The Toyota RAV4 Truck Will Dethrone the Ford Maverick
No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. You did read that the Toyota RAV4 truck is seeking revenge against the Ford Maverick. The Toyota RAV4 is losing sales to the Ford Maverick, so it could become a truck to reclaim its customer base.
The Toyota RAV4 truck challenges the Ford Maverick
According to Torque News, there are rumors floating around about the Toyota RAV4 truck coming to compete against the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. The new compact truck that’s based on the RAV4 could be the Toyota Stout. The image is provided by SKR Designs.
The new truck could launch by 2023 in Australia and land in America by 2024. It would challenge the Fiat Toro in other countries. However, the Toyota Hilux seems like an incredible option despite being a midsize truck instead of a compact model.
Because the Ford Maverick gained unexpected popularity at a rapid rate, Toyota is reportedly rushing to get a new competitor to market.
Nearly 80 percent of Maverick buyers are purchasing a truck for the first time. Most of the new customers are coming from the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Plus, Ford has a high brand loyalty rate, meaning it could keep those customers for years.
What to expect with the RAV4 truck
The Toyota RAV4 truck or Toyota Stout could be based on the RAV4. It could share the same platform and suspension setup. This would save Toyota time because it wouldn’t have to develop a totally new vehicle.
Plus, turning SUVs into trucks seems to be working. The Ford Maverick is basically a Ford Escape with a bed, and the Hyundai Santa Cruz shares a lot in common with the Hyundai Tucson.
However, the Santa Cruz is available with a more powerful turbocharged engine, and we feel like the RAV4 truck might need a little extra muscle too.
The RAV4 has a standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The RAV4 Hybrid uses a 2.5-liter inline-four engine and two electric motors to crank out 219 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque.
However, the RAV4 Prime uses the same engine and an electric motor to provide 302 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque. It could become the first plug-in hybrid compact truck in America. Also, the RAV4 can tow up to 3,500 lbs, but the Santa Cruz can tow up to 5,000 lbs.
It could be a while before learning more about the compact Toyota truck
It could be a few months before we get an update about the potential Toyota RAV4 truck or Toyota Stout. But the clock is ticking for a 2023 launch.
We wonder if Toyota would present the new truck or the next-generation Toyota Tacoma first. Plus, we expect a TRD Off-Road model to arrive to compete with the Ford Maverick Tremor.
The compact truck will most likely have a unibody design, like the RAV4. However, it could have a higher ground clearance with upgraded shocks and suspension tuning.
Rumors suggest that the new Tacoma will have a similar design to the current Toyota Tundra. So, will the mini truck match the rest, or will it look like the RAV4? The Maverick looks like larger trucks in the Ford lineup, while the Santa Cruz matches the Tucson.
Stay tuned for the latest Toyota updates. We will keep following this story and investigate for more clues.
