History of Toyota Hilux – Half Century Evolution
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History of Toyota Hilux – Half Century Evolution
Today we will discuss the evolution Toyota Hilux over the last 50 years. Toyota Hilux is a pickup vehicle that comes with special features to make your ride as smooth as possible. The name Hilux is a combination of two words; 'High' and 'Luxury'. Both these words represent the performance and design of the vehicle. The history of this car is pretty interesting. Let us discuss it in detail.
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The History of Toyota Hilux
1968-1972: The First Generation
The Hilux first entered the market in the March of 1968. This new truck succeeded the previous pickup trucks like Briska and Light Stout. It is interesting that Toyota conceived this vehicle, but it was Hino Motors that manufactured it at the Hamura Plant. The first generation had a 1.5-liter engine with a 70 PS unit. Another vehicle called Toyopet Light Truck (Toyoace) also used this engine. The 4-speed manual transmission came with a column shifter for a comfortable driving experience. The 1850 mm long cargo bed was ideal for loading goods of up to 1000 kg. three passengers could get on this vehicle and head towards their destination to deliver the goods.
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1972-1978: The Second Generation
The second generation of Toyota Hilux came in May 1972 with a better engine. It had a 2.0-liter capacity and 105hp which increased the performance of the vehicle. It was ideal for driving on highways and expressways. This version had an extended wheelbase. The wheelbase was better than the preceding generation. The maximum cargo capacity and the length of the bed remained the same in this generation. The standard model had a 4-speed manual transmission whereas the highway model supported 3-speed automatic floor shifter. The safety measures included tandem master cylinder brakes and load-sensing brake proportioning valves. Moreover, this vehicle was manufactured at the Tahara plant and Hamura plant by Hino Motors, Ltd.
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1978-1983: The Third Generation
The third generation entered the market in September 1978. This vehicle came with multiple variations that included standard-length models and long-body models. It had a larger cabin to ensure a comfortable ride. It featured certain specifications that were similar to a sedan. The engine had the same petrol capacity as the previous ones. The front wishbone suspension remained unaltered in this version. However, The manufacturers now used a torsion bar instead of the coil springs of the suspension.
The next year in October 1979, another model came with 4 wheel-drive and 2-liter engine (18R-J). In December, Hilux vehicles came with a diesel engine of Type L. 1981 saw the emergence of a double cab model in the automobile industry. Hence, it had two rows of seats.
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1983-1988: The Fourth Generation
The fourth-generation Toyota Hilux came with a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) feature. Fortunately, the vehicles of this generation got quite popular very quickly. It had a new and more attractive interior and exterior design. The 4WD models got a whole new look. The models of this generation had blister fenders both in the front and rear. These RWD models had both gasoline engines and diesel units. The gasoline engines had the capacity of 1.6 and 1.8 liters. The diesel unit could store 2.2 and 2.4 liters of diesel. These models were also available with single or double cab versions. They came with higher floor beds and bottom-hinged gates.
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1988-1997: The Fifth Generation
The September of 1988 came with the good news of the advent of the fifth-generation Hilux. This remarkable multipurpose vehicle had better interior equipment to suit the needs of the customers. This vehicle was available in both RWD and 4WD models. RWD models had fenders but did not have flares. The 4WD models had overfenders along with the flares and were 40 mm wider than the RWS models. The RWD models had a lower engine capacity, which was 1.8 for gasoline units and 2.4 for diesel. The 4WD models had a 2-liter gasoline engine and a 2.8-liter diesel unit.
After the partnership of Toyota and Volkswagen, in 1989, the manufacturing of Hilux started in Germany. 1991 came with a minor change in the suspension of the vehicle. This time, the manufacturers switched the front suspension with the independent double-wishbone suspension. In 1994, the same engines were added to RWD and 4WD models. Later, the August of 1995 came with the addition of a 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine to this vehicle.
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1997-2004: The Sixth Generation
The new models of the sixth generation were introduced in the September of 1997. They were divided into two lines; one for business use and the other for personal use. The ones made for personal use came with more cabin height and length. They were quieter and had many other equipment and devices for making them the ideal multipurpose vehicles. In November, the width of the vehicle was increased by 100 mm. The engines were as impressive as ever with a 2 and 2.7-liter capacity for gasoline and a 2.4 to 3-liter capacity for diesel. This vehicle was available in 2-wheel-drive (2WD) and 4-wheel-drive (4WD) configurations.
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2004-2015: The Seventh Generation
The seventh generation of the Hilux pickup truck was sold in approximately 140 countries. This generation featured a remarkable design with many other attractive features like improved comfort, more interior space, and SUV design. These models were manufactured to suit the needs of customers around the world who demanded affordable prices and more comfort. Thailand, South Africa, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Venezuela saw the production of the seventh generation Hilux. Moreover, these models were the first ones that were not produced in Japan.
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2015-Present: The Eighth Generation
2015 saw the launch of the eighth-generation Hilux. These models included all the features that customers could ask for. The experts conducted multiple surveys around the world to get the feedback of the customers. These models focused on the toughness of the vehicle and its ability to withstand environmental pressures and rough terrains. It had less stress and ensured more comfort for the passengers. It had an enhanced cruising range for additional fuel efficiency. Hence the current model is famous for its performance, safety, and ruggedness.
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