Toyota Not Planning On Many Takers For 4-Cylinder 4Runner
Toyota is bringing an economical new four-cylinder engine back to the base SR5 version of its fully redesigned 2010 4Runner. But as we recently discovered, this doesn't significantly improve fuel economy for this body-on-frame ute. Instead though, it appears to enable Toyota to offer a value-leader model at an even more affordable price.
The 2010 Toyota 4Runner starts at $27,500 for the four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive SR5. That's an $1,140 price cut versus the base RWD 2009 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V-6. This year's base V-6 4Runner runs $29,175, however.
Once upon a time, most of Toyota's 4Runners in the U.S. were sold with economical four-cylinder engines. That was the '80s, but Toyota did offer a four-cylinder version all the way through the beginning of this decade, and just a few years later, for 2003, Toyota began offering a V-8 on the 4Runner.
This year, the V-8 is no more. The new four—the same 2.7-liter engine that's also installed in the Tacoma— makes 157 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque and is only offered with two-wheel drive, in 4Runner SR5 trim. An official suggested that other models weren't offered because of concerns that the model would be underpowered with 4WD or as a Trail model.
One look at the official EPA fuel economy ratings give you another perspective—and a lesson that smaller engines don't always bring better fuel economy. The four-cylinder engine isn't likely to save you much, if any, money over the long run in the 4Runner, because even in four-cylinder form the engine hauls around nearly 4,300 pounds of curb weight.
The four-cylinder 2010 4Runner is rated at 18 mpg city, 23 highway, while the V-6 4Runner, with rear-wheel drive, does almost as well, at 17/23 (17/22 with 4WD). Towing capacity is 2,000 pounds for the four-cylinder model, versus 5,000 pounds for all the other 2010 4Runners.
Last year's 4Runner V-6 rated as low as 16/20 with 4WD—the improvements mainly attributed to revised gear ratios—and with the now-discontinued V-8 engine the 4Runner achieved just 14 mpg city, 17 highway.
A base Toyota Highlander—about the same size, and with the same size four-cylinder engine (though technically not the same unit)—weighs about 3,800 pounds and gets 20 mpg city, 27 highway.
In all, Toyota expects four-cylinder models to only make up about five percent of 2010 4Runner sales, nationwide, with total sales of 25,000 to 30,000. At one time, Toyota sold more than 100,000 4Runners per year.
Surprisingly, Toyota will only make the four-cylinder 4Runner available only in select markets. In California, where there's still a market for rear-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicles, Toyota plans to sell the vast majority of them; it will likely be offered more widely in Southern states but only special-order in Northern climes.
One thing's for sure: By getting into the four-cylinder market, Toyota has an engine option that's not offered in any of its rivals like the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, 2010 Kia Borrego, or 2010 Ford Explorer.
Although V-6 versions of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner are already at dealerships, the four-cylinder model will be arriving this month or next. Stay tuned tomorrow as TheCarConnection.com brings you driving impressions of the brand-new 4Runner, and we'll update you on how the four-cylinder version stacks up as soon as we can get some seat time.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
The Ten Most Fuel-Efficient Cars For ’10
Most ordinary gasoline models look like guzzlers next to the hybrids—and a few compact diesel models—that dominate the upper echelon of this year's EPA fuel economy ratings. For instance, according to the EPA's Fuel Economy Guide information released last week, a 2010 Toyota Prius will cost less than half as much to keep fueled for a year's worth of driving than the seemingly fuel-efficient four-cylinder, all-wheel-drive 2010 Toyota RAV4. According to EPA estimates, the savings would rack up to $850; and that's with gas prices at a relatively low $2.58 a gallon.
At least you're not driving a 2010 Lamborghini Murcielago (8 mpg City) or a 2010 Bentley Azure or Bentley Brooklands (9 mpg City), right? Right?
The hybrid-heavy results aren't too surprising, but there remains just one non-hybrid gasoline model in our top ten, with the 2010 Toyota Yaris, and Volkswagen's new 2010 Golf and Jetta diesels, filling it up. Several new hybrid models for 2010, including the Honda Insight and Lexus HS 250h, have taken new top positions and pushing out other small, inexpensive cars, while the 2010 Toyota Prius was again the most fuel-efficient vehicle overall, with a 50-mpg Combined rating.
We've listed official fuel economy figures and estimated annual fuel cost from the EPA (assuming 15,000 miles and that $2.58/gal fuel price), and our Overall Rating and Bottom Line take on these models. Please click on the individual models for detailed information including pricing, specs, and comprehensive reviews, plus galleries of images.
Here are this year's fuel economy champs:
Toyota Prius
EPA City/Highway/Combined mpg: 51/49/50
EPA Annual Fuel Cost: $774
TheCarConnection Meta Review Rating: 8.2
The Bottom Line: The 2010 Toyota Prius ups the ante in the hybrid world with 51-mpg city fuel economy and a finer style.
Between TheCarConnection.com, GreenCarReports.com, and our go-to site, AllAboutPrius.com, we've reported, literally, all about this mileage-topping model. We like the more upscale feel of the new Prius, its improved headroom, and more upscale feel while criticizing its restrictive new console design and, well, how it still drives very much like a hybrid. In several driving experiences the editors of TheCarConnection.com have seen some very extraordinary high-mileage results in ordinary driving. Most recently, we averaged 53 mpg in 140 miles of commute-style driving, but we've also seen as high as 77 mpg, and in his First Drive Executive Editor Marty Padgett reported getting nearly 70 mpg "without even really trying—just coasting to stops, accelerating very gradually and using the Prius' EV mode to coast into our host hotel."
Read more
Big Accidents Come In Small Packages
Here's one that even we could've predicted--before coffee: tiny cars don't fare well in accidents.
Like one of those scientific studies that are obvious, foregone conclusions but someone has to conduct them anyway just to get everything on paper (e.g. "Does jogging make you sweat?"), the friendly folks at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety played smash-up with a handful of minicars. In the ring, they pitted brother against brother: a Honda Accord versus a Fit, a Mercedes C class versus a Smart Fortwo, and a Toyota Camry versus a Yaris. And what did they find? "[V]ery small cars generally can't protect people in crashes as well as bigger, heavier models." Parallel tests revealed that Skittles do not taste like rainbows, breathing makes you live, and drinking gasoline is bad for you.
On a serious note, it's important to point out that the IIHS took it easy on the minicar segment, using only those cars with good crash test ratings and pairing them with mid-sized cars rather than full-sized vehicles or--ouch--big rigs. Also important to note, as IIHS president Adrian Lund points out: although many buyers opt for minicars for their fuel-efficiency, buyers can often get higher mpgs (and better safety ratings) with a mid-sized hybrid. Hint
Finally, for those who refuse to believe anything that's not in video format, here's a clip with Lund, who'll walk you through some of the study's finer points. Among his awesome (though scripted) soundbites, you'll find this gem: "Although all cars have gotten much safer in recent years, you can't repeal the laws of physics." Word.
[source: IIHS]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
