The Toyota Stout Could Dethrone the Ford Maverick Soon
It’s time for the Toyota Stout to step up to the challenge to give the Ford Maverick a real taste of competition. The Hyundai Santa Cruz isn’t taking off as expected, and the Ram Rampage isn’t coming to America just yet. This leaves room for the new Toyota Stout to dominate.
Updated on 06/27/2023 for freshness.
What do we know about the Toyota Stout?
Rumors and teasers indicate that a new Toyota Stout pickup truck could debut soon. The 2023 Stout is expected to be a compact pickup truck that could rival the popular Ford Maverick. It has the potential to seriously shake things up.
While the Hyundai Santa Cruz is an excellent compact truck to consider with an athletic performance and impressive towing capacity, something is off. It isn’t keeping up with the Ford Maverick at all.
There are plenty of rumors about a compact Ram truck, but the little Ram Rampage isn’t coming to America yet. Also, the new Ram truck could be known as the Ram Dakota and will probably be a midsize option to fight the Ford Ranger and Tacoma.
That leaves the segment open for the new Stout to steal the show. The Toyota RAV4 is one of the most popular vehicles in the world, and the Toyota Tacoma outsells rivals by a massive margin. According to Top Speed, Toyota already rules this segment and could easily launch a successful compact truck that’s based on the RAV4.
What to expect with the Stout truck
In June 2022, Jack Hollis of Toyota North America shared there is space for a new truck, and his colleague, Cooper Erikson mentioned that the team is actively working on something to slot below the Toyota Tacoma.
Cooper Erikson has a single-cab 1982 Toyota Hilux, which is the predecessor of the Tacoma in America. The truck is a bit tight, and he regularly hits his head. Based on this, he thinks something like an SUV with a truck bed could be more spacious.
The Ford Maverick is basically a Ford Escape with a truck bed. Plus, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is a Hyundai Tucson with a bed. So, Toyota could easily turn the Toyota RAV4 into an ute.
Toyota is considering the needs of customers who want a smaller, rugged off-roading option. However, a unibody truck that provides more comfort for driving in the city could make more sense. Also, like the 2024 Tacoma, the Stout could have an affordable work truck trim.
It would use the TNGA platform, like the RAV4. The TRD Off-Road trim provides beneficial off-roading upgrades, so the Stout could have an off-roading variant. The platform also has space for a hybrid setup.
Will the Stout be affordable?
Rumors suggest that the 2025 Toyota Stout could be an economical option that starts at around $23,000. The 2023 Ford Maverick starts at $22,595, so this would make it competitive. The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz begins at $25,700.
These prices are the MSRPs and don’t include delivery fees or dealership markups. Plus, prices could rise by the time 2025 comes around. The Maverick initially started at $19,995. But it could still provide savings for those who don’t need the capability of a larger truck.
Also, it’s safe to expect a Toyota Stout Hybrid to emerge. It might borrow from the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Part of the Maverick Hybrid’s appeal is its EPA-estimated 40 mpg in the city and up to 33 mpg on the highway. The Stout has the potential to be even more efficient with the Toyota Prime’s PHEV powertrain.
This may all seem like wild speculation, but Toyota has been watching the Maverick and the compact segment grow to see if the Stout would be successful. They also hinted that more information could be revealed at the Three Media conference in June 2023.
So stay tuned for the latest updates. We already have our eyes on the 2024 Toyota Tacoma and learn more about the 2025 Toyota Stout in a few weeks.
