This Is What Makes The 1986 Toyota Pickup One Of The Best Trucks Ever

Before The Toyota Tacoma And The Toyota Tundra, There Was a Truck…

On my way to the hardware store, I saw an old boxy truck with many hardlines and TOYOTA stamped on its tailgate. I thought it was an old Tacoma, but the skinny rear-side window really threw me off, and it had me wondering what I had just seen.

As soon as I got home, I began scrolling through some Toyota truck listings, and I finally knew what I saw. It was a 1986 Toyota Pickup. I had no idea that Toyota had a truck called the Toyota Pickup. I honestly thought it was just an old Toyota Tacoma. I was fascinated and had to learn more about this beautiful truck, and I was really surprised at what I found.

What’s So Special About The 1986 Toyota Pickup?

This 1986 Toyota Pickup is a fourth-generation Toyota Pickup. They are commonly known as Toyota Pickups, Toyota Hilux, or Toyota Pickup SR5s. They are all the same truck but branded differently in different markets. This was the truck to have back in 1986 because of how reliable and durable these little trucks were and still are, making them one of the best trucks that Toyota ever made.

These Toyota trucks were made to be driven and driven to the point where they would ultimately fail, but these suckers rarely failed. They were practically indestructible, and this is well documented in the episode where Top Gear tried to destroy a Toyota Pickup and completely failed even after smashing it with a wrecking ball.

The 1986 Toyota Pickup is a rare truck to see on the road today. Mainly because there aren’t that many out there. Plus, many people are pouncing on them as soon as one is up for sale and usually only drive them around occasionally.

What Can I Find Under The Hood of The Indestructible 1986 Toyota Pickup?

In America, the 1986 SR5 Pickup model came with a 2.4-liter 22R-E or a 22R-TE engine, which are both also commonly found in the 1986 Toyota 4-Runners. The 22R-E, right off the lot produced an astonishing amount of power… 105hp and 136lb-ft of torque.

There is no denying that it is a slow truck. It takes quite some time to accelerate, but that 22R-E engine is one of the most reliable engines that Toyota has ever made. So reliable that many 1986 Toyota Pickup owners still daily their trucks 30 plus years later. With some of those trucks having more than 200k miles on the odometer.

Toyota also offered an upgraded version of the 22R-E, known as the 22R-TE. It is the same 2.4 inline-four engine but was turbocharged. It produced 135 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque. Still wasn’t the quickest or most powerful truck in the market then.

Even though it is slow, it sure is a blast to drive around, mainly because it came standard with a 5-speed transmission, unlike the turbocharged 22R-TE 4-Runner that came standard with an automatic transmission.

What Makes This Toyota Pickup Standout?

Interior Features

Inside the 1986 Toyota Pickup, you will find the typical interior design of any vehicle from the 80s. Some unique features stand out, but they will vary depending on the model and what the buyer paid extra for.

The truck is actually quite spacious inside even though it is such a small truck. It is capable of seating three pretty tightly but is best for two passengers only. Some models have an extra cab that mainly serves for extra storage space.

It has your typical two-spoke steering wheel, but some models have two buttons on each spoke that you press to honk the horn. A very simple dashboard with your basic gauges. Some models have more than others on their dashboards.

You will find the E-brake on the right side below the steering wheel, and it is a pull-and-turn-to-lock E-brake system. The door panels do not have speakers. Instead, the speakers are at the ends of the dash.

Exterior Features

This Toyota Pickup comes in many different shapes and colors. This all depended on what features the buyer wanted and the model of the pickup. Usually, the four-wheel drive models were and are more desirable because of the wider body.

You will find the typical old-school Toyota Hilux decals on some. What really makes the 1986 Toyota pickup standout is the large letters stamped on the tailgate of the truck that read “TOYOTA” and the beautiful wheels that it came equipped with from the factory.

Another unique thing about this truck is the models with the extra cab have a rear window that is long and skinny. That is much longer than the front windows. You might also find chrome bumpers, grills, and side mirrors on some of the trucks as well.

Why Do People Love The 1986 Toyota Pickup?

What isn’t there to love about this amazing little truck? It is one of the only Toyota Hilux trucks ever sold in America. It was capable of hauling a ton with no v6 under the hood, 4x4, automatic locking hubs; durable, reliable, and very easy to work on. It was and still is the perfect lightweight truck.

It is extremely rare to find one for sale nowadays in America, and if you are on the market to buy one and see one for sale, I suggest pouncing on it right away. They usually don’t last very long. The more people begin to learn about these little trucks, the more demand there will be.

Even though these trucks were practically indestructible, there is one thing that will destroy them. It is something we all hate, RUST. Almost all of them will have some rust but just make sure that the rust hasn’t completely eaten through the frame.

Most 1986 Toyota Pickups can be found either in a collectors garage, being used as a work truck, riding through extreme off-road environments, or out rock crawling somewhere. Even though it is more than 30 years old, it can still be driven daily and will probably be more reliable than some cars out on the road today. It is an extremely versatile truck, making it one of the best trucks ever.

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