The Japanese automaker is diligently taking care of all its model series, and the flurry of novelties clearly shows the company doesn't want to leave any niche unchecked. However, there is still space for novelties despite the current accumulation of nameplates.
In America, for example, passenger cars include two kinds of Prius hybrids, three instances of Corolla compacts (sedan, hatchback, GR Corolla), a Camry or Camry Hybrid, the Mirai fuel cell sedan, and also the big Sienna alongside the GR86 and GR Supra. Crossovers and SUVs are also well represented: all-electric bZ4X, Corolla Cross & Hybrid, RAV4 & Hybrid, Highlander & Hybrid, Grand Highlander & Hybrid, Venza (only Hybrid), 4Runner, and Sequoia.
Only the truck department suffers because they only have the full-size Tundra and mid-size Tacoma to show – although both are at least available with i-Force Max hybrid powertrains. Obviously, if there is one segment where Toyota could improve the current roster, it is not the passenger car or CUV & SUV sector (where the 2024 Land Cruiser, 2025 Camry, and 2025 Crown Signia are coming); that would be the popular pickup truck niche.
Since Toyota doesn't dare trespass into Ford F-Series territory with a heavy-duty version to take on the Super Duty, the rumor mill thinks that it has no choice but to try and conquer the newly revived unibody compact pickup truck sector. As such, numerous reports have claimed that Toyota is either modifying the bland Corolla Cross into a pickup truck version or actively considering a rebirth of the Stout nameplate.
Naturally, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators always chooses what suits them best. On this occasion, the good folks from the TheAutoReport channel on YouTube have imagined the potential revival of the classic Stout compact pickup truck from Toyota because the resident pixel master had a lot of AI-assisted ideas, and the Corolla Cross derivative is way too easy to achieve, presumably.
Instead, the CGI expert unofficially treated us to a handful of 2025 Toyota Stout interpretations. Remember, all these renderings are hypothetical and need to be taken with a lot of salt as Toyota hasn't confirmed anything about a potential clash with the current king of the segment – the Ford Maverick, or its only rival, the ritzier and slightly more expensive Hyundai Santa Cruz. Obviously, though, it would be interesting to see if Toyota can bring back the classic Stout charm in a modern setting.
As far as the channel's virtual artist is concerned, the revival doesn't need to carry a lot of retro cues – the moniker should suffice. Instead, the unofficial design project takes ample inspiration from the likes of Tacoma and Tundra, even though it might not be produced on the same body-on-frame architecture. They also have some thoughts on the powertrain and dare to assume that Toyota would lend the reborn Stout its very best inline-four mills. Cool or not?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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