What We Know About The 2025 Toyota Stout Pickup Truck
Toyota was the world's top-selling automaker in 2022, with more than 8.5 million vehicles across the globe. While the Corolla was the world's best-seller at 1.12 million units, Toyota sold 870,000 Rav4 compact crossovers and over half a million Hilux pickup trucks last year. The Tacoma was the best-selling mid-sized pickup in the United States for the 18th straight year, with nearly a quarter of a million units sold, and Toyota also sold more than 100,000 full-sized Tundras in the US last year.
A new, compact pickup may be on the way from Toyota to compete with the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. Last year, Toyota registered the Stout name for use in Argentina, potentially paving the way to resurrect the nameplate for a small truck to add to its lineup. The original Stout small pickup was born in 1954 and first appeared on the United States marketplace ten years later, only selling four units in 1964. The Hilux soon came along and eventually pushed the Stout aside, and Toyota discontinued the Stout in 1989. In September, Automotive News reported that Toyota executives had hinted that a compact pickup could be on the way to compete with the hot-selling Maverick and help improve Toyota's Corporate Average Fuel Economy numbers.
The Stout nameplate appears to be returning, but what do we know about the new incarnation of the Toyota Stout pickup?
The Stout will likely be a hybrid or EV
Toyota has made no official announcement regarding the design or specifications of the upcoming Stout pickup truck, but the automaker presented the EPU, an electric compact pickup, at this year's Japan Mobility Show. The EPU was about 199 inches long, over a foot shorter than the Tacoma, and about the same size as the Maverick. This would make the Stout a good option for city and suburban buyers who park their trucks on the street or in garages. A 2020 report from Autoguide claimed that Toyota planned to have its entire fleet of vehicles converted to hybrid or electric drivetrains by 2025 and the Stout is not expected to hit showrooms until at least next year.
According to Cooper Ericksen, VP of product planning and strategy for Toyota North America, the Stout could be based on the same platform that underpins the RAV4 and Corolla. "If there's a customer that needs a rugged, smaller body-on-frame vehicle, we can consider that," he told Motor Trend, "but if it's more for urban use and less extreme off-road, then it would make more sense to use the TNGA unibody platform."
We can take some clues from the EPU concept
With no official details from Toyota regarding the Stout compact pickup, we can turn to the recently unveiled EPU concept truck for an idea of what features the Stout might include. The EPU has four doors and a split tailgate, allowing it to be used as a bed extender. The cockpit features a steering yoke similar to the Lexus RZ 450e, Toyota's first electric-powered SUV. There is also the expected touchscreen display panel and a wider screen that runs nearly the entire dashboard length.
The EPU has some clever features in the bed and cabin that could allow drivers to maximize its storage capabilities. With the tailgate lowered and extended, carrying items as long as 8 feet would be possible.
The bed has rails and other attachment points that could be adapted for systems to secure different types of loads, and a well beneath the center console supplies additional storage space. Potential buyers will have to wait at least a year or two to see how many of these features, if any, make their way into the new incarnation of the Toyota Stout when it finally arrives in showrooms.