6 Of Our Favorite Trucks That Aren't For Sale In The USA
According to TFL Trucks, Americans bought nearly 2.2 million pickup trucks last year, an increase of 9.3% over 2022 sales. The overwhelming majority of those trucks came from domestic manufacturers, with General Motors leading the way with well over a million GMC and Chevy trucks leaving dealer lots. The Ford F series remained the nation's best-selling vehicle in any class for the 41st straight year, with its total sales of 750,789 marking more than 1.4 trucks moved per minute.
Ram sold almost 445,000 trucks, and the Toyota Tundra was far and away the top import pickup at 125,185 units sold. (The Nissan Titan was a distant second at less than 20,000.) At the bottom of the pickup truck sales charts sits the Tesla Cybertruck at just 10 units, although numerous production delays pushed delivery of those trucks back to November 30. Tesla CEO Elon Musk claims the Cybertruck is capable of going from zero to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, which would put it ahead of its fastest competitors, the F-150 Lightning Lariat and dual-motor Rivian R1T, which we reviewed in February.
These trucks represent the cream of the crop in terms of what is available to U.S.-based buyers, but there are some equally as impressive pickups that are currently reserved for overseas markets. Here are a half-dozen of SlashGear's favorites from that bunch.
Toyota Hilux
According to Kelley Blue Book, the F-150's monstrous domestic sales place it just ninth on the list of best-selling vehicles worldwide for 2022. Four of the top six spots on that list went to Toyotas, including the Hilux pickup, which placed No. 6. Toyota sold the Hilux in the United States as the blandly named "Toyota Truck" from 1983 through 1995, when it was replaced by the Tacoma. Current Hilux models face a 25% import tariff, a tax on foreign-made light trucks known as the "Chicken Tax" because then-President Lyndon Johnson imposed it in 1964 in retaliation to a European tariff on U.S. chicken imports. (Brandy, potato starch, and dextrin were also included in the initial executive order, but those other levies have been reduced to a more reasonable 2% in the intervening 60 years.)
The durability of the Hilux has made it a legend throughout its eight generations, although it's currently not available in the U.S. or Canada. Mexican residents can purchase a Hilux, just not with 4-wheel drive or a diesel engine. Toyota could make an end run around the Chicken Tax by manufacturing the Hilux in one of its factories in the U.S., but seems satisfied with the Tacoma's domestic sales of 215,000-250,000 units per year (via Good Car Bad Car).
Mitsubishi Triton
Mitsubishi started more than 150 years ago as a shipping company with a fleet of three steamships and has since evolved into an international behemoth with enterprises in consumer electronics, energy generation, industrial machinery and chemicals, and vehicle manufacturing. Mitsubishi USA's automobile lineup ranges from the compact Mirage to the 7-seat Outlander SUV, but the Triton pickup is only available in Asian markets. It is manufactured in Thailand and was first made available in Japan, with a 2.4L 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine that comes in three configurations ranging from 148 to 201 hp. The Triton can be had with a 6-speed manual transmission or optional 6-speed automatic.
The base model is 2-wheel drive, although the optional Super Select 4WD-II system adds a limited-slip center differential and 2-speed transfer case. The driver can select from what Car and Driver's Caleb Miller calls "a dizzying array of drive and terrain modes and differential lock settings, as well as hill descent assist."
The Triton is available in a single cab setup, which would be a refreshing option for American buyers. Stateside truck lovers might not have to wait too long for the Triton, though. Mitsubishi has ties to Renault and Nissan, and could work with those partners to bring a Mitsubishi-branded pickup to the U.S. Cason Grover, Mitsubishi's Director for Product Planning in North America, told The Drive, "It's another one of those things we want to try to figure out. We'd love to be able to do it."
Great Wall Wingle 7
The Great Wall Motor Company was founded in Baoding, China, in 1984 and has since grown to employ nearly 90,000 people (via Forbes). Great wall has several child brands, including Haval, which makes SUVs and crossovers for sale across Asia, Europe, South America, Africa, and Oceania. Another Great Wall brand is Ora, which produces retro-styled EVs like the Funky Cat, which is made in partnership with BMW and sold in China and Europe. Great Wall's first pickup brand was Poer (pronounced "power,") and GWM now offers the Poer Shanhai PHEV and the Wingle, which is available in variants labeled the Wingle 5 and Wingle 7. The Wingle 7 is sold in gas or diesel versions across Asia, Africa, and South America. It comes with a choice between a 2.4L I4 gas engine mated to a 5-speed manual or a 2L diesel motor with a 6-speed stick shift. The diesel motor produces 141 hp, and the slightly bigger gas engine makes 148 ponies.
