Newsweek investigates why rebel groups always seem to be driving Toyota pickups

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It turns out that the Toyota Hilux isn't just a favorite with fans of Top Gear. According to Newsweek, the unbeatable little pickup from Japan is also a vital cog in various insurgent war machines around the globe. With its combination of reliability, affordability, ubiquity and capability, the bare-bones truck has been a favorite with rebel groups of various nationalities since it first hit the scene in the late '60s. In the more than 40 years since, the Hilux has shown up in conflicts from Nicaragua, Rwanda, Somalia and Ethopia to Pakistan and Iraq. If you're looking for the automotive equivalent of the AK-47, you've found it.

Newsweek even says that U.S. Special Forces has been known to make use of a Hilux or two on occasion in favor of the heavier, more cumbersome and more expensive Humvee. In most war zones, the Toyota has become the modern equivalent of light cavalry – delivering both weapons and troops over rough terrain in quick order. Throw in the fact that a .50 caliber weapon can be mounted in the bed, and the truck's versatility grows by leaps and bounds.