| Panel Trucks are not as popular as cars because what makes Hot Wheels known are licensed vehicles. It is either a licensed panel truck or an unlicensed original it depends on how it would appeal to everyone. Mattel’s Hot Wheels design team has the freedom to conceptualize and create their version of what a vehicle would be without the limitation of designing a licensed branded vehicle.
Hot Wheels has produced fantasy and sometimes unlicensed realistic vehicles that you might mistake for the real thing. The Hiway Hauler 2 is one such design with the aesthetics of a fantasy truck, but with a future concept that could be real with its short-nosed design slope angling down looks fast yet appears to be a reliable truck. |
The Hiway Hauler 2 was introduced in the mainline back in 2012 as a replacement to the first Hiway Hauler (1992), which was an updated version of the original released in 1980, confused? Same here, but just forget about the 1980 version that is almost the same as the 1992 release. If it was labeled properly this version from 2012 should have been known as the third iteration of the “Hiway Hauler” truck.
But let’s not get too confused about the releases, this is all about the “Hiway Hauler 2” with a flat-nosed truck that has been around for almost 11 years and the latest for 2023 follows the Disney Lightyear truck from that specific theme set. It is challenging to keep track of the releases even for this version.
Art Truck Hauler
This version was released in 2015 as part of the Art Cars sub-theme, and it is also the second colour following the white version with white wheels. There are no changes on the artwork that depicts the panel side of the truck that shows bubbles on both sides and this time it is in yellow.
The Art Cars version is a little better than the initial release for the same year as I’m not a fan of coloured wheels unless it is in brown at the same time it is explained or part of a theme that says it’s in a “dirt mudders” mini-collection. But the white version of this truck was good too, which caught my attention.
It would have been great if they’d given it black plastic tires than having them in white. The reason why this second version was my favourite among the Art Cars released in 2015’s mini-collection.
Hiway Truck Versions
In comparison, you can find the yellow and white versions of the same release that compliments each other. It’s great seeing these two side-by-side together, and I almost missed out on the yellow version because it was the one that’s always selling out due to the artwork’s appeal and reminded me of a doodler who does this type of art.
It is worth noting, that it is way different compared to the Hiway Hauler (1992) version, which still has enough weight on its die-cast part, and Hot Wheels keeps its quality intact for the reason why it is not sold in the basic mainline release.
Despite that, the Hiway Hauler 2 was a good replacement for the 1992 version even though the design doesn’t look, realistic. It may not have the interiors or a see-through window replaced by the chrome parts this one has already warmed some truck collectors for its unique aesthetics and straightforward details.
It’s been almost a 10-year old casting, and it is still being used by Hot Wheels with its recent release. I’d be lying if the Hiway Hauler (1992) was not my favourite, but that casting is only available through the premium range. There’s another Hiway Hauler but that one was only released once that was never known.
Still, the Hiway Hauler 2 is going to be here hoping for better liveries than just the logo of Hot Wheels. This art cars version was better already eight years ago and the livery never gets old it still makes me want to get the latest iteration for its unrealistic design that is sometimes underrated by most who only collected cars.
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