How do you say ugly in japanese?

4Runner.

And who the hell are they trying to kid with a 157 horse 4 banger in something that probably tips the scales at 4,000 + lbs. It’s barely enough to move a Corolla.

A four speed auto?! I thought Toyota was supposed to be an innovative leader. This thing is a sad POS

I love Toyota’s reliability but have hated their cartoony looking vehicles lately. The front of this was a great start, very agressive. The rear however looks remarkably BLAND. Looks like it belongs on an old Hyundai/Kia. The interior abounds with that horrible metallic plastic. Not impressed!

Johnny – Agree with you, plus it is taller, wider and longer. Getting on a freeway will remind those of us old enough of a Chevette. Punch it, get out and push and hope you get going fast enough not to get rear-ended. What a joke!

They’ll probably equipe a small percentage with the 4-banger and then claim best in class fuel economy. Are they copying GM tactics????

^^^ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ok, that was a good ab workout. Who knew the japanese language was so complex? Yeah this thing is a kitbash of every toyota truck and suv both inside and out. Not to mention they must have a strong GT-R following in the Toyota design centers

This kind of reminds me of the 4runner model that was out before the current one…the 2000 and 2001 model! But, that looked somewhat good, this looks like…..CRAP!

boy, it’s ugly.
Toyota has been really going downhill with their design. Time to hire a new team.

One of the few sport utes with true off-road capability. Great choice if you live in snow country. Looks sharp too.

Bah, I got beat to the GTR reference

Although didn’t the Evo come out with this treatment first?

Or was it the Kia Soul?

.
.
.
. just kidding Johnny!!!

1988 Nissan Pathfinder or 2010 Nissan Xterra > 2010 Toyota 4Runner.

What is everyone complaining about? The fake hood scope is still their, what a beauty!

3 speed + overdrive?

Ahhh Aesir I forgot about the EVO. I dunno which one came first tho… either way it ain’t a Toyota

@Caddy-V:

the word is MINIKUI

(pronounced ME-KNEE-KOO-E)

This truck is horrible.

Has anyone driven one. My brother has a last gen 4Runner because his wife loves Toyotas. F-Seres and Silverado trucks actually drove better than his 4Runner. sad.

I had to look it up:

Oct 2008 for the GTR and sometime in the first half of 2008 for the Evo… so I guess Evo was the first to have the treatment on the streets.

Guess I’m the only one that likes the design.

Remember, Toyota doesn’t care what a couple of gear heads say on an auto blog. I’d like to see what people were saying in blogs when the 7th generation Camry came out. Probably “wa wa wa it’s ugly, Toyota needs to fire it’s design team.”

Off road?? Yeah okay. I wonder what the percentage of people who buy these SUV take them off road. This is just another ugly SUV that will never drive on anything more than a speed bump.

@lemonade:
Thanks for the help.

@johnny:
Your japanese is a little rusty.
From what lemonade says it looks like 4runner is how you say horrible in japanese.

Sgt Pepper, 4Runner buyers actually use them off road more than most SUV buyers – it’s Toyota’s Xterra. 99% of the time I hate Toyota, and this is pretty ugly, but hats off to them for keep it body-on-frame and making a proper SUV for the segment.

I love pic #11, the overhead shot where the 4Runner is getting dirty.. how considerate of Toyota to pre-dent the rear doors at the factory before some idiot drives over a rock and does it himself!

I like it… will it be winning any beautry awards? No but its not hideous. and its an off roading toy, its not supposed to be good looking! Who the hell is gonna buy a super nice looking Off roading Ute just to get it banged up? Like Toyota or not you cant argue with the 4 runners off roading credentials, this ute will perform where it counts

So, somebody is moolighting over at mitsubishi

But the flipside is that ur ute is so ugly it even scares away local wildlife! Toyota needs to balance their pracicality with design, cuz the other 95% of the time ur gonna be driving around in public

In camo, this thing looked pretty ugly. I like it. Very aggressive. If Toyota ever decides to drop the 4.6L or 5.7L V8 in here, I’ll look into buying one.

It’s a true SUV…and if you didn’t know, this might be the last of a dying breed.

From some angles it does look like a 4-door FJ (that’s not a compliment). Taillights are too large and what’s up with the angry Jap face on the front.

I suppose we’ll get used to it after awhile and since they no longer sell very well we won’t be seeing many on the road anyway. I can’t wait to see a 4 cyl try to haul one of these heavy pigs up over the Continental Divide ha ha ha ha

Overall – Meh

This one looks better than the previous one with a big eye, but I would get rid of front bumper.

FINALLY they put in a third row of seats in the 4 runner, i like it. Now why do they need the highlander?

What the hell did you expect? It looks just fine. It has a greatly improved interior and I am just happy someone is continuing to build truck based SUV’s. The 4 cyl is only avab. with 2 wd, so who cares. The Auto is a 5 speed not a 4 speed. If you are looking for 4WD and looks, buy a Audi R8…..

