The Ford Maverick has been stealing Toyota’s sales for a while now, and Toyota isn’t liking it. In fact, Toyota needs to act quickly as one of the most traded-in vehicles when people buy a Maverick is the RAV4. Now, Toyota is no stranger to the pickup truck market. If you look at small trucks, Toyota used to have the Stout in its model lineup back in the 60s. Now, the company is planning on taking on Ford and Hyundai in the compact truck segment as some senior Toyota officials have hinted at a potential Maverick rival.
You see, compact trucks are usually based on Crossovers, and the Japanese automaker already has some of the most successful crossovers in the market. This makes it easy for the company to design and produce a new compact truck in large numbers. So, with Ford's recent success and Toyota’s capability of bringing a new compact pickup truck to market, let’s have a look at why you should hold on to that Maverick purchase and wait for the rumored Stout instead.
Updated on August 31, 2023: This article has been refreshed with a gallery of TopSpeed-made Stout renderings, new information on pricing, and other valuable insights. Whether you're dying to drive one or consider yourself a skeptic, the 2025 Toyota Stout is an exciting release from the brand.
Toyota's Upcoming Unibody Pickup Could Feature Rugged Styling
- As of recently, Toyota trucks have seen a favorable redesign.
- The Stout Pickup could be a move in the right direction for the brand.
Toyota has off-late been nailing the styling of its trucks, and the recently unveiled all-new 2024 Tacoma and Tundra are proof of that. Designers at the automaker manage to infuse a rugged, modern, but also old-school look into the trucks that are expected to find their way into the compact segment as well. It would be cool to see a smaller version of the new Tundra and Tacoma with flared arches and an aggressive front end.
The all-new Toyota Stout could beat the competition by design, especially if given a rugged body. Many drivers feel the new aesthetic of Toyota's Tacoma and Tundra are steps in the right direction, with this model hopefully finishing the trifecta of well-crafted releases from the brand.
When released, the Toyota has a high chance of being the best-looking compact truck as Hyundai has made the Santa Cruz a bit too “soft,” while the Maverick is a bit too simple. The Stout can strike the perfect balance between modern looks and a utilitarian vibe. Several renders on the web point to a front design that we saw last year on the Compact Cruiser EV concept.
A Better Hybrid Powerplant Expected
- Toyota is trying to compete with Ford's efficient yet powerful hybrid systems.
- The Stout could potentially be heavy competition for other trucks and off-roaders.
One of Ford’s strongest selling points is the incredibly efficient but also powerful hybrid system. It is expected that when Toyota enters the market, the company will also likely offer a battery-assisted version of the compact truck. Now, if there is one company we would trust with a hybrid vehicle, it has got to be Toyota. Engineers at the brand have decades of experience in building functional and reliable battery-assisted vehicles since they were some of the very first to enter the market. This, paired with the fact that the Maverick has been out for a long time now, means that Toyota can beat Ford’s benchmarks while also being more reliable and well-made.
The Maverick has had some recalls regarding fuel tank leaks, side curtain airbag glitches, and battery failures. Hybrid vehicles are incredibly complex, and the slightest shortcut in quality and costs can lead to huge reliability problems. Toyotas may not be as reliable as they used to be. However, there is no denying that there still is a level of superiority when it comes to durability and dependability. This alone should be a great reason to wait for the release of the Stout.
The Toyota Stout Will Likely Be A Decent Off-Roader
- Because of Toyota's off-roading history, we'd bet the Stout will join the off-road lineup.
- The Stout would become one of Toyota's cheaper off-road vehicles.
Toyota has one of the richest Off-Road histories in the automotive world. Over the years, the company has blessed the world with immensely capable models like the Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Hilux, and the FJ Cruiser. So, when the time comes for the Stout to be released, we expect it to offer some of the best abilities in the segment.
You should keep in mind, however, that the Stout won’t be a full-on hardcore off-roader like the Tacoma or 4Runner. Compact trucks are based on Crossovers and have similar off-road abilities to crossovers. That being said, Ford has shown us what can be done with the Maverick Tremor, which features a one-inch lift and even a rear locker. We expect Toyota to match or even exceed Ford’s off-road features with an off-road-oriented version.
