Everything is seemingly so expensive lately from pickup trucks to motorhomes, but it doesn’t have to be that way. One RV manufacturer has created something surprisingly accessible. The new Carryboy Motorhome is based on the adorable and outrageously affordable Toyota Hilux Champ offering a nice place to lay your head for just $59,025. You can’t even get a new camper van for that cheap! But, unless you’re reading this from Asia, you’re not going to be cool enough to buy one.
One of my biggest complaints about today’s RV industry is that too many campers cost far too much money. Let’s say you want a basic camper van. You don’t want a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or even a Ford Transit, but just a basic pre-built camper van or Class C. Winnebago has just that with the Solis Pocket, a Ram ProMaster-based van with a low-grade interior, and let me see, oh, a $143,475 price tag to start. Alright, maybe you’ll go for a less famous name like Thor Motor Coach. Nope, Thor wants at least $128,000 for one of its vans. It’s a similar deal if you’re looking for a thicker, larger Class C coach.
RV companies love to talk about getting young people into traveling, but some companies have admitted to me that the vast majority of their buyers are retirees. I think one way to get younger people into new RVs would be to bring costs down. Keep in mind that here in the Midwest, $143,000 can be the price of a decent starter home, so these companies are effectively asking young folks to choose between their first house or a Ram ProMaster with a bed in it.
One solution comes all of the way from Thailand, and it pains me that Americans can only watch from afar.
In late 2022 during Toyota Motor Thailand’s 60th anniversary celebrations, the automaker pulled the covers off of what it called the Toyota IMV 0. This trucklet is based on the same platform underpinning the Hilux but with extreme cost-cutting to bring the price down. The result was the Toyota Hilux Champ, which made its debut last year. Toyota says the Champ is about going back to its roots of providing truly affordable workhorses for the masses.
The little ‘Yota is still a capable truck and is designed from customer input, but costs about $13,000 at current exchange rates compared to about $17,000 for the regular Hilux. That’s some good savings! Of course, it’s hard to compare the two very different markets of the United States and Thailand, but think of the Hilux Champ as being like Thailand’s Ford Maverick, a truck for those who don’t want to or can’t pay for an expensive truck. Only, the Toyota is still a body-on-frame rear-wheel-drive truck.
To illustrate just how cheap the Hilux Champ is, the standard configuration for the truck calls for 14-inch steel wheels, no radio, no screens, no tachometer, just one sun visor, a PVC bench seat, and manual transmission, just like the old days. You can even have any color you want, so long as it’s grayscale. However, it’s not completely stuck in the past as the Thailand market version comes with ABS, power windows, and two airbags. Its interior also looks like a scaled-down version of Toyota’s big trucks and I love that.
Motor Trend writes that the Hilux Champ is supposed to be a bit of a loss leader designed for developing markets. But it also goes more than that as Toyota intentionally baked in some modularity with mounting points behind the cab. Toyota sees all sorts of upfitters buying up these dirt-cheap trucks and turning them into commercial vehicles and motorhomes. That’s exactly what Grand Carryboy Marketing Company Limited in Thailand is doing with the Carryboy Hilux Champ Motorhome.
This amazing Class C-style motorhome first made the rounds in English media in late 2023, then it hit again in the spring of this year before getting picked up again a few days ago. It’s easy to see why. This motorhome is something RV fans have been wanting for years, but it’s so far away. This RV isn’t just a concept either, but a real camper that you can order provided you live in one of the markets served by Carryboy or can make a convincing enough argument to America’s importation authorities.
Carryboy is a company founded in 1969 as T.R.K. Bangkok Industry & Exporter Co.,ltd. That original company was a parts wholesaler. In 1982, the company began production of the Carryboy fiberglass pickup truck cap. Within years, sales spread outside of Thailand and the company’s cap got TÜV certification in Germany in 1986. Over time, Carryboy’s product line has expanded to include commercial truck boxes, ambulances, service trucks, minibuses, and now campers.
