My old man has had one of these as his daily runner for years, 1996 in almost identical spec to this, except it's a 2Y 1.8L carburetted model, without power steering or AC, and it has a floor mounted shifter even though it's still a bench seat - middle seat only really suitable for a child, haha. Approaching 500,000km on the original motor and gearbox and still running well, but has had a couple of head gaskets and most other serviceable items gone through over the years.
We had this vehicle in the 80's before its redesign, although some are still around in the US. Its companion was called the 4runner, although I cannot remember whether or not it could be had as 2WD. Some used the chassis for campers, some built their own like this vehicle. And have NEVER seen a column shift; all trucks were floor mounted, big trucks had column shift three speed manual. And I remember low spec had carburetor, higher spec fuel injection. And yes, a spectacular view.
We can forgive the tiny Triangle Of Doom as it's such a basic and cool ute! My friends dad had an E-reg 2.4 diesel one of those and nothing stopped it ever. He drove through a flood once and it never batted an eye lid! Love that viscous fan noise so much - reminds me of my 740s Great video chap!
Pleased to find a HubNut semi-offroad mission in a 2WD petrol version of a legendary Diesel 4x4 truck. We've come to expect nothing less from our fearless assessor.
In the Middle East in the 80s these things, along with all the other far eastern versions were quite ubiquitous - it seemed that half of all vehicles on the roads there were white open back vans, many quite elderly, dented, caked in dust and driven insanely all over the road and across the open rocky desert tracks by what often seemed to be schoolboys (boys could drive when they achieved 'majority' there at about 11 - although in the desert and mountain settlements many of the drivers seemed even younger). Amusingly, out in the desert, they'd sometimes squeeze in a camel kneeling down in the back!
When I was a bus driver we had one of these with a four speed automatic and integral ute body and it was just as fun to drive in auto form as manual (which I've driven also). The slightly peaky engine character was evident in the auto as well and just as intriguing.
There was a clean 95 wellbody 2wd Hilux auto that I nearly bought here in Oz . . did't cause the seller did't respond to any emails or phone for a day , the wellbodies are good for bikes . . it's Toyota auto still seemed to be running OK after that period of time which was cool . . ended up buying a 2008 2wd Hilux some weeks later for around same price , the 95 auto would'v been a cool ride aswell dare say . . bit of a rarity
I saw this last year and just last month i was riding mopeds with my mates and we went to Bowenvale (the offroad place you took the Lux to) It was sketchy as! Mate fell off and broke a headlight cover, my bike stopped and I got a puncture. Still great fun, just thought i'd share. Keep up the good stuff man!
i love that pattern of column change, i drove vauxhall midis (izuzu) alot in the 90s and adored the column shift 3 seaters over the 2 seater floor change models :)
Many years ago I had a 1985 Toyota Hiace van it had a 5 speed column change manual mated to a Holden 3.3 litre straight six...lovely thing to drive...loads of torque and the gear shift worked great...
My Dad had one almost identical to this one except the tray on his was aluminum and I am almost sure it had just the two bucket sears with a floor gear change. Nice memories for me. Thanks again Ian for an interesting road test. I remember that nice and beefy sounding indicator relay too! :-)
I'm just about to watch this latest episode with a cup of tea. Feeling smug as I have done a service on my 2003 VW Passat TDI. Life doesn't get any better.
Super reliable, and super utilitarian! Probably appropriate for a Ute! Toyota are good at using the same interior parts over many models! Those interior door handles date back to the early 80s and were still used in 70 series landcruisers in 2007!
My uncle had a "93 hilux SR5 5speed with a cover over the back tray with 4 seats two door. It was 2WD with the 2.4 litre 22R petrol engine with a carburetor. The dash was different though, it had a tachometer with 5500rpm redline. Oil pressure, voltage, temp and fuel gauges standard. Speedometer could read upto 160kmh and the gear leaver was floor mounted and no AC was fitted but there was power steering. Love the video and the mans blinker relay, extra nice sound which was in the hilux aswell. Keep up the good vids
we used to have one of theses on the farm,used to smoke until we had the piston rings sorted,column gear change but smooth as silk,the van ran and ran and ran, love it, keep well and Merry xmas.
Ahhhhhhh I'm missing driving so much now My Christmas has consisted of buying a new car to be reliable while my main is repaired , and absolutely loving it (my first car with overhead cams (two of them !)), but then having it taken away from me and going back to carless, the timing chain went and my lovely new machine is now only economical to scrap :( The whole thing has really brought me down, thanks so much for this video, seeing this lovely utilitarian Toyota like this, with that column gear change and simple interior has properly cheered me up. :) Hope you have a Happy Christmas
A column shift is super rare on those things, never seen one in Australia. Re 4WD, I found that if you don't tell the car it's not 4WD it doesn't know it's supposed to get stuck. I drove my LN56 2WD long bed diesel around Australia twice on roads that, well, weren't always. The 2L diesel gave a very relaxed drive, mainly as there was no point trying to hurry, I seized mine about 110,000Km in the middle of Australia, drove it 400km to Alice Springs, trained it home, put new pistons and rings in it, in the backyard under a tree and drove it another 160,000Km before I finally got tired of seeing it in the driveway and sold it on, still running perfectly.
