Toyota Stout: Could It Be Coming Back?

Toyota may be preparing to revive a classic nameplate for returning compact truck market. Learn more about the rumored Toyota Stout!

Toyota May Return to the Compact Truck Market

2023 Ford Maverick Lariat - ford.com
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat - ford.com

Compact trucks have slowly returned to the market and manufacturers are taking note of the revived segment’s public interest. These small trucks provide customers with the capability of a truck bed and the comfort of an SUV. Plus, compact trucks can be more practical for the everyday, city driver than their bulky mid-sized and full-sized counterparts. Currently, the only compact trucks on the market are the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. However, there are rumors that Ram may join the compact race with the returning Rampage nameplate and Subaru could revive the Baja.

2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT -hyundainews.com
2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT -hyundainews.com

Most recently, there has been speculation centered around Toyota throwing their hat back into the compact truck ring, a segment that they’re no stranger to. Toyota’s known for providing reliable, hardworking, compact pickup trucks throughout its automotive history. It only makes sense that they aim for that top spot once again as shoppers show interest in the returning segment. Higher ups at Toyota have even hinted at this interest in the compact truck market in interviews the past couple years.

One model of note from Toyota’s past has popped up as the possible compact truck frontrunner for the Japanese auto brand, the Toyota Stout. This classic nameplate may have only had a short stint in North America, but it lasted over 40 years internationally and was the predecessor to the Hilux and Tacoma. The automotive marketing world is all about rekindling dead names, so circling back around to their original compact truck name only makes sense. Let’s check out the original Stout and get into what Toyota’s next potential compact truck could be like.

Why Bring Back the Stout Name?

1965 Toyota Stout - pressroom.toyota.com-1
1965 Toyota Stout - pressroom.toyota.com-1

The Toyota Stout’s origins started in 1954 as the Toyopet RK. This wasn’t Toyota’s first truck nor their only truck at the time, but it became the company’s new champion for the light truck market. It was a durable and reliable work truck – qualities that continued to be carried by Toyota’s subsequent trucks. In 1959, Toyota revised the naming of this small truck into the Stout as it continued to see sales success over in Japan.

1965 Toyota Stout - pressroom.toyota.com
1965 Toyota Stout - pressroom.toyota.com

Toyota introduced the second generation of the Stout in 1960 with a revised exterior design, better performing engines, and brought a second model called the Light Stout. In 1964, Toyota brought the Light Stout to North America featuring a 4×2 drivetrain, an independent front suspension with leaf springs in the rear, and an 86 horsepower 1.9L four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Toyota only sold four of these Stout models in their North American debut, but it drew some interest in subsequent years before it was replaced by the Hilux (later referred to as simply Pickup or Truck) in 1969. The Toyota Stout continued sales internationally up until the year 2000 when Toyota discontinued the model officially.

1969 Toyota HiLux - pressroom.toyota.com
1969 Toyota HiLux - pressroom.toyota.com

Now, why would Toyota choose to bring back the Stout name when the Hilux has more notoriety behind it? Well, the Hilux is currently still in use internationally, just not in the United States. So, if Toyota is reaching for that same rekindling of a classic nameplate, the Stout is pretty much the only one available that makes sense globally. Not only that but back in 2022 Toyota trademarked the Stout name in Argentina, so there are some legs to this rumored return.

What Could We Expect from an All-New Toyota Stout?

The automotive world is still waiting for confirmation on the Toyota Stout’s return to the compact truck world, but we can speculate on how this truck might take shape based off of Toyota’s current models and recent reveals. To start, this truck will more than likely only be available as a hybrid or full electric vehicle. Toyota has already announced their plans to support a completely electric lineup by 2026, so introducing a strictly internal combustion engined truck isn’t in the cards for the Stout. A hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain for the 2025 model year isn’t out of the question, but the Stout more than likely would be introduced as an EV.

2023 Toyota RAV4 - toyota.com
2023 Toyota RAV4 - toyota.com

Toyota would more than likely utilize either the e-TNGA or the TNGA-K platform. The TNGA-K is the right size for a compact truck while also having already shown that it’s capable while in use on the Highlander and RAV4. The TNGA-K provides a strong underpinning, a comfortable ride, and is capable of some light off-roading. This would also allow the Stout to be introduced to the market as a hybrid, which is something that only Ford currently provides with their Maverick compact truck. Toyota could also provide a plug-in hybrid powertrain which isn’t currently available for either truck in this category.

2023 Subaru Solterra - subaru.com
2023 Subaru Solterra - subaru.com

If Toyota instead utilized the e-TNGA platform for the Stout that’s currently in use on the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, that could give the returning nameplate an extra edge. This would allow for a quicker entry into the market as an EV while also providing a slightly longer wheelbase to work with. There’s the availability of front, rear, or dual motor propulsion by going this route, but the e-TNGA battery ranges are lacking in comparison to other EVs in the market at just 252 miles on a full battery for front-wheel-drive models. Thankfully, Toyota has already begun work on rectifying this lackluster range as they catch up with the EV market.

2024 Toyota Tacoma - pressroom.toyota.com
2024 Toyota Tacoma - pressroom.toyota.com

As for the exterior of the Stout compact truck, it would more than likely follow the updated design aesthetics that are prevalent on Toyota’s other trucks, the Tacoma and Tundra, should it ride on the TNGA-K platform. Those same exterior design aspects would still follow the Stout should it reside on the e-TNGA platform but follow more of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma EV concept that was seen a couple years ago.

Pricing on the Toyota Stout, should it come to market, can be estimated that the hybrid compact truck would start out at a MSRP of $30,000 with the plug-in hybrid bumping the price up another $10,000. A fully electric version of the Stout would hopefully carry a starting price of $35,000 or less to stay somewhat enticing to the everyday buyer. This could be achieved if they cut back on some of the luxury adornments and extensive technology found in the bZ4X to provide a simple base model, otherwise the Stout would follow close to the bZ4X’s MSRP starting at $42,000.

We have yet to hear anything truly official from Toyota on whether the Stout is being put together behind closed doors, but we’ll be sure to let you know should that day come. You can find out more about the current compact trucks for sale, the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, here on Carsforsale.com.

Related Auto News Articles

Honda & Nissan End Merger Talks

Subaru Forester Goes Hybrid

Sneak Peak – All-New 2025 Toyota 4Runner

Tags:
Jesse McGraw

Jesse McGraw brings his life-long car obsession into his writing. A fun childhood that involved growing up around race tracks, working on a rusty ‘99 Dodge Dakota held together by zip ties, and collecting Hot Wheels developed into a strong appreciation for automotive history. If there is an old, obscure, or rare car, he wants to know about it. With a bachelor's degree in Web Development & Design from Dakota State University, Jesse can talk shop about car or computer specs, focusing on classic cars, imports, and car culture.

  • 1

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *