2027 Scout Traveler

A lot of explanations are in order here. We’ll try to be quick.

A classic name from automotive history will be resurrected for the 2027 model year as Scout returns to American roads. The International Harvester company that built the originals is gone. The new Scout Motors, owned by the Volkswagen Group but headquartered in America, owns the rights to the old name and will launch with a pair of electric off-roaders.

The International Harvester Scout was one of the original off-road SUVs — a boxy, rugged thing built on a truck frame that competed with classics like the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wagoneer (which was smaller then) from 1960 to 1980. The company eventually collapsed and saw its intellectual property sold and resold over the decades. They landed with the Volkswagen Group. VW hadn’t even meant to buy the Scout name. It purchased a package of old International Harvester assets to get the rights to some diesel truck engine tech. The rights to the Scout legacy were like extra fries in the bottom of the bag.

Then, boxy off-roaders made a comeback. Jeep resurrected the Wagoneer name. Ford built a retro-styled Bronco and had runaway success with it. An American VW executive pitched a plan to bring back the Scout name as a standalone brand of off-roaders for the electric vehicle (EV) age.

The Scout Traveler SUV and Terra truck are the results of that plan. They’ll be built in South Carolina, which could enable them to qualify for the federal government’s $7,500 EV tax rebate if that still exists in 2027. And they’ll blend retro design cues with modern EV tech.

Updated Classic Look With Functional Features

The 2027 Scout Traveler looks like what we imagine the International Harvester company would be building today if it had never stopped making SUVs. The proportions make you wonder whether to vote for Carter or Ford. But it has a modern edge, with narrow slit LED daytime running lights that wrap neatly around the fenders. The classic Scout script badge on a modern faux grille strikes a stunning balance of shag-carpet-era and smartphone era.

Inside, you’ll find the ubiquitous twin-screen dashboard many of today’s cars use. But big switchgear beneath is sized to use with gloves on. Designers chose color schemes that call back to the 1970s originals.

Oh, and you can order one with a front bench seat. Hence, seating for six in a 2-row SUV. Three in the front, three in the back. How old-school can you get?

Look closer, though, and you’ll find thoughtful touches everywhere. Anchor points in the bumpers have holes dimensioned for modern climbing rope. Inside, the cargo area is lined with hardpoints to mount gear. It’s an outdoor lover’s dream.

The 2027 Scout Traveler will start at an estimated $60,000. VW has released few details regarding the all-new Traveler marketed under its Scout brand. What pricing info has surfaced indicates a starting price at $60,000 or even less. This isn’t our first dance, causing some skepticism where this pricing is concerned, but it’s what we have to work with.

Fixed Prices, No Dealers

Scout plans to sell cars directly to customers, with no dealerships to act as middlemen. That means fixed prices and no negotiation. It also means no local dealership to take your Scout to for repairs. The company plans to have a Tesla-style fleet of mobile mechanics performing most service and repair in the field, as well as regional locations where they can bring trucks and SUVs for more extensive repairs.

Consequently, the first owners will face some challenges getting service. Early Tesla owners did. But, if Scout survives and grows, that problem will shrink over time.

Reservations Underway

For now, the company is accepting $100 refundable reservations for the Traveler and its Terra truck sibling. Refundable reservations mean getting in line is a low-risk affair. But we’d also note that startup automakers frequently announce huge backlogs of reservations only to see a small percentage of reservation holders become buyers. If you don’t like to line up early, odds are still pretty good that you can find a Traveler to buy when you’re ready.

Scout is keeping mechanical details quiet for now. But we know the Traveler will come with a choice of two drivetrains.

One is a pure electric car. Scout hasn’t said how many electric motors the Traveler will use, but it says every Traveler will be all-wheel drive (AWD). That means at least two — one per axle. Some all-wheel-drive EVs use three or four. The company projects a range of up to 350 miles and zero-to-60 times of around 3.5 seconds, though we’d note that you might not get both in one trim level. Scout engineers designed them with a 800-volt architecture, which should make them charge relatively quickly by 2025 standards.

The other is what’s called an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (you’ll occasionally hear it called an “E-REV”). It works like an EV, but has a small gasoline engine that serves solely as a generator. Not connected to the wheels, that engine works to recharge the battery in the field. Scout hasn’t said a word about that engine other than noting that it’s called the Harvester (nice touch). But its specifications hardly matter if it’s functionally just a battery backup system. You charge your E-REV like an EV and treat it like one most of the time. But you can use the engine to recharge it when you’re far from the grid.

Off-road gear like locking differentials and sway-bar disconnect should make Travelers serious trail runners.