Toyota Opens Possibility of Introducing a Pickup Based on the RAV4

Developments in the monocoque pickup segment have tempted Toyota to follow suit using its RAV4 SUV platform, which is claimed to have significant appeal, although no official decision regarding its development has been made yet. CarsCoops reported on Tuesday local time that the statement was made by Toyota RAV4 Chief Engineer Yoshinori Futonagane, following the launch of the SUV’s latest generation in Australia. According to him, the monocoque pickup segment, represented by models like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, offers an interesting opportunity for the automotive industry. The statement reinforces earlier signals from Toyota North America President and CEO Tetsuo Ogawa. He revealed that demand for compact pickups is quite high and Toyota dealers in the United States have been anticipating the arrival of such a model. If realised, the model would become a direct competitor to the Ford Maverick, which currently dominates the monocoque pickup segment in the United States. Toyota is also preparing a smaller pickup based on the Corolla Cross for the South American market. However, Toyota is considered to have strong capital to compete. The brand’s reputation for product reliability, coupled with the success of the Tacoma and Tundra pickup models in the North American market, could be supporting factors if Toyota truly decides to enter the compact monocoque pickup segment. Nevertheless, Toyota has yet to provide certainty on when the project will be realised.