Awesome Ian. Just going through your back catalog. I had a 1995 Hilux double cab 2.4lt Diesel 2wd manual 5sp floor shift. Probably one of the best utes I ever owned. Wish I had kept it .
That's the Toyota Y motor - 2Y=1.8, 3Y =2.0, 4Y=2.2 litres. They're a lovely indestructible pushrod motor, hence their popularity. I've done quite a few kms behind such motors. The motor which replaced them was the OHC 1RZ or 2RZ, which were a bit notorious in the head gasket department. As to whether it's a ute, I'm not buying into the argument myself, but there are those who will maintain that a ute is defined by having the bed bodywork integral with the rest of the body. Such utes are usually of unitary construction if the sedan they are based on was unitary. Cheers.
@@HubNut yes and because of this and it's beam axle rather than an IRS the Ford utes were able to offer 1 tonne option. If you want off road ability try the later Ford RTV Ute, 2wd with a diff lock and raised suspension.
@HubNut . I guess my thoughts and eyes were focussed on earlier days. On checking, Falcon utes post 2000 separated cab and bed, where pre 2000 were as I described. Indeed the term 'ute' has become a bit more blurred since the 1980's, hence my disclaimer about not buying in to the argument.
@@captaccordion I have a 2014 FG mk2 series Falcon, with a tray back, instead of a tub. It still gets called a ute, or should it referred to as a one tonne cab chassis? It's an argument that would go on for a while.
@@railtrolley Yes, my mind had been fixed in the past and I hadn't noticed the way Falcon utes have been since 2000. Indeed some would argue that it breaches the definition of a ute, but of course we could argue back and forth all day on that one!
This is my third viewing of this road test of the legendary 1990s toyota hilux l am glad you refered to it as a ute and the tray is also common here in Australia the motor in Australia in the utes imported into Australia they are the 22R motor which is 2.4 litres and very torquey also l usally take of in second gear and it has a carburetor which is the last vehicle to have a carby in Australia and it has quater windows which were only available on tge Australian model they also were very popular and there are still a few of them still on the roads in Australia and they are indestructible
Extremely popular in Greece (as all Toyotas and Hiluxes) along with it's sibling, the VW Taro, as normal bed pick-up trucks though, 4x2 and 4x4 single or "one and a half" cab but with the 2.4 diesel, and I don't think we ever got column shifters
Went hunting in the slightly bigger 4wd version of that which involved a 4 hour highway speed drive to get to the end of road and 4wd experience part. Off road it was a joy and awesome the highway bit is best described as sitting on the sharpened end of a 4 x 2 (for American friends that's a 2 x 4)
The first time I ever heard the word 'ute' was in an episode of Neighbours, mentioned by Mrs. Mangel's son (played by Mark Little). I kept thinking it was spelt 'yoot'.
HiLux utes even IF abused and poorly maintained LAST FOREVER, we had a NZ new one 1600cc i think it was REALLY needed a 5spd. Years later i drove a 3ltr diesel HiAce, it did over 600 000kms on the factory original Toyota clutch, AMAZING!! The van did over a million kms on the original engine with servicing and cambelts!! I was the driver when 999 999 kms came up on the odometer BUT did turn over, the odometer is in computer memory so you either find a way to wipe it or replace it!! As far as i know the van is still going and in regular use!
Hi Ian, I have an update about this truck. A few months ago I blew the engine up and put a rod out the bottom when driving through water. I repaired the holes in the sump and rebuilt the engine with new pistons/rings and a set of Aliexpress connecting rods. The truck now runs as good as new.
There are people installing the Toyota / Lexus 2JZGTE engines in these little trucks. Test drive one of those for us if you can. Love the videos and keep up the great work.
The 3Y carb motor model was an amazing motor! I had a HiLux LWB van as a work van and did hundred of thousands of kilometres in it - heaps of grunt and took any load I put in it. 120Kph was no problem. I did run a head in it though, they need good antifreeze in them. But in one morning I had the head out and into the machine shop. Back the next day and back into the van - up and running that avo! Thank you TOYOTA.
LOVE Column change manual transmission (As I have often commented before). I learned to drive on it and have always had vehicles with it , (plus a few autos over the years). I just find a column-shifter so much more "natural" and intuitive . Never liked floor gear shifts. We have a very similar Hilux to this in Japan . Its a proper pickup body version though not a "ute" back , and it's got the 2.8 diesel. We've had it close to 20 years but it's still really mint . The gearshift on this one in the vid seems very clunky and stiff? I suspect that may just be a lack of maintenance / many miles . It's a simple job to replace a couple of cotter pins in the shift linkage and oil / grease everything on these. The shift should be very precise and light . I can shift mine with one finger without taking my hand off the wheel. Column change manual is still pretty common in Japan . Toyota still offered in (6 speed) on Crown Comforts until 2017 (we are looking at buying a nice late model one of those to import to UK) . They must be one of the last vehicles made anywhere with column change manual.
