Buyers in the market for a small, city-friendly pickup might have an unexpected option later in the 2020s: the Toyota Corolla. While nothing is official, the Japanese brand is reportedly considering releasing a Corolla with a cargo box that would be positioned below the Tacoma.
Without citing sources, industry trade journal Automotive News wrote that the model “remains under discussion.” If it receives the proverbial green light for production, it would land as a unibody pickup developed for light-duty hauling and towing, meaning it would compete in the same segment as the Ford Maverick. Our crystal ball tells us it would have four doors, a rugged-looking design, and decent ground clearance.
It’s too early to provide specifications, largely because we don’t know what “Corolla-based” means. The current Corolla made its debut as a hatchback for the 2019 model year and as a sedan for 2020, so it will likely get a makeover in the coming years. However, the newer Corolla Cross (pictured) illustrates one way Toyota can steer the nameplate into a new territory while retaining the values it represents.
There’s no word yet on when Toyota will decide whether to turn the Corolla into a truck. If the model is approved, production could take place in the same Blue Springs, Mississippi, factory that currently builds the Corolla. The catch is that it won’t arrive until 2027 at the earliest.
While we associate Toyota trucks with rugged, body-on-frame models like the Tacoma and the Tundra, the idea of a small, car-based pickup isn’t unprecedented. The second and third generations of the Corona (a model positioned above the Corolla) spawned pickups aimed largely at commercial buyers. In a way, they were Japan’s equivalent to the Chevrolet El Camino and the Ford Ranchero. Shown above, the third-generation car was offered with two or four seats, powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and could carry up to 1,100 pounds.
