Latest news with #ToyotaUSA
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota Says Its New GR Sport Models Will Be More Than a 'Sticker Package'
Toyota is planning more GR Sport models for the U.S. market. The is the first GR Sport trim that will be sold here, and it's based on the 320-hp plug-in hybrid version. We suspect the Camry and Prius could be good candidates for the GR Sport treatment. The arrival of the new 2026 Toyota RAV4 marks the first time Toyota is using the GR Sport designation in the United States—but it won't be the last. At the debut of the new RAV4, we talked to Cooper Ericksen, Toyota's senior vice president of product, about the future of the GR Sport nameplate, and he assured us that more GR Sport models are coming to our market in the near future. First and foremost, Ericksen was quick to point out that this sporty trim is not on the level of full-blown GR models such as the GR Corolla hot hatch. "It has true GR suspension tuning and handling and styling, but the powertrain is [the same as] the most powerful powertrain for that vehicle," Ericksen said. In the RAV4's case, the GR Sport uses the 320-hp plug-in hybrid setup. Ericksen emphasized that for a Toyota vehicle to warrant the GR Sport treatment, it needs to have enough power to live up to the name. "If we don't have enough engine performance, the last thing we want to do is dilute the GR name and make it into a sticker package," Ericksen said. "We will probably have a few of them in the lineup. It won't be a lot." This got us thinking about which models could be up next in the GR Sport pipeline. Globally, Toyota sells GR Sport versions of numerous vehicles, including the Corolla Cross and the Hilux pickup. But these variants mostly focus on appearance upgrades, meaning they don't necessarily fit Ericksen's vision for U.S.-bound GR Sport models. Instead, we think that the Camry family sedan and Prius hybrid hatchback are the most likely candidates among Toyota's current U.S. lineup. Ericksen even mentioned the previous-generation Camry TRD as a successful example of a performance version of the mid-size sedan while discussing the GR Sport models. The current Camry Hybrid only makes up to 232 hp, which Ericksen suggested wouldn't be enough power to justify a GR Sport derivative, but there have been rumors of a more powerful plug-in hybrid Camry for some time now, which could warrant the badge. Toyota has previously shown a GR-modified concept version of the Prius at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans race. A potential Prius GR Sport likely wouldn't be quite as extreme-looking as this one-off, which had a lowered suspension, an aggressive stance with wide tires, and a wing, but it seems that Toyota is open to the idea. Like in the RAV4, any potential GR Sport version would likely use the Prius' more powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain option, which produces 220 hp and gets the Prius PHEV to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds in our testing. And then, of course, there are the numerous vehicles with the optional Hybrid Max powertrain. While neither the family-oriented Grand Highlander three-row SUV nor the luxurious Crown sedan is overly sporting, they do both offer upwards of 360 horsepower, which strikes us as enough to go along with the GR Sport treatment. We look forward to seeing where Toyota goes with this new trim line as the GR family continues to expand. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
The Advertiser
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Smaller Toyota ute to rival Ford Maverick a matter of when, not if
Toyota is reportedly serious about offering a smaller, potentially car-based ute which would slot in under its existing pickups. "We're looking at it," Toyota USA chief operating officer Mark Templin told Bloomberg. "We could really do well in that segment, so we're trying to do it," said Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, in a separate interview. "It's a matter of timing." It's unclear whether Toyota's more compact ute would have petrol, hybrid or electric power. However, Bloomberg reports Toyota engineers were spied testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz – both car-based unibody utes, unlike Toyota's body-on-frame Tacoma and HiLux – near its technical centre in the US state of Michigan last year. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. A smaller ute would slot into the company's US lineup under the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux – known there as the Pickup – back in 1995. The current Tacoma is a newer vehicle than our HiLux, riding on the TNGA-F ladder platform that's shared with models like the Prado and offering a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. By launching rival for the Maverick (pictured above) and Santa Cruz, Toyota could offer US buyers a more affordable ute. While it may not have quite the level of off-road and towing capability as the HiLux or Tacoma, it could offer a more car-like driving experience. