If you had to sum the Toyota HiLux up in one phrase, it’d be ‘rugged utility’.

The big ute defines this concept to the extent that you can literally take one through a war zone – and plenty have.

Growing from a small, utilitarian workhorse to a fully featured, dual-purpose vehicle, the HiLux has stuck with the same basic formula since its introduction to the Australian landscape in 1968, adding a choice of petrol and diesel engines, 4×2 and 4×4 drive types and a choice between single, extra and dual cab bodies with either a pickup tray or cab chassis. Although it faces more opposition than ever from almost every competitor, the HiLux is still a byword for reliability and utility.