The Toyota Hilux has earned a reputation as one of the world’s toughest vehicles, helped by the legendary Top Gear torture tests from 2003. In 2026, Toyota revisited one of those challenges to find out whether the new Hilux BEV could endure punishment in the same spirit as its predecessor.
Toyota’s UK division asked Reddit users to select a punishment for the zero-emission pickup. The choices were a 1-tonne (2,205 lbs) wrecking-ball strike or dropping a caravan from a great height. The online vote strongly favored the caravan, an understandable choice given the stunt’s Top Gear connection.
Toyota followed through by lifting a 760 kg (1,676 lbs) caravan approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) into the air with a large crane. A brand-new Hilux BEV was positioned below it before the caravan was released.
The camper landed squarely on the midsize pickup’s roof, while its lightweight fiberglass and wooden structure disintegrated on impact. Toyota recorded the event with high-speed cameras and placed another camera inside the caravan to capture the experience of landing upside down on a Hilux.
Although it was struck by what amounted to a falling house on wheels, the Hilux BEV powered on immediately and drove away from the debris. The resulting damage included a distorted roof, a cracked windshield, and a dented rear bed that looked as though a baby Godzilla had attempted to climb aboard.
The suspension appears to have absorbed the impact, briefly giving the pickup a lowered, street-truck stance. The battery, mounted within the ladder-frame chassis, and the electric motors escaped damage, though the roof damage will probably make the vehicle a write-off.
Toyota cautioned viewers not to attempt or reproduce any of the actions shown, warning that doing so could result in serious injury, death, or property damage. The automaker also said all of the caravan debris was collected at Bentwaters Airfield in Suffolk and transported to a recycling facility.
The caravan drop, produced with help from Very Nice Films and Bickers, was only a “warm-up” for the Hilux BEV. Toyota has offered the pickup to Top Gear’s YouTube channel for further abuse. A second round of testing should be worth watching, at least until WhistlinDiesel gets hold of the latest midsize Hilux, which is not sold in North America.
The latest Toyota Hilux is offered with mild-hybrid diesel and fully electric powertrains, while a hydrogen version has been confirmed for 2028. Diesel remains by far the dominant choice among Hilux buyers because it costs less, uses a more practical fuel, and delivers higher towing and payload ratings.
Toyota UK asked the internet to choose how to punish the Hilux BEV, and users selected a 760 kg caravan drop over a wrecking-ball impact. The electric pickup survived the crash and drove away with roof, windshield, and bed damage, while its battery and motors remained unharmed. Toyota has now offered the truck to Top Gear for another round of testing.
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