Is it just me or has Toyota suddenly sold a gazillion new 4Runners?

Shazam! I bought my new 1988 4R for $15,000.

 

Lol we’ll have to agree to disagree about the definition of “innovative.”

Agree that EVs are or at least should be way simpler than ICE vehicles. The motor(s) and transmission are dead simple in comparison to ICE. Other major components are roughly the same. The brakes should last longer due to engine braking for regen purposes. The main challenge is that the batteries are expensive as F. And heavy as F. But both things will improve over time. Within 5 years or so we will see EVs for sale with literally 1000 mile ranges and total vehicle weights not that dissimilar to ICE. It’s just waiting on implementation of the next gen batteries combined with normal evolution in efficiency of the drivetrains etc.

And to the skeptics who say “sure sure, it’s always 5 years away…” allow me to point you to Lucid, which is currently selling EVs with legit 500 mile ranges, the capacity to get hundreds of miles of charge in about 20 minutes, spleen busting acceleration, and all combined with S Class levels of space and luxury. It’s not theoretical, it’s happening. The tech is proven.

 

I will keep my ICE vehicle for as long as I can. The fact that they want only electric is stupid and will be a huge mistake. Just keep the ICE, Hybrid and then EV vehicles. My issue is they don't want to give us a choice.

 

I think hybrid is really the answer until they get charging times and infrastructure figured out. Right now it's just too impractical.

I'd by a hybrid 4x4, but not a full EV right now.

I live in a 2 family house, there's no charging there, and there are no chargers at my work.

 

Time will tell. It’s possible that synthetic fuels will prove to be carbon friendly enough that ICE can continue with as good net environmental benefits as EV (which we should remember are not a slam dunk — better yes, but not radically so and won’t be until there’s more greening of electrical generation).

The other important point I think is that there’s no realistic effort out there to stop people from owning and driving ICE. If that happens it’s going to be a loooong time from now (or never, see point above about synthetic gas).

But what does seem likely absent a good synthetic gas solution is that the manufacturers are just gonna stop making ICE in any signif numbers, and that’s likely even absent a legal prohibition on ICE manufacturing.

This was actually part of my motivation in getting the 4R. It was an answer to the question: if I can no longer buy ICE 10 years from now, what ICE vehicle(s) would I want to already own? The 4R seems pretty ideal in a world where ICE has become relatively uncommon.

 

It is odd, but I think this points the the strength of the design, both mechanically, and in form factor.

I hope this sales trend leads toyota to respect what they have, so they dont screw up the 6th gen.

 

I’m somewhat reassured by the continuation of BOF (and even solid rear axles, eg the new Sequoia) at both Toyota and other manufacturers, even for EV. For example the F150 Lightning. I think it’s huge that Ford has shown that you can keep everything you like about the F150 while actually making it better by going electric. More towing, more speed, more cargo storage, more utility — and all on the same rugged BOF platform. It signals that the car makers see a continued market for tough and relatively simple products. I’d be super tempted by the F150 if the range and charging stuff was just a little bit better. And I prefer the SUV form factor. Make a SUV based on the Lightning and I might buy it tomorrow — even at an EPA range of only 300 miles.

 

When they can charge EV as fast as I can get gas then I will jump on board.

 

I’m not a super greenie or anything…but honestly my biggest hangup about EVs is the mining and recycling aspect of the batteries when they are used up. To give you an idea, I hang on to my old iphone 6 mostly because I realize the human and ecological cost of what goes into getting raw materials to make it, and that recycling these is not that clean. Basically, I know when I’m done with it, it’s gonna become another poor countries problem.

When I junked my last car, I got 22 years of service, and it didnt have much if anything left to give. It served me well, and I think I avoided waste by using every last drop. It will be a parts car in a heap somewhere for a bit, then almost all of it can be recycled back into valuable raw materials at very little cost, and most of what cant, isnt that harmful.

What will an EV be able to do? 10years on a battery pack? Where does that go, and who pays the environmental impact of recycling those? (By the way, plenty of areas in the US are now poor enough to consider importing waste like China used to…something to consider.) And where are the next open pit mines for lithium and other toxic metals gonna be dug up?

Basically, if you can make an EV that isn’t one big toxic consumable, I’d be on board (and that’s even if root source of energy is fossil…EV has it’s benefits).

