Future Toyota 4x4s for the US Market

p nut

p nut

butter
Kermit said:
...While the vehicles are getting bigger, they are becoming more efficient and more powerful...
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And more importantly, safer.

I like the direction Ford took with the EcoBoost netting great MPG gains. I don't care much for hybrid systems or diesel (don't ban me), but I like the idea of maybe a small turbo mated to the 2.7L in the Tacoma.
 
Clutch

Clutch

<---Pass
p nut said:
And more importantly, safer.
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Yes indeed. I tend to get nostalgic, and think I want an older vehicle...then I drive one.

I like the direction Ford took with the EcoBoost netting great MPG gains. I don't care much for hybrid systems or diesel (don't ban me), but I like the idea of maybe a small turbo mated to the 2.7L in the Tacoma.
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I like it too, as you said...would be real nice if Toyota tossed on a turbo on their 4 banger. Shouldn't be too hard to get 250+ HP and maintain decent mileage, IIRC a supercharged 2.7 gets around 250HP. 25 mpg is good enough for me...30 would be perfect.

Diesel....I go back and forth. I do like gassers because they are quieter, plus since we ride motos...only have to carry one type of fuel. I can run it in the truck, bikes, and camp stove...


The article says this VW Amarok can achieve 30 mpg's, I don't see why a Tacoma/4Runner couldn't.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/04/volkswagen-amarok-pricing-starts-at-around-35k.html
 
Viggen

Viggen

Just here...
Kermit said:
Always seems cumbersome to me, especially if it is a column shift. Never did like those 3 on a tree mannies
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I agree. Shifting on the column is a little awkward but if its a floor/ tunnel mounted one, its very easy to move up and down the gate.

Kermit said:
Would like to see at least 30 mpg's.
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I do not see why this is not possible. Diesel tech, at the very least, is there. Gas tech is getting there as well.


Kermit said:
While the vehicles are getting bigger, they are becoming more efficient and more powerful.
Click to expand...

They are getting larger but theyre only becoming more efficient in car form. There they are using smaller displacement with forced induction, more gearing and smarter controls to keep the motor in its peak efficiency, etc... In trucks, they seem to not even bother anymore and I think thats because we dont make enough noise demanding real improvements. 20 city on a bone stock V6 truck is garbage but no one cares about changing it because those that buy them have just accepted it. Toyota touts their hybrid technology. VW is putting it into their TReg. There are all electric cargo trucks running around for FedEx. Theres no reason why Toyota cannot use some of its tech in the truck market.


The Amarok gets 30 because its a twin turbo 2 liter diesel....which makes the same power as a gas V6. Ford is cashing in on the nomenclature of "EcoBoost." Just a fancy way of saying turbo BUT they are getting good results.
 
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Clutch

Clutch

<---Pass
Flagster said:
The first comment on that article says all you need to know about the US market..."KING RANCH" baby
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LOL...yeah I had that conversation in another Toyota thread with Dave in Denver. Why buy a *$35-40K diesel Tacoma, when you can get a F150/250/350 for cheaper...























*
unicorn.jpg
 
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Clutch

Clutch

<---Pass
Viggen said:
I agree. Shifting on the column is a little awkward but if its a floor/ tunnel mounted one, its very easy to move up and down the gate.
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It is probably just me not being used to it, I tend to jam it into neutral accidentally in our Trooper. I like to put my truck in 3rd coming down the local mountain here to stay off the brakes...the Trooper doesn't like the lower gears, it is most likely that GM tranny in the Trooper...it doesn't like to be shifted manually, it tends to over heat. Can't wait to sell it really.

They are getting larger but theyre only becoming more efficient in car form. There they are using smaller displacement with forced induction, more gearing and smarter controls to keep the motor in its peak efficiency, etc... In trucks, they seem to not even bother anymore and I think thats because we dont make enough noise demanding real improvements. 20 city on a bone stock V6 truck is garbage but no one cares about changing it because those that buy them have just accepted it. Toyota touts their hybrid technology. VW is putting it into their TReg. There are all electric cargo trucks running around for FedEx. Theres no reason why Toyota cannot use some of its tech in the truck market.
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Agreed.

Yeah, I don't know why they don't do it their trucks...always thought a diesel hybrid would be perfect. Might fetch 35-40 mpgs.

