If you haven’t been following the news regarding Toyota and its plot to add some competition against the extremely popular Ford Maverick, then now’s the time to start, as things are getting interesting. Rumors have circulated media regarding Toyota’s supposed entry into America’s lucrative small truck segment. Especially as the Maverick has been stealing away customers from Toyota, as one of the most traded-in vehicles for the Maverick is the Rav4. According to reports, Toyota USA recently stated that it has nothing planned to enter the compact truck market. However, it did admit that they’ve been watching the market closely. Like a familiar animal-themed truck brand we know. But a recent post to Instagram points us in a different direction.
Toyota Stout Compact Truck Teased?
The short video highlights a 1966 Stout 1900 in remarkable condition despite its age. The Toyota Stout was Toyota’s light truck sold from 1964-1967. Interestingly, the Stout is chief among the rumored nameplates to be reincarnated to fight the dominance of the Ford Maverick. Toyota may be teasing something or just making a post for nostalgia. Toyota USA’s Instagram account features old vehicles from its portfolio as “Throwback Thursday” or “Flashback Friday” posts. One photo that fell into this category was the original Land Cruiser, which later turned out to be a hint towards the arrival of the new Land Cruiser, unveiled last month, sporting retro design cues and a (somewhat) more reasonable price tag over the previous version.
While it’s entirely possible Toyota could just be reminiscing about an old product, it’s hard to deny that the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Despite what the company said about not having any plans, the compact truck segment is a highly lucrative market, enough for Ford to struggle to keep up with demand. Ram is even looking to plunge into the market with the Rampage, not to mention the number of loyal fans and Toyota dealers eagerly anticipating a Maverick fighter’s arrival to enter their showrooms and boost sales. Overall, it’s hard to believe the company isn’t doing anything but watching from the sidelines with how things are right now; then again, that is what Chevrolet is doing.
It’s hard to tell whether the social media post is just a coincidence or if Toyota is looking to build up some hype around something many have been hoping for for over a year. Of course, time will tell what this Instagram post truly is, whether it will fade to the ever-changing focus of the internet or rise to be something far more significant than a short video of a neat little truck. That being said, Toyota isn’t above an easter egg or two.
