Close-up of Toyota logo on a 1980 Toyota Truck - YotaMafia/YouTubeToday, with extremely capable off-road models like the latest Tacoma TRD Pro being the norm, it's easy to overlook just how much Toyota's light-duty pickup trucks have evolved — and how much they've expanded the boundaries of what a "compact" pickup can be. Yes, Toyota trucks have always had a large and loyal following, with their global reputation for reliability and durability reaching meme-like proportions, but there's more to it than that.In the broader scope of automotive history, the lineage and accomplishments of Toyota's pickups are sometimes overshadowed by long-running, iconic models from other automakers — perhaps because of that aforementioned no-frills, hardworking image. But Toyota completely changed the pickup truck game in the late 1970s when it began offering four-wheel drive on its third-generation Hilux — which in North America was sold simply as the "Toyota Truck". Having a capable 4x4 system packed into a compact pickup platform not only added a new level of capability not previously seen in the small pickup segment, but it also created an off-road hero that would quickly become beloved by 4x4 enthusiasts around the world. Today, as its design nears 50 years old, the third-generation Hilux/Toyota Truck has unsurprisingly become a highly desirable classic, with clean 4x4 models commanding prices that would once have seemed unimaginable for a "cheap" old Toyota pickup truck.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: A Small Single-Cab Pickup Could Dominate The Market, So Where Are They?Toyota revolutionized the compact pickupFront 3/4 view of a yellow 4x4 Toyota Truck parked at the beach. - Karolis Kavolelis/ShutterstockThe history of Toyota's U.S.-market pickups is a long one, but the lineage of the Hilux/Toyota Truck starts with the introduction of the first-generation model in 1968. For the first decade of its existence, the Hilux was simply a utilitarian, light-duty pickup truck with a basic two-wheel drive layout. In those early days, if you wanted a Toyota with four-wheel drive, you'd have to step up to a Land Cruiser.That all changed for the 1979 model year, when Toyota introduced a four-wheel-drive option for the new third-generation Hilux/Toyota Truck. Opting for the 4x4 drivetrain transformed the pickup from a basic utility vehicle into an off-road wonder. Soon, these compact and capable 4x4 Toyota pickups began filling the trails and were giving Jeeps and Ford Broncos a run for their money — not just with their raw off-road capability, but with their excellent reliability as well.Not surprisingly, Toyota's competitors quickly responded with compact 4x4 pickups of their own. The rival Nissan/Datsun 720 pickup added a four-wheel-drive option beginning in 1980, while American automakers Ford and General Motors would introduce their new compact Ford Ranger and Chevy S-10 pickup trucks in the early '80s — both with available 4x4. From this point on, smaller 4x4 pickups would become increasingly popular, even as they grew into the mid-size trucks of today's market.A certified Toyota classicFront 3/4 view of white and blue Toyota 4x4 pickup parked at car show. - vietanh85/ShutterstockAnother interesting historical note about this generation of Toyota pickup is that there was a short-lived, recreational version of the third-generation Toyota Truck 4x4 called the Trekker. It was modified by Winnebago, who replaced the truck's open bed with an enclosed cabin, and was essentially a precursor to the 4Runner SUV, which shared a lot with the Toyota Truck and would debut in the mid-1980s.AdvertisementAdvertisementGiven all of this, it's not surprising that the third-generation Hilux/Toyota Truck is now considered one of Toyota's most popular 1980s-era classics and, depending on condition and options, can be quite expensive collector's items, with 4x4 models by far the priciest. They can fetch $35,000 or more, and we've seen original-condition examples of the 4x4 Toyota Truck with asking prices nearing $60,000, which probably seems unbelievable to the generations who grew up with these trucks as cheap, disposable trail rigs.The 4x4 Toyota Truck is many things, depending on who you ask. It could be considered a legendary off-road rig, a generational classic, or even just an important milestone in Toyota's truck-building history. Either way, the impact of the third-generation Toyota Hilux on both the pickup market and the 4x4 hobby is hard to overstate.Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.