In his latest video, YouTuber Sam CarLegion subjected these two potent off-roaders in a series of tug-of-war battles
The contenders? Well, they’re amongst the best off-road rigs that are currently on sale, i.e popular Ford Bronco Badlands against the mighty Land Rover Defender P400. Let’s look at specs to see how these two top-tier off-roaders stack up against each other before they battle it over four rounds with their various off-road modes.
2022 Ford Bronco Badlands
In the grey corner, we’ve got the Ford Bronco Badlands, which features a 2.7 liter EcoBoost V-6, that produces 325 hp & 399 lb-ft of torque paired to a 10 speed auto box with 4WD
In the grey corner, we have the popular Ford Bronco in Badlands spec. Under the hood lies a 2.7-liter turbo V-6 EcoBoost engine that produces 325 horsepower and 399 pound-feet of torque. The Bronco features a 10-speed automatic transmission with a four-wheel drive. The Badlands sits pretty much at the top of the Bronco range with only the Edition One doing one better.
The Badlands pretty much sits at the top of the Bronco range and the one seen here is sitting on proper off-road tires. It can two about. It has a dedicated tow mode and cal haul 3500 lbs
Ford designed it to be the ultimate off-roader with its GOAT mode system also including the rock crawl mode. You’ve got differential lockers on the Ford as well. The Bronco Badlands can tow 3500 pounds and tips the scales at 5320 pounds. The Badlands sits on 17-inch rims wrapped in proper 35 inch off-road tires.
2022 Land Rover Defender P400
In the blue corner, we have Land Rover’s latest generation P400 Defender that features a 3.0-liter inline-six, which produces 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 8 speed auto with AWD
Next, in the blue corner, we have the latest generation of the Land Rover Defender P400 from across the pond. Under the hood lies a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, that produces 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to an eight-speed auto box sending power to all four wheels.
Unlike the previous old-school Defender, this latest model is loaded to the gills with a lot of high-tech off-road hardware like an electronic differential and Land Rovers legendary Terrain Response System.This particular example of the Defender can tow 8201 pounds and has a curb weight of 5035 pounds. The Defender comes wrapped in standard off-road tires with much larger rims.
So having looked at the specs, the Defender has the higher horsepower and can tow more, but the Bronco is on proper off-road knobbly tires and even though it can tow lesser, it has a dedicated tow mode. Let’s see how things pan out in this tug-of-war.
So on paper, the Defender has more power but can that compensate for the Broncos off-road tires on snow?
Tug-Of-War: Land Rover Defender P400 vs Ford Bronco Badlands
Well, lets find out as these two thoroughbreds go head to head over four rounds
Both Sam, who is sat in the Bronco, and Richard in the Defender buckle up to battle out in a series of tug-of-wars lasting four rounds. For round one, they decide to do just have the SUVs in their 4×4 automatic mode.
For round one, both SUVs are in their automatic 4WD modes. Both drivers take their foot off the brakes and gradually begin to apply pressure on the gas pedal
With that, they take their foot off the brakes and begin to gradually hit the gas pedal. Well, despite the extra power on the Defender, it, unfortunately, began to spin its wheels and struggled to put those 395 ponies to the ground. The Bronco was had better traction and as a result, managed to pull the Defender to the other side. So that’s round one to the Badlands.
For the second round, Richard in the Defender decides to engage his differential with low range and switches it up to the dedicated off-road mode. Will that make a difference? The short answer was no. It was more wheel spin for the Defender this time round as well.
For the final two rounds, Sam has the Badlands set to its most extreme settings with traction off, both differential lockers activated with four-wheel low. It was no contest this time around and the Ford pulled the Defender well beyond the midway point. So the Bronco takes the final two rounds as well.
Final Thoughts
At the onset, we wanted to know if more power could compensate for better traction? Well, you have your answer. To sum it up, Sam says that they could do this all day long and it was the better tires that were helping the Bronco in this face-off.
Now, although he feels that the Defender offers a far more refined on-road experience of the two, the Land Rover is more suited for a more mature audience. The Bronco meanwhile is most likely to be cheaper to both buy and run and he wouldn’t hesitate to give it some stick when he’s out with it in the elements.
