(AP)
Toyota’s latest concept looks like a futuristic 4x4, but was designed more for the urban grind.
The FT-4X channels the essence of the classic Toyota FJ onto a compact crossover platform that’s about the size of the Jeep Renegade, it’s most obvious competitor.
Toyota says it’s meant for casualcore off roaders who live in the city, but like to make the occasional trip into the woods -- just not that far, the picnic area will do.
(Toyota)
The FT-4x is outfitted like a vehicular Swiss Army knife, however, with a split tailgate that can swing out like doors or up together like a hatchback, a storage compartment hidden under a sliding rear floor, removable water bottles that double as door handles, and a North Face sleeping bag that straps into the center console to be used as an armrest.
(Toyota)
There are also shelves built into the dashboard where you can put wet gloves or clothes and point the tubular heating vents toward them to dry them off as you drive, a removable boom box-style audio system, and a smartphone dock behind the steering wheel that takes the place of a built-in navigation system.
(Toyota)
Although the concept isn’t equipped with a drivetrain, Toyota suggests it would use a four-cylinder with a low-range all-wheel-drive system if it ever went into production. As of now, there are no plans for that to happen, but if enough people find its “rugged charm” appealing, something like it could be filling up outdoor store parking lots one day soon.
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