The Toyota pick-up truck has made a full circle, with the Hilux being exported from Thailand to Japan for the first time. Toyota phased out pick-up truck production in Japan in 2002, moving manufacturing to Thailand. The Hilux double-cab has been shipped to Japan since August, and the volume is around 300 units per month.
Today, Toyota’s plants in Samut Prakan (Samrong) and Chachoengsao (Banpho) produce the Hilux for global consumption, serving 122 countries, Bangkok Post reports. In 2016, Toyota produced a total of 513,603 pick-up trucks from 13 plants worldwide, with Thailand accounting for 64% of total output with 333,432 units. The Samrong and Banpho plants have a combined capacity of 450,000 trucks a year.
The Hilux is now in its eighth generation, having sold 17.3 million units over the past five decades in in 180 countries. Today’s truck is part of Toyota’s IMV project, which also includes the Fortuner SUV and Innova MPV. Since 2002, Toyota has made 2.26 million units of the Hilux and Fortuner in Thailand, with Indonesia being the main hub for the Innova.
Toyota says that under the IMV initiative, it has increased the number of its Thai suppliers from 131 firms to 200, and the programme has generated 79,000 jobs in the kingdom.
Last week, Toyota Motor Thailand (TMT) celebrated exporting 3.03 million vehicles from the country. The big T has operated in our ASEAN neighbour for 55 years and is the Thailand’s biggest vehicle exporter. However, the current export outlook isn’t great – the expected 2017 export total of 291,000 will be down 9%, making it four consecutive years of contraction.
“Toyota has suffered lower vehicle exports because it relies too much on the Middle East countries, which are the core market for pickups, but those countries now have unstable economies while oil prices remain relatively low. Oceania is also a destination for pickups, and sales there remain very healthy,” said TMT chairman Ninnart Chaithirapinyo.
TMT’s domestic market is recovering well, and the market leader expects to sell 265,000 units this year, up 8% from 2016. Besides the just-updated Hilux, big contributors include the facelifted Yaris eco car and its Yaris Ativ sedan sister.
GALLERY: 2018 Toyota Hilux facelift
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Meh. P1 alredi export Satria Neo to Nippon long ago.
Satria scrap metals to make JDMs
Why Toyota never choose Malaysia to be the base for export???
Got…we export sanyo rice cooker and aiwa mini hifi to japan…you forgot meh
Because of Mahathir’s protectionism policy on P1.
Why? You want to work as cheap labour? Or you prefer government bring in more Indons more banglas more Nepal more Myanmar more Pakistan?shut up and inhale your aircon in office!
so malu when jaguh kampung can syiok with few Satria exported
Perodua also export to UK. No big deal!
The new MyVi will also do well if they export to other countries – best seller, like in Malaysia. Including Japan.
Very nice, export Jap brands car to Japan.
Because Thai can do it
we export durian to china! even better!
Japanese people are the only ones hating pickup trucks, due tO Galapagos Syndrome.
they still don’t consider pickup trucks a lifestyle vehicle.
So many billions, so many jobs. Dr m wai??