You can watch both off-roaders battle it out in Sam’s video below
In the red corner, we have the stunning Venom 775, SWB F1-50 single cab Venom, with the heritage package. Under the hood lies a 5.0-liter Coyote engine that produces 775 hp & 685 lb-ft
In the red corner, wet have a beautiful two-door VENOM 775 F-150 sport truck that features the Heritage livery package and it really is a looker, with the contrasting white bits adding dollops of character to this truck. Under the hood of this single cab pickup lies a Coyote 5.0 liter Supercharged V-8 engine that produces 775 horsepower and 685 pound-feet of torque. It weighs in at 6050 pounds. You can switch between two or four-wheel drive. To top it off, the lowered suspension gives this sport truck a better stance.
Jeep’s Hellcat-powered Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
In the silver corner, we have a stock Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk that’s rocking a 6.2 liter supercharged V-8 under the hood and turns out 707 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels and tips the scales at 5356 pounds. Now out of the box, the Trackhawk is a beast and is mega when it comes to getting off the line.
Round One
The pair turn around and line up for a second pass. The driver in the Trackhawk switches it up to Track mode. Will that make a difference?
Now that we’ve looked at the numbers, let’s see how all this performance translates to on the track. They line up for the first pass. The hammer drops and despite being the heavier of the tow vehicles, here, it’ the Venom that took the lead from the get-go, and that gap only got bigger as the pair approached the quarter-mile line. Now the Venom is not your average Ford work truck and has even previously given the GT500 a tough time. So that’s round one to the sport truck.
Round Two
And it was a lead that only got bigger
For the second round, the driver in the Jeep switches it up to Track mode to see if that makes a difference. Well, long story short. It was. The Jeep had a much better launch this time around and it was neck and neck for quite some time, however, beyond 120, the F-150 began to pull away from the Trackhawk and mashed to clinch the win once again.
Final Thoughts
Now both vehicles employ a supercharger and pack AWD traction. The Jeep is lighter, but the Ford packs more power. Lets see how these numbers translate on track
This particular example of the Trackhawk is going to soon get an upgrade, taking its power output to 1000 horses. Can’t wait to see these two go head 2 head again to see if the added ponies make a difference.
If you look at the current SUV line-up of Volkswagen USA, you will have the new Taos as the newest and the most compact member, the next-in-line would be the Tiguan being one of the ideals of the compact SUV, then there is the eight-seater Atlas which we reviewed recently and lastly the sportier Atlas Cross Sport. Now VW ladders up from 16 percent in 2016 to a staggering 64 percent in global sales which might be the appropriate reason for updating the line-up. The new 2022 Volkswagen Taos is the new entry-level SUV that offers the core VW styling at a lower price, good performance via a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, better handling capabilities than most of its rivals, and most importantly, a good cabin experience with great seating comfort. So that’s it for the Taos? Well, we didn’t even start about the complete suite of driver aids which even includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and even blindspot monitoring. But, it faces tough competition from the likes of Kia Seltos,Hyundai Kona, and the most popular Mazda CX-30. Will the 2022 Volkswagen Taos outrun the competition? How good is it actually? Should you consider Volkswagen’s entry-level crossover?
Trims and Features
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos has been launched in three trim levels: S, SE, and SEL. All three trims get powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four engine while the FWD variants sport an eight-speed automatic transmission. The AWD trims are blessed with a seven-speed DSG or in simple words, dual-clutch automatic transmission. The latter variants also get an updated rear suspension to elevate handling dynamics. That said, here is a detailed trims and features list to help you choose the right one.
S.
Price: $22,995.
LED headlights.
Roof rails.
17-inch alloys.
8.0-inch Virtual Cockpit.
Cloth upholstery.
6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
WiFi integration with Volkswagen Car-Net.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wired connectivity.
Four-speaker audio system.
60/40 split-folding rear seats.
IQ. DRIVE package.
Price: +$995.
Active blindspot monitoring.
Forward collision warning.
Rear cross-traffic alert.
Adaptive cruise control.
Lane-keeping assist.
Emergency assistance.
SE.
Price: $27,245.
Heated rearview side mirrors.
Keyless entry.
18-inch alloys.
