Toyota’s expertise could extend even further
Toyota‘s contemporary reputation for off-road greatness is second to none, plain and simple. Sure, Land Rover‘s heritage might predate Toyota’s, and Nissan’s off-roaders might sometimes be less overcomplicated, but no brand has yet to earn itself as esteemed a reputation for well-roundedness in their off-road lineup than Toyota. Known for bulletproof reliability, legendary off-road capability, and unimpeachable resale value, models such as the Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Tacoma, and Tundra have earned Toyota a distinguished pedigree for off-road prowess. Despite the respectable diversity found throughout Toyota’s current off-road-focused offerings in North America, ranging from rally-bred compact hatchbacks like the GR Corolla to full-size family off-roaders like the Sequoia TRD Pro, we can’t help but daydream about what Toyota’s lineup might look like with even more off-roaders in its arsenal.
Using generative text-to-image artificial intelligence, we take an imagined look at what some interesting new Toyota off-road-focused models could look like, incorporating current Toyota styling cues and imagining what currently existing powertrains it could optimize. These images are for speculation purposes only and in no way depict any actual Toyota products.
1. Toyota Grand HiAce 4×4
The four-wheel drive, overland-ready van is a hot segment these days, and it’s high time Toyota decided to capitalize on all the buzz in North America that Mercedes-Benz capitalizes on with the Sprinter 4×4 and that Ford caters to with the Transit Trail. Packing the same 2.8-liter, turbodiesel four-cylinder found in the current HiAce from international markets, the Grand HiAce 4×4 would benefit from 174 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, sent to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, or perhaps even an optional six-speed manual, which Toyota offers in international markets.
With proportions slightly smaller than the Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, the Grand HiAce 4×4 could serve as a spiritual replacement for the ever-so-popular Mitsubishi Delica SpaceGear, which was never officially offered in North America but is an extremely popular import from Japan. If Toyota were to offer this Grand HiAce 4×4 in North America, it would not only offer buyers a less expensive alternative to the larger vans from other brands, but also a slightly more pricey alternative to an imported Delica SpaceGear albeit with delivery mileage, no risk of rust, fresh warranty, and dealership support. We can only dream of such a glorious van from Toyota being offered stateside for now, but such a product would certainly fill a notable gap in the brand’s North American lineup.
2. Toyota Mega Cruiser
A little known classic from Toyota’s past, the Mega Cruiser was like the Japanese marque’s take on the philosophy behind the Hummer H1. The Mega Cruiser was Toyota’s civilian version of a supersize SUV originally designed for military use and was only ever sold in Japan. It debuted in 1995 and featured a huge, 4.1-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder pulled out of a literal bus. A modern take on the Mega Cruiser would be more of a statement for the brand than a true volume sales prospect, but it would certainly add some extreme-ness to Toyota’s modern off-road lineup. Considering the fact that the Mega Cruiser’s potential market segment is no longer occupied by long-lost American icons like the Ford Excursion and the Chevrolet Suburban 2500, maybe there’s a demographic out there for something this gargantuan after all.
Although a 4.1-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder sounds awesome, it’s not a powertrain that would make much sense in a modern offering of this size, given it’ll likely weigh a ton more thanks to modern safety standards, and it would need to be significantly more fuel-efficient. That being said, Toyota might just already have the perfect engine for an all-new Mega Cruiser in the recently released Lexus LX700h, which features a hybrid, 3.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 that produces 457 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. With its hybrid efficiency and bountiful torque, the LX700h’s powertrain would be a formidable entry in this hypothetical off-road beast.
3. Toyota Bandeirante
A Brazilian classic, the Toyota Bandeirante was a South-American built J40 Land Cruiser that stayed in production as late as 2001 and, quite interestingly, was powered by locally-built Mercedes-Benz diesel engines. The Bandeirante earned its reputation for being an affordable yet sturdy workhorse that was as at home on a farm as it was climbing a mountain summit. Nowadays, however, Toyota doesn’t really offer an affordable, totally non-complex, back-to-basics off-roader akin to the Jeep Wrangler and the Ford Bronco. Featuring removable, FJ Cruiser-style crew cab doors, a removable hardtop roof, four-wheel drive, and an optional manual gearbox, a revived Toyota Bandeirante, offered across South and North America, would be an excellent addition to Toyota’s lineup to slot beneath the formidable 4Runner.
4. Toyota GR Corolla Cross
Purists, please forgive me. If you want a genuine rally-bred hot hatch from Toyota, the GR Corolla is already a phenomenal option with a charismatic, turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder under the hood that pumps out a fizzy 300 horsepower through either an engaging six-speed manual or a surprisingly intuitive eight-speed automatic. Suppose, however, that you could use a little more space than the Corolla Hatch has to offer and appreciate the higher ground clearance for your local, pothole-ridden streets or to access your steeper-than-average rural driveway. A Toyota GR Corolla Cross could combine the vivacious prowess of the GR Corolla hatchback with the added practicality and raised ground clearance of the Corolla Cross, bringing together the best of both worlds.
5. Toyota RSCe
Based on a 2001 Toyota concept car, the Toyota RSCe could combine Toyota’s contemporary electric vehicle tech with off-road capability. With a body style similar to that of the modern Toyota Crown, resembling a sort of fastback sedan body placed upon a tactical, SUV-like platform, the Toyota RSCe could bring some rugged appeal to Toyota’s otherwise bland fully electric offerings. Using the same dual-motor powertrain found in the bZ4X, the RSCe could benefit from four-wheel drive, 214 horsepower, 248 lb-ft of torque, a 0-62 mile per hour time of 6.9 seconds, and a 228-mile battery range. Sure, I can’t imagine many of these would ever see any actual off-road use, but its charismatic design and rugged personality would surely make it a favorite with EV buyers.
Final thoughts
Toyota already has a pretty varied lineup, but we strongly believe that some, if not all, of these additions would make that lineup even stronger. Think of the powerhouse the Japanese automaker would be if it had such strong offerings in even more segments than it does right now. We’re not Toyota execs, unfortunately, so the best we can do is cross our fingers and hope.
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