Migurushii or 不味い

It’s not just Toyota it seems to be every Japanese company except for Nissan that’s making weird designs or just plain boring, while American and European brands are moving up.

Staying true to the game, the last of a dying breed sees it’s last day in the sun
Jeep Cherokee is gone
Pathfinder has been sissified
Trooper, Montero have all met their maker

I don’t agree with all of the changes
But 4Runner = True
DrFill

soccer moms across the land will love this joke of an suv. Gooooooooooo !! soccer moms !!

157hp for a 4000lb suv. sweet, its going to be a true rice burner. that is the burning of the rings in the 4cyl ,getting worn out after 2 years.

Hyundais burn rings
Toyotas burn Hyundais
DrFill

This is pointless. When we hear about SUV’s going from body on frame to unibody, we all talk about how they aren’t used for off-roading. So why praise this 4000 ib+, four cylinder bloated SUV for “sticking to it’s roots” and “being the last of a dying breed” when it’s obviously a pretty weak and pathetic attempt at trying to serve two worlds, fuel economy and “off-road prowess”.

The only thing that would make me think Toyota was actually committed to both was if they reduced the curb weight by two or three hundred pounds (which is ridiculous, it would end up just shy of the Camry’s curb weight which is also ridiculous), put some more power into that four cylinder, put a MODERN transmission in there, not a FOUR SPEED, and THEN had selectable four wheel drive with the four cylinder.

Weight around 3800ibs
Six speed
Power for the four cylinder around 190hp/200ftibs
Winning formula, RIGHT THERE!!!

A4- And show me where you can back that up at?…

dr.filled with crap. why are you comparing toyota to hyundai again? this suv has nothing to do with hyundai’s. beside, everyone on this blog knows you words mean nothing. but, tell me dr.filled with crap. why are you so anti-american and so pro toyota rice burner?

this is a nice looking suv. but, it looks like they copied the nissan pathfinder and exterra a little bit to much.

I like the current one and I was worried that it was going to be horrible. I think this looks great. It is way more rugged looking and the interior looks much better. It still looks like nothing else on the road. I do wish it had two things. One: HID projector headlights; Two: different taillights. I guess that is what aftermarket products is for. Overall, it offers everything you need in a tight relatively small package. I cannot wait until late October.

Be American. Buy whatever you want.

wow, somebody in texas really didn’t like the headlights, they are all bashed out.

Obviously Toyota isn’t going to invest much into the 4Runner…it was going to be scrapped had they not got so far into the development process. The Highlander literally killed the 4Runner’s sales.

Let’s be honest here: the vast majority of SUV buyers don’t ever take their vehicles off road. Even if what A4 said is right, it’s not like like it’s going to be a significant difference.

Toyota’s idea of putting a 4-cylinder into the 4Runner was a good idea (just like the 4-cylinder in the base highlander), but a 4-speed auto? People went crazy over GM using them, so what exactly is Toyota’s rationale behind this?

I’m pretty sure 75-85% of buyers are going to opt for the V6. Sure it’s decent fuel economy, but what’s the point if the car has no type of gutso at all?

I’d definitely whip this though, especially with the SR5 in black with a V6. It’s not the most attractive car, but it’s far from being the monstrosity most people on here are making it out to be.

My main gripes about this car: fuel door doesn’t lock (big pet peeve), shifter is way oversized, and where’s the rear-view windshield wiper?

yep, toyota put all their eggs in one basket. its the prius that gets all the technology and the rest of the product line get out of date and poor standard features. yeah, a 4spd in todays market. junk..

How this once great truck has become such a joke is beyond me. Sad, really sad…

I can’t tell who they are targeting with this version!?!

OMG! What in the world is Toyota thinking these days!

UGLY!

kinda looking like an Ford product thats been redesigned over and over again…
sort of like the American Focus

Once again, it has a 5 speed Auto. The writers for Leftlane can’t seem to get their facts right. If you want a factual review go to Edmunds Inside Line. Once again, Toyota is giving people choices. If you all think CRV’s, and Rav4s are the real thing help yourself. There will be a 90%-10% mix (V6-4). The new V6 puts out more HP then the previous V8. They will sell everyone they build….

lots of over-reacting here (but what else is new)…body-on-frame SUVs aren’t supposed to look like muranos…i’m not sure what you were expecting, but i’m guessing most of y’all’s vision of what an off-road capable SUV should look like has been blurred by staring at too many trendy crossovers…

to keep it short, this thing appears to be more about the sport and the utility factor than a crossover, which is more about asphalt performance and looking cool…this thing is about capability…and with the 6-cylinder it should be pretty functional all around…at least that’s the impression i get from the review over at motortrend…

way too much phag drama here, though, for god’s sake…grow a set people…

Leftwing
If you are looking for good taste or manliness
Find a different blogsite
You are barking up the wrong tree
DrFill

Does this thing have a 4 speed auto? That is pathetic if true. I have seen that in two places now.

toyota 4runner= soccer mom suv, or just a plain joke.

