Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyral
Your right. It doesn't make sense, but neither does buying a 4runner when you'll never max out the capability of a Highlander. If people want to buy a boxy overbuilt 4x4 instead of a sensible car with mpg and no skid plates, then don't design it to be like the sensible car they already decided they didn't want.
The Pathfinder went that way, look where it is now. They started at the same place, but the Pathfinder is just another car that sells less than the 4runner while probably making less money per unit sold. Design the car people want, not the car people need (Toyota already has plenty of that).
It's allure is what it can do off the showroom floor, eliminating metal skid plates diminishes that. There is an after market, but it feels like nickel and diming, and it makes them lose some credibility if there is a huge list of deficiencies that must be addressed before I use it like how Toyota markets it. They don't have to be great, but they should be included on any legitimate 4x4.
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The difference is that I can’t spend $1000 in the aftermarket to make a Pathfinder BOF and SRA. The difficult to change bits are the important ones to keep so the platform doesn’t turn into just another car. The SR5 will either be the clean slate for people that want to put their money into customization or the people that just like the look and feel of a truck based SUV. Lots of people prefer towing with BOF RWD platforms instead of car based crossovers, so the lack of armor underneath isn’t really an issue to them. Actually probably improves tow ratings and payload because the vehicle is lighter.
