Toyota Hilux
Toyota Hilux is the pickup Toyota has built since 1968, and today it's sold in more than 190 countries and regions. It's the truck Top Gear famously couldn't kill, Australia's best-selling vehicle for seven straight years, and the go-to workhorse across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. However, it hasn't been sold in the US since the Tacoma replaced it for 1995. Pick your year below to jump to the right generation, or read on for the history and which one suits you.
Toyota Hilux at a Glance
First built 1968 Engineered and built with Hino in Japan
Markets 190+ Countries and regions today
In the US 1969–1995 Sold as the Pickup and Truck, then replaced by Tacoma
Platform IMV Global pickup platform since 2004
Main engine 2.8 turbo-diesel Plus a 48V hybrid and a BEV since 2025
Australia No. 1 seller Every year from 2016 to 2022
Toyota Hilux Generations
Years shown are production years in the Hilux's main markets, starting from the Japan launch for older generations. The Hilux hasn't been sold in the US since the 1995 model year, so these aren't US model years. Pick a card to open its full guide.
1968–1972
1st generation
N105 model years
The original: a simple 1.5-liter, 1,000 kg-payload work truck built by Hino.
Guide coming soon
1972–1978
2nd generation
N207 model years
Added a long bed, a 2.0-liter engine and, from 1974, the first automatic.
Guide coming soon
1978–1983
3rd generation (N30/N40)
N306 model years
The first Hilux with factory 4WD and a diesel engine.
Guide coming soon
1983–1988
4th generation (N50/N60/N70)
N506 model years
Blister-fender 4x4s, the 4Runner spin-off and Top Gear-grade toughness.
Guide coming soon
1988–1997
5th generation (N80–N110)
N8010 model years
The last Hilux sold in the US, as the Toyota Truck, through 1995.
Guide coming soon
1997–2004
6th generation (N140–N170)
N1408 model years
The first with independent front suspension; never sold in the US.
Guide coming soon
2004–2015
7th generation (AN10–AN30)
AN1012 model years
The first IMV Hilux, built outside Japan and sold in 140+ countries.
Guide coming soon
2015–2025
8th generation (AN110–AN130)
AN12011 model years
New 2.8 and 2.4 GD diesels, more comfort, and 3,500 kg towing.
Guide coming soon
2025–present
9th generation (AN220/AN230)
AN2202 model years
Today's Hilux: new face, 48V mild hybrid diesel and the first electric Hilux.
Read the AN220 guide →
Toyota Hilux History
The Hilux started as a small Japanese work truck and turned into one of the most widely sold pickups on earth. Here are the moments that shaped it.
- 1968 The first Hilux goes on sale in Japan in March. Hino engineered it with Toyota and built it at its Hamura plant.
- 1969 Exports to the US and Europe begin.
- 1976 Overseas production starts in Thailand and South Africa. Meanwhile, the US name changes from Hilux to Pickup.
- 1979 The third generation brings the first factory 4WD Hilux, plus the first diesel.
- 1984 The 4Runner (Hilux Surf) spins off the fourth-generation truck, and US buyers now know it as the Toyota Truck.
- 1995 The Tacoma replaces the Hilux in North America, while the Hilux carries on everywhere else.
- 2003 Top Gear's "Killing a Toyota" puts a high-mileage late-1980s Hilux through the sea, a fire and a building demolition, and it still runs.
- 2004 The seventh generation launches on the global IMV platform and is built in Thailand, South Africa, Argentina and other countries instead of Japan.
- 2007 An Arctic Trucks-modified Hilux reaches the 1996 position of the North Magnetic Pole in Top Gear's Polar Special.
- 2016 The Hilux becomes Australia's best-selling new vehicle, the first ute to do it, and stays on top through 2022.
- 2019 A Hilux wins the Dakar Rally outright with Nasser Al-Attiyah, followed by more Dakar wins in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
- 2025 The ninth generation debuts in Bangkok in November, with a 48V mild hybrid diesel and the first battery-electric Hilux. A hydrogen fuel-cell version is due in 2028.