Gas-powered models are available in 2- or 4-wheel drive, with Borg Warner providing the electronic 4WD system. The Wingle 7 has a 132-inch wheelbase, putting it squarely at the midpoint between the short and long bed versions of the Ford F-150 Lariat. Wingle buyers get standard leather seats, with a 6-way power adjust on the driver's side. Safety and convenience features include a rear-view camera, dual airbags, and optional 6-speaker sound system with Bluetooth and USB interfaces.
Foton Tunland
Another Chinese manufacturer with an intriguing lineup of pickup trucks is Beijing-based Foton Motors. According to Foton's website, it has sold more than 10 million vehicles in over 110 countries, with most of those being commercial vehicles. Foton has dedicated resources to hydrogen and electric vehicle technology, and in 2023 announced it was bringing its Tunland V hybrid pickup to the Mexican marketplace with plans to offer it across South America this year. Foton's other pickup offerings include the Cummins diesel-powered S and the G7, which has an AVL diesel engine, multi-mode Borg Warner 4WD system, and American-made Eaton axles.
The G7 has an 8-speed automatic transmission, driver-selectable Eco and Sport modes, and a touchscreen infotainment panel that juts vertically from the center of the dashboard. The V may be the most compelling model in Tunland's pickup line, with its level 2.5 autonomous driving capability and multiple powertrain variants, including a hybrid version and an electric model with a range of up to 900 miles. The hybrid Tunland V produces about 332 lb-ft of torque, which is more than the most powerful version of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, which we reviewed in November.
Peugeot Landtrek
Peugeot began in 1810 as a manufacturer of coffee mills and shifted to automobile production in 1882, five years before Karl Benz patented the Motorwagen. The Peugeot group merged with Fiat Chrysler a few years ago to form Stellantis, and Peugeot just announced its return to the pickup truck segment with the development of the Landtrek in partnership with China's Changan. The one-ton truck was first sent to markets in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, and is now also available to buyers in Asia, the Middle East, Ukraine, and elsewhere.
In Brazil and Algeria, the Landtrek is sold as the Fiat Titano. It is available with the buyer's choice of a 6-speed manual Getrag transmission or a 6-speed automatic. Engine options are a 150 hp, 1.9L turbodiesel and a 2.4L gas-fueled turbo I4 that makes 210 horses. The automatic transmission isn't available with the diesel engine, but buyers can choose from three cab styles and enjoy a 10-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The Landtrek also has advanced safety features like hill descent and trailer sway control along with lane departure warning and exterior camera systems.
It's a formidable off-road machine, with a ground clearance of up to 9.3 inches, attack and departure angles approaching 30 degrees, and the ability to ford nearly two feet of water.
Toyota Land Cruiser J70
The Toyota Land Cruiser is familiar to North American buyers, with the badge's use stretching back more than 70 years and a 326-horsepower hybrid version appearing for 2024. One version we neglected Yanks can't get is the J70 pickup, which is only available in Africa, Latin America, and Australia. The latest Land Cruiser 70 is a fully modern vehicle, with the base powertrain being a 2.8L turbodiesel 4-cylinder engine with direct injection paired to a 6-speed automatic. Some markets also get an optional 4.5L naturally aspirated diesel V8 that makes 202 hp and 316 lb-ft of torque. Despite the much smaller displacement, the 4-banger is the beefier engine, making just one less horsepower and 52 more lb-ft of torque.
The Land Cruiser 70 is loaded with advanced driver assist features like stability and traction control, hill start and downhill assist systems, and an active collision detection system. Overwhelming demand and supply chain disruptions forced Toyota Australia to pause orders for the J70 pickup in the Summer of 2022. Toyota Australia VP of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley said in a statement: "The Toyota team has been working diligently to deliver a record number of vehicles. At the same time, strong demand and industry-wide supply challenges globally mean we simply cannot fulfill orders more quickly. I understand this news will be disappointing and want to sincerely apologize to our customers."
[Featured image by Minaldino via Wikimedia Commons|Cropped and scaled|CC-By 3.0]