Toyota's Corolla marks 60 yrs with cumulative sales topping 58 mil. units

Toyota is set to unveil its upcoming Corolla Cross-based half-ton pickup truck, also known as a bakkie, following years of speculation. The vehicle, which is still unnamed, will utilize the TNGA-C platform that powers the current Corolla Cross in South America. Rumors initially suggested the Corolla Cross-based pickup would be based on the RAV4, but this claim was quickly debunked.

Toyota has received interest from markets such as Chevrolet Montana, Fiat Toro, Ford Maverick, Ram Rampage, Volkswagen Tukan, and Renault Niagara.

Reports have emerged contradicting where the half-ton will be manufactured, with previous claims pointing to the Zárate Plant in Argentina, but these were later disproven in favor of the Sorocaba facility in São Paulo, Brazil. The "half-ton" will use the same engines as the Corolla Cross, including a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a 1.8-liter self-charging hybrid.

It is expected to be a front-wheel-drive vehicle with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as its sole transmission option, as a manual option is not available on any variant of the vehicle.

Despite initial speculation, the Corolla Cross-based half-ton has not yet been confirmed for the South African market. Toyota South Africa's Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Leon Theron, stated in 2023 that while the company is investigating the possibility of introducing a half-ton pickup in South Africa, it will not be the Hilux Champ/Hilux Rangga sold in Asia.

Toyota South Africa Motors President and CEO Andrew Kirby affirmed the importance of the "half-ton" segment in 2024, but reiterated that no plans have been made to launch or produce the vehicle locally.