The new 4Runner is UGLY!

[MinisterofDOOM]

I passed one on the freeway yesterday. Terrible looking truck. WTF is wrong with Toyota? Decades of building spectacular midsize trucks but ever since the Tundra debuted it's been downhill for the midsizers.

Pics first, then criticism.



Like the Tundra, it's trying WAY too hard. It looks like a caricature of itself. Odd blending of curves and corners that reminds me of the last-gen Malibu (VERY BAD THING). As with all Toyotas, the headlights and taillights protrude comically beyond the rest of the bodywork. It's the midsize SUV equivalent of a steroid freak.

The proportions are all out-of-whack, too. The too-tall beltline leaves the roof looking low, and windows looking narrow. The whole combination de-truckifies the look significantly. Which I'm sure is exactly what Toyota's going for.

The pictures don't really do the sharpness of the design justice. It is INCREDIBLY SQUARE. But the details are dominated by curves. Really mismatched and schizophrenic. It's a visual mess.

I don't like it. What happened to subtle-but-effective like this?


I hate you, Toyota. Every car you ever made that I actually liked has been systematically ruined over the past decade.

It looks even worse next to the Pathfinder, which is clean, consistent, and simple.

[Jesda]

Christ, that thing is bad.


My parents have a rock solid 2004 Lexus LX470 with 290k. The only problem has been a faulty steering lock at 280k that prevented it from starting -- $3,000 to repair. The lumbar adjustment died but the dealer wants to replace the whole seat for a grand, so that remains broken. Overall, its been an excellent all-purpose family vehicle.

They refuse to replace it because the current offerings from Lexus and Toyota are hideous looking, poorly built, and grossly overpriced. Mom's GX470 is tall, awkward, and cramped inside with a STUPID side-opening rear hatch -- she regrets buying it.

Same goes for their other previously-favored brand, Acura. Mom had one crappy MDX and one pretty good one, but now nothing new from Acura is worth looking at.

I don't understand these manufacturers.

[Jesda]

It reminds me of the eye-burning GMC Terrain:

[MinisterofDOOM]

Wow...yeah.

Look the window sills on both of them. The bottoms of the windows are level with the TOPS of the seatbacks. INSANE. If the trend continues, little old ladies aren't going to be able to see out of anything.

[sx moneypit]

It reminds me of the eye-burning GMC Terrain:

My thoughts too. Both of them are hideous.

[Bubba1]

I passed one on the freeway yesterday. Terrible looking truck. WTF is wrong with Toyota? Decades of building spectacular midsize trucks but ever since the Tundra debuted it's been downhill for the midsizers.

Pics first, then criticism.
[]

I agree with you. The new 4 runner seems overstyled, kinda like Mitsubishi. Too many lines, flares, etc. The fender flares do nothing for me. I think the narrow windows are simply following a recent styling trend.
I love the simplicity of the older 4 runners. Nice basic truck. Good visibility, functional styling, built well. and mine's not for sale.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Same goes for their other previously-favored brand, Acura.

The 5-cyl Vigor was a simple, attractive, fun car. The TL, it's modern descendant, is a fat, complicated, ugly mess. That contrast pretty much holds true across their entire lineup.

[Poyzinous]

You can easily say they tried too hard. Way too hard. They're trying to be too Cadillac-y about it.

[Jesda]

You can easily say they tried too hard. Way too hard. They're trying to be too Cadillac-y about it.

Indeed. Even the new Escalade is restrained and simple.

[Otto.]

Same goes for their other previously-favored brand, Acura.

The 5-cyl Vigor was a simple, attractive, fun car. The TL, it's modern descendant, is a fat, complicated, ugly mess. That contrast pretty much holds true across their entire lineup.

All of the newer Honda's and Acura's are ugly. They are trying to go for a sharp, blocky, aggressive look, but instead, they end up with something that looks like a toy... a really ugly toy.





This car is just wrong... in nearly every way.

Some other examples:







Oh... and then there's this.

[Jesda]

Now I feel better.

[hachiroku781]

I hate Toyota more and more everyday. They produce such ugly models and the most boring cars.

[AZhitman]

This thread is win.

You guys are MUCH more in-touch with style (and critiques thereof) than most automotive journalists.

BTW, the last 2 generations of 4-runner were great designs. This one is a LOLfest. Really, really bad.

Build a modern interpretation of the late-80's SR5 trucks and you'll have a winner. Won't happen.

[AZhitman]

Same goes for their other previously-favored brand, Acura.

The 5-cyl Vigor was a simple, attractive, fun car. The TL, it's modern descendant, is a fat, complicated, ugly mess. That contrast pretty much holds true across their entire lineup.

Agreed.

The 90-95 Legend Coupe STILL makes my Top 10 Best Designs list, even a decade-and-a-half later. Too bad Acura hasn't built a "beautiful" car since then.

[ADDirishboy]

Build a modern interpretation of the late-80's SR5 trucks and you'll have a winner.

God damn I miss my truck!

[Encryptshun]

I'd like to stick a fork in the eyes of the automotive marketing consultancy that first sold the phrase "dramatic lines" to a manufacturer. We need less drama and more sincerity -- in our lives, in our media, and in our vehicles. I see these "extreme" design elements as a perfect illustration of what we learned from Ian Malcolm in "Jurassic Park":

"Yeah, but the [x] were so busy wondering if they COULD that they didn't stop to think if they SHOULD."

And the remedy they opt for is, instead of de-uglifying their designs, they try to out-ugly each other. Ugly is the new beautiful, I guess?

[AZhitman]

Build a modern interpretation of the late-80's SR5 trucks and you'll have a winner.

God damn I miss my truck!

Such a clean, timeless design... and on a truck, no less.

(New) Toyota, you fail.

[Jesda]

Chris (MoD) should get a journalism degree and go write for some auto magazines.

[Dittoz7]

Tonka Toy Status.

[lino]

Maybe Acura thought that they could compete with the BMW X6 :

[AZhitman]

Mmmmmmmm.... Tasty.

[wingFeather]

Not surprised... Toyota has been putting out garbage for decades. Every time I am forced to look at a Camry I want to PUKE.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

The vigor had 5 cylinders?

[AZhitman]

Yep. 2.5L IIRC.

[Bubba1]

Not surprised... Toyota has been putting out garbage for decades. Every time I am forced to look at a Camry I want to PUKE.

Decades? You're a fool. I regularly have strangers ask me to contact them when I'm ready to sell my 4 runner. (97 SR5 5 speed no rust). yeah, it's garbage..

[kouki munster]

The new 4 runner looks like a bag of smashed a**, along with the vast majority of toyota's current line up.

The last good looking truck that toyota put out was the previous generation tundra. I had a 04 sr5 4x4 tundra a few years ago, it was a pretty good truck.

Not the truck I had but it looks similar other that the color, wheels, and tires.



But that still doesn't hold a candle in looks to my current truck.

7500 ibs of 6.0 turbo diesel fun, of course with a few modifications to strengthen the weak links in the 6.0.

[Jesda]

Not surprised... Toyota has been putting out garbage for decades. Every time I am forced to look at a Camry I want to PUKE.

Decades? You're a fool. I regularly have strangers ask me to contact them when I'm ready to sell my 4 runner. (97 SR5 5 speed no rust). yeah, it's garbage..

I like those 4Runners a lot, and the resale value reflects it. Unfortunately, the engines are prone to sludging up.

[dasoupdude]

giggity

[AZhitman]

^ HOT.

[Mr1der]

BUT IT HAS A PARTY BUTTON.