I’ve been hearing a lot about the Hilux Champ and some people are saying it won’t happen because of the Chicken Tax. But what’s actually stopping them from making it in the US? There are so many Toyota plants here already.
It’s not built to meet US safety standards.
Baylen said:
It’s not built to meet US safety standards.
Do you know which specific standards it doesn’t meet?
Baylen said:
It’s not built to meet US safety standards.
Do you know which specific standards it doesn’t meet?
It doesn’t have all the airbags and ABS we require, the glass is different, and it lacks the required crash protection and crumple zones. It also doesn’t meet emission standards. Plus, Toyota probably doesn’t want to compete with the Tacoma in the US.
@Bailey
That makes sense. I’ve been seeing a lot of those tiny Honda Actys where I live. How are people able to drive those around here but they can’t make similar cars? (Genuine question, I’m not too informed about this stuff.)
@Maverick
You can import a car that’s over 25 years old.
Baylen said:
@Maverick
You can import a car that’s over 25 years old.
Even if it doesn’t meet all the standards?
Baylen said:
@Maverick
You can import a car that’s over 25 years old.
Even if it doesn’t meet all the standards?
Yes, exactly. That’s how collectors can bring in cars like the Porsche 959. The Feds seized a few at first for not meeting standards, but then a lawyer won a case and got everyone’s cars back. They even gave him a Defender as a gift.
Baylen said:
@Maverick
You can import a car that’s over 25 years old.
Even if it doesn’t meet all the standards?
Yeah, once a car hits 25 years, it’s good unless some states ban them like in New England.
@Bailey
That seems strange. Why do the standards matter if they’re eventually allowed? How does the 25-year mark change the standards?
Baylen said:
@Maverick
You can import a car that’s over 25 years old.
Even if it doesn’t meet all the standards?
It’s honestly ridiculous. The laws came about after Mercedes, BMW, and Audi lobbied the government in the late 80s to limit car imports. Before that, we could bring in more cars and just have them federalized. I’ve driven in Germany for years and their standards are almost the same as ours. The restrictions seem to be more about protecting manufacturers’ profits than safety or emissions.
So, what’s stopping Toyota from building it in the US? Nothing really, except that the Hilux doesn’t meet US safety standards like the airbags, reverse camera, and some other things. It may also have issues with emissions, and Toyota hasn’t shown interest in bringing diesel engines to North America. The petrol options are outdated. And let’s be honest, who’s going to buy it? Only a handful of people would be interested. You’d see posts like, “Why no leather seats?” or “Why doesn’t it have a 2.4L turbo? It’s too slow.” It’s just not a good fit for the US market.
@Willow
That’s true, but I think an affordable truck would still attract a lot of people. It’s hard to justify paying $30k for a truck, so having an option for under $20k would be awesome. I’d want one for occasional use, not as a daily driver, so features like leather seats and speed wouldn’t matter much to me.
@Maverick
The Hilux is a 2-seater, no-cab, RWD truck. It has 1” less ground clearance than a Honda CR-V and gets 20 mpg despite being small and underpowered. It’s probably the least practical truck for the US market. If you want an affordable truck, it needs to be AWD/4x4, have more cargo space, and seat more than 2 people. It also needs more ground clearance than 7".
@Oran
I see what you’re saying, but a lot of what you mentioned are just preferences. I’d be okay with something smaller and simpler, kind of like a Gator. A lot of people around here have Gators, so something like that would be more practical than buying a $40k truck.
@Maverick
You can get a Kei truck for $5k-$6k. Go for it.
@Oran
If there was really a demand for a super basic 2-seater truck, someone would already be selling one. People talk about it, but when it comes to actually buying one, they don’t.
Buy a kei truck. I love mine!
Bell said:
Buy a kei truck. I love mine!
Some states actually ban kei trucks from being driven on the roads.