HILUX RECEIVES AWARDS FROM THREE U.S. AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINES

Toyota City―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION announced that the all-new 1989 Hilux (Toyota Truck in the U.S. market) has received awards from one automobile magazine and two off-road magazines in the U.S. The vehicle was highly evaluated after undergoing intense testing and a detailed examination.

Motor Trend, one of America's most influential car magazines with a circulation of 750,000, selected the 4x2 Xtracab SR5 V6 (Hilux 4x2) as its "Truck of the Year." The competitors were the Ranger STX 4x4, Dodge Dakota Convertible, Isuzu Amigo, Suzuki Sidekick and Mitsubishi Montero four-door V6.

Petersen's 4 Wheel and Off-Road, the leading off-road car magazine in the U.S., chose the 4x4 Xtracab SR5 V6 as its "4x4 of the Year" over five competitors, including the Chevy S-10 Blazer, Mitsubishi Montero and Geo Trucker.

Four Wheeler, another American off-road car magazine, awarded the 4x4 Xtracab SR5 V6 the winning honors for the pickup truck division.
The Hilux is exported to the U.S. and other countries around the world at the rate of some 25,000 units a month.

Overseas production of the Hilux is under way with manufacturing facilities in South America, Asia, Oceania and other parts of the world. In January, joint production of the 4x2 Hilux pickup with Volkswagen commenced at VW's Hanover plant in West Germany. This is the second Hilux manufacturing center in Europe, following the one in Portugal, and the first manufacturing center for joint manufacture of the Hilux.