A Look At The Pros & Cons Of Owning One

Toyota is keen to redefine what it means to be cheap and cheerful in 2025. While the 2025 Ford Maverick, one of which we test drove recently, is receiving heaps of praise stateside for its affordable sub-$30,000 starting price, Toyota has developed a pickup truck which cuts that price in half and then some. Before you go marching down to your nearest Toyota dealership to order one, it’s worth noting that the cost-conscious Hilux Champ is not available in America, and with the way it’s developed, it’s unlikely to ever arrive on American shores either.

Still, in a world where most pickup trucks are now amenity-clad $50,000-plus options, the Hilux Champ is a very welcome breath of fresh air, asking the equivalent of around $13,000 — or 459,000 Thai Baht. The first pro to owning one of Toyota’s cheapest pickup trucks then is, of course, how accessible they are. With such an easily swallowed price tag, the Hilux Champ should prove a popular way for small to medium enterprises to mobilize their businesses, although it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with Toyota’s latest bargain.

Toyota can’t simply decide to produce a pickup truck in the same way they always do, but price it for a mere fraction of existing models. Rather, the savings have to be made somewhere, and it’s immediately apparent where the Japanese automaker has been cutting corners here.

Firstly, safety has been put on the back-bench, with features we would usually take for granted in a brand-new pickup truck omitted in the name of cost-cutting. For example, while airbags and anti-lock brakes — a system first pioneered by the W116 Mercedes S-Class — are present, features such as blind-spot protection, parking sensors, and reverse cameras do not form part of this Toyota’s standard safety suite. Secondly, while it’s a plus point that the Hilux Champ has been designed with simplicity in mind, a consequence of this is that there is very little in the way of comfort or luxury-minded features. The dinky pickup boasts keep-fit windows, antiquated leaf-spring rear suspension, and no heated steering wheel or seats for in the winter. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as there is a radio and air-conditioning, which should help to keep occupants comfortable on a day-to-day basis.

Overall, though, there are far more positives to the prospect of Hilux Champ ownership than there are negatives. Not to labor the point, but at $13,000, it’s insanely affordable, and that should help anyone to overlook the lack of heated leather and electric windows.

Further boosting the Hilux Champ’s appeal is the versatility of the model. The Toyota is sold mostly assembled, but with the option to customize how the rear of the truck is laid out. For example, buyers can deck the Hilux Champ out like a food truck, camper, or even a medical van – the options are plentiful. That same variety of choice continues under the hood too, as buyers can choose between either a 2.0- or 2.7-liter gas engine, or a 2.4-liter diesel unit, in addition to a selection of at least eight separate trim grades. In truth, it’s tough to pick fault at all with the Hilux Champ. Even with everything we know about the Hilux Champ and its inevitable shortcomings, it’s incredible to know that such a thing can even exist at this price point in 2025, when most other automakers are focused on luxury, size, and excessive power, instead of delivering a simple two-seat truck designed to deliver capability at a delightfully affordable price point.