Toyota has shown a strong commitment to developing a smaller pickup truck, potentially based on a passenger car platform, positioned below its current range of pickups. However, there is still no clear information on what type of powertrain this smaller pickup will use.

Reports indicate that Toyota engineers were previously spotted testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz—both unibody pickups rather than traditional body-on-frame designs—near Toyota’s technical center in Michigan, USA, last year. This new compact pickup would be positioned below the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux in the U.S. market. The current-generation Tacoma is newer than the HiLux, built on the TNGA-F platform shared with vehicles like the Land Cruiser Prado, and comes with a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid petrol engine.

Introducing a rival to the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz would allow Toyota to offer a more affordable pickup option to American consumers. While it may not match the HiLux or Tacoma in off-road or towing capabilities, it could deliver a more car-like driving experience. This new model would differ from the HiLux Champ sold in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame truck that undercuts the HiLux in price.

Toyota has also confirmed plans to launch an electric pickup in Europe by 2026, likely a production version of the EPU concept unveiled at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show. Additionally, reports suggest that Toyota will launch a car-based hybrid pickup in Brazil by 2027, with a design similar to the EPU concept. However, it remains unclear whether this model will be exclusive to Latin America or offered in North America and other markets as well.