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Toyota’s Tundra and Tacoma have been thriving in the U.S market and because of their almost 25 years of continuous success, the Tundra and Tacoma will most likely remain America’s favorite Japanese trucks. As a pickup enjoyer myself, I hate to see my driveway not host a pickup because of gas prices. Yes there are electric full-sized pickups available and the Hummer EV itself is technically a pickup but what if I don’t want to convert to EV just yet and still have an economic pickup truck?
Luckily, there are two economically friendly and capable mini trucks available on the U.S market today. One of the 2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz which Torque News had the privilege to test drive, and the other mini truck, the 2022 Ford Maverik. While looking nothing alike, both pickup trucks are on a unibody chassis. This means that the cab and bed share the same body and would not contort under any stress put on the suspension.
While the mini-truck segment is not new, it certainly has had a rebirth as gas prices and truck prices both go up. In 2017, a brand new fully loaded truck would cost around $40,000 MSRP. Today a brand new fully loaded truck is almost double that. The market for mini trucks is certainly there and it is going to keep growing.
Currently, Toyota does not have any unibody mini truck available in the U.S market. That’s why Toyota’s Executive Vice President for Sales Bob Carter told Motortrend in an interview that the American market could see a mini truck under a unibody chassis from Toyota in the near future. Also according to Carter, Toyota’s mini truck will be under the TNGA platform used on other compact SUV models made by Toyota. While this doesn’t completely rule out an EV mini truck, I hope that it will follow suit.
In the 1980’s we enjoyed the Mazda mini pickups and the cute little Nissans but as gas prices fell in the 90s and as the market for full-size pickups like the F-150 and Silverado grew, those little trucks soon fell out of popularity. Granted, trucks like the 2-door Rangers and Colorado’s existed but they didn’t have the fame and popularity they did in the ‘80s.
Will other companies soon follow in Ford and Hyundai’s footsteps? Hopefully. This is a growing market and if they can squeeze in a reliable and good EV mini truck, I’m sure this would touch a lot of people and would grow in popularity. Could we potentially see a team-up of American and Japanese like we did in the ‘80s? Potentially. Mazda and Toyota already have a strong partnership with manufacturing in Kentucky and we hope to see more of that to come.
What do you think? Would you consider Toyota’s mini truck? Let us know in the comments below.
Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun for daily Toyota news.
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Comments
I always wanted Scion to come
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I always wanted Scion to come out with mini truck. A small Toyota truck is long overdue.
Yes, I would consider a
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Yes, I would consider a Toyota mini truck
If is under 20k8
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If is under 20k8
Build it and they will come.
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Build it and they will come. The 86 Toyota pickup I had years ago was an excellent truck. The R-22 engine backed with an automatic trans was plenty of power for me.
I went from a Tundra to a
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I went from a Tundra to a Honda Ridgeline. No regrets
I drive a Toyota Tacoma but I
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I drive a Toyota Tacoma but I would sure be interested in buy a unibody Toyota truck. I love my Tacoma and I will definitely be buying another one.
I’d like to see the electric
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I’d like to see the electric motor in the wheels them selves. I know it’s a big jump but someone will do it. My bet is on Toyota. It would be a radical re-design, but someone will do it 4wd in the wheel itself 8 to 10 years out. Cheers!
I bought my mini toyota
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I bought my mini toyota pickup a year ago...in the form of a 2003 tacoma, 4-cyl 5-speed manual transmission with 132k miles. I had to fly to Las Vegas to buy it. Drove it home 2300 miles and got 29.7 mpg. This 1st Gen tacoma will last for ever!!!
Umm.....
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Umm.....
What about the Honda Ridgeline? Isn't it a "mini" truck? It's a unibody, it has a "bed" and it even has a "trunk" in the bed. My roommate owns one and I am rather impressed with it. Honestly, it surprised me with it capabilities. I'm surprised that it wasn't mentioned in this article.
No unibody for a mini truck
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No unibody for a mini truck please. I bought my first truck a 1985 toy with a 22r motor.Toyota did a great job truck was actually over built , extremely tough and dependable.The 4 wheel was exceptional. Drove mine for 22 years and 270000 miles and almost got my purchase price back.These minis must be high quality becouse people work them like a full size
I currently have owned my
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I currently have owned my maverick since early October and it has been great. Mine is the XLT FX4 4K AWD ecoboost (was never gonna get the hybrid) the truck has all the power I need and with a few low cost mods I could easily take it over 300. This last winter up in Maine the truck was unstoppable. I even drove it out of my driveway when the snow was piled up past the tries.I wouldn't mind a Toyota version the only minus in the mavericks book IMO is it needed about another foot on the bed. Other than that I get 31mpg with the GAS motor and I can tow a 2 cord dump trailer loaded to the top with no issues. If Toyota can make a good AWD turbo truck and not cost massive amounts then it would be worth it. I have drove the Hyundai Santa Cruz and didn't like it. The maverick still feels and looks like a truck IMO
I used to own 2 Toyota mini
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I used to own 2 Toyota mini trucks. A 1987 Toyota 4 spd 2WD pickup and a 1989 5 spd 2WD Toyota pickup. I LOVED them both and have actually tried looking for another one with no luck. I would buy another one in a heartbeat! Especially if it was reasonably priced and came in a manual transmission.
