The Toyota Hilux, or the pickup truck segment as a whole, is also known as a toy for the big boys. Adults dress up these trucks, play with them, and drive them to wherever their imaginations take them. However, McDonald's in Japan wants to prove that children can play with their Hilux, too, albeit a bit scaled down for those cute little hands.
McDonald's Japan has recently added the Toyota Hilux Tomica to its roster of Happy Meal toys. The addition of the truck was announced in a YouTube video featuring a Hilux Tomica making its way through a fantasy world of giant hamburgers and french fries, representing a kid's imagination.
Of note, Toyota reintroduced the Hilux in Japan in 2017. Before that, the midsize truck wasn't offered in its home market since 2004. The first Hilux was introduced in the Japanese market over 50 years ago in 1968.
The collaboration between Toyota, Tomica, and McDonald's in Japan isn't new. The three companies have been working with each other for quite some time. In 2017, a Toyota 86 McDonalds Racing Car was released as a McDonald's Happy Meal toy, which can also be acquired by exchanging a Tomica ticket from an issue of Mebae magazine.
Meanwhile, a Toyota GR Supra Tomica toy was also introduced in 2020, which came with every Happy Meal purchase. We'll wager that that particular Happy Meal set was popular with Japanese car guys then.
The Hilux Tomica McDonald's Happy Meal set is available in Japan starting April 14. It's unlikely that the US will get a similar Happy Meal set, especially considering that the nameplate isn't currently sold stateside. However, if you're really itching to get your hands on a similar Hilux toy, Hobby Link Japan should be able to ship one for you with a variety of choices on its website.