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a fairly steady if not enormous seller in the US, with 32,033 sales last year, but sales of the Ford Maverick rose 39 per cent to exceed 100,000 annual units for the first time. The final tally was 131,142 units, which pushed it well past the Ford Ranger. Ford sold 46,205 Rangers in the US in 2024, placing it third in its segment and well behind the top-selling Tacoma (pictured above), which posted 192,813 sales. This mooted new Toyota ute would appear to be different to the HiLux Champ launched in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame, more back-to-basics counterpart to the HiLux that undercuts it on price. Toyota has also confirmed it'll launch an electric ute in Europe by 2026, potentially pointing to a production version of the unibody EPU electric ute concept (above) revealed at the 2023 Tokyo motor show. There have also been reports out of South America that Toyota will launch a car-based, hybrid-powered ute in Brazil in 2027 resembling the EPU concept. Whether this vehicle will be a Latin American-only product – such as unibody utes like the Ram Rampage and Chevrolet Montana – or be additionally offered in North America and other markets remains unclear. Content originally sourced from: Toyota is reportedly serious about offering a smaller, potentially car-based ute which would slot in under its existing pickups. "We're looking at it," Toyota USA chief operating officer Mark Templin told Bloomberg. "We could really do well in that segment, so we're trying to do it," said Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, in a separate interview. "It's a matter of timing." It's unclear whether Toyota's more compact ute would have petrol, hybrid or electric power. However, Bloomberg reports Toyota engineers were spied testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz – both car-based unibody utes, unlike Toyota's body-on-frame Tacoma and HiLux – near its technical centre in the US state of Michigan last year. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. A smaller ute would slot into the company's US lineup under the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux – known there as the Pickup – back in 1995. The current Tacoma is a newer vehicle than our HiLux, riding on the TNGA-F ladder platform that's shared with models like the Prado and offering a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. By launching rival for the Maverick (pictured above) and Santa Cruz, Toyota could offer US buyers a more affordable ute. While it may not have quite the level of off-road and towing capability as the HiLux or Tacoma, it could offer a more car-like driving experience. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a fairly steady if not enormous seller in the US, with 32,033 sales last year, but sales of the Ford Maverick rose 39 per cent to exceed 100,000 annual units for the first time. The final tally was 131,142 units, which pushed it well past the Ford Ranger. Ford sold 46,205 Rangers in the US in 2024, placing it third in its segment and well behind the top-selling Tacoma (pictured above), which posted 192,813 sales. This mooted new Toyota ute would appear to be different to the HiLux Champ launched in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame, more back-to-basics counterpart to the HiLux that undercuts it on price. Toyota has also confirmed it'll launch an electric ute in Europe by 2026, potentially pointing to a production version of the unibody EPU electric ute concept (above) revealed at the 2023 Tokyo motor show. There have also been reports out of South America that Toyota will launch a car-based, hybrid-powered ute in Brazil in 2027 resembling the EPU concept. Whether this vehicle will be a Latin American-only product – such as unibody utes like the Ram Rampage and Chevrolet Montana – or be additionally offered in North America and other markets remains unclear. Content originally sourced from: Toyota is reportedly serious about offering a smaller, potentially car-based ute which would slot in under its existing pickups. "We're looking at it," Toyota USA chief operating officer Mark Templin told Bloomberg. "We could really do well in that segment, so we're trying to do it," said Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, in a separate interview. "It's a matter of timing." It's unclear whether Toyota's more compact ute would have petrol, hybrid or electric power. However, Bloomberg reports Toyota engineers were spied testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz – both car-based unibody utes, unlike Toyota's body-on-frame Tacoma and HiLux – near its technical centre in the US state of Michigan last year. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. A smaller ute would slot into the company's US lineup under the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux – known there as the Pickup – back in 1995. The current Tacoma is a newer vehicle than our HiLux, riding on the TNGA-F ladder platform that's shared with models like the Prado and offering a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. By launching rival for the Maverick (pictured above) and Santa Cruz, Toyota could offer US buyers a more affordable ute. While it may not have quite the level of off-road and towing capability as the HiLux or Tacoma, it could offer a more car-like driving experience. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a fairly steady if not enormous seller in the US, with 32,033 sales last year, but sales of the Ford Maverick rose 39 per cent to exceed 100,000 annual units for the first time. The final tally was 131,142 units, which pushed it well past the Ford Ranger. Ford sold 46,205 Rangers in the US in 2024, placing it third in its segment and well behind the top-selling Tacoma (pictured above), which posted 192,813 sales. This mooted new Toyota ute would appear to be different to the HiLux Champ launched in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame, more back-to-basics counterpart to the HiLux that undercuts it on price. Toyota has also confirmed it'll launch an electric ute in Europe by 2026, potentially pointing to a production version of the unibody EPU electric ute concept (above) revealed at the 2023 Tokyo motor show. There have also been reports out of South America that Toyota will launch a