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The compact truck segment is officially back, with the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz offering buyers truck-like practicality with a car-like experience behind the wheel. This extremely popular segment made its triumphant return only recently, and the success that Ford and Hyundai are enjoying have other automakers wanting in. One such example would be Toyota.
Back in the early 2000's, Ford and Toyota ruled the compact truck segment with the Ranger and Tacoma. Like almost every other vehicle over the years, the Tacoma got promoted to the midsize game with the introduction of its second generation in 2004. Meanwhile, Ford decided to discontinue the Ranger in the US, and a larger second generation was launched for the rest of the world. While speaking with Automotive News, Toyota North America Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations, Jack Hollis, said that there is room in the automaker's two-model-strong truck lineup for a smaller offering to slot below the Tacoma.
"It's undeniable that those products have a place in the market. And how big is that segment going to get? I don't know," said Vice President for Product Planning and Strategy, Cooper Ericksen. If Toyota were to enter the compact truck segment in the future, it could end up facing a larger, fiercer competition, especially if companies like GM or Nissan are also considering smaller pickups. But if Toyota's small truck were to do as well as the Maverick and Santa Cruz, it could become a crucial moneymaker for the brand. "It's something that we need to be looking at and figuring out if it's an area we should play in," says Ericksen.
Do you think Toyota should enter the compact truck arena?
Source: Automotive News
Images: Toyota
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