Should Toyota build a new mini-truck to battle against the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz? We think so, and recent reports suggest that Toyota is seriously considering it. Here are all the latest details.
Here is a report by Motor Trend that foreshadows a new vehicle that Toyota is considering. Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America said the following: “One of the spaces we’re looking at—that won’t be short-term—is where the compact pickup truck is going. You have Santa Cruz and Maverick on the market, and it will be interesting to see Scout. Today, we have the market really well covered with Tacoma, but that [a compact pickup] could be a possibility and something we continue to look at,” Carter said.
Carter calls out the Santa Cruz and Maverick by name, and he also mentions the VW Scout. Volkswagen surprised us by announcing a planned return of the Scout brand as an all-electric pickup truck and SUV. The VW Scout is currently being planned as a 2026 model, and (judging by Carter’s comments) a possible new Toyota mini-truck could be planned in a similar timeframe. That is to say, do not expect it to come in a year or two. There is also a possibility of it being all-electric.
Let us know in the comments below. What would you like to see in a Toyota mini pickup truck? Should it look like a RAV4 pickup truck, or a Corolla Cross pickup, or something completely unique?
In the meantime, here is a personal look at the 2023 Toyota Tacoma.