That’s why I wish they would pay more attention to fuel cell tech.

 

While not against green energy and caring for the environment the I agree with Dallas above. I will be on board when I can charge my car as quickly as I can buy gas.

 

Hmmm, this got me wondering…

Given that 20 gallons of gasoline has a tremendous amount of chemical energy

and let’s assume an insane battery tech breakthrough that would allow EV batteries to take on a charge equivalent to the energy in 20 gallons in 2 or 3 minutes…

Would it even be safe to be around charging stations? I mean, we complain about living near high tension lines already. Would only people without surgical implants/hardware/dentures be allowed near a station? I guess it’s a funny question, but seriously, would there be health implications?

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nissan-nasa-game-changing-electric-vehicle-batteries-stable-pacemakers/

 

If nothing else, Toyota seems to continue to see a future for internal combustion as they announced a $383 million Dollar investment the other day. https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-invests-383-million-in-us-production/
More than anything, makes me think the chances of the 6G being built in Japan is around zero.

 

Agree. What irks a lot of people is when the government tries to pick winners and losers, dictating what you are "allowed" to drive.
Let the ICE, HY, and EV all coexist together. The "market" will ultimately decide over time, and the manufacturers will respond accordingly.

I believe no less than Elon Musk himself said something similar.

 

I am have the utmost confidence that everyone will be honest and upfront about any health implications as results of these batteries and chargers….not.

 

I paid only $38k for my 2019 ORP new. I think it was the last year before they came with TSS (at least as a standard option), which I think adds a couple grand to the price. I guess I should be glad I didn't wait till later to buy. The driving nannies would drive me nuts.

My parents had a Blazer in 1992. I still miss that truck. When it was renamed the Tahoe a few years later, I remember the dash had more rounded corners, but I think the rest was the same

 

I will say I thought the same thing about the nannies, but my '20 Pro basically only had the adaptive cruise control and then I sold that for an Outback which those nannies were highly annoying. Couldn't turn off the rear seat warning. I have it in my '22 SR5P and turned it off. The two nannies I like are blind spot monitoring because it makes no noise and the rear cross traffic alert which is great.

 

The ‘22’s will no doubt be sought out more so in the used market with the inclusion of BSM/RCTA.

 

Yeah hopefully they will keep their resale value even once things shift. At this point there is no other vehicle I would rather drive than a 4R.

 

Well I'd buy a gx460 next, but I don't plan on needing another car for 20 years

 

I'm with you there. I am still a little bewildered as to why hydrogen fuel cell technology hasn't advanced to the point where it can replace, or at least be more popular, then electric cars.

 

I wonder what percentage of the market they'd take away from Jeep if they imported that to the US as LHD?

Solid front and rear axles, 4.5L Turbo Diesel V8, front & rear lockers, A-TRAC...I'm sold right there. And to boot...CD player, easily-removable bumpers for aftermarket ones, manual A/C reminiscent of Toyota's of the 80's here in the US...I love it! They would have to embrace it's simplicity/ruggedness/off road capability and market it as such...it's not going to compete, nor should it, with the T4R/GX/Sequoia, etc.

I'd have one in my garage.

 

I love it old school!!! I would have one also.

Sadly it’s not glitzy enough though for most of the customer base here. Sadly, Also I think V8s are done here regardless of gas or diesel those don’t look good in sustainability or green reports

 

Yeah, too many temporarily embarrassed millionaires. Even the current 4Runner is too glitzy for me. I'm a Joe Blow, and I'm okay with that. If you've got a problem with that, then you can blow me!

 

I’d have one too!
But yeah, not glitzy enough for today’s US consumer. One of the proudly touted features is halogen headlights.

 

I'm sure every single OveRlAndR would immediately replace thier existing Yota with one.

 

I was considering getting a Ford Bronco before I was quoted for a 1.5-2 year wait. Whereas the 4runner was actually possible to get more or less right away, after I harassed enough dealers. The 4runner is also one of the Toyotas still built in Japan, and less affected by present (or future) chip shortages.

 

Good decision.

 

My mom works for a Ford dealer and she's still waiting for her Bronco. She got the soft top because I guess the hard tops leak

 

Wasn't it that the hard tops vibrate?