I like it. Let’s hope they don’t overprice it.

ROR that’s ug-ree

Leftwing is right….It is a truck at heart. Why its somewhat bland looks incite so many negative comments is beyond me

Short comment from over the pond: it is not a looker, but is Jeep beautiful? I am with Lefty and Cocojoe on this one

after the first impression which was uncertainty… i looked at ALL of the photos….

this looks pretty good to me actually… with the exception being that two-toned front bumper with black plastic center section

WHERES our D-4D clean diesel ??

This would make much more sense as the base engine than the gas 4-cyl.

With around 300 lb-ft, it would be able to tow AND accelerate on the freeway without downshifting, yeilding much improved fuel efficiency, especially in the city, with between 25-30 mpg highway !! even with 4WD !

TOYOTA USA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

and so what if it costed a grand more… it would probably still sell @ twice the volume

I like the trail grade’s wheels, and the limited’s front bumper

and I really admire the interior updates / improvements

again, toyota, BRING US A D-4D !!

for those of you who don’t know what this is (from wikipedia):

First appearing in 2000, the 1KD-FTV is one of the newest engines built by Toyota.

The 1KD-FTV is a 3.0L (2982cc) straight-4 common rail diesel engine with a variable geometry turbocharger and Intercooler. It has 16 valves and a DOHC (double overhead camshaft) design. Bore is 96 mm and stroke is 103 mm. It generates 170 hp (125 kW) at 3400 rpm, and 260 – 295 lb·ft of torque at 1800-3400 rpm. Redline of this engine is at 4200 RPM. Compression ratio is 18.4:1.

This engine uses Toyota’s D-4D Common Rail fuel injection technology operating at ultra high pressures of up to 1350 bar (or about 19,580psig) which is about 8 times more than the pressure of conventional fuel injection systems within a “common rail” that feeds the injectors on all four cylinders (older diesel engines have a separate line leading from the injection pump to each injector). This is combined with a 32-bit ECU which controls fuel quantity, valve-timing, and boost pressure at different engine parameters resulting in best fuel economy and also full utilization of power during acceleration. Pilot injection is also utilized by the common rail fuel system to smooth engine operation. Small amounts of fuel are introduced into the combustion chamber prior to the main injection event, reducing lag time and promoting more continuous and complete combustion. Exterior and interior engine noise is also reduced.

The 1KD engine produces 17% more horsepower with 11% less fuel consumption than its predecessor, the 1KZ engine. Fuel consumption is also 12% more efficient than Toyota’s Hybrid synergy drive.

This engine was first used in Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and now used in the Toyota Fortuner, Hiace and Toyota Hilux.

also the hood scoop would be functional (intercooler)

actually i correct myself, this engine could achieve between 30 and 35 mpg combined and highway !

http://www.motorward.com/2009/09/2010-toyota-land-cruiser-prado-facelift-revealed/

It looks older than the previous model, bad thing, and seriously a 4 banger?
Make it a 1 liter and throw some steam in it.
Is it April’s 1st?

They seem to be proud of the fact that the Rubicon trail kicked their vehicles ass?

Thats probably TOTALED by insurance company standards.

And they show off the fact that the suspension travel sucks in a number of photos, namely #36

I’m sorry, but I just can’t help but complain about this thing further.

Look at the rear seats, what the hell is up with that mesh stuff? I’ve had the unfortunate experience of having seat covers with that material, and all it does is stick and rip. And look at the folding mechanism holding the middle row seats there, it’s such a little detail that makes it look even cheaper. Yet another cheap center console for the middle row. I don’t understand it, I sat in a Chrysler 300M recently, and the center console for the rear is formed from ONE piece of plastic. This seems the same. It’s just little details that put American manufacturers behind their European counterparts.
Even worse, what’s up with those dials on the right side of the center console? Do they expect everyone who drives this to have arms as long as Michael Jordans? Doesn’t look like you’d have much comfort from the doorpanels if your arms ARE long enough to reach the far dials, being that they are just single pieces of cheap plastic.

Oh, and I have one other ridiculous thing to knock on. Look at the picture of the “start button”, about 15 pictures into the gallery. Did anybody else notice a “party mode” button? WTF!?!?!

Only Trail model looks decent. Other models look heavy and ugly. Especially in dark colors. Too many straight lines in this vehicle now. Fenders are extremely oversized. Their shape doesn’t match round shape of the wheels. Otherwise I like box like design of this vehicle which reminds those 4runners that have been manufactured before 2001. Those old 4runners look better notwithstanding their box like shapes. I hope 2011 restyled models would look better.