Remote ignition.
10-way power-adjustable driver seat with power lumbar support.
Heated front seats.
Faux-leather upholstery with cloth inserts.
Six-speaker audio unit.
8-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
SiriusXM.
Wireless charging pad.
Active blindspot monitoring.
Rear cross-traffic alert.
Forward collision.
IQ. Drive package is optional for the SE excluding the above features.
SEL.
Price: $31,490.
Illuminated grille bar.
Adaptive headlights.
Blacked-out 18-inch alloys.
Automatic high beams.
Rain-sensing automatic wipers.
Dual-zone automatic climate control.
LED ambient interior lighting.
Leather upholstery.
Heated steering wheel.
10.3-inch Virtual Cockpit.
Rear parking sensors.
8-speaker Beats premium audio unit.
Navigation system.
Ventilated front seats. (Available only with the SEL AWD)
19-inch alloys. (Available only with the SEL AWD)
IQ. Drive package unlocked.
Exterior: Just a Tiguan but compact
Well, we are not completely thrilled by the Taos’ design philosophy because it looks similar to the other thriving VW SUVs like the Tiguan and the Atlas. So there is the typical VW front fascia with LED headlights as standard, which makes it look bold along with the X-shaped upper and lower intake grille which appears in glossy black color. Here too the Taos gets visual enhancements if you choose the top-tier SEL trims: an LED light strip runs across the grille, which we have seen before and we like it more with the latest Mk8 Golf. All three trims get fake side vents, which are of no use but give the overall look a bump. We should complement the Taos’ rugged looks which, in our perspective, can get more attention while the others are focusing on the sportier SUV design. All of that is evident when you get to the front and rear bumpers, the side plastic claddings over the wheel arches, and decent-ish ground clearance. The rear gets similar design treatments as you would from VW with horizontal LED taillights with a fairly big VW logo at the center, a roof spoiler at the top, and a single exhaust tailpipe which you won’t see coming out. From the sides, you will be amazed how compact the Taos is and that will be the only differentiating factor of the crossover from its bigger and more expensive brothers. There are just two wheel sizes available: 17 and 18-inch while the SEL gets a black treatment to its 18-inch alloys.
The new Taos is built on the MQB platform and for that matter, it is quite compact. But if you see the competition, the Taos, surprisingly, is slightly longer in length at 175.8 inches, even wider at 72.5 inches while matching the height with Seltos at 64.4 inches. Surprisingly, the ground clearance is the lowest in the segment with just 6.4 inches but that would not be a deal-breaker if you stick to the tarmac. The wheelbase is the longest at 105.9 inches in the segment. The dimensions of the Taos are just the ideals for a compact crossover but said that the most compact among the competition would be the Kona while the CX-30 and Seltos are pretty much the same with an inch give or take. In terms of the overall curb weight, the Taos seems to be on the heavier side with 3,175 pounds, sliding quickly under the CX-30 while the Kona and Seltos are just under 3,000 pounds.
2022 Volkswagen Taos Exterior Dimensions
Model
2022 Volkswagen Taos
Curb Weight
3,175 lbs.
Length
175.8 in.
Width
72.5 in.
Height
64.4 in.
Ground Clearance
6.4 in.
Wheelbase
105.9 in.
Interior: Comfortable and spacious, straight-up business
While we are glad that the longer wheelbase has granted a better rear passenger seat spaciousness and all that, we are quite happy with the interior design where things didn’t get rough while cutting corners. We mean, of course, there are blocks of hard plastics but they are laid out in the typical VW way and it gets better when you pay extra for the upper trims. The dashboard trim, for example, will differ within the base S and the top-tier SEL with the latter having more air vents and a leatherette trim on the lower part along with the door panels. What remains unmatched in the segment is the default eight-inch Virtual Cockpit which gets upgraded to a ten-inch one with the SEL. The steering wheel is a flat-bottomed one found in other current Volkswagen cars but only the base trim cancels out on leatherette-wrapping and the SEL gets a heated steering wheel. While the interior features like dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, and heated front seats come default with the SEL, the SE gets leatherette/cloth upholstery, remote ignition, and a ten-way power-adjustable driver seat. The base S gets basic air conditioning, smaller infotainment and driver information displays, and cloth upholstery as standard – your typical base-model Volkswagen.
