Toyota Finally Confirms Small Truck Maverick Rival — ‘Not If, But When’ originally appeared on Autoblog.
Toyota's Small Pickup Truck Is In The Pipeline
Toyota will launch a small pickup truck aimed at the likes of the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick, replacing the Tacoma as the brand's new entry point to its pickup lineup. The small truck, which will fit in under the Tacoma, will be a smaller alternative brought to production just about as soon as Toyota can: "Decisions have been made," said Cooper Ericksen, Toyota Motor North America’s head of planning and strategy.
The question is when we can slot it in. It’s not a matter of ‘if’ at this point.
Cooper Ericksen, Toyota Motor North America, Head of Planning and Strategy
Speaking to MotorTrend, Ericksen confirmed development of the as-yet-unnamed small truck. The automaker has watched the segment grow since the Maverick and the Santa Cruz debuted in 2021. Since then, the popularity of these small, affordable trucks has ballooned. Toyota told the outlet it estimates it could sell between 100,000 and 150,000 units annually in the US alone.
Toyota Is Behind The Ball While Shoppers Think Small
Toyota hesitated, and whether that was the right or wrong decision remains to be seen. However, the effect that decision is having today is pretty clear: Ford sold 131,142 Mavericks last year, and Hyundai cleared 32,033 Santa Cruz sales, while Toyota sat on the sidelines. The brand used to be a default for shoppers seeking a sensible, affordable small truck, but the Tacoma ballooned in size and price alongside other midsize competitors.
It's easy to see why shoppers may be interested in smaller, more affordable cars. Even wealthy buyers are looking at more affordable cars as costs skyrocket amid tariff negotiations and supply chain disruptions. American buyers are seeking small, affordable cars with excellent tech, and while Toyota caters to that demand in other places, it has yet to offer something as small as the Maverick.
Toyota Confirms Its Small Truck Will Be Unibody
Ericksen confirmed that Toyota's small truck will use unibody construction as opposed to the traditional body-on-frame construction used in many larger trucks. Hyundai also employs unibody construction in its Santa Cruz. The truck's frame consists of a single piece onto which body panels are placed, while a body-on-frame truck consists of a rolling chassis that is mated to a vehicle body.
Toyota should offer a hybrid powertrain, like the Maverick, and we expect the truck will share some similarities with other small unibody Toyota products, like the RAV4 and Corolla. We're also looking to Toyota to cater to demands from the off-road crowd with some TRD-branded options in the lineup, in addition to an affordable base price. However, Toyota's late to the party on this one, so don't expect to see the small truck for another several years.
Toyota Finally Confirms Small Truck Maverick Rival — ‘Not If, But When’ first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
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