Toyota plans to make a small pickup truck.

TPO - Toyota is reportedly seriously considering developing a compact pickup truck based on the RAV4 platform.

The pickup truck market previously revolved primarily around mid-size and large-size models. However, Ford made a breakthrough with the launch of the compact Maverick pickup truck in 2021, which quickly became a sales hit in the US.

Last year alone, Ford sold 155,051 Mavericks in the U.S., an 18.2% increase compared to 2024. This sales figure is more than double that of the Ranger from the same brand.

The Ford Maverick compact pickup truck.

Conversely, not all automakers have been successful with their compact pickup truck lineup. The Hyundai Santa Cruz, launched around the same time, only achieved sales of 25,499 units last year. This result has fueled rumors that Hyundai may soon discontinue production of the Santa Cruz to focus on a new mid-size pickup truck.

Despite the lessons learned from the Santa Cruz, Toyota still seems keen to enter this segment. Speaking to Automotive News , Toyota North America CEO Tetsuo Ogawa stated that a pickup truck based on the RAV4 is a “worthwhile opportunity” for the company.

The executive also revealed that Toyota dealerships are eagerly awaiting the new model, although he acknowledged that the development process will require more time.

If commercialized, the new pickup truck will most likely use the platform of the recently launched new-generation Toyota RAV4. Currently, the standard RAV4 is equipped with a 2.5L hybrid engine combined with an electric motor, producing 226 horsepower in the front-wheel drive version.

The AWD version adds an electric motor at the rear, bringing the total output to 236 horsepower. This significantly surpasses the Ford Maverick Hybrid's maximum of 191 horsepower.

Not only is the RAV4 hybrid more powerful, but it also boasts more impressive fuel efficiency than the Maverick Hybrid. According to the manufacturer, the RAV4 achieves a combined fuel consumption of approximately 5 liters/100 km, while the Maverick Hybrid is around 6.2 liters/100 km.

In addition to the conventional hybrid, Toyota now also offers a plug-in hybrid version of the RAV4 with a 2.5L engine combined with a 22.7 kWh battery and an electric motor, for a total output of up to 324 horsepower.

This version can run on pure electric power for approximately 84 km on a single full charge. This could be a key factor in differentiating Toyota's potential compact pickup truck from the competition.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/toyota-tinh-lam-ban-tai-co-nho-post1843905.tpo