I never saw a Volvo once out in the sticks in Oz . . bulk Toyota's & Nissans & Fords & Holdens & Macks & Kenworths & Hino's etc . . Wot . . were Volvo hiding their light under a bleedin bushel or something ? (here In Oz truck drivers say you need to wear a skirt to drive a Volvo/Mecca truck )
For those of you commenting that they're not called Roo Bars in NZ due to there being no roos in the country, please note that when Ian mentioned the bars he was right behind a Roomeo (sorry, couldn't resist).
"which car's your money on ..." Heh, well that's something I have noticed, innit. You get slow drivers in fast cars and fast drivers in slow cars. I would regularly be first away from the lights in a Ford Transit, only to soon be overtaken cause a 2.5 litre diesel with no turbo, is useless ... I've also been on dual carriageways with the thing and been driving at 70 past lines of cars doing 50 to 60 for no good reason (a lot of people seem to think the NSL on a dual carriageway is 60). Single carriageways at 60 could be challenging but it turned out the body was rotten :p
1st UTE experience turns you from being UTEless to UTEfull - sorry could not resist the pun(s). It is Boxing Day after all. Hope you are having a good one. p.s. driven an early Fiat Panda over far worse tracks than that on a Greek Island (ended up on a secret military runway - long story).
Aussie friend of mine bought a ‘hobby farm’ in rural NSW in the mid-90’s. He then bought a brand one of these but with floor shift and slightly higher sides. He then noted that his was the only Ute of any kind in town without a dog in the back. So what did he do? You got it in one, he acquired a Blue Cattle Dog, aka a Blue Heeler. I recall driving it on my own from Sydney all the way to Dunedoo with the dog in the back and she stood up and barked for almost the whole journey.
I drove a 1994 Nissan Navarra around for a week while in NZ, and took it also on unsealed roads, and like your experience it is a bit harsh ride with the live axle on leaf springs, but it was as rugged as the Hilux. The Navarra was a 2.4 liter diesel. They cope well with offroading untill you hit a really steep hill, which I had in Kuaotunu, al little coastal village near Opito Bay, on the aproximately 30% incline the rear wheels lost grip and we had to put some weight on the bed to get up that gravel road. An English couple with a FWD Toyota had no chance at all, they had to reverse up that hill to reach the B&B.
Back in the 80s I drove a Mazda 1800 pick up for a living. It was very similar to that Toyota, column change cramoed cab but boy did it shift! Even laden it was no slacker.
this is the most ubiquitous vehicle globally there is. they are everywhere. i'd be willing to bet there's at least one in every country on the planet. i had a 1971 toyota mini truck. it was fun as hell to drive. it was like a go buggy with a carry box on the back.
Looking at that start from the lights, one of that gives my sister the upmost pleasure is on our lights in Weymouth with a merge straight after, overtaking an expensive/sporty car in her Micra K13 1.2. Even more so if the other car has tried to get away quickly and buggered it!
"A man's relay". Now that's a whole new level of sexism :D. Meep. If ever you need something to replace ptschoooo, meep will do. 8:24 Cattle Grid with a view! I'm liking this Toyota. It looks to be properly pleasant. Also surprisingly quiet and rattle-free. This might be a nice buy for your Aussie adventure, if not stopped by wildfires. Maybe one with the bulkhead a little further backwards, if such a thing even exists. My money was on the Toyota. Reminds me of that time we raced a 911 with a Daihatsu Charade G11. The Charade won for the first 6 meters. Also, I didn't even know there was a TWC hoodie. Wonder if it gets as much attention as the 2cv hoodie :D.
They lasted forever here in the states. They were 4 on floor. None I 've ever seen had the column shift 300 thousand miles is nothing for them. There 10s of thousands of them all over the south west US.they do rust in the Wet parts of the US but all Nippon cars do.
Hi Ian. Loving the videos! There was a Hilux Surf locally that had been put onto a 2wd Hilux chassis and was running a Lexus V8 and a 5 speed manual box, so yes it can be done and no it looked terrible.
(from Craig) Makes me wish I'd kept my 1992 Hilux; the N. American market got the 2.4 liter 22-RE engine; w/ a five-speed (floor-change) manual, it was pretty peppy, esp. unladen. Mine (being LHD, if that makes a difference) had a "dead pedal" for one's clutch foot, which was most welcome. Mine even had the same upholstery as the example you tested; it was a bench seat, and I think it had the middle seat belt, but w/ a notch cut out in the seat for the shifter. By 1995, they were rebadged as Tacomas, but looked almost identical to the Hilux which preceded them. Like most every vehicle here in the States, they keep making them bigger (my 2006 Tacoma was huge compared w/ my Hilux)!
Looking at the well chewed and patched up roads should make you feel right at home. Basic but tough Hilux is a true workhorse. Nice to see the old series 2 Scalia doing its stuff. Has to be getting on for some 30yr old.
3:45 The buttons on the stereo you called "secret" are presets, You use the "seek" button to find the station you want to preset to memory. The middle button, having the dimple, allows you to "feel" for the button you're after while keeping eyes on the road ahead(where they should be). This radio looks to be AM-only.
I think you might be missing the point. It's not a competition. I took it, as an observation. That they are, as a rule. Good well turned out trucks. And they are big trucks. As in at the bigger end of the vehicle scale. Compared to utes pickups, suvs and the general run of suburban commercial vehicles etc. For most loads. There isn't the same need for road trains in NZ. If need be, you would just run extra trucks. However, there are bigger rigs out there, if required.