Enough of feature talks, let’s dive into a detailed overview regarding the cabin comfort and this is where the new Taos shines. Not demeaning the other competitors though, but if you compare, the Taos and the Seltos would be the best fit if you want overall comfort.Let’s start with the standard cloth seats and in our short time examining the crossover, we did notice that the cushioning is just like it should be out of an SUV. The cloth seats, though aren’t the best, are really comfortable and you can stick with the base trim if you want to make the Taos a daily commuter. Otherwise, a few thousand dollars would buy you either faux or genuine leather depending on what you choose. As for the spaciousness, the Taos has 40.7 inches of front headroom and 40.1 inches of front legroom. We would quote it as pretty standard if not less in the segment. But what is truly appreciated is the rear-seat headroom of 39.8 inches and legroom of 37.9 inches. You can take the Kona, CX-30, or the Seltos, which have an adequately spacious front row but all of them, except for the Seltos, have a cramped up rear legroom which might hinder taller passengers to experience comfortable long drives. With the Taos, your family and even friends will be more than happy. Speaking of happiness, the default boot space is set at 27.9 cubic feet which is the biggest in the taken competition and will reduce to 24.9 cubic feet with the optional AWD. The latter numbers are still better than the standard Mazda and Hyundai, to be precise.
For a quick rundown, here are the full interior features for your reference.
Dual-zone automatic climate control.
Leatherette-wrapped and heated steering wheel.
Leather upholstery.
10-way power-adjustable driver seat.
10.3-inch multi-information display.
Heated front seats.
Ventilated front seats. (AWD variants only)
2022 Volkswagen Taos Interior Dimensions
Model
2022 Volkswagen Taos
Seating Capacity
5
Front Row (Headroom/Shoulder Room/Leg Room, in inches)
40.7/56.5/40.1
Second Row (Headroom/Shoulder Room/Leg Room, in inches)
39.8/55.2/37.9
Cargo Capacity
27.9 cu.ft.
The infotainment system consists of the usual suspects which include a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration along with WiFi connectivity and connected services. The system-wide MIB3 integration is very refined but is a bit sophisticated like the other German infotainment systems. Going up the trim levels will unlock features like an eight-inch touchscreen display, LED ambient lighting, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a satellite radio, and a navigation system. A few of the important ones are listed below:
8-speaker Beats premium audio system.
Bluetooth connectivity.
Ambient interior lighting.
SiriusXM.
Volkswagen Car-Net.
Performance and Handling: Couldn’t be better at this price point
With the new Taos, you would get much better performance if compared to the naturally aspirated mess created by the competition, as standard. It is a new 1.5-liter turbocharged engine which is a slightly bored-out version of the Jetta’s base 1.4-liter engine. It produces 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of maximum torque while driving the front wheels as standard. The engine gets mated to an eight-speed auto by default but for your spirited heart, VW packs a seven-speed DCT with the optional AWD. And since it is a turbocharged engine, the torque kicks in as early as 1,750 revs, reviving a great city driving experience. But, the Taos is not the best either, because it does not have a powerful alternative engine to make the lineup more exciting like the 1.6-liter turbo-powered Seltos, a massively powerful 2.0-liter engine found with the Kona and the 2.5-liter engine with up to 310 pound-feet ratings found with the CX-30. So might not be able to get athletic with the Taos but the engine would be a great sync of adequate power and good fuel economy.
In our short time with the new Taos, we couldn’t get it for acceleration tests but Car and Driver did and they recorded a pretty good 7.4 seconds for the 0-60 and about 15.8 seconds for the standing quarter-mile. Is it any better? Absolutely. Not a single competitor has a faster take-off time than the Taos. The Seltos is the slowest among the group with 10.3 seconds, then comes the Kona with 9.2 seconds, and lastly the CX-30 with 8.4 seconds. We were talking about the 0-60 miles per hour timings, just to be clear. As for the driving impressions, the Taos is a gentleman. It acts as it should be. Not a lot of crossovers in this range will make you feel energetic except for the Kona N but will cost you a lot more than the AWD-equipped Taos. We must add to the statement that the seven-speed DCT is not the fastest and it kind of reacts harshly when accelerating hard. The DCT variants get driving modes like Normal, Eco, Sport, and Individual. The sportier Taos with DSG and All-Motion also sports a better suspension compared to the standard ones and that will unlock the handling prowess. There’s a center limited-slip diff and Volkswagen’s intelligent drive tech divides the required power to the front and rear axle to keep you moving even if you are caught up in a bad or snowy road.
