What could make Toyota fans cheer for a great start in 2024? Why, an all-new generation of the long-running 4Runner off-road SUV nameplate would certainly qualify for the position, right?
The Japanese automaker has been extremely busy in 2023, and even if we only look at the tidal wave of novelties for North America, there's still a very long list of major introductions. Think about the Corolla Cross Hybrid, the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, the expanding Nightshade family, the trio of GR special editions (GR86 Trueno, GR Corolla Circuit, and GR Supra 45th Anniversary), plus the absolute superstars like the Grand Highlander three-row family crossover SUV or the N400 Tacoma.
But the best is yet to come, actually. Upcoming models include the 326-hp hybridized Tacoma i-Force Max, the returning 2024 Land Cruiser, the all-new 2025 Camry mid-size sedan, and the 2025 Crown Signia crossover SUV. However, that's not enough for some folks – including across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators.
More precisely, many peeps would really like to see the roster of off-road-oriented vehicles get the pinnacle of mid-size SUVs – a new iteration of the ruggedly charming 4Runner. The current fifth generation has been around since 2009, and while there were many model year changes and updates, it has started growing long in the tooth. Most importantly, it needs access to the great TNGA-F body-on-frame solution currently used by all contemporary rugged models from Toyota and Lexus (from the J300 Land Cruiser and XK70 Tundra to the J250 Lexus GX 550, among many others).
No worries, the parallel universes of vehicular CGI are always ready to fulfill all desires – especially if they're about bringing to life an all-new Toyota 4Runner. The good folks over at the Q Cars channel on YouTube are only the latest in a long line that aim to daze and amaze the audience with a potential styling of their vision for the next 4Runner. Even better, they're portraying the hypothetical 4Runner Hybrid here.
Their resident pixel master is also expertly crafting a stylish yet rugged design for the unofficial project – this CGI vehicle still looks very much like a contemporary Toyota from the front but comes with a 'meaty' profile that ditches the glass for the trunk space and also makes the rear seem distinctively modern with the full-width LED strip. However, if you want something more traditional, the second video embedded below comes from A1 Cars and only uses the power of AI software to make the current 4Runner seem a little more in tune with the 2020s.
As for the hybrid powertrain, Toyota is expected to make the next 4Runner a sibling of the all-new N400 Tacoma, and that means it will inherit its powertrain setup, including the mighty i-Force Max system with 326 horsepower on tap. Will that be enough to beat the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, especially the Raptor version?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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