If Toyota has gotten into the "cheap pickup" game again - then it'll be tough for everyone else. This thing above cpsts around $10,000 in the US West Coast which is unthinkable. Short of protective tariffs, no way to save home country products from this competition. If parts can be bought in remote areas of the country and trained mechanics available to fix these things - then an automobile can gain this status
Even in the US in the 1980's - cheap Toyota half ton pickups were the thing to own for plumbers, electricians and HVAC people. One could equip the things with all manner of storage cabinets on the sides which were industry specific. Here is a 1980's RV Motorhome (with full kitchenette) using a one ton Toyota pickup truck (V6). I am sure the new plain-jane Toyota pickup above will see a dually (Double rear wheel) chassis made for an RV like this. Americans love their RVs.
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I don't know what magic ingredients give these cars and trucks iconic status besides what I mentioned. A bulletproof Toyota engine is certainly one (I believe Toyotas have been assembled in Turkey for a while). It's like the ubiquitous Peugeot 505 and its many variants in the Maghreb - which is the replacement for your tough-as-nails donkey.
Heard about the Paykar from my Iranian friends - I am sure it is a great product but don't know if engine is made in Iran. French cars like Renault, Peugeot and Citreon were ubiquitous in Iran at one point, especially pre-revolution times.