Scout Motors First Look: We Saw The Brand’s First Two Models and the Details Are Crazy Good

Scout says these models will start at under $60,000, qualify for any federal incentives (they will be built in South Carolina), will use the North American Charging Standard (Tesla-style chargers), will have an 800-volt architecture for fast charging and will have a range of 350 miles. And then, there are the details that make these adventure-focused trucks rich and rewarding (and no doubt, will cost more).

Read: Why So Many Are Happily On the Waitlist for Their Rivian R1T Electric Pickup Truck

Scout stunned the audience with the announcement that there’ll be a gas-powered extended-range model, too. Harvester is an option on the Terra and the Traveler that adds a gas engine with 150 miles of range for buyers who don’t want to rely solely on battery power. There was a lot of speculation about this: even though Rivian is doing quite well with all-electric trucks and SUVs, would the market better be served with a gas model, even as a backup to the battery system?

There are still a lot of other questions to be answered: will the Traveler and Terra be as capable off-road as the original Scouts? Will they have true one-pedal driving? Head up display? Surround view cameras? Adaptive suspension? What will the accessories options look like?

We’ll know closer to the roll out of the first models in 2027.

Read: The Chevrolet Silverado EV May Be the Most Incredible Pickup Truck Ever 

The rebirth of Scout Motors is all about bringing back the hearty, go-anywhere, do it all soul of Scout. The product of farm equipment maker International Harvester, Scout was one of the original SUVs to add passenger comforts and cargo space to 4 wheelers, sort of like converting a farm truck into a luxury SUV. It was hugely popular with a core group of buyers, and still is, even today; vintage and restored Scouts have a passionate following 

Three years ago Volkswagen bought International Harvester and the Scout brand came along with the deal. They decided to spin off Scout as a stand-alone company and re-start the brand. While VW is so far the sole investor in Scout, they have left the door open to others who want to buy an interest; it may even become a publicly traded company. 

Read: Rivian R1S 3-Row Electric SUV is Here. This is What it’s Like to Drive

But first, Scout needs a product line. The company, led by former VW North American CEO Scott Keogh, went on a hiring spree, bringing in former designers and engineers from Jeep, Rivian and others. And, they are building efficiencies with VW to secure supplier relationships and manufacturing processes to ensure the brand’s success. 

All this matters to the buyer; no one wants is to be the beta tester for a new car company. Especially one that is promising the things they are: An electric platform with 350+ miles of range, 1,000 HP, up to 10,000 lbs of tow capacity, 3 feet of water fording, true 4WD and heritage-inspired details that look, feel and function with authenticity. 

The result of Scout’s work are the Traveler SUV and the Terra pickup truck. The Traveler, which takes the name from Scout’s first truly premium SUV (it was the 1970’s when a premium SUV wasn’t nearly what it is today), is a 4-door 5-passenger SUV. The Terra, named for Scout’s original pickup truck, strikes a true heritage feel in its interior and exterior design.

Both have gently rounded corners, flat roof lines and front and rear lighting that look more human, less machine. The Scout name is seen throughout, on front and rear lighted badges, on the seats, the steering wheel and more.

This one was surprising: the interior in the prototype is actually leather, something we haven’t seen a lot of in electric cars. But Scout’s designers felt this to be an authenticity detail. Back in the day, and still, leather is a premium finish that gains a patina and develops character over time. It was the right choice. To add a softness, the seat tops are a woven fabric, and the ceiling headliner is finished in a heritage tartan plaid.

Notice the lines that bisect the sunroof cover; Scout showed the Traveler with a Cabana soft top over the panoramic sunroof that adds a heritage feel.

The Scout Terra pickup truck is heritage-filled too. First, the dashboard is flat and wide; it doesn’t extend out into the passenger space, just like the originals. Then, the floor is open. There’s no center console or obstruction here, for two reasons: One, the first Terra models were open.

Then, it can accommodate a bench seat, which will be an option. In this model, Scout’s designers added the tartan plaid pattern and slight bolstering to the leather upholstery. The overall look is inviting and cozy.

