Corolla pickup model spotted in South Africa – Photo: Cars.co.za
Since mid-2023, a series of rumors have emerged about Toyota developing an entirely new pickup model. Using the Toyota Corolla chassis, this pickup model will rival the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz in the sub-size segment.
The car’s monocoque body structure turns it into an urban namesake rather than a heavy duty one like the Hilux.
By this September, pictures of such a pickup model surfaced in South Africa. The car seen in the photo was transported by genuine Toyota vehicles to the company’s factory in the above country. When asked about the above factor, a Toyota South Africa spokesperson confirmed that the car model in the photo is “a test version that is being researched”.
According to the above source, this pickup is “designed on the basis of the old generation Toyota Corolla”. The party that Toyota South Africa responded to, Cars.co.za, said that the Corolla pickup project has been envisioned by Toyota for a long time. However, the same source said that the project was put on hold for some time before resuming based on the above mentioned vehicle delivery process.
The pickup design announced for Southeast Asia is very different from the version on display in South Africa – Photo: Toyota
North America, a source told Automotive News that the idea of making a small pickup truck has suddenly been prioritized again by Toyota’s leadership recently. The success of the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz in North America was the main reason for his change of heart.
In October 2022, Toyota registered a copyright for the Stout name – a name line used by the company for pickup models in the 1960s and 1970s. This could be the name the company uses for the Corolla project. Pickup truck if Toyota continues the unfinished development phase.
In Southeast Asia, Toyota will soon introduce a small pickup model, but this vehicle line is not related to the Corolla pickup project. Expected to use the Rangga name, Toyota pickup trucks in Southeast Asia will focus on heavy handling capabilities, not urban pickups like the project seen in South Africa.
(TagsTranslate) Toyota(S) Toyota Stout(S) Toyota Corolla(S) Toyota Rangga
