Toyota Considering a Compact Pickup to Fight Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz

In an interview with MotorTrend during a Toyota event at the company's Texas headquarters, Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America, and Cooper Ericksen, group vice president of product planning and strategy, said they are looking at the compact pickup segment, and hinted we could be seeing a new product in the future.

Toyota Considering a Compact Pickup to Fight Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz (motortrend.com)

Would love to see them bring back the old Hilux with their current 2.0L I-4, but wouldn't be completely surprised if they decided to go with some type of FWD pickup based on the Corolla or Camry platform.

 

I would love to see this, this is how they should enter the truck ev or (hopefully) us hydrogen market. Would love something from them like the alpha wolf with semi-retro influenced Toyota styling, compact size, reasonable price.

alpha wolf link: https://www.alphamotorinc.com/wolf

 

Cooper added that they key is identifying what the customer wants and then finding a solution. "If there's a customer that needs a rugged, smaller body-on-frame vehicle, we can consider that, but if it's more for urban use and less extreme off-road, then it would make more sense to use the TNGA unibody platform," he added, mentioning Toyota's newest component set that sits beneath everything from the Corolla to the Camry to the RAV4 crossover and more.

Yes please.

 

I would like a 2dr truck, or truck like vehicle. I don't know how popular a light comercial chassis would be for businesses to use for up fitting if builders were to build bodies for them.

I don't think a 2dr compact pick up would be that popular among the masses, although I would want one, and many people around here might want one. Obviously Toyota would need to address more people than those reading TW.

Toyota could build an offroad oriented 2dr, and a more urban road friendly 4dr variant, or offer various cab styles across the line. The 5lug, and 6lug trucks are quite different for being the same vehicle. Toyota could offer something the competition does not, a regular cab compact truck.

Electrification:

With the abundance of EVs, both in the market place, and the brain fart redering vapor ware imagery floating around on line. EVs will need to come down in both size and weight to achieve maximum efficiency from the most advance advance batteries systems.

Why not test this out in the light compact pick up market?

 

What should happen: Toyota brings back first gen Tacoma body with modernized interior, call it the Tacoma Compact. Collects record profit.

What will happen:

 

El Corolla

 

Or CH-cRoss

 

Sounds like a bunch of doo doo. If this was true, they would have done it with the tundra & taco decades ago, instead it stayed the same for decades.

 

The Tacoma has a body on frame

 

Toyota Stout | Tacoma World

 

Saw this in the Caribbean. Looks like a dodge branded Hyundai. If they build something based on the RAV4 hybrid it’d probably do well as a city truck-ish

 

lol...that's it?
Does a taco comes with remote start these days? I know the Highlander didn't (as of 2018).

 

Has anyone own/driven both taco and maverick, can you compare the two?

I'm building a new Maverick (it has lots of features by the way, unlike the tacos), it's cheaper than a used one from a local listing. Comparing same trim, and features the best I can.

The interior of the maverick seems more interesting.

 

Yes upper model Tacoma's with Automatic have remote start.

 

I’d be interested in that. I’ve been looking at either a new Camry (my wife has an ‘18 xse that I like a lot) or a Lexus is350 f sport. I just can’t make myself do it because I move enough stuff around that I can’t not have a truck. I’ve looked at ridgelines, and one would fit my needs but can’t get excited enough about one to pull the trigger. Also tossing around the idea of either car mentioned and a little trailer.

 

Based on the Fiat Toro made in South America. Who's up for a Fiat truck?

 

Wow, I'm actually glad and happy toyota finally put that in there.

 

Ravchero

 

“Building a Maverick.” Isn’t the allotment completely sold out?

If you find one at MSRP, let me know.

 

Ford has come up with a great solution to a gaping hole in the marketplace. Any other manufacturer will be playing catch up. Cheap, cheerful, economical, and seats 5. It is as much truck as 90% of the population needs.
The Hyundai is way too overpriced to be considered a viable alternative.
No, it is not a rock crawler.
Yes, I'd change the front airdam,
yes the bed is 1.5 feet too short, but it is the most innovative vehicle I've seen in a long time.