Incredible Hilux - could a Tacoma dare to compare?

I've been youtube-surfing documentaries lately, loosely 4-wheeling / traveling / overlanding related, and I stumbled onto this gem:

Deadliest Roads | Madagascar | Free Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKrlsCVHwWA

It's part of a series. All the episodes are worth watching - not just for the crap-cars-on-crap-roads content, but also because they illustrate how incredible tough people have to be just to make do in other parts of the world. I especially recommend Liberia & DRC (Congo). Repeat: Really worth watching.

Aaaanyways, there is this bush taxi, I think it's a Hilux 5th gen, but I am no expert so please correct me if I am wrong. Mr. Owner states: "Yeah, we have a limit of 15 (!) people per taxi, but I like to take on more, because more people mean more pulling power if I get stuck".

But hey, it's a brand new car. Only a few 100k klicks on it.



Holy cow. And on top of that what's - on top.

All goes as well as can be expected for a while


until they try to get onto a ferry, because it's safer than the bridge. The ferry actually is just a few logs tied together and can't really dock on shore because mud. So the bush taxi has to do the mudding and then hopefully has enough oomph left to make it onto the ferry.

It does not work.



Hours go by while the passengers try to heave-ho the unfortunate Hilux out of the muck. Then finally another Hilux comes by and pulls them out.

The driver lets the water drain from the poor machine for another few hours and then cranks it up (how is it even possible that the battery still works after that?)

Just like you'd expect from a not-completely-dead drowning victim the engine coughs up a bit of water and then is ready for more abuse. No CPR needed.



And onward the intrepid motley crew goes - to finally reach their destination no worse for the wear!




So I wonder: How far would a 3rd gen Tacoma make it? Maybe not even past the loading stage?

I want a truck as tough as that Hilux!!!

 

Too bad the new ones are ugly as hell. The old ones are beautiful in my opinion

 

But does it shake his gf's tiddies?

 

That feature is only on some newer models, although I think you could retrofit it

 

This makes me think of the "bro-verlanders" in that Expedition Overland group that drive around the world in their brand new decked out Toyotas with ALL the farkles. I only watched one episode where they did the "death road" in Bolivia and it seemed like it was just a bunch of dudes with super expensive rigs on a super expensive joy ride. They were equipped like they were going to places like what's shown in the OP, but were on pavement or graded roads 99% of the time. Lost interest after that.

If they would go down some of those Congo-style hell roads in actual stock trucks, that would be more interesting than seeing a bunch of dude-bros with heroic drone shots, just to see how the new trucks handle it.

Some people go on "expeditions" down interstates, while people in central Africa are pulling out river-drowned trucks on a typical Tuesday just trying to get to the next town.

Disclaimer: I love "overlanding" farkles and camping stuff, but I'm also self-aware enough that I'm not Livingston exploring the wilderness.

 

To hell with looks if it can come back from the dead.

 

it’s easy.

just get around 500,000 likeminded people who will legally commit to buying this thing (you all have to agree on all the options this truck will have ahead of time), and contact Toyota North America.

The truck might be pricy though- hopefully that isn’t a problem for your group.

Good luck and be sure to post pictures...lol

jk

 

%100

Here’s two ridgelux when I was in Nicaragua last year....super fugly even with a snorkie.