.

This is how a truck should be. Cheap, gets the job done, reliable. You just cant go wrong with a hilux

Man I love everything about this truck. Color, engine, features, it's awesome

This dude just tried to clown on a work horse. We want a truck thats a work horse.

Nice to see a Hilux, they've been always good sellers, here in Chile you usually see them as part of mining/company fleet vehicles, most of the time in red, I can say that fleet to private, its like a 10/3 ratio, pretty durable pickups, you can still see some 80s hilux falling apart but still going, truly admirable, but gotta admit, the spec Doug reviwed its like a mid trim for South America, kinda weird, but ok I guess

I think the simple and mininalist nature of the Hilux make it cooler than the Tacoma. I also think it looks better and way more timeless.

You know, honestly, I prefer the basics. It’s less things to break or go wrong, less expensive, and just less distraction on the road. I really love it personally ❤️

As an owner of a hilux, it still shines after 6 years and 100k miles. Beast of a truck

Doug, you definitely get a lot more stuff in the top spec Australian delivered Hilux. Much better infotainment, all leather, adaptive cruise, blind spot, lane keep etc are all pretty normal.

Driving this truck here in the Philippines. Definitely a great daily driver. Pulls great, Diesel engine is pretty good, overall a pretty versatile vehicle!

In my country the Hilux is very popular. In the late 90s I had a friend in high school who bought a used 1990 Hilux and I still remember learning to drive a manual on that truck. He drove it for a few years without caring about maintenance except oil changes. He sold it to a farmer in the early 2000s. About 10 years ago, this farmer had an accident in the Hilux and rolled over with minor damage to the Hilux and still drives it to this day.

It is common the see Hilux in South Africa, Thailand, and other countries that are modified with extra leave springs (lots and lots of extra leafs) and used as tow trucks and to haul massive payloads. Whistling Dixie did a great video on the Hilux. As usual, he beat the snot out of the vehicle, but unlike everything he's tested, the Hilux kept going and going.

I think Doug is misinformed about this being the highest model. This is actually a more basic model than what we can buy in New Zealand. Above this SRV is the SR and SR5. We cant buy the basic SRV in New Zealand My SR5 Hilux has from factory: - Daytime running lights - Tailgate connected to central locking - Forward collision alert - Active cruise control/radar - Reversing camera and SatNav - Rear climate vents for passengers - USB in the front I am going to assume the Tacoma has shocks on all wheels where as the hilux will have leaf springs in the back for carrying a load in the tray. The hooks are for plastic shopping bags to keep them upright on your way home from the supermarket.

It's so refreshing to see a modern vehicle that's still a machine instead of a rolling palace like we're used to these days, (except for all the hard plastic in the interior - cheap vinyl like old cars would be nicer at least). I like that OEM tool kit too - extinguisher, tire repair kit, basic tools, maybe a roadside triangle, some jumper cables. Good for longer trips just in case.

It's interesting seeing Doug call this or the Ford Ranger a "compact truck" when for most people outside the United States this is excessively large, comically so. It's not just because this is a double cab model, if you get a single or crew cab the length and wheelbase will be the same, it will just feature a longer bed instead.

I love this truck! Durable, no frills and affordable. I would kill for this in NY

Doug, you are my favorite youtuber or influencer or car analyst by far. Congratulations. I'm Mexican but we have the Hilux, Tacoma and the Tundra. They are for different purposes. Normally if you have a small business or whatever size it is, you buy the hilux. If you want to have a pick up to take your ATV or to have fun you buy the Tacoma, and if you want to show off a little you buy the Tundra or as a daily vehicle they also use it. I live in México btw. Greetings!

They definitely have daytime running lights here in the UK and on our little roads they really stand out.

I wished that Dougie had mentioned the Top Gear destructive testing of Hilux, and the fact that it is commonly found in conflict zones with a .50 cal machine gun mounted in the bed of the truck.

I firmly believe the Hilux is not for sale here in the US because its so indestructible/reliable it would end up deeply hurting the big 3. If it ever does make it here to the US I will be writing a check the day they go up for sale.

This is exactly what a truck should be. Simple and durable. Personally, I think It looks better than a Tacoma.

Being an Aussie id love to see doug review a 70 series landcruiser for comparison to the hilux

I never thought I'd see this since the hilux isn't in America. My favorite youtuber reviewing my favorite vehicle

I miss the Hilux….. rolling around with the guys out in the desert in an up armored hilux was time I will never forget.

