What was the Toyota 4Runner called in Japan?

In Japan, the Toyota 4Runner was called the Hilux Surf. The name reflected its close relationship to the Hilux pickup: the first-generation vehicle used a Hilux-based chassis and paired the pickup’s front section with a rear passenger body and removable shell. In export markets, Toyota marketed the resulting SUV as the 4Runner.

The first Hilux Surf and 4Runner appeared in 1983. Although early versions were essentially recreational SUVs derived from a pickup, later generations gained more substantial bodywork, improved comfort and increasing mechanical independence. The Japanese model continued to use the Hilux Surf name through several generations.

The name is easy to confuse with other Toyota SUVs. The Fortuner is a separate, generally lower-cost Hilux-based SUV sold in many international markets, while the Land Cruiser Prado occupies a different position in Toyota’s global lineup. The Harrier is also unrelated to the 4Runner’s Japanese identity. Toyota withdrew the Hilux Surf from Japan in 2009, while the 4Runner name continued primarily in North and South American markets.