The Carryboy Hilux Champ starts as a truck with a 2.4-liter diesel four. That’s making 148 HP, 295 lb-ft of torque, and is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission. This is the 121.5-inch long wheelbase chassis cab truck, perfect to build a small motorhome on.
The Carryboy body is surprisingly nice. Starting with the exterior, you get a flip up “Skyview” transparent roof panel, 500 watts of solar on its roof, a power awning, power steps, and a 3.3 kW generator.
Inside, there’s a dinette, couch, and a wet bath, a basic HVAC system, and somehow, enough room for six people to sleep. I probably wouldn’t go that far, but it’s pretty neat! In terms of holding tanks, the camper holds 31 gallons of fresh water and there’s a waste tank, but I don’t see a quote on its size. You also get a 9.6 kWh battery. Options include an air-conditioner, an outdoor slide-out kitchen, a smaller 2.2 kW generator, air suspension, and a 28.8 kWh battery. The interior also gets app control for system monitoring and to activate options like lighting and the air conditioner.
In all, you’re getting basically the same features as a camper van, but in a space shorter than 20 feet and for just $59,025. That’s basically half the price of a new camper van in America and you don’t have to live with a Ram ProMaster, either.
Sadly, Toyota currently has no plans to federalize the Hilux Champ for America, so this cheap camper will be forbidden fruit. I suppose there’s also no knowing how much the price would balloon if the camper made it over to America. Still, this camper is proof that you don’t have to pay six figures to get a cool rig. If only we could get that in America.
(Images: Manufacturers)
I wish Toyota would change their mind about these and position them against the Maverick in the USA.
The Hilux Champ script in place of the tach is hilarious. Is that really cheaper than running a cable to a needle?
Yes?
Pre-built camper vans have always been outrageously expensive. I’d be curious to see numbers from a class C or even a class A today. Back when I was shopping for RVs, you could actually get in a full-on class A for about the same price as many of the class B vans. Class Cs could be had for significantly less.
I have approximately zero interest in any self-propelled RVs for a number of logistical reasons, but class B has always been overpriced for what they are.
The camper van prices in US are puzzling. For example, checking from mobile.de: ok, it is the end of the season, but new Ducato based campers are advertised in Germany for around 50000€, incl. 19% vat. Brands such as Pössl or Roadcar. Not high end, but real campers with all the basic bits – outwardly at least quite similar to the winnebagos etc. in the US. The campers are built in EU, probably in the countries with lowest labor costs, but I don’t think that explains the difference? Equipment may be better, but how much does a larger fridge, generator or ac really cost? Are you being ripped off?
Don’t even show me this, fuck
I imagine you could certainly import the shell and place on the frame of your choice.
So, how much does that shell weigh is the question.
Replied to add that Alibaba has some shell-lookin’ stuff that appears to be close-ish to the Carryboy stuff. Prices and shipping will be what they are….just sayin’.
The Toyota Hilux Champ is in many ways a very large K-truck.
The world needs more simple functional vehicles.
I want that Hilux Champ, it’s like my 99 Tercel but better, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.
Only 15 years until I can import a Hilux Champ to Canada!
But, I still don’t see any sense in spending even the ‘lower’ $60k for the camper rig when you can buy a very nice Westfalia for 1/3 of that, which leaves plenty leftover for maintenance and emergencies.
even if you swap in a subie motor!
Your money will be better spent importing a Land Cruiser 70 series truck instead….and turning it for camping.
For that money and I can poop and shower in it? Shut up and take my money!
“Grand Carryboy Marketing Company Limited”
Isn’t this also the title of a Wes Anderson film?
Seems like a great Idea. Would love them sold here but someone would complain about its ability to handle a 100mph head-on collision with an f-450.
Read about the Champ and its modularity a year or so ago. Liked what I saw, so, of course, knew it wouldn’t be sold here. Something readily adaptable to many applications, slotted well under the Tacoma, price wise, would have a lot of commercial and general appeal.