2025 Toyota Stout Rumored Specs
Engine | 2.5-liter hybrid gas engine |
Horsepower | 219–250 horses |
Torque | 277 pound-feet |
Starting MSRP | $29,000 |
Also worth noting is the fact that Toyota can differentiate the Stout from the other two vehicles by making it more “trucky.” What does that mean? Well, the Maverick and Santa Cruz are more crossover than a truck. This means that their towing and payload numbers are relatively low. The Stout is said to improve on those numbers, bringing a compact truck with abilities that could be more reminiscent of mid-sized pickups.
How We Imagine The All-New Toyota Stout Pickup
- We've created renderings of what the 2024 Stout could look like.
- It's rumored this lineup will boast a more rugged design.
Although Toyota has offered some ideas as to what the final on-road Stout will look like, we've also created a few renderings of the potential 2025 release. Here, you can see how this truck is a bit lower to the ground than a traditional off-roader, but not to a disadvantage. The Stout has a rugged, compact design that could prove a major bonus while off-road and even in the city trying to find a parking spot. Toyota has always focused heavily on the adventurous side of the market, grasping onto customers who spend their time exploring nature rather than driving up and down the highway. However, the Stout (per our images) looks reasonable for all types of drivers and conditions, something the brand desperately needs to accomplish.
It can be difficult to market a smaller-sized truck to people, especially with the Stout being hybrid or even potentially fully electric down the line. After all, we're seeing a bit of pushback in the EV truck market from the everyday consumer, with many fearing the battery won't last if you've got a filled bed, and you're moving heavy items from one place to another. This model, though, wouldn't likely be for that crowd but rather one who simply wants an eco-conscious off-roader that is sleek, comfortable, and performs well.
Furthermore, the 2025 Toyota Stout will have a base price of around $23,000, which would put it in direct competition with the 2023 Ford Maverick SuperCrew and the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Crew Cab. This design is a standout between the three and could be a saving grace for Toyota in this hybrid/EV truck sector.
It Could Offer The Latest And Greatest When It Comes To Safety Technology
- The 2024 Stout will feature safety technology like never before.
- Toyota may follow Ford's 'family vehicle' intentions when implementing safety features into this lineup.
Mid-sized and full-sized trucks are primarily work vehicles, which can sometimes lead to a lack of the safety features that sedans and crossovers have. However, this isn’t the case in the compact truck market. Ford's recent success shows that the compact truck is often being bought as a family vehicle that happens to offer the additional usability and practicality of an open bed.
Therefore, it is extremely important for this segment to be as safe as possible by including the latest and greatest in vehicle safety. The benefit of taking the unibody route is that it can offer superior safety as compared to a body-on-frame setup.
Some of the expected safety features include:
- Automatic emergency braking pedestrian detection
- Traffic sign recognition
- Adaptive cruise control with lane-centering
- Lane keep assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
You can also expect the 2024 Stout to offer all the peripheral engineering additions, like an immensely strong cabin surrounded by crumple zones. Toyota has been taking safety seriously lately and has managed to receive some great results in crash tests. Since the Stout is expected to be based on existing Toyota crossovers, we can expect the Stout to feature the TNGA-K platform, and there is no reason why it won’t feature similar safety ratings. Because of this, there is a high possibility that the Stout might be the safest compact truck on the market.
You Should Absolutely Wait For The Stout
- The Toyota Stout is a model worth waiting for.
- These should be released to the market around 2024 or 2025.
As it stands, the demand for the Maverick greatly outnumbers production numbers; therefore, customers face long waits to get their hands on one. This provides the perfect opportunity to wait until Toyota releases the Stout.
The Stout can easily become the best compact truck out there, as Toyota has not only had the time to analyze the market but also has incredible knowledge when it comes to trucks and crossovers. We believe that with the right hybrid system, additional capability than what the competition offers currently, design, and, crucially, price, the Stout could be an appealing choice for those in the market looking for a small and efficient truck, expected sometime in 2024 or 2025. Of course, we're still waiting on official production confirmation as of August 2023, but that's not to say this announcement won't be coming by the end of this year. Toyota works fast.