Looking at the road surface the maintenance is all done by the same crew we have here in Kent (UK)! That off road section was better in most part than some of the A roads we have here! Good to see that things are getting better for you. Any chance of some more Steam Traction Ian?
When I sold my BMW M6 to a mate years ago ,I needed a car to get home so i bought a hilux from the rotten row of a dealers yard. 10 years later we were still using it every day for all sorts of hard work. Ours was third generation 1976 version with four headlights and square edged body) which I repowered once with a 4K engine although you could get the OHC 18R if you wanted a bigger load capability. (read =torqure). I swapped it in the end for a Mopar Max wedge engine (google that) .so for several years of hard work it actually provided a profit.
This review of the 1995 toyota hi lux got me watching your you tube channel because i own a 1997 hi lux the australian model. It has quarter windows a carburetor and no cat converter air con wich does work and cruise control which sort of work and a floor shift.The engin is 2.4 litre
I like your car tests, watched lots of them. On this one I think the camera was a bit high, couldn't see where you was heading but a good view of the rear view mirror.
Nice truck and review/test drive. The last mile to my place is on a dirt road like that one so I have to off road every day in whatever I'm driving! The 4Runner (Surf equivalent) here in Canada comes in 4cyl and 6cyl. The 4cyl being the indestructible, if less powerful, one. 6cyl prone to head gasket failure. Great rigs with either engine, though. I think the 2 door version was available in 2wd.
This generation of the Toyota Hilux was also build in licence by Volkswagen as «VW Taro». Mainly for the German market, I think. In my neighbourhood there is one in white and very good condition...
reminded me of my old 1981 Mazda B1800, bench seat n column change! I liked the column change, there are more things to enjoy when driving than what is easy or quick (sure you see that too Ian) Sadly too few 2wd pick ups in the UK! I think its because, regulations (4x4 is part of dual purpose vehicle spec)
Same gear pattern on the column as a Renault 16TX. I don't know about building a HiLux Surf on the chassis, but I suspect you could build something suitable to spend a night or two in if needed?
Don't be too tough on the P38 the fact that there is plenty still around even in the UK tells a story. Now you can plug into them with either free or cheap SW it makes the old V8 a very easy car to live with. Diesel okish with a tuning box. Obvs being Land Rover the usual quality issues but most have been sorted by now. Great video do live a Ute.
The Hilux Surf is known as the 4Runner in North America and, according to Toyota Canada's web page, you can only get it in AWD with an automatic.which sadly has a floor-mounted shifter. A very different ethos from this older Hilux Ute.
I love the sound quality of the radio. I expected to hear Winston Churchill announce the start of WWII.
I was thinking the same thing. Guess it's a combination of AM and "Hi-Fi" car stereo
It is an AM only radio. That's why :D
My old man has had one of these as his daily runner for years, 1996 in almost identical spec to this, except it's a 2Y 1.8L carburetted model, without power steering or AC, and it has a floor mounted shifter even though it's still a bench seat - middle seat only really suitable for a child, haha. Approaching 500,000km on the original motor and gearbox and still running well, but has had a couple of head gaskets and most other serviceable items gone through over the years.
You cant beat those old Toyotas just like your faithful dog keeps you happy for ever
We had this vehicle in the 80's before its redesign, although some are still around in the US. Its companion was called the 4runner, although I cannot remember whether or not it could be had as 2WD. Some used the chassis for campers, some built their own like this vehicle. And have NEVER seen a column shift; all trucks were floor mounted, big trucks had column shift three speed manual. And I remember low spec had carburetor, higher spec fuel injection. And yes, a spectacular view.
A fit and proper work truck, ready to take on the rigors of the day.
Brilliant motor the Hi Lux in any guise, if rustproofed and maintained well they will last forever.
Thanks Ian, great video as usual.
We can forgive the tiny Triangle Of Doom as it's such a basic and cool ute!
My friends dad had an E-reg 2.4 diesel one of those and nothing stopped it ever. He drove through a flood once and it never batted an eye lid! Love that viscous fan noise so much - reminds me of my 740s
Great video chap!
Pleased to find a HubNut semi-offroad mission in a 2WD petrol version of a legendary Diesel 4x4 truck. We've come to expect nothing less from our fearless assessor.
In the Middle East in the 80s these things, along with all the other far eastern versions were quite ubiquitous - it seemed that half of all vehicles on the roads there were white open back vans, many quite elderly, dented, caked in dust and driven insanely all over the road and across the open rocky desert tracks by what often seemed to be schoolboys (boys could drive when they achieved 'majority' there at about 11 - although in the desert and mountain settlements many of the drivers seemed even younger). Amusingly, out in the desert, they'd sometimes squeeze in a camel kneeling down in the back!
When I was a bus driver we had one of these with a four speed automatic and integral ute body and it was just as fun to drive in auto form as manual (which I've driven also). The slightly peaky engine character was evident in the auto as well and just as intriguing.
