For all of you haters out there, remember three things:
1. Millennials are this vehicle's market. Not the 35 and up crowd with 2.5 kids.
2. Toyota, nor any other manufacturer (except the Apple IPod but that's a different topic), builds a product without a clear demand. So, don't blame Toyota for offering this, blame yourself. Toyota customer focus groups built this vehicle. So, good or bad, this is what they wanted.
3. Toyota is in business to make money. That's it. They don't do it out of passion, they do it to make money. In case you haven't heard, the CUV market is the strongest market out there.
Now, my thoughts: This is the direction that all auto manufacturers are heading. I look at this vehicle and I see a CRV or RAV4 with a few off road oriented options. A soft roader if you will.
As it applies to the 4Runner, remember that, while we are a passionate little group, we are just a small fraction of the 4Runner customer base. They didn't just pick some of us to be in the focus groups, they picked a cross section of their typical 4Runner customers. So the future of the 4Runner is going to be decided by their customers.
In regards to this vehicle, I would rather have it than some of the other offerings out there now. I for one am glad I am not in this target demographic. So when you start badmouthing Toyota, or Jeep, or Chevy remember that you and your peers are the ones that got us here.