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Toyota revealed a unusually barren little truck in 2023 that resembled a stripped-down farm device greater than a contemporary pickup. At first, many dismissed it. Then they heard the value: round $10,000.
The Toyota IMV 0, now offered in Thailand because the Hilux Champ, has fueled American daydreams a couple of bare-bones work truck at a fraction of at present’s costs. However actuality shortly units in: even earlier than the long-standing 25% “hen tax” on imported pickups and the newer tariffs on foreign-built automobiles, the Hilux Champ would face steep U.S. hurdles.
Let’s take a better have a look at whether or not a $10,000 truck is even possible in America and what would wish to vary to make it occur.
Viral Pretend Information on X
An X publish went viral, receiving over 4.4 million views, 3,800 retweets, and greater than 64,000 likes, regardless of having a wholly fabricated headline. The pretend article learn: “Trump plans to exempt $10,000 Toyota truck from all tariffs and taxes.” This was adopted by a false quote from President Donald Trump: “Younger Individuals want a truck!”
This can be a headline America deserves pic.twitter.com/YeHUZySrWc
— Darth Powell (@VladTheInflator) April 13, 2025
However not simply any truck — they apparently want the IMV 0 (now generally known as the Hilux Champ). Whereas the screenshotted article was pretend information, is the need for the IMV 0 actual?
What Is the Toyota IMV 0 Hilux Champ?
The IMV 0 was developed in Thailand, the place pickup vans account for a big share of the automotive market. In keeping with Street & Monitor, 145,435 Hiluxes had been offered in Thailand in 2022. The IMV 0 is not like any truck Thailand, or wherever else, for that matter, has ever seen.
The Toyota IMV 0, brief for Worldwide Multi-Function Automobile, was first showcased on the Japan Mobility Present in 2023, a mix of innovation and skimpiness. There was no radio, screens, or cabin luxuries. Door locks? No. Nevertheless, there have been modular items that would remodel the again of the pickup right into a espresso store, a camping-ready RV, or a DJ sales space. This introduced the value of the IMV 0 all the way down to a predicted $10,000.
U.S. Regulatory Hurdles
At present, the IMV 0 is offered in Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, South Africa, and different markets. However there are not any plans to carry it to america.
The largest obstacles aren’t simply tariffs — they’re federal security and emissions guidelines. Below U.S. legislation, each new car should embrace airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability management, backup cameras, and, quickly, automated emergency braking. None of those is at present a part of the Hilux Champ’s design. It additionally hasn’t been crash-tested for U.S. requirements.
Including these options alone would add hundreds to the associated fee, pushing the truck properly past its $10K goal even when Toyota made the modifications, insurers base premiums closely on crash-test rankings and security options.
A truck with out fashionable protections would nearly actually face increased insurance coverage prices, reducing into its enchantment as a price range purchase.
Market Forces Additionally Play a Position
It’s handy accountable laws alone for the shortage of reasonably priced vans, however market forces matter simply as a lot. Even when automakers have supplied bare-bones automobiles within the U.S., customers haven’t precisely lined as much as purchase them.
Take the Nissan Versa, which as soon as held the title of “most cost-effective new automobile in America.” The bottom mannequin got here with hand-crank home windows and minimal options, however these trims offered poorly; most patrons upgraded to better-equipped variations. The Chevrolet Spark and Mitsubishi Mirage additionally supplied a number of the lowest new-car costs within the nation; but, gross sales had been weak, and each fashions are actually discontinued. Even Ford’s entry-level Fiesta and Focus couldn’t maintain demand, main Ford to exit the U.S. small-car market totally by 2019.
None of those had been vans, so the comparability isn’t good. However the sample is evident: many Individuals say they need easy, stripped-down automobiles, but in apply most patrons gravitate towards fashions with extra consolation, options, and expertise as soon as they’re within the showroom. That’s one purpose at present’s roads are dominated by rolling fortresses, full-sized, feature-packed vans and SUVs, moderately than minimalist work rigs.
Why Individuals Nonetheless Need It
Regardless of the hurdles, American truck followers can’t cease speaking concerning the IMV 0. For some, it’s nostalgia; it recollects the naked pickups of the Nineteen Seventies, Nineteen Eighties, and Nineteen Nineties, such because the Toyota SR5, Ford Ranger, or Chevy S-10. Vans that had been low-cost, small, simple to repair, and constructed to haul mulch, not therapeutic massage your again.
Others level to at present’s Ford Maverick, a runaway hit when it launched at about $20,000, earlier than supplier markups and shortages pushed costs out of attain. “Good luck discovering one at base value,” one commenter famous.
The IMV 0 appears like a throwback to a time when vans had been easy instruments, not six-figure luxurious standing symbols.
American Enthusiasm and Debate
This hasn’t stopped some Individuals from combating for the IMV 0 to achieve American soil. Mentioned one X consumer: “That is actually on the coronary heart of declining American manufacturing, excessive costs, and so forth. We’ve got dominated and controlled ourselves to loss of life. We’ve got allowed our prosperity to be frittered away by middlemen utilizing authorities power to get their slice of pie.”
Principally, this interprets to: “America, please take away your security necessities and emissions requirements so we are able to get a budget truck.” Many Individuals shared this sentiment, advocating for the scrapping of assorted laws to facilitate extra car imports. Nevertheless, others famous that the IMV 0 might battle to promote in America because of its lack of airbags, LED lights, and radio capabilities.
To that, one other IMV 0 supporter tweeted: “I believe you is perhaps shocked at what number of Individuals simply need a fundamental, powerful, dependable, and environment friendly little work truck. Perhaps not a main car for all, however positively a stable ancillary choice. I believe this and a Mannequin 3 or Mannequin Y lengthy vary can be a killer pair.”
Would the IMV 0 Match within the U.S. Truck Market?
Vans and SUVs have change into the best-selling automobiles in america, though most on the highest of the listing are hefty, huge, and really succesful — the Ford F-Collection is at present the highest vendor, in accordance with Automobile and Driver. Would the Hilux Champ match right into a pickup area of interest that isn’t being crammed, or would it not not slot in with the present needs of truck patrons within the US?
The Hilux Champ would possibly by no means attain the U.S., however the fierce debate it sparked proves one factor: there’s nonetheless an enormous urge for food for a no-frills work truck in America.
Would you sacrifice at present’s security and comfort options for a truck that prices half the value of the rest on the lot? Or are America’s guidelines, airbags, ABS, backup cameras, and extra, value each penny? Tell us within the feedback.
