The next-generation Toyota Hilux was recently spied. This new truck maybe be based on a new platform shared with the Tacoma. The timing seems right.

Toyota is currently working on developing a shared platform for all of their products. Sharing a platform returns significant development and production cost savings. This platform sharing may result in the Hilux and Tacoma being essentially the same vehicle with body and powertrain differences.

Global Platform

Toyota calls its new platform, the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. It is Toyota’s bid to follow VW and Ford in developing a platform that serves a large variety of global products.

Toyota is launching this platform in India with their Innova and Fortuner models (Rav4, Highlander), according to an IndiaAutosBlog story. The news comes from the Economic Times that was confirmed by Naomi Ishii, Toyota India’s new boss.

Sharing a platform means car development is a lot cheaper and they can use common parts throughout the world. It also means vehicle debuts would be within months of each other. With these spy photos, this gives us more proof a new Tacoma is being built.

Hilux and Tacoma Tied Together?

While U.S. fans have long lusted for a Hilux, Toyota has always said the market demands are different. Put simply, a Hilux customer demands different things than a Tacoma buyer.

Generally, a Hilux is thought to be more basic and a bit more rugged than a Tacoma. Its styling is more boxy and the powertrain includes a diesel (gas too).

A Tacoma is often thought of as being more stylish and more plush on the interior. This is a nod to a U.S. consumer that has been demanding more luxury from trucks lately.

There are those that would argue for a more basic, smaller offering from Toyota, the numbers don’t back that up. The average transaction price of a new pickup has been gradually rising and this is due to the vast majority of consumers opting for more luxury trim packages.

Another big important thing to remember is that both the Hilux and Tacoma debuted their latest generations within months of each other. The seventh-generation Hilux debuted on March, 2005 and used a revised ladder-box frame. The Tacoma debuted a few months earlier and rides on the 4Runner chassis. Both trucks have become “long in the tooth” and there is good reason for both coming to the market with new offerings. While the GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado and even Nissan Frontier compete with the Tacoma in the U.S., globally the Ford Ranger and the same GM twins are pushing the Hilux.

Thailand Matters

Why should you care about a truck being spotted in Thailand? Simple, Thailand is the largest mid-size truck market in the world. Like Texas is for full-size trucks, the mid-size market over there is ground zero for this size truck.

Also, don’t forgot the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado borrow many design and engineering cues from their global cousins. With a common platform, GM is able to cut costs and offer new features (like diesel).

GM has been doing this for a while actually and their old truck used a similar strategy.

“The old GMT355 [previous generation Colorado/GMC Canyon] was also a global program, but the amount we were able to tailor that truck to the U.S. market was less than what we were able to do with this,” said Jeff Luke, GM’s chief truck engineer.

What does all this mean for Toyota fans? This spy photos could show the new platform for the Toyota Tacoma.

Does this mean diesel is more likely? Maybe, maybe not. Yet, with using a similar platform that already includes a diesel, it is much easier to add one to the Tacoma.

Using a shared platform should be big news for Tacoma fans. Keeping on eye on Thailand is also important for clues on what a new Tacoma may feature.