Subaru and Toyota's first endeavor across the EV crossover SUV segment is already off to a rocky recall start, so perhaps the Japanese automaker would do well to consider other, more traditional prospects.
Maybe a compact unibody pickup truck would do the trick? As it turns out, earlier this month, the rumor mill caught wind of Toyota’s alleged internal considerations regarding a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick-rivaling compact unibody pickup truck. And, naturally, that made the digital day for a bunch of virtual automotive artists.
For example, one CGI expert thought that a prospective Toyota compact truck should have some remixed CH-R and Hilux DNA. Now, the pixel master better known as SRK Designs on social media has decided to play with a different Japanese crossover and turn it into a slightly more logical unibody compact truck competitor for the hybridized Blue Oval.
So, following his recent stint with the pocket-sized Jeep Compass Trailhawk truck that should virtually give both Santa Cruz and Maverick a specialized, off-road-focused unibody truck headache, here is also a Toyota vision for enhanced sustainability. The RAV4 pickup would naturally piggyback on both the ICE and Hybrid models’ powertrains, thus representing a big threat to both Hyundai and Ford.
As for the styling cues, this unofficial behind-the-scenes making-of video (embedded below) shows the entire CGI thought process, from extending the wheelbase to dropping the rear hatch in favor of a practical truck bed, plus all the minute details that make out the difference between a successful model and a big flop.
So, do you think Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick fans might have reason to switch to a Toyota? Or would the $26,975 (2022 RAV4) and $29,575 (2022 RAV4 Hybrid) bases represent an MSRP jump that is just too hard to swallow?
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
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News