Why Doesn't Toyota Sell A Diesel Pickup Truck?
While the market for diesel cars in Europe might be shrinking, diesel remains the fuel of choice for the continent's trucks, with over 90% of new trucks sold in Europe in Q1 2025 sporting a diesel engine. In America, diesels never caught on in the same way as they did across the pond, and although a few brands still offer diesel engines, they're a much rarer sight. Toyota offers a wide variety of powertrains in the U.S., including gas, hybrid, electric, and even hydrogen powertrains in the form of the Mirai, but it doesn't offer a diesel vehicle. That's despite the automaker selling a diesel version of its Hilux pickup in European markets such as the U.K. and Italy, plus certain Asian markets like Thailand.
The main reason Toyota doesn't offer a diesel truck in America is the expense. The brand claims that the cost to develop a diesel engine that meets American emissions requirements would be too high, although it did note that it might re-evaluate the decision in the long term. However, Toyota fans shouldn't expect a diesel truck to arrive stateside any time soon, with the automaker instead concentrating on electrified offerings like the full-size hybrid Tundra we reviewed in 2024. Even if the demand for diesels were to increase in the U.S. in the future, it's still unlikely that Toyota will bring a diesel truck over.
Why a diesel Hilux isn't likely to hit American dealerships
Toyota's American pickup lineup is very different from its European and Asian product lines, so introducing a diesel to America wouldn't be as simple as shipping over a batch of emissions-compliant diesel Hilux trucks. Buyers of diesel-engined trucks in the U.S. often purchase them for their hauling capabilities — take, for example, Ford trucks powered by its Power Stroke engine or the 6.7-liter Cummins-powered heavy-duty Ram trucks.
As a result, the 2.4-liter diesel four-cylinder available in the base global-market Hilux isn't going to appeal to those buyers. Neither will the truck's optional 2.8-liter diesel, which means Toyota would likely have to develop a new, more powerful diesel engine to appeal to American tastes if it wanted to enter the U.S. diesel market.
Foreign-built Hiluxes would also be subject to the 25% Chicken Tax, as well as any additional tariffs brought in by the Trump administration's ever-changing tariff plans. That would make them prohibitively expensive to buy in the U.S., particularly compared to the existing Tacoma. With new engine development and Hilux imports both being too expensive to justify, diesel fans shouldn't get their hopes up for a new Toyota truck anytime soon.