There was a clean 95 wellbody 2wd Hilux auto that I nearly bought here in Oz . . did't cause the seller did't respond to any emails or phone for a day , the wellbodies are good for bikes . . it's Toyota auto still seemed to be running OK after that period of time which was cool . . ended up buying a 2008 2wd Hilux some weeks later for around same price , the 95 auto would'v been a cool ride aswell dare say . . bit of a rarity
I saw this last year and just last month i was riding mopeds with my mates and we went to Bowenvale (the offroad place you took the Lux to)
It was sketchy as! Mate fell off and broke a headlight cover, my bike stopped and I got a puncture.
Still great fun, just thought i'd share.
Keep up the good stuff man!
i love that pattern of column change, i drove vauxhall midis (izuzu) alot in the 90s and adored the column shift 3 seaters over the 2 seater floor change models :)
Many years ago I had a 1985 Toyota Hiace van it had a 5 speed column change manual mated to a Holden 3.3 litre straight six...lovely thing to drive...loads of torque and the gear shift worked great...
My Dad had one almost identical to this one except the tray on his was aluminum and I am almost sure it had just the two bucket sears with a floor gear change. Nice memories for me. Thanks again Ian for an interesting road test. I remember that nice and beefy sounding indicator relay too! :-)
Love your obsession with windscreen wipers, I used to think I was the only one who cared
"..And it's a three-seater.. just like a Matra Murena...." What a comparison.
Another quality video Mr Seabrook, very satisfying to watch the iconic aussie/NZ ute. I always hankered after a 504 pickup myself.
I'm just about to watch this latest episode with a cup of tea. Feeling smug as I have done a service on my 2003 VW Passat TDI. Life doesn't get any better.
Super reliable, and super utilitarian! Probably appropriate for a Ute! Toyota are good at using the same interior parts over many models! Those interior door handles date back to the early 80s and were still used in 70 series landcruisers in 2007!
My uncle had a "93 hilux SR5 5speed with a cover over the back tray with 4 seats two door. It was 2WD with the 2.4 litre 22R petrol engine with a carburetor. The dash was different though, it had a tachometer with 5500rpm redline. Oil pressure, voltage, temp and fuel gauges standard. Speedometer could read upto 160kmh and the gear leaver was floor mounted and no AC was fitted but there was power steering. Love the video and the mans blinker relay, extra nice sound which was in the hilux aswell.
Keep up the good vids
Again such a beautiful route, nice that the people of NZ show you such beautiful places. And a happy New Year.
Starlet Sprint- yes the cloth inserts did wonders for the 0-100kmh times
Roo bars good idea along with the wonderful noise of the indicators ,
Check out the Barry Crump tv ad.
we used to have one of theses on the farm,used to smoke until we had the piston rings sorted,column gear change but smooth as silk,the van ran and ran and ran, love it, keep well and Merry xmas.
Ahhhhhhh I'm missing driving so much now
My Christmas has consisted of buying a new car to be reliable while my main is repaired , and absolutely loving it (my first car with overhead cams (two of them !)), but then having it taken away from me and going back to carless, the timing chain went and my lovely new machine is now only economical to scrap :(
The whole thing has really brought me down, thanks so much for this video, seeing this lovely utilitarian Toyota like this, with that column gear change and simple interior has properly cheered me up. :)
Hope you have a Happy Christmas
A column shift is super rare on those things, never seen one in Australia. Re 4WD, I found that if you don't tell the car it's not 4WD it doesn't know it's supposed to get stuck. I drove my LN56 2WD long bed diesel around Australia twice on roads that, well, weren't always. The 2L diesel gave a very relaxed drive, mainly as there was no point trying to hurry, I seized mine about 110,000Km in the middle of Australia, drove it 400km to Alice Springs, trained it home, put new pistons and rings in it, in the backyard under a tree and drove it another 160,000Km before I finally got tired of seeing it in the driveway and sold it on, still running perfectly.
Awesome Ian. Just going through your back catalog.
I had a 1995 Hilux double cab 2.4lt Diesel 2wd manual 5sp floor shift.
Probably one of the best utes I ever owned. Wish I had kept it .
Hubnut: "that is a man's relay"
TH-cam: DEMONITISED
That's inexplicable they did this. TH-cam is getting quite broken.
@@Seiskid I was joking about how oversensitive they are about feminism and stuff, wouldn't surprise me if they actually did it though.
It would have been the radio add selling potatoes most likely. Ewetube is very very broken
@@Wehiremonkeys Haha got me good lol - you never know these days with youtube ;)
That's the Toyota Y motor - 2Y=1.8, 3Y =2.0, 4Y=2.2 litres. They're a lovely indestructible pushrod motor, hence their popularity. I've done quite a few kms behind such motors. The motor which replaced them was the OHC 1RZ or 2RZ, which were a bit notorious in the head gasket department. As to whether it's a ute, I'm not buying into the argument myself, but there are those who will maintain that a ute is defined by having the bed bodywork integral with the rest of the body. Such utes are usually of unitary construction if the sedan they are based on was unitary. Cheers.
Sorry but that's not the case. The Ford Falcon ute is a chassis cab that has separate rear bodywork. Holden had integral bodywork.
@@HubNut yes and because of this and it's beam axle rather than an IRS the Ford utes were able to offer 1 tonne option. If you want off road ability try the later Ford RTV Ute, 2wd with a diff lock and raised suspension.