2022 Volkswagen Taos Performance Stats
Model
2022 Volkswagen Taos
Engine Type
1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4
Drive Type
FWD/AWD
Transmission
8-speed shiftable automatic/ 7-speed DCT
Power
158 hp @ 5,500 RPM
Torque
184 lb-ft @ 1,750 RPM
0-60 (mph)
7.4 seconds
Quarter-mile
15.8 seconds
Top Speed
125 mph (est.)
Fuel Economy
The front-wheel-driven Taos should be the one to go for if you wish to enjoy a lower fuel cost. However, the competition is not far behind but more on that later. The smallest VW SUV has been rated 28 miles per gallon in the city, a massive 36 miles per gallon on the highway, and a combined figure of 31 miles per gallon. Now, if you compare the numbers to the likes of the Seltos and Kona, the Taos’ city mileage is a little inferior to a mile or two. But the highway mileage is quite impressive with a lead of two to three miles from the leading competition. However, if you get the AWD Taos, then the mileage will come down to 25/32/28 for city/highway/combined. As for the gas tank size, VW has packed a reasonably sized 13.2-gallon gas tank which can deliver up to 475 miles on the highways.
Model
2022 Volkswagen Taos
MPG (City)
28
MPG (Highway)
36
MPG (Combined)
31
Tank Capacity (Gallons)
13.2
Range (City, Highway, Combined)
369.6/475.2/409.2
How safe is the 2022 Volkswagen Taos?
If you want to get your hands on the full suite of driver aids, then you have to choose the IQ. Drive, which is a $995 additional add-on available for the S and SE and is standard on the top SEL trim. The IQ. Drive will unlock features like forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, active blindspot monitoring, and emergency assistance. We recommend you to not miss this opportunity and if you want an all-round protection with the availability of a semi-autonomous driving experience then the package is a must-have. The Taos is a relatively new crossover that has not received any federal ratings for crash tests from the NHTSA. The IIHS, however, rates the same with the “Good” in the roof strength category and both “Good” and “Marginal” in the headlights category. We will let you know if there are more tests conducted by these agencies. Here are a few standard safety features found with the Taos.
Auto delay off headlamps.
ABS.
Dusk-sensing headlights.
Dual front side-mounted airbags.
Front and rear head airbags.
Post-collision safety system.
Stability control.
Tire pressure monitoring.
Emergency braking assist.
Should you buy the 2022 Volkswagen Taos?
We mean, why not? For the asking price of $22,995, you are getting a spirited yet economical 1.5-liter engine, adequate power on offer, a well-designed cabin with the Virtual Cockpit as standard, optional IQ. Drive and lastly a comfy rear row. All of these features are quite important and VW delivered them well but the competition is not something you should laugh at. The Kona gets a lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, automated emergency braking, and driver attention warning, all of these as standard. The Seltos on the other hand is a great crossover with ample space on offer but comes at a cheaper price tag than the Taos. The only nitpick we would like to discuss and that might be a dealbreaker for a lot of people would be the lack of a few important driver assistance features as standard.
FAQ.
Is the Volkswagen Taos new?
Yes, the Taos is an all-new crossover by the German automobile conglomerate, Volkswagen AG.
At what price does the Volkswagen Taos start?
You can get the new Taos at $22,995 without the destination charges. However, the top-tier SEL is priced at about $31,490.
How powerful is the 2022 Volkswagen Taos?
The 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four engine powered Taos puts out 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque while driving either the front wheels or all four wheels.
How efficient is the Volkswagen Taos?
The front-wheel driven Taos gets an EPA rating of 28/36/31 for city/highway/combined and these figures drop down to 25/32/28 if you choose the 4-Motion system.
