Cars America Missed Out On: Toyota Hilux

Jul. 30, 2014 5:58 PM ET by Jay Traugott / 309 Comments

When you want to take down dictators, the Hilux is there to help.

Since 1968, there's been one particular pickup that has literally come to define the small truck segment. Unfortunately, it hasn't been sold in the US since 1995. That was the year when Toyota replaced it with the Tacoma. The latter is a fine truck and all, but it doesn't have the global reputation the Hilux has rightly earned. Today's Hilux is perhaps the perfect mid-size pickup. It's offered with a variety of engines, including diesels, as well as body styles.

The Hilux is also the preferred pickup of terrorist guerilla armies throughout the world. When Libyans were fighting the Gadhafi regime, their so-called hero vehicle was the Hilux because it could handle the weight and power of a 50 caliber machine gun. The Top Gear hosts are also proud Hilux fans, using the truck for various extreme assignments. Whether it's day-to-day use, fighting wars, or trips to the North Pole, the Toyota Hilux is the world's (minus the US) go-to pickup.

Cars America Missed Out On: Toyota Hilux

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