Anybody know how this diesel would stack up vs US emission regs?
Why are they not calling this the Hilux Champer?
Have you seen the cab interior. Its more a Lolux
Not to start a shitshow but here goes nothing:
Y’all have managed to get many state DMVs to halt their non registering policies for Kei Cars and other Japanese cars, can we get a similar effort in regards to getting rid of the Chicken Tax and the footprint rule?
If we don’t breath some new life into the auto industry it’ll die, and with it so will automotive enthusiast sites.
We’ll just be a lot of old folks arguing about a bunch of rusting shitheaps that we can’t get anymore, before we get forced into some self driving suppository to take us to the old folks home.
I’m not even sure that’s a hot take. I’m all for nuking rules that choke out consumer choice! I mean, even America’s automakers hate the Chicken Tax. Remember, there was a whole scandal with the Transit Connect because Ford imported them with throwaway backseats just to have the vans classified as passenger vehicles long enough to dodge the tax.
If I had any power the 25-year rule and Chicken Tax would be gone on the first day. Bring in those small trucks!
To be frank it seems like only domestic automakers are for the Chicken tax, and of the domestic automakers only some of them still support the Chicken tax.
So it seems like we have both the number and the means, we just need the will to get rid of it.
Edit: Using the windows key + . shortcut to insert a thumbs up emoji ends up showing up as “????” once you post your comment, hence this edit
Hell, I’d be okay with changing it to 10 years to match what Canada has.
It’s a shame people are fretting over the Chicken Tax. It’s a waste of time.
This issue came up a couple of months ago when the Kia Tasman pickup hit the news. I reminded my friends of the US-Korea Free Trade Act, which allows vehicles – trucks included – to be imported into the US duty-free; it was extended to expire in 2041. And anyone can take advantage of this ruling.
Geely is already considering it. They bought the Renault-Samsung in Busan last year, and plans to build models such as their new Radar/Riddara RD6 EV pickup there for global export, including the US.
Manufacturers can also build in and export trucks tariff-free from countries with similar trade deals, like Australia and South Africa. Australia might be a problem, since the government basically killed domestic production in 2017.
And they can also build here domestically. Geely can build the RD6 in its Volvo, Volvo Truck or Mack Truck plants in the Carolinas or Virginia; Kia can build the Tasman in West Point, GA; and BYD can build its new Shark hybrid at its California truck & bus assembly plant, although they say it’s not going to happen. (I say they’re lying. The plant has to be upfitted, while sample models must go through safety and emissions tests. For BYD, it’s a matter of when, not if, the Shark will reach our shores. Stay tuned.)
(Let’s toss this in as well. a few months ago, Mitsubishi and Rivian discussed assembling the Mitsu L200/Triton from CKDs at the Rivian/former Mitsu plant in Normal, IL. Nothing else was said about it since. Is it a o or no go? We’ll see.)
So, Toyota can build the Hilux Champ here and not worry about the tax. They can build it in their Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama facilities; or at the Hino Truck facility in West Virginia.
The tax is a dead horse. Let’s stop beating it.
one the most informative things I’ve read here. so with all the options for the manufacturers any guesses on which if any would/will execute? while they have physical facilities the re-tooling maybe holding them back? the maverick should motivate?
Well said. At some point, we enthusiasts will have to admit there are not enough used cars to support our car culture and hopefully someday someone will start making cheap new cars again. I will not hold my breath.
$60,000 .. It’s hysterical to me how much these companies charge for campers. Pass.
I feel the same about things like golf carts and that Can-Am Canyon thing. Like how do these cost as much (if not more than) cars? Is it just that they don’t sell as many, so they need to sell for more?
until you see how much other campers cost, as Mercedes cited. Or did you not read the whole article?
It’s still a great deal at $80k
Maybe, I dunno