Full-size and midsize pickup trucks dominate the U.S., with their cost and size continuing to rise. In April, the average price of a new vehicle in the country reached $48,699. Against this backdrop, as well as possible price increases due to Donald Trump's economic policies, more buyers are turning their attention to smaller, more affordable models with a short cargo bed.
The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, debuting in 2021, have already entered this niche. Now Toyota is also listening to requests from U.S. dealers who want to see a pickup truck smaller than the Tacoma (pictured below the headline) and Tundra in the model lineup.
"We are looking at that possibility," Toyota's chief operating officer for the U.S., Mark Templin, said in an interview.
Company officials have not yet disclosed the extent of the project or the timing of a possible launch, but emphasised interest in a segment that could appeal to both budget-conscious private buyers and corporate customers.
"We could do well in this segment, so we're trying to move in that direction," said Cooper Ericksen, senior vice president of strategic planning at Toyota Motor North America. "The question is when exactly to implement it."
Source: Bloomberg