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In a report from Automotive News covering future additions to Toyota's vast U.S. lineup, something very interesting surfaced. No, it's not a new sports car from Toyota GR, nor is it another hint at a new 4Runner SUV. We're talking about a small unibody pickup, based on none other than the Toyota Corolla. While that sounds crazy, car-based pickups are actually gaining traction in North America, with soaring sales charts for the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz inspiring other automakers to get in on the new trend.
While it hasn't been approved for production yet––and if so, it wouldn't arrive until 2027––this Corolla pickup will look nothing like the compact sedans we see every day. Even if it did bear some Corolla resemblance, the report indicates that a new generation for the popular small car is coming in 2025, although it's likely to remain on the existing TNGA-C platform. Since this architecture is said to support the brand's hybrid powertrains, the new unibody truck would probably include some sort of electrified powertrain. And with so many shared components between the two models, chances are this new pickup could be assembled right next to the new Corolla at Toyota's Mississippi plant.
In recent years, Toyota officials have shown interest in building a small pickup for North America. Speaking to Motortrend last year, two prominent figures from the company's North American arm discussed the possibility of a unibody truck for urban use. "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," one official said.
As for Toyota's other trucks, the smash-hit Tacoma midsize pickup just received a major redesign for the 2024 model year, gaining an i-Force Max hybrid powertrain and an all-new Trailhunter variant geared towards overlanding. According to Auto News, the Tacoma will get its mid-cycle refresh sometime around 2027, which would coincide with the possible launch of the smaller unibody pickup. The larger Tundra will receive its own updates as soon as 2025, as the current generation arrived in 2021.
Do you like the idea of a smaller pickup from Toyota?
Image Credits: Toyota
Report
Aug 4, 2023
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Toyota Wants To Build A Small Unibody Pickup Based On The Corolla
The Ford Maverick rival would launch by 2027 if given the green light.
In a report from Automotive News covering future additions to Toyota's vast U.S. lineup, something very interesting surfaced. No, it's not a new sports car from Toyota GR, nor is it another hint at a new 4Runner SUV. We're talking about a small unibody pickup, based on none other than the Toyota Corolla. While that sounds crazy, car-based pickups are actually gaining traction in North America, with soaring sales charts for the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz inspiring other automakers to get in on the new trend.
While it hasn't been approved for production yet––and if so, it wouldn't arrive until 2027––this Corolla pickup will look nothing like the compact sedans we see every day. Even if it did bear some Corolla resemblance, the report indicates that a new generation for the popular small car is coming in 2025, although it's likely to remain on the existing TNGA-C platform. Since this architecture is said to support the brand's hybrid powertrains, the new unibody truck would probably include some sort of electrified powertrain. And with so many shared components between the two models, chances are this new pickup could be assembled right next to the new Corolla at Toyota's Mississippi plant.
In recent years, Toyota officials have shown interest in building a small pickup for North America. Speaking to Motortrend last year, two prominent figures from the company's North American arm discussed the possibility of a unibody truck for urban use. "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," one official said.
As for Toyota's other trucks, the smash-hit Tacoma midsize pickup just received a major redesign for the 2024 model year, gaining an i-Force Max hybrid powertrain and an all-new Trailhunter variant geared towards overlanding. According to Auto News, the Tacoma will get its mid-cycle refresh sometime around 2027, which would coincide with the possible launch of the smaller unibody pickup. The larger Tundra will receive its own updates as soon as 2025, as the current generation arrived in 2021.
Do you like the idea of a smaller pickup from Toyota?
Image Credits: Toyota
