The Toyota HiLux has notched up three-quarters of a million sales in Australia, according to the latest figures.
Toyota’s executive director, sales and marketing, Matthew Callachor, says the 750,000 milestone was achieved as surging demand in 2012 lifted HiLux beyond 40,000 deliveries for the year.
“HiLux is an incredible Australian success story – the nation’s best-selling commercial vehicle for the past 22 years in a row and the top-selling 4WD vehicle for the past eight,” says Callachor.
“It has been Australia’s best-selling vehicle outright on many occasions, including six times last year. It is the only ute to have achieved that landmark.
“In fact, if every Australian who has bought a HiLux decided to meet in one place, they would create our sixth-largest city – and, if they brought a friend, the city would be substantially bigger than Adelaide.”
Callachor says HiLux has carved an enviable reputation for toughness and reliability in mines, on the land and in fields such as telecommunications, government and rental markets.
“It is renowned and respected for being a rugged workhorse and also for being equally at home as a spacious vehicle for families,” he says.
The first HiLux arrived in Australia in 1971 (as a 4×2) through then national distributor, Thiess Toyota.HiLux 4×4 variants have been even more popular since arriving in 1980. Cumulative 4×4 sales have topped 400,000 compared with almost 350,000 of the 4×2 variants.
The popularity of HiLux among Australian buyers has gained pace over the years. Annual sales passed 20,000 for the first time in 1998, surpassed 30,000 in 2005 and cracked 40,000 in 2007.
Sales have averaged more than 23,000 a year over the past three decades, rising to 36,000 a year during the past 10 years and almost 40,000 a year in the five years to the end of 2012 – even in the face of extreme shortages due to production disruptions caused by natural disasters in 2011.
Last year, HiLux achieved its third best sales on record – 40,646 units.
Callachor says HiLux has the highest awareness and desirability among its competitors and is the leader for attributes such as off-road ability, excitement, styling, distinctive, quality, performance, lifestyle – and for value.
“More than half of all HiLux owners say they are likely to choose another Toyota for their next vehicle, which reflects the strength and quality of HiLux as well as the Toyota brand,” he says.
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