Compact trucks cemented Toyota’s reputation for quality, durability and reliability. But Toyota has been out of the small pickup game for quite a while. The classic Toyota pickup became the Tacoma, which grew into a mid-size truck for the second generation in 2005. But Toyota execs have not ruled out building a competitor for the Ford Maverick to slot below the Tacoma.
Here’s what we know about the potential new small Toyota pickup so far.
Toyota dealers want a small pickup
According to an Automotive News report, a Toyota exec noted that Toyota dealers have been asking for a compact pickup for a while. And such a vehicle, presumably packing a hybrid powertrain, could help the Toyota fleet’s fuel economy.
A Toyota small pickup may be based on the Corolla
Toyota execs said that it would make “more sense to use the TNGA unibody platform” for a small truck designed for urban use. They also noted that Toyota would probably need more of an “SUV with a bed” format. According to Automotive News, the new compact pickup would likely be based on the Corolla if approved and built alongside the Corolla in Mississippi. The small pickup would almost undoubtedly have a hybrid option; Toyota plans for all vehicles to have one by 2025.
Car and Driver speculates that the pickup could share components and a hybrid powertrain with the Corolla Cross. The Corolla Cross Hybrid packs 196 horsepower and earns an estimated 42 mpg. Similar figures would put the Toyota compact truck on par with the Maverick.
