Electric Toyota Hilux can still beat Top Gear’s iconic caravan drop test 23 years later

| Assistant editor (news) Published September 30, 2026 3:06pm Updated September 30, 2026 3:06pm The iconic Top Gear stunt has been repeated (Picture: Alex Stead/Toyota Hilux) It’s been more than 20 years since the Top Gear gang made automotive TV history by trying – and failing – to destroy a Toyota Hilux. Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond tried everything: hitting the truck with a wrecking ball, submerging it in the sea, and placing it on the roof of a 23-storey building that was then demolished, but still couldn’t kill the famously hardy vehicle. They even dropped a caravan on the durable pick-up, all to no avail. Now, to show how tough its all-new electric successor is, Toyota has recreated that famous final strength test. A crane suspended the caravan at a Suffolk airfield (Picture: Alex Stead/Toyota Hilux) Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Toyota turned to Reddit, inviting subreddits across the UK to vote on how the Hilux should be put through its paces. The two options were for the truck to be repeatedly hit with a one-tonne wrecking ball or subjected to the caravan drop. Hundreds responded with an overwhelming call for the caravan test, as originally performed by the Top Gear team in 2003. The stunt was performed at Bentwaters airfield in Suffolk, where a caravan weighing more than three-quarters of a tonne was craned 30 feet above the ground, then released directly on top of the Hilux’s cab. The moment of impact (Picture: Alex Stead/Toyota Hilux) As a cloud of debris settled on the test track, engineers stepped up to inspect the Hilux, which bore only modest bodywork scars from the impact. It powered up immediately and drove off silently from the scene without breaking a sweat, true to its legendary “indestructible” heritage. Strict safety conditions were observed throughout the test. Chris Hayes, Director, Products & Services Division, said: “Hilux has earned its reputation as the world’s toughest pick-up. Following on from our launch of the ninth-generation model earlier this year, we wanted to honour that legacy and demonstrate how Hilux is still as impressive as it was decades ago, even when it’s powered by electricity. “Dropping a caravan on it wasn’t just about repeating the famous TV stunt; it was our way of showing how Hilux’s core toughness remains intact.” The Hilux escaped with barely a scratch (Picture: Alex Stead/Toyota Hilux) The spectacle is no accident, as during the model’s development programme, the Hilux underwent extreme testing to guarantee its performance, including deep-water driving, challenging driving trials across all kinds of rough terrain, and total immersion of the battery. The caravan drop is just the warm-up. Toyota has now handed over the keys to the electric Hilux to the Top Gear YouTube channel, meaning even tougher tests may be to come. The new model’s rugged durability does not end with its ability to endure the harshest punishment. It is also able to carry payloads of up to 1,065kg and tow trailers up to 3.5 tonnes (according to powertrain). The caravan weighted more than three-quarters of a tonne (Picture: Alex Stead/Toyota Hilux) Available with both battery-electric and Diesel 48V power, the Hilux also has a comfortable double cab body complete with fully digital instrumentation and a comprehensive multimedia package, meaning it’s far more than just a workhorse. Find out more about the stunt here and watch the full video on Toyota’s YouTube channel. Arrow MORE: Jeremy Clarkson teases new show ‘bigger’ than Celebrity Traitors in the works Arrow MORE: Jeremy Clarkson blasts Nadiya Hussain for accusing Ed Sheeran of crying ‘white tears’ Arrow MORE: Michelle Visage’s fashion face-off at TK Maxx as stylists go head-to-head with £200 budget News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.