car-based, hybrid-powered ute in Brazil in 2027 resembling the EPU concept. Whether this vehicle will be a Latin American-only product – such as unibody utes like the Ram Rampage and Chevrolet Montana – or be additionally offered in North America and other markets remains unclear. Content originally sourced from: Toyota is reportedly serious about offering a smaller, potentially car-based ute which would slot in under its existing pickups. "We're looking at it," Toyota USA chief operating officer Mark Templin told Bloomberg. "We could really do well in that segment, so we're trying to do it," said Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, in a separate interview. "It's a matter of timing." It's unclear whether Toyota's more compact ute would have petrol, hybrid or electric power. However, Bloomberg reports Toyota engineers were spied testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz – both car-based unibody utes, unlike Toyota's body-on-frame Tacoma and HiLux – near its technical centre in the US state of Michigan last year. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. A smaller ute would slot into the company's US lineup under the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux – known there as the Pickup – back in 1995. The current Tacoma is a newer vehicle than our HiLux, riding on the TNGA-F ladder platform that's shared with models like the Prado and offering a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. By launching rival for the Maverick (pictured above) and Santa Cruz, Toyota could offer US buyers a more affordable ute. While it may not have quite the level of off-road and towing capability as the HiLux or Tacoma, it could offer a more car-like driving experience. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a fairly steady if not enormous seller in the US, with 32,033 sales last year, but sales of the Ford Maverick rose 39 per cent to exceed 100,000 annual units for the first time. The final tally was 131,142 units, which pushed it well past the Ford Ranger. Ford sold 46,205 Rangers in the US in 2024, placing it third in its segment and well behind the top-selling Tacoma (pictured above), which posted 192,813 sales. This mooted new Toyota ute would appear to be different to the HiLux Champ launched in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame, more back-to-basics counterpart to the HiLux that undercuts it on price. Toyota has also confirmed it'll launch an electric ute in Europe by 2026, potentially pointing to a production version of the unibody EPU electric ute concept (above) revealed at the 2023 Tokyo motor show. There have also been reports out of South America that Toyota will launch a car-based, hybrid-powered ute in Brazil in 2027 resembling the EPU concept. Whether this vehicle will be a Latin American-only product – such as unibody utes like the Ram Rampage and Chevrolet Montana – or be additionally offered in North America and other markets remains unclear. Content originally sourced from:
7NEWS
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Smaller Toyota ute to rival Ford Maverick a matter of when, not if
Toyota is reportedly serious about offering a smaller, potentially car-based ute which would slot in under its existing pickups. 'We're looking at it,' Toyota USA chief operating officer Mark Templin told Bloomberg. 'We could really do well in that segment, so we're trying to do it,' said Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, in a separate interview. 'It's a matter of timing.' It's unclear whether Toyota's more compact ute would have petrol, hybrid or electric power. However, Bloomberg reports Toyota engineers were spied testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz – both car-based unibody utes, unlike Toyota's body-on-frame Tacoma and HiLux – near its technical centre in the US state of Michigan last year. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. A smaller ute would slot into the company's US lineup under the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux – known there as the Pickup – back in 1995. The current Tacoma is a newer vehicle than our HiLux, riding on the TNGA-F ladder platform that's shared with models like the Prado and offering a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. By launching rival for the Maverick (pictured above) and Santa Cruz, Toyota could offer US buyers a more affordable ute. While it may not have quite the level of off-road and towing capability as the HiLux or Tacoma, it could offer a more car-like driving experience. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a fairly steady if not enormous seller in the US, with 32,033 sales last year, but sales of the Ford Maverick rose 39 per cent to exceed 100,000 annual units for the first time. The final tally was 131,142 units, which pushed it well past the Ford Ranger. Ford sold 46,205 Rangers in the US in 2024, placing it third in its segment and well behind the top-selling Tacoma (pictured above), which posted 192,813 sales. This mooted new Toyota ute would appear to be different to the HiLux Champ launched in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame, more back-to-basics counterpart to the HiLux that undercuts it on price. Toyota has also confirmed it'll launch an electric ute in Europe by 2026, potentially pointing to a production version of the unibody EPU electric ute concept (above) revealed at the 2023 Tokyo motor show. There have also been reports out of South America that Toyota will launch a car-based, hybrid-powered ute in Brazil in 2027 resembling the EPU concept. Whether this vehicle will be a Latin American-only product – such as unibody utes like the Ram Rampage
West Australian
