Volkswagen used the New York Auto Show to introduce the Tarok concept and it appears the model could eventually be offered in the United States.

Speaking with The Detroit News, Volkswagen of America’s Senior Vice President of Product Marketing and Strategy said “As [midsize] pickups get bigger – to the stage where they are as big as full-size pickups were not so long ago – and more expensive and less fuel-efficient, we are trying to see if there is space for a vehicle with a smaller footprint that potentially is more affordable and gets better gas mileage.”

Hein Schafer went on to say the pickup market is “huge,” but they know there are challenges as Nissan and Toyota haven’t seen much success with their Titan and Tundra full-size pickups. Volkswagen is aware of the stranglehold that Detroit has on the full-size truck market, so the company purposely went in a different direction and created something “more in line with what a potential VW customer might expect.”

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Volkswagen has already confirmed the Tarok previews a production model that will be launched in Brazil with “barely any changes,” but they also hinted it could be sold in other markets. If it were to come to the United States, Schafer said it would be built in North American to avoid the 25% chicken tax which has kept the Amarok forbidden fruit. The model would most likely be made in Mexico, but nothing is official as of yet.

Unfortunately, the chances of seeing a production version of the Tanoak concept are apparently slim. Despite being highly praised, Volkswagen is reportedly afraid the model could suffer the same fate as the Honda Ridgeline.

Also Read: VW Tarok Pickup Concept Arrives In USA To See If You’re Interested In A Production Model

Less capable than traditional body-on-frame pickups, the Ridgeline sells in relatively small numbers and Honda only moved 30,592 units last year. For comparison, Carsalesbase data shows Toyota sold 245,659 Tacomas while Chevrolet moved 134,842 Colorados.

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