February 2008

Toyota A-Bat: Eco Compact Truck

What it is: Four-passenger hybrid pickup.

Details, details: Shorter than a RAV4, with Tonka-toy looks. Flexible 4-foot-long truck bed, with pull-out drawer hidden behind rear bumper. Retractable nav unit, Priuslike info display, and solar panels atop the dash.

Pros: It’s certainly “green” enough.

Cons: Hey, isn’t that a Honda Ridgeline?

Will it hit U.S. showrooms? Only time—and consumer enthusiasm—will tell.

—Joe Phillips