In an interview by Automotive News with Toyota North America CEO Tetsuo ‘Ted’ Ogawa—as reported by Motor1—a RAV-based pickup truck could be part of the brand’s future lineup as customers clamor for a compact pickup truck from the Japanese manufacturer.
To put this into context, Ford—the main rival of Toyota in the US—revived its Maverick nameplate in 2021, this time in the form of a unibody pickup. It gained massive success with over 155,000 units sold by the end of 2025.
Ford released the Maverick with two versions, a hybrid model and a gasoline model. The 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain made 191hp and 210Nm of torque, while the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four delivered 250hp and 379Nm of torque. Both models featured a 4.5-foot truck bed with a maximum payload capacity of 680kg.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Attention, GT-R owners: Nismo Heritage Parts is adding 37 new products for the R32, R33, R34
VW’s most iconic badge has gone electric: Say hello to the ID. Polo GTI
Customers looked forward to a similar launch from Toyota, as the only pickup trucks the Japanese automaker has in the US are the mid-size Tacoma and the full-size Tundra—both significantly more expensive than the compact Ford Maverick. After years of rumors, Toyota had to answer, and we might just have gotten the glimpse of one:
“A RAV4-based pickup is an opportunity for us, and the dealers are waiting,” said Ogawa-san. “Maybe they say we need today or tomorrow, but it takes time.”
Toyota isn’t in a rush. After all, it still led overall sales in the US in 2025 with strong performances from the RAV4 and the Camry. But, it can’t ignore what Ford is doing with the Maverick, especially with competitive year-on-year sales between the two brands.
A unibody-style pickup based on the popular RAV4 might just give customers the answer they’re looking for. And frankly, we don’t mind getting a piece of this in our local market as well. What are your thoughts? Do you think a RAV4-based pickup will do well in our market? Let us know in the comments.