I heard this question a lot — and it’s a natural one: the size and silhouette of both the Terra and the Traveler resemble Rivian’s truck and SUV (which is a 3-row, vs the 5 passenger Scout Terra). But, Scout’s personality and mission are very clear inside and out. But get down to the details and Scout’s models are unique and distinct. The resemblance is more a function of the natural shape of an electric off-roader, and the proportions of modern SUVs like the Land Rover Defender, Ford Bronco, Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Notice the shape of the steering wheel. It’s flat on top and bottom, a square-ish circle, or a squircle. We’re seeing this in more and more designs from Lucid, Lincoln, Jeep, Tesla. And this is why: a squircle adds visibility. The flat top means the steering wheel doesn’t impede on your view. The flat bottom means it doesn’t impede on your lap.

The dual spoke design adds to the heritage feel, as do the dial controls on either side. Together the effect is holding the charm of the past and the power of the future in your hands.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and a lot of room to do it. First, the Scout Traveler has a spare tire mounted to the rear, but rather than being mounted on the gate, it’s held by a swing-out frame. This lets it swing out of the way of the tailgate, which is a clamshell, or split tailgate.

The clamshell gate, a favorite for families for so, so, so many reasons, is a truly premium thing: it’s a great place to lay out lunch, change a baby or sit and take in the view without your legs rubbing against a muddy bumper. Then, it allows workspace without moving thing around in the cargo area. And, you can open just the top and avoid things falling out of the cargo area. The lift gate allows offers a cover over the lower portion so you have respite from rain or sun, and a bit of light to work in.

See why we love this design so much?

Literally, a huge breath of fresh air. The cabin was shown with a glass roof and a nearly frameless rear window, as well as oversized windows throughout. It’s yet to be seen if any of these windows will be removable or retractable (other than those on the doors), but the large clear glass panels paired with the light colored seat tops give the cabin a one-with-the-world feel. As if you’re just out riding around in nature rather than riding in a pickup truck.

Scout didn’t show the Traveler with carpet; instead, the floors are covered in a woven material that is also used for floor mats (Terra was shown with rubber all-weather mats). The look felt more like berber: soft, short pile and in theory, easy to clean. The flat floor is a great place for bags or, better, a dog, and hopefully, the woven floor coverings will be easy to clean.

In both the Terra (seen here) and the Traveler Scout went with wide screens embedded in the dashboard—a wide screen for the main multimedia system and a smaller driver display screen. Both are framed by wood that adds both dimension and a grounded feel. In this case, the wood is a composite hemp, a reclaimed material in a contrasting golden color. A closer look shows a vertical striation pattern that is a result of its manufacturing.

Below the main screen is a panel of buttons for climate and other functions, something that Scout’s designers held out for; people like buttons for quick access to certain things —like air conditioning on a hot day.

It remains to be seen whether or not the hemp will make it to the final production models, but the look and feel of it is stunning, and a nice contrast to the dark and light gray colors of the dash and upholstery materials.

While a charge panel is not usually among the list of cool details, this one is. Just under the rear side light there’s a narrow panel that’s so subtle it’s hard to see. But it opens to reveal the NACS charge port and three power outlets.

Seen here on the Terra, the charge panel is notable for a few other things: NACS means you’ll be able to charge at any station that offers this tech, which is becoming the standard. Then, Scout models will offer bi-directional charging, meaning they’ll be able to power other things, like a house, or a camp site. All through the outlets on this little panel.

The look on the front is both unique and a nod to the Scout heritage—a wide upright front face. The modern look has a scalloped edge to it and is backlight, giving it a light frame. This scalloped, or really dentil trim detail, is repeated on the door handles and inside the Scout, on grip handles.

The light signature is characterized by headlights that sit above and below the horizontal daytime running lights, which pierce the front corners to light the Scout’s frame. On the lower bumper, where the are underbody skid plates and tow hooks, there are more horizontal lights to blaze the path ahead.

Throughout the Scout it’s clear that accessories, which we will learn more about later, are an intended option; there’s room for roof racks, cargo boxes and molle boards for securing your gear. There are AUX switches (I counted 8) for adding light bars, a winch and other power accessories. And, there are clever details like an exterior step and grip on the Terra near the rear door to make accessing the truck bed and roof easier.

There is a lot more to learn. Watching Scout develop and grow into its modern soul is going to be good.