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Toyota marks 45 years in the U.S. light truck market
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The 1964 Toyota Stout was the first light truck sold in the U.S. by the manufacturer.
It was 1964 when Toyota introduced their first light truck into the U.S. market, a full five years after Datsun had begun to sell theirs here. They were playing catch up back then, but over the years Toyota has gained a significant market share of light truck sales and continues to be a leader to this day.
The Stout, as it was known, was equipped with a 1.9-liter motor, which produced 85 horsepower. It wasn’t pretty but it quickly became regarded as a reliable workhorse.
The early years
In 1969, the Stout was replaced with the slightly better looking Toyota Hi-Lux featuring the same engine. In 1970 the addition of a single overhead cam squeezed 12 more horses out of 39 fewer cubic centimeters of motor. In 1972, a slightly bigger 2.0-liter engine was introduced bumping the little inline four-cylinder up to 108 horses.
The second generation of the Hi-Lux was introduced during the 1973 model year and added more comfortable appointments as well as a 7.5 ft. optional long bed. In 1974 the Hi-Lux was named Pickup Truck of the Year from Pickup, Van & 4WD.
In 1975, the third generation Hi-Lux was bigger, more capable and featured a 2.2-liter engine that surprisingly dropped the 11 horsepower the 2.0-liter had gained. That year also introduced a 5-speed transmission and the SR5 trim designation that has gained so much popularity over the years.
In 1976, the Hi-Lux name was dropped leaving the little pickups simply called Toyota Truck or Compact Truck.
For more information visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Hilux
Next post: 45 years of Toyota Trucks – the middle years
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