Which Hilux Generation Is Right for You?
The right Hilux depends on whether you want a classic, a cheap tough used truck or a new one with a warranty. Also, where you live matters, because the Hilux was never sold new in the US after 1995. Here's how each generation lines up.
| Generation | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1st–3rd generation | 1968–1983 | Collectors and restorers; simple and light, but rust is the enemy |
| 4th generation | 1983–1988 | Classic off-roaders; the Top Gear-legend era and the 4Runner's base |
| 5th generation | 1988–1997 | A budget classic and the last Hilux sold new in the US |
| 6th generation | 1997–2004 | Simple used trucks with independent front suspension, outside the US |
| 7th generation | 2004–2015 | Value buyers; check 3.0 D-4D diesels for injector seal problems |
| 8th generation | 2015–2025 | Modern comfort and 3,500 kg towing; favor 2020-on trucks with the DPF fix |
| 9th generation | 2025–present | New-truck buyers who want the latest safety tech, a 48V hybrid or a BEV |
Our take: for most used buyers outside the US, a 2020-or-newer eighth-generation 2.8 diesel is the sweet spot. If you're buying new, the ninth generation's SR5 and above get the nicer ride and the 360-degree camera.
Hilux Owners Community
Hilux owners love to talk builds, trips and maintenance, from 1980s restorations to new-generation touring setups. Share your truck, ask questions and swap tips with other owners.
- 2.8 diesel DPF problems and the Australian class action
- 3.0 D-4D injector seals and the 1KD-FTV
- Chassis rust checks on older trucks
- Lift kits, tires and suspension upgrades
- Canopies, trays and touring setups
- Towing near the 3,500 kg limit
- Ninth-generation 48V hybrid vs regular diesel
- Is the Hilux BEV worth it for work?
Toyota Hilux FAQ
Is the Toyota Hilux sold in the US?
No. Toyota sold the Hilux in the US from 1969 through the 1995 model year, first as the Hilux, then as the Pickup and the Truck. The Tacoma replaced it, and the new ninth-generation Hilux isn't expected to come to the US.
What's the difference between the Hilux and the Tacoma?
The Tacoma was created to replace the Hilux in North America from 1995. Since then, they've been separate trucks: the Hilux uses Toyota's global IMV platform and is sold in most of the rest of the world.
What does Hilux mean?
The name is a blend of "high" and "luxury". It has stuck through all nine generations, even on the most basic work trucks.
How many Toyota Hilux trucks have been sold?
Toyota's own figures vary. It counted about 17.7 million by the end of 2017, while press reports at the 2025 launch put the total at more than 21 million, and Toyota Europe quoted more than 27 million.
Which Hilux generation is the most reliable?
There's no official ranking. Owners and fans often point to the 1980s trucks made famous by Top Gear, while the known weak spots are 3.0 D-4D injector seals on the seventh generation and DPF problems on 2015–2020 eighth-generation diesels.
What engine does the new Hilux have?
Most markets get a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel making 201 hp (150 kW), with a 48V mild hybrid version in many of them. There's also a battery-electric Hilux, a 2.7-liter gas engine in some markets, and a hydrogen fuel-cell version due in 2028.
Keep Exploring
Explore Toyota's full lineup and the Land Cruiser, or see what Ford and Mitsubishi build to take on the Hilux.
Photo credits
- Header image: Chanokchon, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Dark gray ninth-generation Toyota Hilux Z Adventure…: Oq10pass, CC0, cropped and resized.
- Gray eighth-generation Toyota Hilux Invincible X double…: Oscar Taylor , CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- Gray 2013 seventh-generation Toyota HiLux SR5 double…: OSX, Public domain, cropped and resized.
- White 1998 sixth-generation Toyota HiLux 2.4 turbo-diesel…: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.