Toyota says a compact pickup based on the RAV4 is now a real possibility for the U.S. market.
Toyota appears to be getting closer to launching the compact pickup truck many buyers have wanted ever since the arrival of the Ford Maverick. This time, the company has been more direct than ever about the possibility.
Ted Ogawa, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, recently acknowledged that a pickup based on the RAV4 could make sense for the brand. Speaking with Automotive News, he said, “A RAV4-based pickup is an opportunity for us, and dealers are asking for it. They may want it today or tomorrow, but these things take time.”
That’s a notably straightforward statement from Toyota, which previously limited itself to vague comments about monitoring the compact truck segment. Demand, however, is difficult to ignore. The Ford Maverick has become a major success story in the category, with 155,051 units sold in 2025 — an 18.2% increase year over year.
Meanwhile, the Hyundai Santa Cruz has struggled to maintain momentum, and reports suggest Hyundai is already planning a larger and more traditional replacement.
Earlier rumors suggested Toyota could build a compact pickup using the Corolla’s TNGA-C platform. But the RAV4 architecture now seems like the more logical choice. The crossover is larger, more popular, and already engineered for family-oriented utility.
The current RAV4 can also tow up to 3,500 pounds, which puts it surprisingly close to the Ford Maverick’s maximum towing capacity of 4,000 pounds.
A future RAV4 pickup likely wouldn’t replace the Toyota Tacoma or target hardcore off-road buyers. Instead, it would focus on practicality: an open cargo bed, Toyota’s proven hybrid technology, lower fuel consumption than full-size trucks, and a more affordable entry point for customers who do not need a traditional midsize pickup.
For many American buyers, that combination could make it one of Toyota’s most practical vehicles yet — essentially a familiar RAV4 with added utility. At this point, the bigger question may not be whether the market wants such a truck, but how long Toyota is willing to let the Maverick dominate the segment with little resistance.