The Land Cruiser 70 Series Is Special in a Unique Way
To put it into context, the 70 series is nearly four decades old and came out in 1984, the same year that Apple debuted its Macintosh, the Cosby Show was a ratings winner, and Bruce Springsteen was performing Dancing in the Dark.
What this 70 really is, is a no-nonsense off-roader with just the essentials and not much else.
These days, every other cross-over is being splashed on with Body cladding and touted as an SUV, but the 70 Series is what a REAL SUV looks like.
I mean ask yourself, how many of you would actually take your prized Porsche Cayenne, or BMW X5, or even a Range Rover, mud-plugging?
With something like the 70, you wouldn’t think twice about heading off-road. Surprisingly, in keeping with the times, the 70s boxy design has aged well, and thankfully the Boxy form factor really is coming back. I mean take a look at the new Ford Bronco and the Land Rover Defender.
How the Land Cruiser 70 Series came about
The Toyota Land Cruiser had already established a good reputation as a rugged, no-nonsense 4WD vehicle that could be relied on in the world’s most hostile climates. There were limitations to what could be done to upgrade its predecessor, the 40-series models.
As a result, Toyota’s Chief Engineer back then, Masaomi Yoshii overhauled the design and had to adhere to these rules. What resulted was the 70-series, which led the Land Cruiser into a new generation. It has been in dealerships in several parts of the world since then.
Toyota widened the LandCruiser’s design brief to include more comfortable family-friendly station wagons (the 55 Series and then 60 Series), leaving the 40 Series vehicles as the range’s sole workhorses. And it was in this capacity that the 70 Series stepped in.
What’s So Special About the Land Cruiser 70 Series?
Toyota’s 70 Series really is part of a long-running line of vehicles that completes the workhorse end of the LandCruiser lineup. It might be functional and utilitarian, but they certainly are dependable and easy to fix. Ask someone who takes the things in the bush. They really do swear by them,
There are a number of tried and tested gas or diesel engines. There are several body styles to choose from. It is, therefore, best to think of the 70 Series as a family of cars rather than a standalone vehicle.
It has all of the off-road capabilities of a typical Land Cruiser minus the extravagance and luxury features that we are so spoilt for these days.
The vehicle is legendary for its toughness and the design is so good that the 70 has been in series production without being overhauled since 1984. That is a staggering 37 years.
To keep it relevant in modern times, Toyota has updated the 70 with safety and tech over the years, like Airbags and ABS. Even a five-speed manual gearbox was finally added with a taller fifth gear back in 2017 to further refine the experience from behind the wheel.
Where can you get one?
Today, Toyota still sells both SUV and pickup variants of the 70 Series in countries like the UAE, Australia, and many parts of the world. People in Dubai for example can still get a brand new one for as little as $38,600. Another fan favorite, theFJ Cruiser, which Toyota discontinued in the United States in 2014, is still available in the UAE.
Africa is another favorite destination for the Land Cruiser 70 Series. In South Africa for instance, pickup variants of the 79 Series based on the 70 Series are still available, notably last year’s Namib edition. Also, in some South American markets, such as Venezuela, you can still purchase a Land Cruiser 70.
Why didn’t the 70 make it here?
Back in the day, following the end of production of the classic FJ40, Toyota split the Land Cruiser lineage in two. The four-door FJ60 wagon, that remained on the American market and the LC series. However the 70 Series – a more direct replacement for the FJ40 — was one iconic model that the American market never got. As such, it is possibly the most enticing vehicle for US Land Cruiser fans — at least until we learn when the new 300 Series Land Cruiser will be available here.
While it’s a shame the J70 Cruiser never made it to the United States, Toyota had its fair share of reasons. Due to emissions regulations, it wasn’t made available in either the United States or Europe. However, it is available in much of the rest of the world. The most obvious one being is that the automaker already sells a bare-bones, very durable, smaller SUV in the United States. The Toyota 4Runner.
Final Thoughts
Many four-wheel drives have a long model cycle, but no one could have imagined that the 70 Series would still be in production in 2021 when it was introduced nearly four decades ago. Toyotas formula took the approach of why fix something that ain’t broke with this one and it definitely seems to have worked. Since the car has been around for this long, would it be a good candidate for an EV resto-mod conversion by importing an example over 25 years old? Let us know in the comments below.