How about a 4 cyl diesel or
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How about a 4 cyl diesel or gas electric hybrid? The size of a T 100. I'd buy 5 of them
No. Toyotas are too expensive
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No. Toyotas are too expensive across the line. Prefer Ford, Subaru, Nissan, even possibly a GM product. Definitely not a Hyundai or KIA.
Yes I would like to see one ,
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Yes I would like to see one , at reasonable prices ! I have been investigating importing a mini chevy or ram from Mexico….. they are very popular there and seem to be durable
I got news for everybody that
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I got news for everybody that if you buy one of these vehicles that are unibody front wheel drive and thank you on a truck you are a idiot
How do you call any of those
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How do you call any of those trucks "mini," except for the bed? The Maverick is longer and wider than the Chrysler 300 mini sedan. Yeah, the beds are mini, because no one makes an actual pickup truck version of any of them, just the 4 door "crew cab" lifestyle cruiser thing.
I purchased a brand new 1991
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I purchased a brand new 1991 Toyota pickup truck before they had a model name and I loved that truck. It had a four cylinder engine, manual transmission and four wheel drive. It got great gas milage compared to today's trucks. It was the best vehicle I ever owned.
It would be great to have a
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It would be great to have a refreshed version of the TOYOTA 1000 sub compact pickup.
Love the Maverick, Love Ford
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Love the Maverick, Love Ford but question their long term durability. I would buy a Maverick focused Toyota truck. . .I promise. Please do this Toyota. I will wait in line for it.
Build it like the 1994 I have
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Build it like the 1994 I have and I will buy it.Standard cab,6ft. Bed.No turbo,no hybrid, no electric garbage, and keep it simple and easy to work on.Personly don't think you can build one that can compete with the 22re engines of the past.
I bought my 94 4x4 in 2000 with 46,000 miles on it.I am now at 256,000 miles and still going strong.Now you build another one like my truck and a reasonable price I will take the first one off the assembly line.Hopefully you come out with better body lines than the current trucks.If I want a truck that looks like a 90's Dodge I would buy a Dodge.
Would buy your new truck in a
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In reply to Build it like the 1994 I have by Tim (not verified)
Would buy your new truck in a heart beat
Now that Toyota and Subaru
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Now that Toyota and Subaru are sharing from the same part bins, how about bringing the Brat back and a Toyota based off of that.
I'd definitely consider one
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I'd definitely consider one if it has adequate power, looks tough, is awd, and is cheap, hell give me a bench seat that folds flat so I can sleep in it when I go camping to.
I would buy a Toyota small
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I would buy a Toyota small hybrid mine truck in a heartbeat I have own Toyota truck since 1980 and love love what they do for me, I been begging for the A-Bat hybrid mini truck to come out for the last 10 years, because I wanted before I past away I soon be 80 years and Toyota keep letting down, so please come out with the A-Bat mini hybrid truck and it would make me very happy happy lol.
Driving a 2001 regular cab
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Driving a 2001 regular cab Tacoma now. I would buy a new one but only if they put a real bed as in 6 ft long. Any smaller I'll just get an RAV4 hybrid and a trailer.
Unfortunately I doubt Toyota
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Unfortunately I doubt Toyota will do their own thing. What I don't like about the Ford or Hyundai is that there is no KING cab models. They are both 4dr station wagons with an abbreviated bed. I can fwd if it was a true pick up.
I drive an old 4 cylinder
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I drive an old 4 cylinder Tacoma, which I love. I like the gas mileage I get and sometimes I need to haul a sheet of plywood or drywall--which I can do. It isn't every day but when I want to I can. These new small trucks suck. The gas mileage is great but you can't haul a sheet of plywood, maybe not even 2 x 4s. If it can't haul a sheet of plywood it shouldn't be called a truck..
The Maverick will be my next
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The Maverick will be my next vehicle. I will definitely consider a Toyota compact truck if it's competitive in terms of price (most important), hybrid mpg (second), power & features.
I still have have my 1987
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I still have have my 1987 with 249,000 and a 2016 Tundra. I would buy a new mini in a heartbeat.