The Amarok gets 30 because its a twin turbo 2 liter diesel....which makes the same power as a gas V6. Ford is cashing in on the nomenclature of "EcoBoost." Just a fancy way of saying turbo BUT they are getting good results.
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Could you imagine how fun the Tacoma or 4Runner would be if they did that to their 4.0? The Eco-Boost, if IIRC is 385hp/420tq....however it doesn't get much better fuel economy than the 5.0 V8...maybe 2-3 mpgs more and that is it. Have another riding buddy with the Eco-Boost, while fun to drive, the quality just isn't up there like Toyota's. He has 30,000 miles on it, and a bunch of little things are going wrong already. I highly doubt it will be a 200-300,000 mile truck like what Toyotas are achieving.
 
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cruiser guy

cruiser guy

Explorer
Viggen said:
As for the future of Toyota 4x4s in America....no fuel efficiency, no care. The fact that below 20 mpg is still acceptable with 19 or 20 being considered 'good' is ridiculous. The technology is there, make it happen. Cylinder deactivation, alternative fuels, direct injection, forced induction, more efficient transmissions, etc...

Also, stop the bloat. The new 4Runner is bigger than my 60 series Cruiser, which I thought was too big.
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My 1982 BJ60 has returned a measured 30+mpg and regularly returns 25+mpg on the highway. It may not be the fastest vehicle on the road but it gets me where I want to go and it is still, 30 years on, easier on fuel than the new comparable vehicle! The newer 1HZ engines are not as easy on fuel as the old 3B. 19 - 20 mpg is not good, maybe it was 30 years ago but by now it should be much better.

It has received some mods over the years and I have not kept the MPG log like I once did. I may do a log again next year on my trip from Sierra Leone to Germany once we get out of sub-Saharan Africa and onto some half decent roads. I'm curious if the turbo and larger tires will do much to the economy especially since I'll be running expensive European fuel once we get to Spain.

Turbo's shine when on a diesel because there is no fixed air-fuel ratio. On a diesel with a wide air-fuel ratio turbo's make lots of sense as there are times, at least on older non-electronically controlled diesels where it might be overfueling and a diesel helps out with more air and consequently more power too!! It's a win-win which is why most modern diesels are turbo-charged. A turbo-charged gas engine gives more power for the engine size but isn't as beneficial as on a diesel.
 
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H

hoser

Explorer
cruiser guy, are you calculating MPG with imperial gallons? If so, you might be throwing some of the US members off. I think I can do 20mpg (US) with my 3B on a good day.
 
Rattler

Rattler

Thornton Melon's Kid
As long as the turbo isn't like my WRX. If you could keep your foot out of the turbo it got great mileage but that was almost impossible to do with that car. I averaged @ 13 mpg around town and 20 hwy. I did make a trip or 2 staying out of it and it got @ 25-27 mpg with a very free-flowing exhaust.
 
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peneumbra

Explorer
Speaking of shifting... You guys who like to shift should at some point try driving an old semi-tractor with twin sticks. Like, for instance, a 5x4 or 5x3, etc. Gives you a whole new perspective on changing gears... There are several videos on youtube showing this.
 
Clutch

Clutch

<---Pass
peneumbra said:
Speaking of shifting... You guys who like to shift should at some point try driving an old semi-tractor with twin sticks. Like, for instance, a 5x4 or 5x3, etc. Gives you a whole new perspective on changing gears... There are several videos on youtube showing this.
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I haven't had a chance to drive one of those yet, our 10 ton dump did have a 2 speed rear end that you had to double clutch. My '73 VW Westy shifts better if
you double clutch it.
 
cruiser guy

cruiser guy

Explorer
hoser said:
cruiser guy, are you calculating MPG with imperial gallons? If so, you might be throwing some of the US members off. I think I can do 20mpg (US) with my 3B on a good day.
Click to expand...

A lot depends on where you're running it at. Get the RPM's up and down goes the fuel economy. If the right foot gets heavy and the speeds climb, down goes the fuel economy.

Keep the RPM's down around 2000 and the speed around 50 - 55 mph and it does quite good.

When I had 30mpg it was a rather slow highway trip back in Canada when I was still running stock tires and no other mods.

I'll be doing my next round of measurements in kilometers per liter next year on the way to Germany. Here in Sierra Leone it's pointless to try to calculate mpg. Fueling is from dirty five gallon oil containers, guess how many you need and they pour them in (through a funnel to remove the dirt) so you don't have a good starting point or accurate measurements, not to mention the slow driving over crappy roads. Who knows what else might be in the diesel.
 
Clutch

Clutch

<---Pass
The other thing that would be nice, if the Tacoma was available with a 7.5' bed single cab like the HiLux.

5e8f99e054.jpg
 
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