The Toyota Hilux is one of the most famous pick-up trucks, not just in the U.S. but around the world. It has managed to achieve legendary status in terms of reliability, with the older models receiving an outstanding amount of praise.
However, the most famous stress test suffered by one of these invincible machines was probably the one orchestrated by Top Gear UK. Jeremy Clarkson and James May decided that Toyota was lying when they claimed the old Hilux was indestructible. From having a caravan dropped on it to being flooded, set on fire, and even falling from a collapsing building, the tough-as-nails pick-up survived everything with just basic repairs and no spare parts.
Its invincibility was no longer just a myth but a proven fact. However, a few generations of Hilux have passed, and a new reliability test was mandatory, at least in the eyes of a certain YouTuber going by the name of WhistlinDiesel.
The Toyota Hilux of choice was a 2018 diesel model, and the stress testing was plentiful yet a lot less extreme than what the Top Gear crew did. It was more akin to treating your vehicle poorly than actively trying to hasten its road to oblivion. It began with smashing, grabbing, pulling, and slamming everything inside the unlucky truck. While nobody would do that on purpose in their car, it is an entertaining method to find out how good the build quality is. Of course, the Hilux survived this mere inconvenience with no real harm being done.
With the inside having somewhat passed the test, it was time to move on to the outside of the vehicle. More specifically, the tailgate did break after being put through more stress than it would ever see under normal circumstances. Slamming the doors a bunch of times was next on the list, and that did not do much either, apart from causing a rattle in the door panel. Still, so far, nothing has happened that could not be fixed with a toolbox and some elbow grease.
The real test came when the guys drove the car like they were trying to win the Dakar Rally. After many dirt track jumps and a lot of back and forth on a steep incline, some problems started to appear in the four-wheel-drive system.
Overall, the Hilux is not perfect, but it proved to be tough enough for any kind of daily use. While a lot has changed since the 1980s, it looks like the added technology didn't turn the indestructible Toyota into a softie.
As a kid, Bogdan grew up handing his dad the tools needed to work on his old Citroen and asking one too many questions about everything happening inside the engine bay. Naturally, this upbringing led Bogdan to become an engineer, but thanks to Top Gear, The Fast and the Furious series, and racing video games, a passion for automotive entertainment was ignited. Full profile
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