Toyota Expands Its Reach in South America with New Unibody Ute
Toyota, a global leader in the automotive industry, has long been known for its diverse range of vehicles that cater to various market segments. With a goal of selling 11 million cars per year, there aren’t many automotive niches that Toyota doesn’t compete in. Now, a new model spotted in Brazil is set to fill a significant gap in its South American lineup.
A prototype was recently observed on a highway in São Paulo by the Brazilian site BlogAuto. The vehicle appears to be a unibody ute based on the locally-made Corolla Cross SUV. As is common with car-based pickups, the new ute looks to be larger than the donor vehicle, featuring a longer wheelbase and unique rear doors. Given that the Corolla Cross has a length of 4.46 meters, we can expect the ute to be at least 4.7 meters long.
According to BlogAuto and other Brazilian sources, there will be two drivetrains offered for the new ute. Lesser models will feature a 2.0-litre flex fuel engine producing around 129kW, paired with a continuously variable transmission with 10 simulated gears. This powertrain seems to be derived directly from the Corolla Cross.
In addition, there will be an E-Four hybrid drivetrain, which includes a petrol engine and electric motor up front, along with an independent electric motor on the rear axle. For reference, the Brazil-made Corolla Cross hybrid models are front-wheel drive only and come with a 90kW 1.8-litre hybrid system.
The as-yet unnamed ute is expected to begin production in the first quarter of 2027 at Toyota’s plant in Sorocaba, in the state of São Paulo, where it will share floor space with the closely-related Corolla Cross.
When the new ute is unveiled, it will mark the first Toyota model to make its global debut in Brazil. It remains unclear if Toyota has plans to sell the new model outside of Latin America. However, thanks to being produced in Brazil, it will avoid steep import tariffs and enjoy duty-free access to the rest of the Mercosur trading bloc, allowing it to compete head-to-head with the similarly-sized Chevrolet Montana and Renault Duster Oroch, and possibly the larger 4.9-meter Fiat Toro and 5.0-meter Ram Rampage.
The South American fondness for utes began in the 1980s and 1990s with the likes of the Volkswagen Saveiro, Fiat Strada, and Chevrolet Montana, which were two-door utes based on contemporary light hatches, namely the Gol, Palio, and Corsa, respectively.
In the 2010s, automakers began moving away from the utes’ light hatch roots in favor of larger platforms and four-door layouts. The Corolla Cross ute may not be the only unibody pickup being developed by Toyota. Ted Ogawa, the company’s North American boss, recently indicated that the automaker is investigating a RAV4-based model to fill the space below the Tacoma.
Such a model would take on the Escape-based Ford Maverick in the US market, but it’s unclear if it will be approved, when it could be released, or where it might be exported to.
MORE: Explore the Toyota Corolla Cross showroom
