Toyota Debuts Scion 01 at SEMA 2025, a Rugged Facet-by-Facet with a Tacoma Coronary heart

The lights of the Las Vegas conference middle flooring have been ablaze as Toyota pulled the covers off a machine no one noticed coming: Scion is again and this time it’s on a 4 seat off-road beast designed to take a beating within the sand, rocks and stillness of the wilderness. Make means for the Scion 01, a side-by-side that takes the Tacoma coronary heart, wraps it in tremendous robust metal and dares you to go away the pavement behind.

As you method the Scion, you’ll discover the aggressive, close to vertical entrance finish with a big winch bolted proper within the center and a lightweight bar on prime like a predator’s glare. The entire thing is wrapped in digital camo vinyl that runs throughout every panel, with solely black plastic protruding simply sufficient to brush off any brush or boulders that get in your means. There are auxiliary lights grouped alongside the bumper prepared to show these darkish trails into daylight. This beast sits on large Maxxis off-road tires with 15 inch beads and aggressive tread and has a stance that’s simply vast sufficient to maintain its boots on the bottom however slender sufficient to string by way of the timber.

As you get in, you’re met with 4 bucket seats beneath a full roof. There’s a rear mounted spare hanging off the again, so when the inevitable flat tire occurs miles from nowhere you may simply seize it. The sprint screens are vibrant, the suspension changes are at your fingertips and each change is a contemporary Toyota truck change: acquainted, dependable and bulletproof. The driving force’s seat is purple with the identical camo sample because the physique, so that you get a subliminal reminder this factor means enterprise.

Press a button and a 2.4L turbo 4 cylinder engine, the identical hybrid unit from the Tacoma, involves life with a deep rumble. Over 300 horsepower (326 in truck trim, I’d think about this is similar) surges by way of a driveline designed from the perfect Toyota elements. Torque is a hearty 465 pound-feet, which is sufficient to flip these Maxxis tires into roostertails and claw over granite cabinets. Most aspect by aspect bikes hardly ever exceed 200 horsepower; Kawasaki’s strongest fashions can attain 250. This 01 leaves them within the mud.

Once you change to Silent Mode, the fuel engine shuts down and electrical motors take over – the desert turns into quiet and you may glide previous campsites or chase wildlife with out making a sound – and each volt of battery vary counts once you’re attempting to stay covert. Flip it again, and the turbo revs proper again up, prepared for the following dune climb.

The suspension journey stays a thriller, however the engineers promise “wonderful articulation” and a footprint sufficiently small to deal with tight japanese trails or large open Baja runs. The brakes and driveline elements are all from the corporate catalog, and they’re the identical ones which have survived the Baja 1000 battering. Toyota constructed a particular chassis to deal with all of it, after which topped it off with an FIA-approved roll cage. Flip the 01, and everybody inside is secure; desert racing officers would approve.

Calty, Toyota’s California studio , got here up with the concept for this factor. That very same crew that’s been sketching out loopy ideas just like the 86 Capturing Brake are actually drafting up roll cages and rooflines for a desert truck. In the meantime North American engineers, who in all probability spend most of their free time beating up vans on Moab off-road trails, took care of placing all of it collectively. Don Federico, Toyota’s VP of auto efficiency, describes it as “the proper mix of high-tech efficiency and a love for journey”. Which mainly interprets to – they’ve lastly given official thumbs as much as tearing up the filth on the weekend.

This factor is an enormous beast, tipping the scales at round 4,000 kilos – that’s a little bit of a piece for a side-by-side, however their purpose is to get that down to three,300 within the subsequent model. Much less weight means it may possibly go quicker, greater up and farther out – and so they’re aiming to blow previous the phase leaders in each space.

When you’re strolling across the SEMA present you’ll in all probability get the message fairly rapidly: Toyota could make absolutely anything. They’ve obtained a RAV4 GR Sport prototype parked close by, sporting a snazzy new physique equipment with decrease bumpers and whatnot, and it’s supplying you with a glimpse of what Gazoo Racing may need in retailer for the street. However the actual star of the present – the factor that’s actually turning heads – is the Scion 01.