Fast Facts | Scout Traveler and Terra
🛻 Vehicle Pair: Scout is developing both the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup
🎨 Design Direction: The team wanted the new vehicles to feel modern, not overly retro
🪑 Interior Surprise: Both models will offer a front bench seat
🔧 Powertrain Twist: The Harvester Range Extender engine will sit at the rear
🔋 Range Target: EV versions target around 350 miles, while range-extended models aim for about 500 miles
📈 Reservation Mix: Roughly 75 percent of reservations are for the SUV and around 85 percent are for the range extender
💰 Early Pricing: Scout says these vehicles are expected to start at around $60,000 MSRP, with deliveries targeted for 2028
Aside from true enthusiasts who have kept the flame burning, many American drivers have probably completely forgotten about Scout, but after a four-decade hiatus, this iconic brand was revived in 2022. Originally a division of heavy vehicle and equipment manufacturer International Harvester, this reimagined company is now backed by the financial and technological might of the sprawling Volkswagen Group. Scout is hard at work developing a brand-new SUV and pickup truck, vehicles that will offer heritage-inspired design and strong off-road capability to honor the traditional fanbase, along with lots of modern technology to attract new buyers — a delicate balancing act.
Scout recently invited us to their headquarters for a tour. Here are four things we learned about the upcoming Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck while we were there:
1. They Actually Didn't Want the Design to Lean Too Retro
Chief Design Officer Chris Benjamin told GreenCars that the goal was to capture the essence of the original Scouts while creating something that still felt modern. And the upcoming Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck do unmistakably resemble Scouts of decades past. Instead, they mirrored the soft, rounded shoulders of original models as well as the beltline kickup in the utility model’s rear window.
However, this design is by no means a carbon copy. The team was deliberate about ensuring that it wasn't retro. Most notably, the new vehicles have square lamps up front instead of the circular ones found on their forebears.
Curiously, when asked, Benjamin said there’s no official name for Scout’s design language. Other automakers love to give their themes fanciful titles; Mercedes-Benz has “sensual purity,” Mazda’s is called “Kodo,” or “soul of motion,” and “opposites united” belongs to Kia. Scout stylists could have come up with something similar, and yet they didn’t or at least haven’t yet.
2. It Has a Front Bench Seat
The interior of these vehicles will feature upscale materials, including a unique plaid pattern on some components. It'll also include something that's almost unheard of in new vehicles today, outside of commercial models: a front bench seat. From a practical standpoint, the front bench opens up a lot of flexibility. It allows the Traveler and the Terra to seat three across the front row and frees up the center console area, giving the cabin a more open feel than the bucket-seat-and-armrest setup in most modern SUVs and trucks. But it also taps into something a little more nostalgic.
“[A front bench] wasn't something that was just in a work truck or something cheap and dirty that no one wants to get in, but rather, it’s something that's celebrated,” noted Benjamin. “You know, we think about community and how you are with your friends and your loved ones. You want to bring them with you.”
The designers were careful not to make the interior feel like a road-going spaceship, avoiding overdoing it with excessive creases, trim, and character lines. They drew inspiration from the original Scout 2's instrument panel, which featured a very heavy brow that moved horizontally in one clean line. A large central touchscreen will be home to the automaker’s Community UX infotainment system.
3. The Engine Will Actually Be in the Rear
Both reborn Scout models will be available with either a purely electric or range-extended powertrain, which incorporates a small combustion engine to charge the battery. A nod to the past, Scout is calling this the Harvester Range Extender. EV variants should offer somewhere around 350 miles of range on a full charge, but range-extended models will push that to around 500 miles. According to Ryan Decker, vice president of strategy and brand at Scout, customers love EVs for their performance, the ability to charge at home, and the reduced cost of ownership, but with the addition of a range extender, long-distance drives are never a worry.
What’s curious here, however, is not that Scout is offering an engine in the Traveler and Terra; rather, it’s the location of this range extender. Rather than mounting it under the hood, Scout is putting the engine at the rear of these vehicles, something Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at Telemetry, told GreenCars that this is an interesting solution from a manufacturing standpoint. It makes it easier to switch between building a fully electric vehicle or an EREV, depending on market demand.
Packaging is another benefit of this unorthodox design. Other range-extended electric vehicles, like the upcoming Ram REV, will have a traditional, front-mounted engine, but Scout’s rear placement simplifies the overall layout considerably. You need to fit a fuel tank in there somewhere, plus the exhaust has to find a way out, most likely at the back. As Abuelsamid noted, a rear-mounted engine can help shorten this fuel and exhaust routing that would otherwise run the length of the vehicle.
Additionally, unlike many other vehicles these days, the Terra and Traveler models feature traditional body-on-frame construction, where the chassis is separate from the rest of the vehicle. This old-school approach is employed by other “truck-based” products, so it’s totally appropriate here, plus this design is rugged and enhances capability.
“Job one was [to] make a Scout vehicle honor what Scout was. And I think one of the first things we realized was you can't be a poser … if you really want to legitimately compete in these segments,” noted Decker. “And so, with that mentality, we looked around, and we said, ‘What is the no-joke, most legitimate, most credible way to execute a product in this category?’ [And it’s] body on frame.”
Aside from that rugged foundation, these vehicles will also have big tires, solid rear axles, and mechanically locking differentials for maximum off-road chops. These features honor Scout heritage while likely providing more capability than rival models can muster.
4. Most Preorders Are for the SUV and EREV
The order breakdown between these two models is roughly 75/25, strongly in favor of the SUV. Similarly, around 85 percent of reservations are for Scouts fitted with the range extender, which provides greatly increased flexibility.
If the Terra pickup truck and Traveler SUV appeal to you, they can be reserved from the Scout Motors website for just $100, a fully refundable deposit. So far, around 160,000 folks have raised their hands to get in line for one of these exciting new vehicles, which are expected to start at around $60,000 MSRP, pricey for many motorists, but not outrageously so.
Delivery is still a long way away, but these vehicles are expected to reach customers sometime in 2028. More details about the Traveler and Terra should be released well before then — official towing figures, EPA range estimates, and pricing, for instance — so stay tuned for updates.
All mileage is EPA estimated.
For a more up-close look at Scout’s upcoming models, this video tour brings the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup to life.
Keep Exploring Scout’s Return
Scout Announces EV Pickup and SUV
A clean companion piece for readers who want the original announcement context before diving deeper into all the design and engineering details from the headquarters tour.
Read More ➜
Coming Soon: 2027 Scout SUV and Pickup
This one keeps the focus squarely on the product itself, with a broader look at the new Scout pair and why they matter in the EV and off-road space.
Read More ➜
2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger: Innovative EV Pickup With On-Board Gasoline Generator
A smart contextual follow-up for readers curious about how Scout’s range-extender strategy compares with another electrified pickup taking a similar flexibility-first approach.
Read More ➜