@HubNut . I guess my thoughts and eyes were focussed on earlier days. On checking, Falcon utes post 2000 separated cab and bed, where pre 2000 were as I described. Indeed the term 'ute' has become a bit more blurred since the 1980's, hence my disclaimer about not buying in to the argument.
@@captaccordion I have a 2014 FG mk2 series Falcon, with a tray back, instead of a tub. It still gets called a ute, or should it referred to as a one tonne cab chassis? It's an argument that would go on for a while.
@@railtrolley Yes, my mind had been fixed in the past and I hadn't noticed the way Falcon utes have been since 2000. Indeed some would argue that it breaches the definition of a ute, but of course we could argue back and forth all day on that one!
This is my third viewing of this road test of the legendary 1990s toyota hilux l am glad you refered to it as a ute and the tray is also common here in Australia the motor in Australia in the utes imported into Australia they are the 22R motor which is 2.4 litres and very torquey also l usally take of in second gear and it has a carburetor which is the last vehicle to have a carby in Australia and it has quater windows which were only available on tge Australian model they also were very popular and there are still a few of them still on the roads in Australia and they are indestructible
Extremely popular in Greece (as all Toyotas and Hiluxes) along with it's sibling, the VW Taro, as normal bed pick-up trucks though, 4x2 and 4x4 single or "one and a half" cab but with the 2.4 diesel, and I don't think we ever got column shifters
Went hunting in the slightly bigger 4wd version of that which involved a 4 hour highway speed drive to get to the end of road and 4wd experience part. Off road it was a joy and awesome the highway bit is best described as sitting on the sharpened end of a 4 x 2 (for American friends that's a 2 x 4)
The first time I ever heard the word 'ute' was in an episode of Neighbours, mentioned by Mrs. Mangel's son (played by Mark Little). I kept thinking it was spelt 'yoot'.
It's short for utility.
Love the aerial, is there a shortage of coat hangers in NZ?
14:36 OMG An old 143 Scania we don't see many of those still in service last ones built mid 90s .
HiLux utes even IF abused and poorly maintained LAST FOREVER, we had a NZ new one 1600cc i think it was REALLY needed a 5spd. Years later i drove a 3ltr diesel HiAce, it did over 600 000kms on the factory original Toyota clutch, AMAZING!! The van did over a million kms on the original engine with servicing and cambelts!! I was the driver when 999 999 kms came up on the odometer BUT did turn over, the odometer is in computer memory so you either find a way to wipe it or replace it!! As far as i know the van is still going and in regular use!
Hi Ian, I have an update about this truck. A few months ago I blew the engine up and put a rod out the bottom when driving through water. I repaired the holes in the sump and rebuilt the engine with new pistons/rings and a set of Aliexpress connecting rods. The truck now runs as good as new.
Oops!
There are people installing the Toyota / Lexus 2JZGTE engines in these little trucks. Test drive one of those for us if you can. Love the videos and keep up the great work.
The 3Y carb motor model was an amazing motor! I had a HiLux LWB van as a work van and did hundred of thousands of kilometres in it - heaps of grunt and took any load I put in it. 120Kph was no problem. I did run a head in it though, they need good antifreeze in them. But in one morning I had the head out and into the machine shop. Back the next day and back into the van - up and running that avo! Thank you TOYOTA.
Beautiful country, looks like a joy to ride the roads enjoying the scenery
LOVE Column change manual transmission (As I have often commented before). I learned to drive on it and have always had vehicles with it , (plus a few autos over the years). I just find a column-shifter so much more "natural" and intuitive . Never liked floor gear shifts.
We have a very similar Hilux to this in Japan . Its a proper pickup body version though not a "ute" back , and it's got the 2.8 diesel. We've had it close to 20 years but it's still really mint .
The gearshift on this one in the vid seems very clunky and stiff? I suspect that may just be a lack of maintenance / many miles . It's a simple job to replace a couple of cotter pins in the shift linkage and oil / grease everything on these. The shift should be very precise and light . I can shift mine with one finger without taking my hand off the wheel.
Column change manual is still pretty common in Japan . Toyota still offered in (6 speed) on Crown Comforts until 2017 (we are looking at buying a nice late model one of those to import to UK) . They must be one of the last vehicles made anywhere with column change manual.
I enjoyed that. Thanks Ian and all the best from Buenos Aires. 👍👍
These Toyotas were built very solidly
...they are nearly as strong as my Volvo 940...💪😀👍
I never saw a Volvo once out in the sticks in Oz . . bulk Toyota's & Nissans & Fords & Holdens & Macks & Kenworths & Hino's etc . . Wot . . were Volvo hiding their light under a bleedin bushel or something ? (here In Oz truck drivers say you need to wear a skirt to drive a Volvo/Mecca truck )
For those of you commenting that they're not called Roo Bars in NZ due to there being no roos in the country, please note that when Ian mentioned the bars he was right behind a Roomeo (sorry, couldn't resist).
"which car's your money on ..."
Heh, well that's something I have noticed, innit. You get slow drivers in fast cars and fast drivers in slow cars. I would regularly be first away from the lights in a Ford Transit, only to soon be overtaken cause a 2.5 litre diesel with no turbo, is useless ... I've also been on dual carriageways with the thing and been driving at 70 past lines of cars doing 50 to 60 for no good reason (a lot of people seem to think the NSL on a dual carriageway is 60).
