So Many Cool Toyotas.....why?

[HRPINDC]

Hi All,

Just returned home from a trip to Central America and was wowed by all of the cool Toyota's they had there. For the life of me I can't understand why Toyota doesn't sell them here. Prados, Hilux, LC 70s, they were everywhere. The local telecom company uses short wheelbase, two door LC 70s to get back into the forests and jungles, these were especially cool imho. I would love to have one. There were also a lot of the Hiluxes which I've always liked. It looked like they were mostly turbo diesels judging from the hood scoops. Most of them were totally stock, but I saw a few with mild modifications and some set up for overlanding. Toyota wasn't the only manufacturer holding out on us, there were also some neat Mitsubishis. Anyway, I was just wondering why they don't sell these here.

Thanks,
HP

 

[Theoretician]

The chicken tax is a big reason - there is a 25% import duty on any imported trucks. Most of those trucks and such that you saw weren't made there but imported from a big factory somewhere else.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

It's not the chicken tax imo. Mom's buy vehicles here, and they want highlanders with DVD players, not short wheelbase turbo diesels to crawl thru the jungle. You are a small minority in the marketplace.

 

[HRPINDC]

I think you all make some very good points, thanks. As a counter though I would say that Jeep can't make enough Wranglers. I see the SWB 70 as a direct competitor. I also understand that they make/made one with an FRP roof, which I assume would be removable. Perhaps the two door would be a more specialist vehicle, but I think they could make a go of the four door. Jeep sells a lot of bare bones Sports (this is coming from a guy who drives a fully optioned Rubicon). FCA could use a little competition in that space. That being said, what about the Hilux and Prado? I like the 4Runner (especially the new TRD Pro) but the Prado was very cool and the Hilux awesome.

 

[HRPINDC]

Agree. The way I always figured it, our US market wants big, cushy, luxurious rides stuffed with as many gadgets as possible to make life "easier/more entertaining and comfy." I'd love a bare bones Troopy, but there's no way it's worth it for Toyota to bring them stateside for the number they'd sell.

On one of my excursions into the rain forest, we went in an early 80's FJ Troopie that had just completed a full restoration. That thing was nice. Unfortunately I couldn't bring my camera or phone along on that journey, so no pictures.

 

[pugslyyy]

In the US the full size pickup reigns supreme. Larger roads, established brands, consumer preference, etc. Same reason you don't see a lot of cabovers in the US compared to the rest of the world.

Agreed that most of the diesels sold in the little trucks wouldn't meet US emission spec, but I think the reason we don't see them for sale is more demand related than supply related.

 

[lugueto]

Ask yourself this: Why would you need a Hilux? you have the Tacoma. Why would you need a Prado? you have the 4Runner..

Its all a matter of not having competing models. You will only sell the vehicle which suits your market best. In the US, comfort beats durability.

A Hilux is a slightly tougher Tacoma, basically. Same goes for the Prados and 4Runners.

Also, you have models exclusive to the US (Tacoma and Tundra) which benefit the domestic company and economy. This is also a factor.

 

[Clutch]

There are also the safety and emissions aspects. I'd guess that none of those vehicles will pass the requirements for sale in US/Canada.

LC70's are now 5 Star rated.

https://www.ancap.com.au/media-and-...and-upgraded-landcruiser-70-series-now-5-star

Meets Euro 5 emissions.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/2017-toyota-70-series-land-cruiser/


Differences between US and Euro emissions.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/587331/IPOL_STU(2016)587331_EN.pdf

 

[HRPINDC]

Ask yourself this: Why would you need a Hilux? you have the Tacoma. Why would you need a Prado? you have the 4Runner..

Its all a matter of not having competing models. You will only sell the vehicle which suits your market best. In the US, comfort beats durability.

A Hilux is a slightly tougher Tacoma, basically. Same goes for the Prados and 4Runners.

Also, you have models exclusive to the US (Tacoma and Tundra) which benefit the domestic company and economy. This is also a factor.

What does need have to do with it? The heart wants what the heart wants. I daily drive a Rubicon that sees off-road five or six times a year if I'm lucky. I needed a Rubicon like an old lady planting petunias needs a backhoe. But it's ************. Ford sells the hell out of the Raptors at over $60k apiece. How many people do you think need a Raptor? I think there's a market for tough trucks.

 

[Dalko43]

Ask yourself this: Why would you need a Hilux? you have the Tacoma. Why would you need a Prado? you have the 4Runner..

Its all a matter of not having competing models. You will only sell the vehicle which suits your market best. In the US, comfort beats durability.

A Hilux is a slightly tougher Tacoma, basically. Same goes for the Prados and 4Runners.

Also, you have models exclusive to the US (Tacoma and Tundra) which benefit the domestic company and economy. This is also a factor.

