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What do we want? Small trucks! When do we want them? ASAP. The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz aren’t being produced fast enough to satisfy demand, so new competitors would help more people get behind the wheel. However, the Toyota Stout could be in jeopardy. 

What happened to the new Toyota Stout? 

According to Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota North America, there are no plans to build a Ford Maverick competitor at the moment. This is perplexing after seeing tons of Toyota Stout rumors pop up a few months ago. 

Toyota is reportedly studying the market and discussing options with the big bosses in Japan. So, the Stout isn’t completely off the table yet. 

The issue is that compact trucks create a unique opportunity for electric powertrains, which could make it challenging to keep prices low. 

So, here is my idea. Toyota could use an internal combustion engine or a hybrid engine to keep costs down because interest in EVs is declining. 

A hybrid Toyota Stout would allow people to get an affordable, efficient option. Then Toyota could electrify it later. 

A rendering of the new Toyota Stout
Toyota Stout rendering | Top Electric SUV

What’s the rush with electrification? The Maverick and Santa Cruz are both gaining sales without having an electric powertrain. 

Raising the price of the Maverick Hybrid hasn’t even slowed sales. The Maverick’s sales increased by 82% during the first quarter of the year. 

The Maverick Hybrid debuted with an MSRP of $19,995, but the price has increased to $27,015 due to unexpected and overwhelming demand. Even though the Maverick Hybrid can’t be paired with AWD, it’s selling like hotcakes. 

It gets an EPA-estimated 42 mpg in the city and up to 33 mpg on the highway to draw its fans. It also has a practical truck bed to take advantage of. 

The Ford Maverick is basically a Ford Escape with a truck bed, so it seems like Toyota could easily turn the RAV4 Hybrid into a truck as well. 

While Toyota takes its time to study the market, something could still be in the works. We just won’t see it for a while.

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.