Spotted in São Paulo, Toyota's new monocoque pickup bets on exclusive design and Corolla platform to displace rivals
According to the Autos Segredos website, Toyota has started road tests of its unprecedented medium-compact pickup truck on São Paulo highways, marking the advancement of the project that should debut commercially in the first half of 2027. Built on the TNGA-C monocoque platform, the same as the Corolla Cross, the novelty will seek to balance the driving comfort of an SUV with the cargo versatility demanded by the segment.
The flagrante confirms, according to Autos Segredos, that the pickup will have its own visual identity to distance itself from the SUV from which it derives. Although it inherits the side stampings of the Corolla Cross, the front will have an exclusive design. At the rear, the top versions should sport LED taillights that run along the entire lid of the bed, giving a technological aspect to the utility.
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The greatest innovation of the project will reside in the mechanical assembly. While the entry-level versions will use the 2.0 Dynamic Force engine with 176 hp and 21.3 kgfm, the top variants will debut a flex plug-in hybrid system (PHEV). The system combines the 2.0-liter combustion engine with two electric motors, delivering around 223 hp.
With a 13.6 kWh battery, the pickup will be able to run up to 86 km in purely electric mode, with all-wheel drive on demand. The brand’s engineering also prioritized urban ergonomics: the rear bumper was designed with an integrated support, allowing access to the bucket in a simplified way, even with the lid closed.
In addition to expanding the Corolla family, the model paves the way for future launches of the brand in the region, including an unprecedented coupe SUV scheduled for the coming years.