Honestly I’d rather have a hilux with a diesel over a tacoma any day. I wish we had these in the states

Doug. A Mexican Hilux actually doesn't represent what the world get as a Hilux. Hilux is the top selling ute in Aus and the top spec Hilux rugged X is $aud 85k. It has all the 'flare' snorkel, wheel arch flares, Steel bull bar etc.Also they start at $50k for a base Hilux SR. But is way better speced than a Mexican Hilux. 1st review from you with a little lack of research

I wish this truck would make it's way here. I would love to pay like $30k for a brand new truck that will outlive me.

Why the Hilux isn’t allowed in the U.S.: 1. American buyers want big, comfortable, tech-loaded trucks for driving to the office - Man Extensions, basically. 2. The Chicken Tax - look it up 3. EPA regulations intended to keep vehicles like this out 4. NHTSA safety requirements that requires design to crumble in an accident 5. Americans … who can’t seem to learn and follow the rules of the road, leading to Nanny State laws having to protect them instead The Hilux is vastly superior to the Tacoma from a utility and designed use standpoint. America will never get that back.

You buy this thing because you know it'll just plow through anything you might throw at it. Features and gimmicks breaks, and if something breaks then its unreliable... The Hilux doesn't want that. In the Indonesian market, it still is the most basic truck there is compared to say a Ford Ranger or a Mitsubishi Triton. But when you looked at the trucks components like axle is actually stronger than the competitors or actual diff lock (looking at you Mitsubishi) then the Hilux actually makes sense

Here in Namibia and South Africa we love our Hilux’s, I have one myself, and mine does have USB ports front and rear. Also the one’s you get here have backup camera’s from factory

In some markets, for example the NZ market, all safety spec on the Hilux is entirely standard including AEB, adaptive cruise, land departure and blind spot - including the most basic specification. I think this has been the case in NZ since about 2019.

Yet here in Australia the Hilux is so hated and constantly talked down by our car journalists because they think your Ford Ranger is so much better.

Doug being an informative person failed to explain the engine displacement which is 2.8 Litre. It is a well proven engine which is used in multiple vehicle like the Toyota Innova , Fortuner , Hiace , Land Cruiser prado here in India 🇮🇳 Middle East and south East Asia.

Despite the fact they aren't great for comfort and luxury, at least in South Africa, many people have them and Ford Rangers as status symbols and commuters like you say the Tacoma is. The Fortuner is also a Hilux based suv and is also seen as a posh suburban mall cruiser.

Its kinda surreal to hear the Hilux as a "simple, basic, cheap" truck when you lived your whole life with the Hilux being the absolute best, most expensive "daily" vehicle being sold in your country.

The Hilux is like a rugby player, tough and durable. The Tacoma is like a NFL player, probably bigger but really padded up

Man Doug I'm from Trinidad and tobago and watching you review the hilux made me realize how much better the overall standard of living is in the states. Growing up with not much I've always dreamed of owning a hilux and always placed it on a pedestal as my dream vehicle, even if it really basic in the states 😅

it probably more reliable than Tacoma too. This car already battle proven, i mean literally battle proven lol.

i’ve been watching this channel for a while now but on this video it suddenly clicked for me how different US car culture is to anywhere else. as an aussie, as you went through all the “missing” features i kept thinking “yeah that feature would be excessive, why would you need it?”. safety features are obviously great but so much money and resources go into all these extra luxuries that don’t seem to matter that much, especially when you consider what is often a rather small portion of time you spend in a car. marketing is everything though, and these companies are out to convince people to pay for the luxuries. profits, profits, profits.

Did the owner really add the bull bar and the other protection for flair? Or was it to add more utility to the utility vehicle? The latter is my bet... There's a good reason why the Hilux is everywhere in Africa, South America and the Middle East. They're tough as nails! You have no use for a fancy back up camera or infotainment system in the middle of a desert or in the outback. You need reliability!

And this is exactly why we love Doug. Making me watch a video for a vehicle I’ll never buy. Or see.