Here’s Paul Maric from Car Expert YouTube Channel take us on an in-depth tour of the Land Cruiser 70 series.
Toyota is moving production of the Sequoia to Texas and bringing two new three-row SUVs to its Indiana plant.
Toyota Motor will add two new, three-row SUVs to its already large line-up of sport-utility vehicles, the automaker announced.
Though Toyota revealed only a few details, it indicated one of the new models will be sold through the Toyota division, the other through Lexus. To bring them online, meanwhile, the Japanese giant plans to invest $803 million to upgrade its plant in Princeton, Indiana.
Since it was opened in 1998, Toyota has spent $6.6 billion on the Princeton factory, known as TMMI. It currently produces three Toyota-branded light trucks, the full-size Sequoia, the latest-generation Sienna minivan that is produced solely as a hybrid, and the Highlander SUV which is produced both in hybrid and conventional gas versions.
The plant soon will have a bit more space available, even without the upgrade. Production of the Sequoia model will be transferred to Toyota’s San Antonio plant in 2022. That’s part of a broader shift in its manufacturing footprint coinciding with the launch of a new Alabama factory that will operate as a joint venture with Mazda.
New SUVs will target growing families
Toyota is investing $803 million into its Princeton, Indiana plant to build two new large SUVs.
The new models going into TMMI will be “designed with the active Gen Y American family in mind,” Toyota officials said, meaning they will be offered with three rows and seating for up to eight. Today, the flagship brand offers four different three-row SUVs, the Highlander, 4Runner, Land Cruiser and Sequoia. Lexus offers three rows in its LX, GX and RX utility vehicles.
Both new models will be “electrified,” though Toyota did not say whether that means conventional hybrids, like the Highlander, or more advanced plug-in hybrids like the RAV4 Prime. Neither of the new models is expected to offer an all-electric drivetrain, though the automaker announced in February plans to introduce three battery-electric vehicles for the U.S. market by mid-decade. At that point, Toyota previously said, it expects to offer electrified options for virtually every product in its line-up.
“This investment and new vehicle lineup will allow us to continue our work with electrification, expand our portfolio to about 70 models globally by 2025, and meet the needs of our customers while we accelerate toward carbon neutrality,” Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor America, said in a statement.
Toyota’s Indiana plant produces the Highlander and Sienna before adding the two new vehicles.
Plenty of tech for Gen Y buyers
The new SUVs will use some of Toyota’s newest technologies, starting with a smartphone-as-key system allowing a motorist to operate it through an app, rather than a conventional keyfob.
The app also will allow the new models to park remotely, letting a driver exit before trying to squeeze the SUV into a tight space. And while it is unclear where the technology will first be used, the SUVs also will “allow for hands-free driving in certain conditions.” That sounds similar to semi-autonomous technologies now coming to market such as Tesla’s Autopilot, General Motors’ Super Cruise and the upcoming Ford Blue Cruise. Toyota has not offered details, such as whether it will charge a subscription fee as its competitors do.
The aftermarket company has already tried this in the TRX when it built a 6×6 version of the truck called the Mammoth. But, coming from Hennessey, no stick figures are even enough. So, they tuned it up to produce 1,200 horses, thus making it one of the most powerful trucks ever. The company has even tuned-up the standard 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 Hellcat engine and offers the TRX with it. It makes 310 horses and 319 pound-feet of twist more than the stock truck, which brings the power output to 1,012 ponies and 969 pound-feet of torque.
John even mentioned Hennessey’s got about 60 TRXs in total, so it seems like a popular choice for the Hellephant build in the four-wheel-drive avatar. For now, the company has got two Hellephant crate motors with it, which could mean both, the TRX and the Durango, getting one engine each. We could see these builds make more than 1,200 horses and perhaps, over 1,000 pound-feet of torque too.
Conclusion
This video was the first episode of a new ‘Hellephant Madness’ series, so we could see the crate engines being plonked into the vehicles in the upcoming videos. If you were to make a decision, which vehicle would you choose to be powered by the 7.0-liter, 1,000-horsepower Hellephant engines? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
