QLtP26yLcCgAmericans need cheaper transportation, but don't want to give up capability. Could this Toyota pickup from Asia be the answer?New cars and trucks are stupidly expensive these days. While wages have been stagnant for almost a decade plus now, the price of everything else hasn't slowed down in its ever-thrusting upward expansion. And that includes the vehicles we drive every day. It's getting to a breaking point, though. New vehicle sales have drastically fallen—the average age of a car on the road is now 13 years old—which has led automakers to scramble to restart sedan production, figure out ways of lowering prices, reduce trim levels on models, wholesale cut large parts out of their lineups, and see how they can get a depressed buying public to buy new things again.Toyota, with its deep catalog of vehicles it sells all around the world, hasn't been as hard hit as others. But that hasn't stopped the giant conglomerate from looking outside the box for how to get folks buying again. The highlight of that campaign so far has been the Scion 01 concept UTV designed for the American market, something that's very cool,and maybe will be built—but doesn't exactly meet the demand for the average person. AdvertisementAdvertisementIts latest move, however, in bringing a Hilux Champ pickup truck to the Offroad Expo, a diminutive, Kei-car-like truck meant for Southeast Asia, could signal something that has both real potential to shake up the market and/or shake up the UTV market, as this truck asks, "Polaris Xpedition, who?"Small Trucks FTWThat New "Kei" Truck Startup Is Describing a Side-By-Side. Right?Slate's New $24,000 EV Truck Has More Than Enough Payload For a Couple MotorcyclesThe Hilux Champ, for those not in the know, is a small, $15,000-ish, four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive pickup built for Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines—we'll get our man on the ground, EJ, on getting one to review here real soon. And it's really just built to be a good all-round work truck for those countries' smaller streets, and need for hauling stuff around. It's basically a revitalized Kei truck, like the Honda Acty. But those specs aren't really what Americans are looking for, even for that cheap-as-hell price. So for the Offroad Expo, Toyota built this specific Hilux Champ to "meet" what us Americans are looking for, including a 4x4 conversion, a V6 engine, off-road-spec tires, some more ground clearance, and all the off-road and overlanding accessories that everyone loves to stick on their primarily on-road vehicle, including a rooftop tent, awning, off-road lights, and off-road boxes for storage. I JOKE, I JOKE.AdvertisementAdvertisementNot really...All in all, it looks freakin' sick. But when you put these updated specs against UTVs that are likely in the same class, that's where the Hilux Champ really shines. Imagine this going against Can-Am's Defender HD11, Polaris' Xpedition ADV, or CFMoto's new UForce UTVs—machines that are more overland-esque, adventure-ready things. According to Toyota, it also has 1,700 lbs of payload and up to 5,500 lbs of towing capacity. That's pretty on par with the others, but given it has a V6, as well as more creature comforts, which the others do not, i.e., sound deadening. It would, however, likely cost more than its original $15k price tag. Adding the V6—although I'd use the Tacoma's turbo 4-cylinder because NA engines at altitude suck and I want torque in my UTVs—as well as the 4x4 system, the off-road bits and bobs, and other things that aren't found on the original would jack up the price probably another $10,000-$15,000. But again, compared to the others mentioned above, and its main competition likely being Polaris' $50,000 Xpedition ADV Northstar, Toyota would still have a price advantage there. There's also the question of where these would be sold. I'd personally sell them at Toyota dealerships. Why reinvent the wheel, you know? Remember Scion dealerships? Yeah, those didn't last long. You've already got the infrastructure and models across some 900 dealers, sell them next to the Tacomas and Tundras and 4Runners and Land Cruisers and be done with it. What you would need to do is train the staff to be knowledgeable enough about local UTV laws. Yet, with more and more states adopting street-legal legislation for UTVs, there will be spots around the country where these could be plated—hi, from Utah.AdvertisementAdvertisementHonestly, right now, we have Toyota showing off two concept UTVs, one more fast and fun, the other more utilitarian, and that's enough for me to ask: What's Toyota's endgame here? Feels like there's smoke here, and I'm all for it.