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points by eldaisfish 12 hours ago | 0 comments
it is deeply ironic that a toyota hilux pickup truck - an actually practical pickup truck - does not meet US "standards" but the pedestrian killing, inefficient, wasteful, and expensive "pickups" from US auto companies somehow do.
[–] jcomp 12 hours ago
The Hilux issue is a bit more complicated as a result of the "chicken tax" of 25% on imported light-duty trucks. Toyota made the Tacoma for the US market and built it here to avoid that tax, and now the economics of the Hilux don't make sense for them to import even if it met safety/emissions standards. It would certainly kill the market for the Tacoma.

Edit: My poor phrasing certainly did read that way though, I should have been more clear.

[–] petcat 12 hours ago
Toyota has not attempted to certify the Hilux in USA because they already sell the Tacoma, which occupies the similar market.

Nobody has said the Hilux can't be sold in USA. Toyota simply hasn't tried.

[–] agiacalone 8 hours ago
My beloved 4Runner was made in Japan, as is the rest of them (from what I understand). One of the few models still to be made exclusively in Tahara, Aichi, that you can get in the US.

And to echo others...blame the chicken tax.