The newly formed Toyota Tsusho Manufacturing Laos Company recently announced that it will begin assembling Hilux and Fortuner units for the Laos domestic market. Production is expected to kick off in April 2028, with an annual target of 5,000 units.
Like the Philippines, Laos is a left-hand-drive country, which also imports its Hilux and Fortuner cars from Thailand. However, with local manufacturing on the horizon, availability and sales are expected to ramp up in Laos, along with around 150 new jobs to be generated.
This all begs the question: Can Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) produce its own left-hand-drive Hilux and Fortuner? After all, the company already assembles the Vios, the Innova, and the Tamaraw at its Santa Rosa plant—why not add two more nameplates?
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However, these aren’t just any nameplates. The Hilux was TMP’s third-best-selling vehicle in 2025 with 23,735 units sold, while the Fortuner remains a stalwart in the local lineup. If TMP were to emulate the production plans of Laos, a 5,000-unit goal would simply not be enough to keep up with local demand.
It sounds like a long shot and a fever dream, but it certainly does not sound impossible. The company’s plant in Santa Rosa already boasts an annual 60,000-unit production capacity. A massive expansion will probably be needed to accommodate two new models, but if any brand can do it, it will be the country’s top automaker.
