Toyota has revealed a new single-cab ute in Indonesia that could offer internal-combustion, hybrid and electric powertrains.
Called the Rangga – derived from the Javanese word for hero – the single-cab ute concept was revealed at the Gaikindo motor show, and appears to be an evolution of the IMV 0 concept revealed in Thailand last year.
Toyota says the concept previews a production vehicle, though it hasn’t confirmed when that vehicle will emerge.
It also hasn’t released any technical specifications on the vehicle, however Top Gear Philippines reports the production model will offer petrol and turbo-diesel powertrains, as well as hybrid and electric variants at a later date.
The Rangga appears to be a traditional body-on-frame ute, and like the IMV 0 it shares design cues with the Compact Cruiser concept.
Toyota has previewed various applications for the Rangga, including a coffee truck and an ambulance, and is holding a contest that will allow people to create renderings of potential Rangga variants.
A company executive in South Africa recently confirmed Toyota was working on a new ute that would undercut the HiLux on price.
The upcoming ute will launch in 2025 or 2026, and will be aimed at developing markets around Africa, among other places – small, affordable utes are popular in Latin America, where Toyota doesn’t currently offer anything smaller or cheaper than the HiLux.
Toyota won’t follow the same path as the likes of Fiat, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, and Renault by rolling out a smaller car-based pickup with a payload around 500kg in those markets, though.
“It won’t be a half-ton [ute],” Toyota South Africa vice president for sales and marketing Leon Theron recently told South African media, as reported by IOL.
“We believe it will take the market by storm and are still doing a lot of development around it.”
