Toyota's new ute in trouble: Toyota's affordable potentially RAV4 based ute on hold as US tariffs play part in 2026 Ford Maverick rival's fate

2026 Toyota RAV4 ute digital render. (Image: Theottle YouTube)

Toyota’s small ute plans appear to have been put on hold in the United States, according to reports.

The small Toyota ute was seen as a potential future rival to the popular Ford Maverick in the US.

It was thought there were strong prospects for a small ute from Toyota in the middle of last year. Toyota's Chief Operating Officer in the United States Mark Templin said the brand was “looking at it”.

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A senior vice president in charge of planning and strategy at Toyota Motor North America Cooper Ericksen echoed the COO's words.

"We could really do well in that segment, so we’re trying to do it," Ericksen said in a separate interview with The Japan Times. "It’s a matter of timing."

Like the Maverick, it was speculated that a Toyota compact ute would be built on an SUV monocoque platform, potentially the RAV4's.

This would differ from the HiLux and other major ute players underpinned by a ladder-frame chassis.

2023 Toyota EPU Concept (Image: CarScoops)

Plans for the ute seemed to be at an advanced stage, with Toyota even going as far as to reveal a concept in 2023, which was said to be hybrid powered.

It now looks like those plans are on hold with Templin pouring cold water on the immediate prospects of a compact ute, emphasising patience.

“It’s a really intriguing segment for us, but the whole segment right now is 160,000 to 170,000,” Templin recently told Auto News.

“When the market’s right, we may have something.”

2026 Toyota RAV4 ute digital render. (Image: Theottle YouTube)

It looks like continuing US tariff trouble is behind Toyota’s hesitation.

The future of the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement may be up in the air after recent comments from the US administration on the topic.

A trade deal collapse could spell the end of any small ute plans for Toyota, with manufacturing costs in the US and consequent steep pricing making production difficult to justify.