Toyota Hilux RN30 Deluxe
Toyota redesigned the Hilux so a small work truck could also feel more like a car. This RN30 is the low, short Japanese rear-drive truck—not the tall 4WD often pictured for 1979.
1979 Toyota Hilux (7554932158).jpg · Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand · CC BY 2.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
Toyota put the third-generation Hilux on sale in Japan in September 1978 with seven 1.6-litre variants. The RN30 standard-body truck carried a one-tonne payload while gaining better seats, clearer gauges, quieter trim and more passenger-car-like manners. The famous first 4WD Hilux arrived separately in October 1979 with a 2.0-litre engine, so it must not be used to illustrate this RN30 profile.
Look a little closer.
Hilux comes from 'high' and 'luxury,' even though this compact truck could carry a full 1,000 kg payload.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Why the 1979 4WD hero truck is the wrong RN30
Toyota's timeline separates the launch RN30/RN40 range, all powered by the 1.6-litre 12R-J, from the first 4WD Hilux added in October 1979 with a 2.0-litre engine. The taller 4WD is historically important but does not illustrate the low rear-drive RN30 standard-body truck.
Source: Toyota — Hilux vehicle lineage ↗A work truck learning passenger-car manners
Toyota said the redesign answered customers who were using compact pickups as passenger and leisure vehicles. It enlarged gauges, combined lighting and wiper controls on one stalk, improved sealing and soundproofing, increased heater capacity and offered air conditioning—comfort work wrapped around a one-tonne payload.
Source: Toyota — 1978 Hilux launch ↗Where these facts come from
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 2, 2026.