For years, America's been in the chokehold of unnecessarily oversized pickup trucks, but recent announcements of new vehicles show that common sense – and more reasonably proportioned utes – may soon prevail.
That's why I imagine that there might be a chance we'll see a compact Volkswagen pickup in the US soon, or at least something like this new one that Brazil is getting next year.
Meet the Tukan. It's a small unibody pickup that was designed entirely in Brazil, and will be produced there with more than three quarters of its componentry being sourced locally.
It's based on the company's MQB platform, which underpins the T-Cross subcompact SUV and the Polo hatchback. However, this gets an all-new rear suspension with leaf springs; that setup allows for a greater payload than a typical torsion beam axle.
Details from Volkswagen are awfully slim at the moment, but the Tukan is expected to be available with a mild-hybrid 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder powertrain, alongside flex-fuel options.
As such, this is meant to be a workhorse that's also enjoyable to drive. You can get it in single and double cab configurations and multiple trims, starting from the basic Robust (seen on the single cab) and the top-end Extreme (the canary yellow double cab).
This model gets new LED headlights – similar to those on the Tiguan SUV that VW makes for Europe – mounted above black air intakes for an aggressive front end. You'll also notice rugged styling as you move around to the back, with muscular fenders, prominent wheel arches and door cladding, squarish tail lamps, and the tailgate blending into the bumper.
Volkswagen says it took a lot of customer feedback on board while designing the Tukan, and that includes a simpler look for the single cab with fewer styling elements across the bodywork. The company says it's tested this model over 1.2 million miles (2 million km) to ensure it stood up to grueling real-world conditions, from engine durability to climate control performance in hot weather.
When it arrives in dealerships in the first half of 2027, it'll likely replace the basic Saveiro in some markets. That model features a compact build with a 1.6-liter engine making just 101 hp. The Tukan will go up against Brazil's best-selling Fiat Strada and the Chevrolet Montana.
It seems like the American market is opening up to smaller and cheaper vehicles. The Wall Street Journal noted recently that although the domestic compact pickup segment is small, it's growing quickly.
From the Slate truck to the Telo MT1 to the Ford Fathom and Ram's Rampage, you'll have a bunch of electric options to choose from in about a year's time.
On the ICE side, you've got favorites like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai's Santa Cruz. We also heard Volkswagen America's CEO say in April that the company wouldn't rule out the possibility of bringing a pickup – either a large body-on-frame like its Amarok, or a compact unibody – stateside. The Tukan looks like it could slot in there, if the price is right.
Source: Volkswagen Brazil
