The History of Toyota Trucks
Toyota trucks are among the most recognized vehicles in Toyota's lineup, and have become some of the best selling trucks in the United States market. The trucks were introduced into the United States in the early 1960s, but Toyota's engines were used for military purposes and non-consumer use as early as World War II. Toyota has won many awards for its pickup trucks, vans and 4WD vehicles, and continues to be a leader in the automotive industry with its high quality, heavy duty and durable truck lineup.
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Time Frame
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The first truck produced for the American market was the Toyota Stout. The Stout was introduced in 1964; by 1970, this vehicle had undergone an engine change, and by 1972, Toyota began producing its next generation "Hi-Lux" line. In 1974, the Hi-Lux line won the "Pickup of the Year" award from "Pickup, Van and 4WD" magazine. Toyota enjoyed ongoing demand for trucks during the mid-seventies, and truck sales continued to increase into the 1980s; by September 1977, Toyota had produced its one millionth truck.
Toyota introduced its fifth generation trucks in 1984, and sixth generation trucks in 1995. The Tacoma also appeared in 1995, and won the "Import Truck of the Year" from "Automundo" magazine. Toyota introduced the Tacoma PreRunner Xtracab in 1998.
Engines and Transmission
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The Hi-Lux compact truck introduced in 1969 was built with a 1.9 liter engine, but subsequent trucks and vans were built with 2.0 liter engines and V-6 engines that offered more power and better fuel-efficiency. Some trucks were designed with diesel engines, but Toyota stopped producing diesel-only cars by 1986. Toyota trucks were, and are, designed with both 4-speed and 5-speed manual transmissions.
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Awards
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Some of Toyota's most prestigious awards for its lineup of trucks include: "Truck of the Year" by "Motor Trend" magazine for CY 1989; "Pickup Truck of the Year" by Four Wheeler Magazine, by CY 1989; "Best Vehicle in Initial-Quality-Compact Pickup segment" by J.D. Power and Associates in 1997; "Most Wanted Small Pickup" by Edmunds.com for the 2001 CY; "AutoPacific's Vehicle Satisfaction Score (VSS)" award for Compact Pickup Truck in 2002; Consumer Reports "Most Reliable Compact Pickup Truck in 2002"; Intellichoice named Best Overall Compact Pickup Class 2D in 2002; J.D. Power and Associates "Initial Quality Study (IQS)" award in the Compact Pickup segment in 2002.
Significant Developments
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One of the most significant developments in the making of Toyota trucks took place in 1979 when the two wheel drive and four-wheel drive trucks became two separate product lines. The 4WD models were now only available with a 4-speed transmission, while the 2WD models were available with a 5-speed transmission. Diesel engines were completely discontinued in 1986, and the Turbo-charged engine was unveiled for truck owners looking for more power. Toyota trucks became one of the most versatile trucks in the consumer market by the early 1990s, because Toyota introduced a lineup of luxury features and upgrades including air conditioning, sports seats and in-dash CD players.
Models
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Toyota truck models include the Toyota Stout; Toyota Hi-Lux; Toyota Tundra and Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks. The Toyota Tacoma is available in both 4WD and 2WD, and includes the Regular Cab, Xtracab, Double Cab and S-Runner option. The Toyota Tundra pickup truck offers three cab styles: the Regular Cab, Access Cab and Tundra Double Cab, and either the 3.4 liter V6 engine, or the 4.7 liter iForce V8 engine. This truck is also available in 4WD and 2WD styles.
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