Toyota Trademarks Trailhunter Name, But For What?

Toyota has filed a trademark application in the United States for the name Trailhunter. The moniker suggests that a more rugged model is on the way. The automaker submitted the paperwork on March 10, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office published it on March 13.

The trademark paperwork offers no additional details about the Trailhunter. Toyota registers it in the category "automobiles and structural parts thereof."

Further research shows that Toyota doesn't yet have filings for Trailhunter outside the US, indicating that the company intends this to be an American-only model. It could be the name of a special edition, a trim level, or a dedicated model.

At the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, Toyota introduced the Trail editions of the Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner (gallery above). They featured off-road-oriented accessories like lockable bed storage for the pickups or a roof rack for the SUV.

Trailhunter could be an extension of the Trail by adding even more off-road equipment. Maybe the company could combine the rugged ability of the TRD Pro models with accessories for hauling more gear into the wilderness.

There are lots of other options, though. Toyota has a new Land Cruiser on the way. It's not supposed to go on sale in the United States until the second half of 2022 for the 2023 model year, but the company could be reserving Trailhunter for an especially rugged version of the SUV.

It generally takes a few months USPTO to grant a trademark request, so we probably aren't going to see Trailhunter on a Toyota model until the 2022 or 2023 model years at the earliest. By that time, the Corolla Cross, refreshed RAV4, next 4Runner, new Sequoia, and replacement for the Tundra should be on the market or coming very soon. All of these models could be a good fit for the Trailhunter name.