While it certainly not true regarding 2018 models, the election will certainly have an effect on future product planning. Clinton likely means continued upward pressure on already unrealistic mpg targets. Obviously that's a factor that has to be considered.
I guarantee this election is being heavily considered in planning the products of the future. Innovation is great unless it compromises usability, reliability, or price.
They're always unrealistic.
And then the manufacturers meet them anyway.
They have not always been unrealistic, and manufacturers have often struggled to meet them anyway. The new standards are absolutely unrealistic, and will require significant compromises in vehicle size and consumer cost. In fact, the EPA has recently slightly softened their stance on the upcoming 54.5 because even they realize it can't be met by 2025.
That is a hard number to beat. Lighter weight (read unibody), smaller engines, and lower ride height are all ways to meet the requirements. Those are all compromises for us.
op2:
I'll be watching from the sidelines. Having already purchased my 2016 I don't have to worry. I don't foresee Toyota killing off the 4Runner in it's entirety. I wouldn't be surprised to see it go unibody with a new powerplant/drivetrain. They are coming out with a 2018 Tundra from what it looks like. If this is the case, I can only hope this bodes well for the 4Runner.
Times are changing. I appreciate every 4Runner and Wrangler I see on the road. They are the last bastions of an era that is coming to a close. I can't rationalize how either of these vehicles will continue to be produced in the long term with the requirements set forth in the future. My guess is the new models that come out following the 2018 refresh will be ghosts of what once was.
....unless Trump is elected. Then we'll see a 4Runner with portal axles, six speed manual, 5.7 V8, and removable top. :fro:
A little off topic, I'm on the waiting list for a TRDP Tundra but uncertainty with the election and rumors of a new tundra in 2018, I will probably put off getting a new truck for now.
Back on topic, unfortunately times are changing. It won't be very long until BOF construction is just a memory. When that time comes, I will be buying used, BOF 4runners.
Correct, but my understanding is the 'soft target' they adjusted to is still 40+mpg which is unrealistic for trucks.
The balance is in the provision allowing an auto manufacturer to still make and sell gas guzzling trucks and SUVs so long as their fleet is complimented by eco vehicles that sell. Toyota has this locked up with their Prius, so I'm only worried about declining sales killing off the T4R (which definitely isn't the case this year).
This is one reason jeep had to release all those little CUVs. They needed to bring their overall mpg up.
Even 40 mpg seems unrealistic. A Diesel engine would've been the easiest route with the least amount of changes to the 4runner. Toyota isn't going to do that anytime soon and the feds have made it ridiculously hard to bring a diesel engine to the masses.
I must be in the minority but for what my '15 SR5 4x4 can do I think the mileage is great.
my EX-L '11 Pilot was lucky to get 17 MPG but I get 19.5 to 20.5 all day long with my SR5
Go figure...
For what they are, the 4runners seem to be fairly decent on mpg. Honestly, my 4th gen has always achieved really good mpg, much better than my 5th gen. Even with 33's, my 4th gen can still get 20 mpg on the highway.
I really love my 4runner. But I hate driving it to work on a daily basis. When I began thinking of replacing my '05 G35 coupe, the notion of a capable off-roader was a distant thought. Over time, I caught the bug just by hanging with my buddies and their off-roaders. My blood runs with hot-rod DNA but I've had to compromise over the years as rules and regulations force the fun out of driving. I had a '66 GTO which I loved but it became a giant hassle to maintain the registration due to the smog rules changing. Sitting at idle, the GTO puked quite a bit of raw fuel out due to it's heavy cam overlap. I felt bad about this until I hit the accelerator. Now I pine for that beast or something like it to return to my life.
It's the same with the 4Runner. By modern standards, it's heavy bulk and lack of fuel economy make the truck a bit anachronistic. But when I take it off road, the fuel economy no longer matters. In a sense, I replaced my hot-rod DNA with off-roader DNA. I'd hate to see the 4runner fizzle out like the muscle cars of yesterday. Sure, there's still the pony cars of today with their high output, but the pricing keeps the everyday joe away.
It wouldn't surprise me one bit if I end up with an electric car someday. Maybe by then, they'll have made the tech capable of 600 miles of range and 5 minutes to recharge. Can you imagine an electric 4Runner? You never know... In the meantime, I hope that Toyota keeps the 4runner alive no matter the cost to fuel it.
That GTO sounds sweet. There's actually about 5 or 6 of that generation around this small community. Maybe find you another one and do an LS swap for the best of both worlds.
If the company I work for would install a charging station at our plant, like they have at their headquarters, I would probably consider buying an EV as well (at least for a daily driver). I met a lady at our headquarters that has a chevy volt. She can charge it for free at work and got a pretty good tax credit on it. Over the years she has driven it 70k and has put 90 gallons of fuel in it. I used 90 gallons of fuel last weekend in my 4runner. Granted, I don't think I would like driving it at all but if it allowed me to make my 70 round trip commute for free, I could probably suffer through it.
Now, a 4runner with the power of a Tesla and a little bit better range could probably get my blood flowing.
I work for Toyota and have not heard anything about them axing the 4Runner. We can barely keep them in stock at our store. As soon as they arrive on the truck I see them coming through the shop for accessories. People are buying these left and right.
Sales will be the 4runners saving grace. Most folks like the styling and they look at the 4runner as a symbol of reliability. Having sales as strong as they have been, it makes me wonder if Toyota will even bother introducing a new 4runner for 2018 or just wring as much out of it as they can, similar to the 2nd gen Tacoma. Sales were good so they just kept it around.
