Small pickups are having a moment. Trucks like the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz are flying off the shelves, while startup Slate Auto is seeing huge interest for its back-to-basics, small electric utility pickup. Now, it seems like Toyota wants to get in on the action.
“We’re looking at it,” Mark Templin, Toyota’s chief operating officer in the United States, told Bloomberg in an interview published Wednesday.
Bigger full- and mid-size pickups still account for the majority of sales, but their increasing prices and sizes have consumers—whom are more cash-strapped than ever—looking for more affordable, efficient options. Ford sold 131,142 Mavericks in 2024, an increase of nearly 40 percent over the year prior. So the demand is certainly there.
“We could really do well in that segment, so we’re trying to do it,” senior vice president for planning and strategy at Toyota North America Cooper Ericksen told Bloomberg. “It’s a matter of timing.”
We’re inclined to agree. Representatives for the brand went on to tell Bloomberg it sees the compact truck segment as a way to bring in more budget-minded fleet and retail buyers who want the utility but don’t want to shell out $42,000 for a new Tundra. Add in Toyota’s reputation for steadfast reliability, and you’ve got some serious potential here.
While Toyota didn’t get into specifics like pricing, specs, or delivery timeline, it’s safe to assume a small Toyota truck would compete directly against the Ford Maverick, which starts at $29,840 including destination. Such a pickup would likely also borrow the company’s current corporate design fascia.
Toyota has some recent history in the small trucking game. It introduced the Hilux Champ, shown above, in 2023 for overseas markets. The tiny truck proved an internet sensation thanks to its utilitarian nature, simplicity, and $13,000 base price. Sadly, a small Toyota pickup meant for American buyers would likely share very little with the Champ. But there is precedent within the brand.
With the demand for small, useful vehicles increasing every day, it’d be crazy for Toyota not to break into the segment. Hopefully it dives in sooner, rather than later.
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