Toyota’s Small Pickup to Compete with Maverick Confirmed, ‘Not If’ but ‘When’

      Toyota

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      The robust Toyota Tacoma has proudly held the title of the best-selling midsize truck in the United States for many years. Now, the company aims to replicate this achievement with a smaller, unibody model designed to compete against the Ford Maverick.

      “Plans have been finalized. The real question is when we can schedule its release. At this point, it’s not a matter of ‘if.’ We’ve done extensive research. We’re committed to it. We’ll find a way to make it happen,” stated Cooper Ericksen, the head of planning and strategy for Toyota’s North American division, in an interview with MotorTrend. He noted that the truck, which has yet to have a name revealed, has been in development for several years.

      It seems that Toyota has already established the groundwork for the truck. The model will utilize a version of the modular TNGA platform that underpins most of its current lineup, and as expected, it will include hybrid power options. However, don’t underestimate the vehicle's foundation. Toyota emphasized that being “small” and “tough” can coexist.

      “If we go ahead with this, it will be a Toyota truck. It must possess certain capabilities, attributes, and functionalities. It has to be a reliable workhorse,” Ericksen explained. Fortunately, Toyota has consistently proven its ability to create reliable small pickups.

      While it’s too soon to discuss pricing, competing directly with the Maverick will necessitate a truck with a similar base price. For reference, Ford’s smallest pickup starts at $30,535, including destination fees, whereas the least expensive Tacoma costs $33,085. It’s possible that Toyota may aim to price their model lower than the Maverick rather than matching it.

      Toyota has ambitious expectations for its entry-level truck: data indicates that selling 100,000 to 150,000 units annually is a realistic target, just for the American market. Toyota's global footprint is significantly larger than Ford’s, which could enable it to utilize economies of scale to reduce costs. Notably, Ericksen mentioned that “affordability is one of the biggest challenges” currently facing the automotive industry.

      We'll need to wait patiently to see how Toyota envisions a small truck for the modern era; it's unlikely that we will see the truck in 2025, and it may not debut in 2026 either. “I hope to share it with you very soon, but there are many factors at play,” Ericksen shared with MotorTrend. He also mentioned that the engineering team at Toyota is quite busy at the moment.

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