TOP GEAR: How Tough is a Toyota Truck???

My friends have owned Toyota trucks, but to me nothing is as tought as the American trucks.

The only other Japanese truck I know that is very tought is the Nissan Patrol. And the old land cruiseers. Not these new Toyota wanna be American looking trucks.

nothing as tough as american??? I don't suppose you actually watched this video? (there's also a part two where they put it through even more torture).

Seriously, i don't think *any* american truck (save a 1947 F-series) could even come close to matching the HiLux. He's not kidding in the intro when he says that's the only truck you see in those conditions.

If you say American trucks are tough, that shows that you know nothing about trucks and cars in general.

the early 80's Toyota 4 runners and trucks with the 20R or 22R motor are bullet proof.

Toyota trucks are undestructible. Perfect built trucks in every way.

There is a reason why Toyota Trucks and Land Cruisers are used so much in the third world. They take a lot before they even start to have problems - breaking down is still far away at that point.

They don't make them like that anymore!I have owned two pickups and presently a 1993 4-runner.This video was amusing but not aplicable to real four wheeling abuse.Like most vehicles (from my experience) the stock bumpers suck as seen in this video, I would like to have a new Toyota simular to this in a crew cab with two solid axles with selectable lockers,baja inspired coil spring long travel suspension.I am dreaming!!!The new toyotas are not this tough!The new FJ is nothing more than a 4-runner (and marketing for all the dummies)and nothing like the older fj that gained a cult following for being bullet proof!Toyota will never make anything this tough again!I would be estatic if toyota made something to compete with the Jeep Rubicon! Please don't sugest that pathetic FJ, it could not compete because it doesn't come close off road.

Unbelievable and quite so much entertaining! Everyone, go get a mid-eighties HiLux before they disappear!

Now, let's talk about my former Tacoma... on second thought let's not.

Absolutlely right Kart1.
Toyota sells tons of it's trucks mainly the Hilux in the third world.
They are rock solid.And sooooo much reliable.


JUGNU

BTW the headline should not be
How Tough is a Toyota Truck???

but

Tough = Toyota Truck???

JUGNU

That truck is insanely tough...

Now trucks are a different story...I would stick with Ford of GM trucks

sure,insanely tough.i wish i could say the same of the contemporary hilux.i think those cars now have softened edges for luxury.

Well, people nowadays want comfort in their trucks as well - Not exactly Toyota's fault.

Its not just luxury softening them.
Its the gov't CART regulations on mileage.
They started making them lighter (I mean ALL trucks ... Ford, Chevy, Nissan, Toyota) around 1980.
Ligher means less steel, means not as tough.

Those old days of tough trucks are gone and they aren't coming back!

[Spoken by someone who owns a '67 power-wagon and a CAT 3208 V8-powered Chevy truck, and once lofted a '72 GMC 1/2 ton, with 350,4-BBL,Turbo-350,Posi, through the air so high and so far, that on impact with the road BOTH exhaust manifolds broke off just above where the down-pipe bolts on but there was no other damage to the vehicle. Tough truck. My date was impressed, but my father wasn't!]

Dieselrules; On the contrary trucks are getting bigger and heavier! The old toy was 3,000.ish pounds and the new ones are 4,000.plus.It is all the gagets that are making them heavier.And more safety features adds weight to the newer vehicles.Who ever makes a light weight safe reliable economical 4x4 truck that is trail worthy will be a winner!One thing we have to praise the current toyota truck is the fully boxed frame.Has anyone seen how low the unprotected radiator sits on the toyota truck and the 4-runner? Any trail obstacle around 10inches will spoil your off road adventure when your rad explodes from hitting it.I am looking forward to the jeep pickup truck!

Yes, I forgot about the safety laws driving weight up.
Even if they stayed the same weight, its been moved from "weight bearing capacity" to "collision-law compliance".

toyota used to build trucks for the japanese army in the 1930s and '40s.

when they could not keep up with the demand, they stuck FOUR bangers in trucks and chassis designed for a SIX cylinder. reportedly, these beasts were SLOW, but STILL tough and durable.

another historical tidbit: the 6 was the old chevy stovebolt, built under license. it was also the basis of the engine used in the famed Land Cruiser for many decades.

Truckmen: You took a 4-runner off-road? Are you crazy?
I hope you avoided puddles.

A toyota service manager showed me why 4-runners driven through puddles get towed to the shop for a $4000- repair (that Toyota won't cover under warantee ... even if its only a day old).