4runner and LC Prado are one in the same...pretty much same chassis and frame, just different body panels on top, somewhat different interior, and different engine options depending on the market. The dressing, inside and out is different, but the core vehicle is pretty much the same.

Tacoma and Hilux aren't the same. Tacoma is made in North America and tailored specifically for what Toyota thinks the North American market "needs" (meaning it doesn't come with a diesel engine or boxed frame and its payload/towing is lower).

As for why Toyota doesn't bring over its more hardcore 4x4 vehicles (excepting the 4runner and LC 200), it's purely because Toyota is a conservative company. They don't want to spend the money and effort making the LC 70 and Hilux pass US safety tests (I think just recently some versions of the LC 70 got side and passenger air bags, but I'm fairly certain they still don't meed US safety standards) as well as making the diesel engines pass US emissions tests (which are quite different from Euro, Australian and global standards). It's that simple. Their sales with the LC 200 and Tundra have been doing quite poorly over the last few years, but Toyota seems to be content with selling what they have until they pull out of certain market segments all together. I'd like to think they might be working on a major redesign and new engine options for some of their tired SUV's and trucks, but that's a long shot IMHO.

 

[lugueto]

4runner and LC Prado are one in the same...pretty much same chassis and frame, just different body panels on top, somewhat different interior, and different engine options depending on the market. The dressing, inside and out is different, but the core vehicle is pretty much the same.

Tacoma and Hilux aren't the same. Tacoma is made in North America and tailored specifically for what Toyota thinks the North American market "needs" (meaning it doesn't come with a diesel engine or boxed frame and its payload/towing is lower).

As for why Toyota doesn't bring over its more hardcore 4x4 vehicles (excepting the 4runner and LC 200), it's purely because Toyota is a conservative company. They don't want to spend the money and effort making the LC 70 and Hilux pass US safety tests (I think just recently some versions of the LC 70 got side and passenger air bags, but I'm fairly certain they still don't meed US safety standards) as well as making the diesel engines pass US emissions tests (which are quite different from Euro, Australian and global standards). It's that simple. Their sales with the LC 200 and Tundra have been doing quite poorly over the last few years, but Toyota seems to be content with selling what they have until they pull out of certain market segments all together. I'd like to think they might be working on a major redesign and new engine options for some of their tired SUV's and trucks, but that's a long shot IMHO.

I know this. In fact, due to a few non-conventional business transactions with Toyota, we have both 4Runners and Prados in our market. We also have Hiluxes and Tacomas. I personally have a 90 Prado and a 4th gen 4Runner at home.

You hit the nail in the head when you said "what Toyota thinks the NA Market needs". That's exactly my point. The off road, "expedition" market is a niche market. And with a 4Runner and Tacoma they can manage both regular folks and us offroaders, for example. If they have a -very- successful model that already fills the compact pickup segment, or the SUV segment, or the Full Size SUV segment for both conventional folks and offroaders, why would they introduce a competing model??

I can tell you this: aside from very slow diesel engines, you're not missing out on pretty much anything with the Hilux or Prados. The 70 is a whole other animal. And no, even with the recent, too-little-too-late security upgrades, it still wouldn't be street legal in the states.

 

[chunko]

I can tell you this: aside from very slow diesel engines, you're not missing out on pretty much anything with the Hilux or Prados. The 70 is a whole other animal. And no, even with the recent, too-little-too-late security upgrades, it still wouldn't be street legal in the states.

We actually get a tarted up version of the long wheelbase Prado in the form of the Lexus GX with a V8, leather interior, and "fancy" wood trim. I have one as a DD and camping vehicle for the family and I love it.

 

[tyv12]

Funny had a guy I worked with from Australia here in Canada, when he was done his year head he imported a ram with a cummins to Australia he was so jealous of our big domestic trucks... you always want what you can't have haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dalko43]

Funny had a guy I worked with from Australia here in Canada, when he was done his year head he imported a ram with a cummins to Australia he was so jealous of our big domestic trucks... you always want what you can't have haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't know of Ram (FCA's) reputation abroad, but Cummins' reputation in the international markets is pretty well established.

That said, I think global markets, like Australia, have always had HD options, though I don't know for how long Ram has been available there. They also have a slew of other diesel vehicles: utilitarian 4x4's (LC 70); practical utes (hilux, ranger); more comfortable 4x4 SUV's (prado, LC 200). The North American market on the other hand has been extremely slow to adopt diesel engines in anything other than 3/4 ton's, which is why people here lust over global vehicles which aren't sold here: Hilux, LC 70, Defender. That seems to be changing now with the arrival of diesel options in the 1/2 ton and midsized segments, and with more on the way.

 

[Arktikos]

I pretty much agree with what Lugueto said. The only thing we're missing out on is the 70 series-big disappointment- and other cool SWB jeep like offerings such as the Patrol. How many actual Jeeps did you see there? Probably not many.

They own the US in the two door, SWB buggy market, sad to say.