The Hilux can haul 2200 lbs in the bed and tow 7716 lbs meanwhile the Tacoma can only haul 1155 lbs in the bed and tow 6400 lbs. The little Hilux can carry more weight in the bed than even the big Tundra (1600 lbs for the Tundra TRD Pro).

over here in South Africa, the Hilux is actually a pretty popular private car (next to it's Fortuner twin) it is one of the best selling vehicles in the country (not counting fleet vehicles). Of course the utility aspect of the Hilux is a strong selling point, but we do get higher spec versions of the Hilux across the board. My friend had a previous generation V6 petrol single-cab Hilux, and he loved it. the reversing camera isn't mandatory here, but some higher spec pick-ups do have them. Sunroofs are not common on our pick-ups, but higher spec models might have a small sunroof in front. We have a weird love affair with pick-ups. We are one of the only countries in the world that uses pick-ups as a main police patrol car. We'd love to have some of the bigger US "trucks", but simply put, our garages aren't big enough. Our standard garage size is just a smidge bigger than this Hilux is in length. We have affectionately adopted the Afrikaans term "Bakkie" (translates as "small bowl/container") for a pick-up, even English-speaking South Africans commonly use the word "bakkie" in stead of "pick-up truck". The Ford F150 might be the best selling pick-up truck in the world if you solely base it on the numbers, but considering that the F150 is primarily sold in the US, it's not really that popular anywhere else. The Hilux however is the best selling pick-up truck in the world, cuz it's available in almost every country and it's a strong seller in all of them. Plus nothing can beat the Hilux' legendary reliability record. Plus i think the current generation Hilux is far more attractive than the Tacoma, which i personally find ugly. The rugged simplicity is a very attractive selling point, and i would love to have a Hilux because of it.

I own 2x Hilux trucks, a 2017 and a 2020 SR5 models. The best trucks i have ever owned, both work hard both go hard and go anywhere would never buy anything else. Toyota Hilux all the way........🤙👍

"this is not a daily driver" Doug, every country stamped in my passport says otherwise.

The Hilux he's reviewed is actually an older model. In South-East Asia and Australia we got a Minorchange model with updated face and interior. We even got the options that are not listed here such as auto AC and rear view camera.

Making money is an action. Keeping money is behavior. Growing money is knowledge....

And thats exactly the point why the Hilux isnt offered in the united states. Americans want luxury feature, a good styling and acceleration while the Hilux is designed only for extreme territories, commerical activites and durability.

Fun fact: in Mexico, this and the Tacoma are one of the favorite narco pick up trucks in the country, this is due to their extreme reliability and ruggedness.

Yes this is the best pickup truck. Super reliable, tons of aftermarket, easy to park in city and amazing offroad.

It is an incredibly cool car. It's so simple, capable and reliable, that you can literally find it in any asshole in the world where there is any appearance of roads, from the Arctic to the deserts, and it is also the favorite car of all kinds of terrorists and African dictators and the South American cartels.

all the butt hurt people in the comments lol

I’d love to see Doug in a South American country reviewing some Brazilian made cars like the Chevrolet Onix or the Fiat Cronos

Owning one of these in Australia, these are very reliable vehicles. Plenty of torque, awesome off road, 3.5 tonne towing capacity with a 6 speed manual and awesome on fuel. Overpriced in Australia for what they are but you pay for the engineering. Been number one best selling car in Australia for 5 + years in a row

Doug! I'm from South Africa 🇿🇦 we call them "Bakkies" and I can say here we have a vairiety of Hilux models, even higher trims that this one which are: 2.4GD-6 & GD(Rb, Srx, Sr5), 2.8GD-6(legend 50, Gr Sport, Legend, Dakar), 4.0 V6, 2.0VVTI, 2.7VVTI etc from Single cabs, Double cabs, Xtra cab. Pricing at around $55k which is R950k with extras. They now have Apple car play and Android auto with other modern tech features. They even look more cooler and beefy, with masculine looking fender flares, running boards, bull bars etc.. And oh! They got day time running lights, rear view cam, radar..I can explain without ending 😄✌🏾

With all due respect this truck is not designed to be quirky and have features its designed to take abuse and get work done without complaining something i wish new trucks in the us could do

That's an older model Hilux, definitely not a 22 23 year. Toyota has different Configs for different markets. Some markets have the LED DRLs, Toyota lettering instead of the T badge in the grille, sunroof, apple/android, bull bars, reverse camera. Mexico market obvious has mostly utilitarian customers therefore a very basic offering. Btw the US sold 4runner is based on the Hilux platform