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Smaller Toyota ute to rival Ford Maverick a matter of when, not if
Toyota is reportedly serious about offering a smaller, potentially car-based ute which would slot in under its existing pickups. 'We're looking at it,' Toyota USA chief operating officer Mark Templin told Bloomberg . 'We could really do well in that segment, so we're trying to do it,' said Cooper Ericksen, a senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America, in a separate interview. 'It's a matter of timing.' It's unclear whether Toyota's more compact ute would have petrol, hybrid or electric power. However, Bloomberg reports Toyota engineers were spied testing the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz – both car-based unibody utes, unlike Toyota's body-on-frame Tacoma and HiLux – near its technical centre in the US state of Michigan last year. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now . A smaller ute would slot into the company's US lineup under the Tacoma, which replaced the HiLux – known there as the Pickup – back in 1995. The current Tacoma is a newer vehicle than our HiLux, riding on the TNGA-F ladder platform that's shared with models like the Prado and offering a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. By launching rival for the Maverick (pictured above) and Santa Cruz, Toyota could offer US buyers a more affordable ute. While it may not have quite the level of off-road and towing capability as the HiLux or Tacoma, it could offer a more car-like driving experience. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a fairly steady if not enormous seller in the US, with 32,033 sales last year, but sales of the Ford Maverick rose 39 per cent to exceed 100,000 annual units for the first time. The final tally was 131,142 units, which pushed it well past the Ford Ranger. Ford sold 46,205 Rangers in the US in 2024, placing it third in its segment and well behind the top-selling Tacoma (pictured above), which posted 192,813 sales. This mooted new Toyota ute would appear to be different to the HiLux Champ launched in Southeast Asia, which is a boxy, ladder-frame, more back-to-basics counterpart to the HiLux that undercuts it on price. Toyota has also confirmed it'll launch an electric ute in Europe by 2026, potentially pointing to a production version of the unibody EPU electric ute concept (above) revealed at the 2023 Tokyo motor show. There have also been reports out of South America that Toyota will launch a car-based, hybrid-powered ute in Brazil in 2027 resembling the EPU concept. Whether this vehicle will be a Latin American-only product – such as unibody utes like the Ram Rampage and Chevrolet Montana – or be additionally offered in North America and other markets remains unclear.
The Drive
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
It's Game Over for Everyone Else if Toyota Finally Sells a Compact Pickup in the US
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz, and Honda Ridgeline have had the small pickup truck market to themselves for a while now, but it sounds like Toyota is looking into getting a slice of that pie. In an interview with The Japan Times , Toyota's North American chief operating officer Mark Templin said 'We're looking at it,' in response to U.S. dealer requests for a compact pickup slotting under the midsize Tacoma. Considering the fact that even Slate, a whole unproven startup, is putting all its eggs in the compact truck basket, it's kind of surprising Toyota hasn't brought out a vehicle like this already. The Japanese automaker pretty much has all the ingredients in place to make it happen, including stateside manufacturing facilities. Take the unibody TNGA-K bones and proven hybrid powertrains from, say, that snazzy new RAV4 and give it mini-Taco styling and a bed in the back. Toyota big boss Koji Sato was recently quoted saying, 'A car is not a car if it's not fun'—a pickup RAV4 would be hella fun. And I don't think I'm alone in thinking this. In 2024, the two best-selling cars in the U.S. were the Ford F-Series and Chevy Silverado. Nipping at their heels at number three? The Toyota RAV4, of which 475,000 were sold. Combine the compact crossover's wild popularity with this country's insatiable appetite for the truck form, and it's hard to see how a small Toyota pickup would be a losing proposition. The 2025 Ford Maverick's popularity has proved that people will buy small trucks. Ford Unibody truck naysayers may rebut by pointing to relatively weak Hyundai Santa Cruz and Honda Ridgeline sales—Hyundai sold just 32,000 pickups in 2024 (down 13% from '23) while Honda moved 45,000 Ridgelines (also a 13% drop year-over-year). But I have a pet theory that those two vehicles aren't that popular not because they are small or aren't body-on-frame but more because Hyundai and Honda aren't really known as truck brands. Classic truck brand Ford, meanwhile, sold 131,000 Mavericks last year (a 39% growth) despite that vehicle sharing bones with the Escape. In other words, the badge on the nose matters to truck people, arguably more than it does with any other segment of vehicle. Perhaps not the best thing to hear if you're Slate, but Toyota has been building trucks now with success for decades now, and it's time to cash in on that brand equity with something even those shopping on the Corolla end of the price spectrum can afford. Got a tip or question for the author about a new, small Toyota pickup? You can reach him here: Chris Tsui is The Drive's Reviews Editor. He oversees the site's car reviews operation in addition to pitching in on industry news and writing his own evaluations of the latest rides. He lives in Toronto.
