At least in the good ol' America, the times have been hard for any automaker trying to capture the spotlight from a couple of big Japanese rivals. And it seems that at least one of them – Toyota – is not slowing down anytime soon, both in the real world as well as across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators.
Last year we singled out Honda as the most improved carmaker featured on the US automotive market. The company presented stuff like the all-new HR-V (bigger, based on the eleventh Civic platform, redubbed ZR-V internationally), the next iteration of the best-selling CR-V compact crossover SUV, plus the high-performance, record-breaking Civic Type R hot hatchback. And that was not all, as the mid-size heroes also joined the roster – the next Pilot three-row CUV including with a rugged TrailSport grade, plus the eleventh-gen Accord sedan. Oh, and let us not forget about Acura's excellent new Integra Type S.
Naturally, Toyota countered hard with lots of novel goodies. They brought back the Crown nameplate – now a crossover-style sedan and dropped the XW60 Prius 'Hybrid Reborn,' including in 220-hp Prius Prime plug-in hybrid format. The C-HR subcompact bowed out and was quickly replaced by the Corolla Cross Hybrid, and there's also an entire Corolla Nightshade family incoming. But that's (mostly) the passenger car part of the story. Moving on to even more crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, there are big superstars like the 2024 Grand Highlander family-oriented three-row CUV, plus the best-selling 2024 Tacoma – complete with new i-Force Max hybrid powertrain and the adventurous Trailhunter trim.
And that was just for the first part of the year – whereas the middle of 2023 undoubtedly belongs to Lexus and its three-way release of novelties. First up was the smallest crossover to date, the first-ever 2024 LBX presented in Milan, Italy, for the European, Japanese, and a few other markets. Not North America, of course, but the fans won't lament its absence because they have to ponder the double ensemble of the 2024 TX and GX.
Of course, that does not mean Toyota is ready to rest on its first half-year laurels. Instead, folks are eagerly awaiting the next big installment in the 4Runner or RAV4 series. Speaking of the latter compact crossover, while the fifth generation (dubbed XA50) still roams around even though it was first introduced in early 2018 at the New York International Auto Show, that is only valid for the real world. Across the parallel universes of CGI, meanwhile, Dimas Ramadhan, the virtual automotive artist behind the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, has again taken up the task of revealing the all-new (XA60) RAV4 – but only in CGI.
While last time when the pixel master tried his digital prowess on the sixth iteration of the Toyota RAV4, he applied some sporty goodies and apparently stole some Lambo (Urus) DNA in the process, this time around, everything is kept in the Japanese automaker's family. Alas, that does not mean it is any less quirky because the front styling does not even come remotely close to current Toyota models, and the rear design of the LED taillights seems directly stolen from the all-new third-generation Lexus GX. So, do we give it our CGI hall pass, or should the author try harder?
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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