Toyota Hilux Champ is a bare-bones, $13,200 truck for emerging markets

Developed for emerging markets, the Toyota Hilux Champ is here to prove a new pickup doesn't need to cost as much as a luxury sedan. It was previewed by the Rangga concept unveiled in August 2023, and it costs less than the average late-model used car in the United States.

Visually, not much has changed over the past couple of months. The Champ is shaped like the box it came in (flat surfaces keep production costs in check), it's exceptionally basic, and it's offered in a wide number of configurations. Toyota stresses that engineers in Thailand played a big role in the development process by providing feedback about which features local buyers need and which ones they can do without.

The truck stretches about 208 inches long, 70 inches wide, and 68 inches tall when ordered with a long wheelbase, though the range will also include a short-wheelbase model and a cab-chassis. Buyers will initially have three engines to choose from: a 2.0-liter and a 2.7-liter that burn gasoline, and the tried-and-true 2.4-liter diesel-powered four-cylinder found in several of the Japanese carmaker's global vehicles. Rear-wheel-drive and a five-speed manual transmission come standard, and a six-speed automatic gearbox is offered at an extra cost.