The air intake was BELOW the front bumper. As soon as it went into water, it sucked water straight into the engine causing hydraulic lock. It the engine was only idling, it may be only $1000- to get it going. But if it was running faster, it had bent connecting rods and crank-shaft ... a pricey fix. And warantee was denied ... driving a 4-runner into a deep puddle was considered "abuse"

He said that every time they had a big down-pour, he'd watch the 4-runners get towed in the next day!

Oh, that was about 15 years ago ... I presume they fixed that since :)

DieselRules, Wow! goes to show what great engeneering went into these new 4-runners!My blood preasure raises when toyota advertises the 4-runner and the FJ (they are the same!) as off road champs!They are nice pavement princesses not trucks!!! I presently own a 1993 4-runner with an old man emu articulation kit to achieve 15 inches wheel travel in the rear!Unfortunatly in the front IFS I have around 7in.It is ok off road but nowhere near as capable as my 1976 bronco with 35in tires! If Toyota made a midsize toy 4x4 with 2 solid axles, good on gas with a crew cab capable of carrying 6 and competant off road with stock 33s+ I would be at the dealership tomorrow!Presently Jeep is the best we have for an off road worthy tough truck.The present Jeep has a vulnerable oil pan! Check it out,I was in disbelies to see the 2007 Rubicon with the oil pan level with the front axle.Poor engeneering for jeep on this important issue!tHE MUFFLER WAS ALSO IN A VULNERABLE SPOT.Can anyone get it right?Jeep is still miles ahead of the pact but still in need of reengeneering!

tough toyota trucks are often used as the base for "Technicals," the light p/us with machine guns mounted in the bed.

easy to see how they were a potent weapon, with high mobility, range, and firepower at low cost.

Apexalex- Low cost? I wish! The new tacoma would benifit from a better use of space,ie the length of the crew cab tacoma is 2.5 inches shorter than the crew cab chev!Can one buy a chev,Ford, or Dodge in the middle east? I doubt it?I don't knows? Is why we see more Toyotas in the middle east, because they sell them there?Every vehicle needs improvement somewhere especially trucks.

low cost vs. ANY OTHER conventional way of moving a heavy machine gun around.

plus most of the Technicals were NOT option loaded fancy tacomas like the majority of those sold here. they tended to be plain and simple. most likely with just the 4 instead of the V6.

note the short clip at the start of the video. some of those Technicals go back 20+ years!

even if the domestic 2.5 p/us were available in the mideast, i doubt they would be competitive against toyotas and nissans in FUEL EFFICIENCY and off road durability. both major factors for FIGHTING vehicles.

re space efficiency. i don't know about current tacomas, but earlier toyota compacts were load rated for up to 1600 lbs. that's THREE-QUARTERS of a TON. unless you carry low density stuff like hay bales, you'd reach the spring/suspension capacities sooner than you would the bed volume capacity.

that HIGH EFFICIENCY with fuel AND loads, is what's made the toyota (and other japanese) pus so popular overseas.

Yes Toyotas were tough! When I owned my go anywhere 1976 modified Bronco with 35in tires I can't count the amount of times I broke the drivetrain,inner axles, axle housings,many u-joints!one a month and four were inner axle u-joints. axle bearings, outer axles,rear driveshaft, & my tranny twice!That was the price I payed for the off road ability,it did go where my toys couldn't go! ,My Toyotas 1987 and 1991, 1993 4-runner (present)I never broke a thing!Exept for usual wear and tear,The downfall was I had to adjust my driving style because the lousy front suspension couldn't handle anything agressive off road! The gas mielage was good though!The toy axles are almost as tough as dana 60s! I worked at a reputable 4x4 shop in North Vancouver BC and the owner modified his toy with a ford 9in in the rear and broke it twice!At least one time the wheel fell off!Once he switched back to the toyota axle he couldn't break it!(He was running 38x15x15 super swampers. Look under a new tacoma,The muffler pipe sits in front of the transfer case cross member! Poor engeneering Toyota! My 1993 4-runner looks like a H-1 compared to the new TACOMA.I would like to see toyota make something to compete with the Jeep Rubicon or the H-1.Never going to happen sadly.

well, the old Land Cruisers were probably THE ultimate unbreakable toyotas.

like the 4-Runners however, they've gotten fat and soft. hard to say how soft, compared to the oldies, as how many people run $50 - 60,000 land cruisers like people did with the old ones!?

C&D did an article some years back, about how Ethiopian rebels, who could "liberate" ANY trucks they wanted, preferred the LCs over everything else. even the more prestigious Range Rovers were snubbed in favor of LCs.

Range rovers are unreliable crap compared to toyota!