Toyota Hilux 50th Anniversary

19 Posted: 19th Apr 2018
Toyota Hilux 50th Anniversary

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Hilux has proven itself through the ages to be a stalwart pick-up truck.

  • Toyota is celebrating 50 years of the Hilux, a pick-up truck that has proven itself to be a major stalwart in its type, thanks to its extremely impressive sturdiness and unmatched practicality.

    Over time, the Hilux has become synonymous with indestructible, as it can easily handle even the most treacherous of terrains from the slippery track of the Dakar Rally, to the frozen wilderness of the Northern and Southern poles.

    The origins of the Hilux can be traced back to 1968 at Hino Motors, who were seeking to build a vehicle that was more appealing to those in need of a vehicle that was durable yet comfortable. The first ever Hilux used a petrol powered, four-cylinder 1.5-Litre R-series engine, which produced enough power to allow people to effortlessly traverse all manner of terrain. As the years passed, the Hilux evolved to become more practical for every-day jobs, which saw it achieve success as an efficient family vehicle and eventually saw a double-cab variant being produced.

    The Hilux found new popularity after it was featured prominently in the BBC motoring show Top Gear, where the Hilux's reputation for being indestructible was put to the test. A heavily used, 1988 model Hilux was subjected to a series of gruelling trials which saw the pick-up truck being driven into the sea, being hit by a wrecking ball as well as having a caravan dropped on top of it. Despite all of this, the Hilux still managed to function after a short repair job with basic tools. Top Gear then tested a 2005 model Hilux by driving it to the centre of the Arctic. The Hilux would become the first motor vehicle to successfully make the journey, and it only required minor tweaking.

    Time and time again, the Hilux has proven itself to be a most worthy contender in the pick-up truck market. It has seen many iterations, with each new one making the Hilux more robust than the last. Only time will tell what exciting new innovations will come next.

    To learn more about the Toyota Hilux and our offers, click here.

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