Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
8 comments 
New Hybrid Pickup Truck from Toyota Advances in Development and Should Arrive in Brazil with Flex Electrified Engine, Monocoque Structure, and Plug-in Option with 4×4 Traction Stronger than the Category.
The future mid-size pickup truck from Toyota, nicknamed “Corolla Pickup” and positioned to compete with Fiat Toro, Ford Maverick, and Ram Rampage, has been confirmed with at least one full flex hybrid version, in the same mold as the Corolla and Corolla Cross.
During the launch of the Yaris Cross, the president of Toyota Brazil, Evandro Maggio, emphasized that every new vehicle from the brand in the country will have a full flex hybrid configuration, aligning the project of the truck with the local electrification strategy.
According to the executive, “our strategy is to always have a full flex hybrid version when launching a vehicle,” a position that aligns with the investment plan of R$ 11 billion until 2030, announced by the automaker to expand the production of electrified vehicles and engines in Brazil.
-
The 2026 electric Vitara arrives in Brazil and proves that Suzuki is not leaving: 4×4 traction, 184 hp, 61 kWh LFP battery, 293 km range, R$ 259,000, and a trunk capacity of 224 L.
-
Hyundai has unveiled the Boulder, a square SUV with a body-on-frame design, 37-inch mud tires, and carriage-style doors that seems to be made to take on the Ford Bronco and the Scout Traveller in the United States.
-
The Toyota Hilux is R$ 75.5 thousand cheaper and bets on the 2.8 turbodiesel engine with up to 204 hp and 50.9 kgfm to catch up with the VW Saveiro, which leads with 4,472 sales.
-
The new Renault Koleos has a screen exclusively for the passenger that is invisible to the driver, heated rear seats, and 29 assistance systems, but its Chinese competitors cost R$ 40,000 less and deliver more power.
With this, the new pickup truck, similar in size to the Toro, built on a monocoque architecture, enters the list of models that should arrive in the country already with a factory hybrid flex option.
Specialized reports indicate that the model will be part of the product cycle manufactured in Sorocaba, within the package that includes new hybrid engines and battery assembly in the country.
Corolla Pickup Targets the Mid-Size Pickup Segment
Still without an official name defined, the model has been associated with the Toyota EPU concept, shown in Japan, and could revive historical names like Stout in some markets, although the automaker has not confirmed the commercial name.
In interviews abroad, Toyota executives treat the new compact/mid-size pickup as an already approved project, with a global launch expected in the second half of this decade and arrival in Brazil by 2027.
Monocoque Construction and TNGA Platform
The truck will be positioned below the Hilux in Toyota’s lineup and will operate in the segment of monocoque mid-size pickups, currently occupied by Fiat Toro, Ram Rampage, and Ford Maverick.
Unlike the Hilux, which uses a body-on-frame construction, the new pickup will adopt a monocoque structure. This solution brings the dynamic behavior closer to an SUV, favoring comfort and stability on asphalt, although it may not be as robust for extreme off-road use.
The model is expected to utilize a variant of the TNGA modular platform (Toyota New Global Architecture), the same base as the Corolla and Corolla Cross.
Projections mention dimensions close to 5 meters in length and about 3 meters in wheelbase, numbers very similar to those of the Fiat Toro.
This architecture allows Toyota to share structural components and safety solutions with other models already produced in Brazil, reducing development costs and facilitating the nationalization of parts.
Full Flex Hybrid: How the System Is Expected to Work
The hybrid configuration announced by Maggio will be of the full flex hybrid type, the same concept used by Corolla and Corolla Cross.
In this arrangement, both the combustion engine and the electric motor(s) can move the vehicle alone or together, without the need for external recharging.
This format differs from mild hybrids, where the electric motor is smaller and only acts as support to the combustion engine, without propelling the vehicle on its own.
There is currently no official technical specification for the flex engine of the pickup truck.
Today, hybrid Corollas and Corolla Crosses use a 1.8 aspirated combined with an electric motor, with 122 hp of total power.
The new global generation of the Prius, in the hybrid 2.0 configuration, reaches around 196 hp of combined power, although it does not use a flex engine.
The adaptation of this mechanical base for ethanol-gasoline in Brazil is treated as a likely evolution of the current systems, but Toyota has not yet disclosed definitive numbers.
PHEV Flex Project Advances Based on Prius
In parallel to the conventional hybrid, the brand is developing a flex plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system, which combines charging at home with the use of ethanol or gasoline.
Toyota has already presented a prototype of the hybrid plug-in flex Prius in the country, detailing the proposal to reduce emissions by using ethanol combined with electric recharging.
This setup starts with a 2.0 aspirated engine associated with a stronger electric motor and a battery of about 13.6 kWh, totaling approximately 223 hp of combined power in the global configuration.
Automotive publications treat this solution as a basis for future plug-in models from the brand, including the new pickup.
The expectation is that the pickup will debut in Brazil precisely with this hybrid plug-in flex system, featuring electric 4×4 traction and performance superior to the current hybrids from Toyota in the country.
The goal is to meet consumers who need more torque for mixed urban and highway use, without compromising high autonomy and the possibility of driving long stretches in fully electric mode.
RAV4 Plug-in Serves as Global Technical Reference
While the flex plug-in setup does not debut in a national model, Toyota sells abroad the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, with a 2.5 gasoline engine, two electric motors, all-wheel drive, and an 18.1 kWh battery.
This system delivers 306 hp of combined power, making it one of the strongest hybrids in the global lineup.
Experts point out that part of the calibration and electrical architecture of the future PHEV flex system takes the RAV4 as a reference, adapting the technology for use with ethanol and the load demands of a pickup truck.
Pickup Integrates R$ 11 Billion Investment in the Country
The development of the truck occurs within Toyota’s plan of R$ 11 billion until 2030 in Brazil.
The program includes industrial expansion, production of hybrid engines, battery assembly, expansion of the Sorocaba factory, and the creation of up to 2,000 direct jobs.
Part of this amount includes the hybrid flex Yaris Cross and a second electrified model, not yet officially named, identified by reports as the new mid-size pickup.
With the advance of hybrid, plug-in, and even fully electric rivals, will the combination of full flex hybrid and 4×4 plug-in version turn Toyota’s new pickup into the star of the segment?
En lo personal me gustaría que pidiera 4.70 a 4.80 mts
Yo tengo una Tacoma 2015 trd sport, así mismo la Toyota Hilux está está prácticamente nueva, sin embargo no las uso mucho por la inseguridad y que ya no hay mucho trabajo
Y el que uso más es un carrito sub compacto, el cual me gustaría cambiar precisamente por una pickup compacta , algo así como un Renault oroch pero con los espacios interiores para guardar objetos como la mavericks y estaría dispuesto a vender una de las dos picks con las que cuento.
Eu tenho já a terceira Fiat Toro e a Fiat Toro é show