Toyota may be preparing a compact pickup based on the next-generation RAV4. The model will be a direct competitor to the Ford Maverick — one of the most successful new cars in the American market in recent years. This is not about a classic body-on-frame pickup like the Toyota Hilux or Tacoma. The new model will likely get a unibody and the TNGA-K platform, which Toyota uses for the Toyota RAV4, Highlander, and other crossovers. This approach allows for a lighter, cheaper, and more fuel-efficient car.
This is precisely the formula already used by the Ford Maverick: compact dimensions, a hybrid powertrain, and the comfort of a crossover instead of the “truck-like” character of traditional pickups. In the US, the model unexpectedly became a hit among buyers who need a versatile urban vehicle with an open bed.
For Toyota, launching such a model seems logical. The company already sells a compact pickup in South America — the Fiat Toro-like Hilux Champ, and demand for affordable utilitarian vehicles worldwide continues to grow. However, the brand still has no direct answer to the Maverick in North America.
The main intrigue is the powertrains. If the pickup is indeed based on the new RAV4, it will almost certainly receive Toyota's fifth-generation hybrid system. This could make the model one of the most fuel-efficient pickups on the market.
Toyota has not yet officially confirmed the project. But the very fact that such rumors are appearing shows how quickly the market is changing: buyers are increasingly choosing compact and practical pickups instead of full-size models.