Single carriageways at 60 could be challenging but it turned out the body was rotten :p
1st UTE experience turns you from being UTEless to UTEfull - sorry could not resist the pun(s). It is Boxing Day after all. Hope you are having a good one. p.s. driven an early Fiat Panda over far worse tracks than that on a Greek Island (ended up on a secret military runway - long story).
I had a 1988 Mazda B2200 for a while. I miss that truck.
Def ISIS spec except they have one forward and five reverse gears.
Aussie friend of mine bought a ‘hobby farm’ in rural NSW in the mid-90’s. He then bought a brand one of these but with floor shift and slightly higher sides. He then noted that his was the only Ute of any kind in town without a dog in the back. So what did he do? You got it in one, he acquired a Blue Cattle Dog, aka a Blue Heeler. I recall driving it on my own from Sydney all the way to Dunedoo with the dog in the back and she stood up and barked for almost the whole journey.
I drove a 1994 Nissan Navarra around for a week while in NZ, and took it also on unsealed roads, and like your experience it is a bit harsh ride with the live axle on leaf springs, but it was as rugged as the Hilux. The Navarra was a 2.4 liter diesel.
They cope well with offroading untill you hit a really steep hill, which I had in Kuaotunu, al little coastal village near Opito Bay, on the aproximately 30% incline the rear wheels lost grip and we had to put some weight on the bed to get up that gravel road. An English couple with a FWD Toyota had no chance at all, they had to reverse up that hill to reach the B&B.
“Tray back” in Australian (and probably NZ) is called “Cab Chassis”!!
Back in the 80s I drove a Mazda 1800 pick up for a living. It was very similar to that Toyota, column change cramoed cab but boy did it shift! Even laden it was no slacker.
I was hoping you would sit in the back to check the head room. 😀
Great video again Ian. Nice condition Hilux. At 5:45, like the Keystone Ecology NZ, Land Cruiser J70 type. Keep up the good work. Cheers.
The pre 90 diesel Hilux very hard to Beat .Another great toyota was the stout last forever. Have a good one Adam
Great video Ian, bloody hilux looks a lot better in the video than real life. Have a good one
Love your videos Ian. All of them!
The world over I think it's hard to beat the older Toyotas.
agreed
this is the most ubiquitous vehicle globally there is. they are everywhere. i'd be willing to bet there's at least one in every country on the planet. i had a 1971 toyota mini truck. it was fun as hell to drive. it was like a go buggy with a carry box on the back.
Looking at that start from the lights, one of that gives my sister the upmost pleasure is on our lights in Weymouth with a merge straight after, overtaking an expensive/sporty car in her Micra K13 1.2. Even more so if the other car has tried to get away quickly and buggered it!
"A man's relay". Now that's a whole new level of sexism :D.
Meep. If ever you need something to replace ptschoooo, meep will do.
8:24 Cattle Grid with a view!
I'm liking this Toyota. It looks to be properly pleasant. Also surprisingly quiet and rattle-free.
This might be a nice buy for your Aussie adventure, if not stopped by wildfires.
Maybe one with the bulkhead a little further backwards, if such a thing even exists.
My money was on the Toyota. Reminds me of that time we raced a 911 with a Daihatsu Charade G11.
The Charade won for the first 6 meters.
Also, I didn't even know there was a TWC hoodie. Wonder if it gets as much attention as the 2cv hoodie :D.
Great video Ian am looking forward to you getting back to Blighty to start on your new project 4x4
Great vid. You must now be missing the cold rain here in Wales, it's the type that they haven't invented a waterproof for yet.
They lasted forever here in the states. They were 4 on floor. None I 've ever seen had the column shift 300 thousand miles is nothing for them. There 10s of thousands of them all over the south west US.they do rust in the Wet parts of the US but all Nippon cars do.
Hi Ian. Loving the videos!
There was a Hilux Surf locally that had been put onto a 2wd Hilux chassis and was running a Lexus V8 and a 5 speed manual box, so yes it can be done and no it looked terrible.
(from Craig)
Makes me wish I'd kept my 1992 Hilux; the N. American market got the 2.4 liter 22-RE engine; w/ a five-speed (floor-change) manual, it was pretty peppy, esp. unladen. Mine (being LHD, if that makes a difference) had a "dead pedal" for one's clutch foot, which was most welcome. Mine even had the same upholstery as the example you tested; it was a bench seat, and I think it had the middle seat belt, but w/ a notch cut out in the seat for the shifter.
By 1995, they were rebadged as Tacomas, but looked almost identical to the Hilux which preceded them. Like most every vehicle here in the States, they keep making them bigger (my 2006 Tacoma was huge compared w/ my Hilux)!
Looking at the well chewed and patched up roads should make you feel right at home. Basic but tough Hilux is a true workhorse. Nice to see the old series 2 Scalia doing its stuff. Has to be getting on for some 30yr old.
3:45 The buttons on the stereo you called "secret" are presets, You use the "seek" button to find the station you want to preset to memory. The middle button, having the dimple, allows you to "feel" for the button you're after while keeping eyes on the road ahead(where they should be). This radio looks to be AM-only.
