- The Scout Terra electric pickup brings back the bench seat
- The hybrid range extender version can travel up to 800 kilometers
- Terra and Traveler won’t hit the road until 2027
Former American off-road brand Scout, which was recently purchased and revived by the Volkswagen Group, has returned to inject some throwback chic into the pickup and SUV segments, and to give the likes of Rivian a run for their money. give.
While both the recently unveiled Terra Truck and Traveler SUV still fall under the banner of “production-oriented concepts,” they give us the best glimpse yet of what Volkswagen is trying to achieve by reviving the brand.
And that means clearly retro looks, nostalgic nods to the past and modern technology with tactile buttons and mechanical switches where possible.
As someone with a mild obsession with old Chevrolet pickups from the 1960s and 1970s, I love it: the best of classic American trucks, without the worry of things falling off or rusting away in the rain.
Despite previously suggesting that Scout would become a pure battery EV manufacturer, the company has decided to also offer a range-extension hybrid to the mix, which the company says is good for a total range of around 500 miles and which should be bashing somehow. reach fear over the head.
Pure electric versions of the Terra Truck will travel 350 miles, but there’s still no official word on the battery and motors used. However, all-wheel drive is standard (obviously) and the most powerful versions of both Terra and Traveler should be able to sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in around 3.5 seconds.
But it’s within Scout’s concepts where the nostalgia really shines, as the brand may be one of the first to revive the front seat – a mainstay in the trucks and SUVs of America’s glorious yesteryear.
The company is also a vocal proponent of real controls, dials and switches to provide key information, while the infotainment system appears to be on rails so the copilot can “take control of the screen while you focus on the road ahead ”.
Analysis: Volkswagen needs a sales boost in the form of a truck
Manufacturers clearly consider retro to be in vogue, as it is a mechanism recently adopted by French brand Renault, with the launch of the all-electric Renault 5 and the upcoming Renault 4 models, while both Mini and Fiat are still playing on their heritage with great success.
Scout’s main rival Rivian is already enjoying solid sales of its second-generation R1T and R1S models, and is also teasing the mid-size R2 and R3, due sometime in 2026. These all contain a good dose of nostalgia in their designs.
We won’t see either of Scout’s models on the market until at least 2027, when the company predicts they will retail for $50,000 (about £38,000 / AU$75,600) to $60,000 (about £46,000 / AU$ 91,000) with incentives.
Of course, this all depends on market conditions at the time of launch, but prices appear competitive, as a Rivian R1T costs almost $10,000 more, while a base Cybertruck now hovers at $74,490.
Interestingly, Scout has also said it will be shunning traditional Volkswagen dealer sales channels – much to the dismay of disgruntled dealers.
Instead, it will sell directly to consumers through its own unique spaces, offering the option to buy online and through its app. It’s an effort to modernize the buying experience and cut out the middleman.
It all feels very modern and appealing to the younger buyer, but will nostalgia and direct-to-consumer sales be enough to convince them to make the switch?
Volkswagen could use an increase in sales of truck models in the US declining sales in China currently hindering its progress in the EV market. The fact that Scout will be made in the US will also circumvent the government’s recent tax increases and proposed bans on vehicles imported from China.
Anyway, Scout had me on the couch.
