It's hard to believe that this idea has never come up before. A Heavy Duty version of a compact pick-up like the Toyota Hilux seems strange at first glance, but also incredibly attractive. Imagine: all the robustness and towing capacity of a HD pickup truck, but in a vehicle the size of a Tacoma. Who could refuse such a proposal?
Of course, many may turn up their noses at such a concept. After all, what makes a HD pickup truck Truly special is not just its towing capacity or its strength, but also its versatility for transporting bulky loads.
The huge bed of a pickup truck is often used to its fullest, and even if we extended the limits of models like the Hilux or Tacoma a little, they still wouldn't offer the practicality of an F-250 Super Duty or a Silverado 2500 HD.
In the United States, there is a diverse range of heavy pickups to choose from. In addition to the popular Ford and Chevy, there's also the Ram HD, the GMC Sierra 2500 HD and the Nissan Titan XD. Curiously, Toyota doesn't have a Heavy Duty model in its line-up. pickup trucks, as the Tundra is considered a Light Duty option only.
This reality also extends to other regions of the world, such as Europe, Australia, India or South Africa, where the Hilux is dominant. Although the HD pickups aren't as popular in these areas, it would be intriguing to see how car manufacturers would respond if there was a demand.
The Hilux, as mentioned, is a compact pickup truck at its core – a little smaller than the Tacoma and a little less capable in terms of towing. Although the Tacoma outperforms the Hilux in heavier loads, the difference between them is not that significant.
Would a Toyota Hilux Heavy Duty model be feasible?
The clear answer is no. It would be like creating an automotive Frankenstein, possibly resulting in a vehicle the size of an F-150, but with the reinforced height and suspension of an F-250 Super Duty.
A recent rendering of Kolesa illustrates this idea well. They took the modern Hilux design and modified it: they increased the wheelbase, raised the suspension, added dual wheels at the rear, widened the fenders, installed HD mirrors and so on.
There may even be a niche market for a product like this, but it probably wouldn't justify the investment in research and development. However, compared to the real Hilux, a hypothetical HD variant would certainly surpass it in terms of utility, capability and even aesthetics. It would truly be worthy of the nickname “Invincible”. Just don't tell Mark Grayson.
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