Definitely gonna check out this trail!
Crazy scenery
I remember when I was at college back in the 90's. I learnt how to do body filling on the Hilux. Never had the chance to drive one though.
Man I love Toyota.
"God they do big trucks here well" Wait till you get to Oz and see Road Trains, they'll make the Kiwi ones look diminutive..
I think you might be missing the point. It's not a competition. I took it, as an observation. That they are, as a rule. Good well turned out trucks. And they are big trucks. As in at the bigger end of the vehicle scale. Compared to utes pickups, suvs and the general run of suburban commercial vehicles etc. For most loads. There isn't the same need for road trains in NZ. If need be, you would just run extra trucks. However, there are bigger rigs out there, if required.
Tray back 😂 very cool! Just painted our Reliant Fox leaf spring, separated of course 😎
Toyota utes are an Australian icon
Looking at the road surface the maintenance is all done by the same crew we have here in Kent (UK)! That off road section was better in most part than some of the A roads we have here! Good to see that things are getting better for you. Any chance of some more Steam Traction Ian?
When I sold my BMW M6 to a mate years ago ,I needed a car to get home so i bought a hilux from the rotten row of a dealers yard. 10 years later we were still using it every day for all sorts of hard work. Ours was third generation 1976 version with four headlights and square edged body) which I repowered once with a 4K engine although you could get the OHC 18R if you wanted a bigger load capability. (read =torqure).
I swapped it in the end for a Mopar Max wedge engine (google that) .so for several years of hard work it actually provided a profit.
This review of the 1995 toyota hi lux got me watching your you tube channel because i own a 1997 hi lux the australian model. It has quarter windows a carburetor and no cat converter air con wich does work and cruise control which sort of work and a floor shift.The engin is 2.4 litre
9:37 Straddling a rut sounds intriguing. 😉 Thanks for this review, Ian. Always wanted to know how a 2WD Hilux performs.
A viscous fan? I thought it looked quite docile.
I like your car tests, watched lots of them. On this one I think the camera was a bit high, couldn't see where you was heading but a good view of the rear view mirror.
Yeah, not ideal!
@@HubNut Still a hundred times better than top gear, Looking forward to your next one.
Nice truck and review/test drive. The last mile to my place is on a dirt road like that one so I have to off road every day in whatever I'm driving! The 4Runner (Surf equivalent) here in Canada comes in 4cyl and 6cyl. The 4cyl being the indestructible, if less powerful, one. 6cyl prone to head gasket failure. Great rigs with either engine, though. I think the 2 door version was available in 2wd.
Merry Christmas , Ian 👍
Christchurch,just that where the film "bad taste" was filmed !!
Actually in and around Wellington. Heavenly creatures was filmed in Chch though.
Thanks ,in that film I heard kihora as well ,I can't remember exactly but I know it was a great cheesy film,still is one of my favourites !
Yes,your right ! Just looked it up ,thanks for that 😊
Check out Brain Dead if you haven't seen it. Cheesy, gory and hilarious. Also filmed in Wellington.
I don't think I've seen that so I will do,thanks again 😊!
This generation of the Toyota Hilux was also build in licence by Volkswagen as «VW Taro». Mainly for the German market, I think. In my neighbourhood there is one in white and very good condition...
reminded me of my old 1981 Mazda B1800, bench seat n column change!
I liked the column change, there are more things to enjoy when driving than what is easy or quick (sure you see that too Ian) Sadly too few 2wd pick ups in the UK! I think its because, regulations (4x4 is part of dual purpose vehicle spec)
Really good shot of the rear view mirror. 😐
Thats what I was thinking too.
Hubnut, it is the season of good cheer and all that.
But could you let the Aussies, now that our thoughts are with them.
Ive seen one 2WD Hilux like this but with an ordinary flatbed near where i live. That's known as the 4x2 and is much much rarer than the 4x4.
Same gear pattern on the column as a Renault 16TX. I don't know about building a HiLux Surf on the chassis, but I suspect you could build something suitable to spend a night or two in if needed?
I've got a 1986 Hilux 2wd with the 2.0 version of that motor and a 4 speed auto on the floor
Nice one ian ,keep them coming 😁👍
Don't be too tough on the P38 the fact that there is plenty still around even in the UK tells a story. Now you can plug into them with either free or cheap SW it makes the old V8 a very easy car to live with. Diesel okish with a tuning box. Obvs being Land Rover the usual quality issues but most have been sorted by now.
Great video do live a Ute.
Always have time for nice simple truck that earns its keep.
Id be importing this one!
Those buttons without markings on the radio are the preset buttons 1-5
The Hilux Surf is known as the 4Runner in North America and, according to Toyota Canada's web page, you can only get it in AWD with an automatic.which sadly has a floor-mounted shifter. A very different ethos from this older Hilux Ute.
They come in 5 speed manual, with a petrol v6 or a turbo diesel.
Found this hard to watch, not seeing the horizon. Look forward to your videos.
I have seen the even earlier versions of these on the island of Malta. I also saw a MK1 Toyota Hilux their as well.
Did 40.000 kms in one of those, was hardly ever serviced, just kept on going. Great kiwi workhorse. This shape came out in 1990.