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The Game-Changing Toyota Yaris Cross: Elevating the Hybrid SUV Game
ByPawaniToyota Yaris Cross 2024 2024.09.25(Toyota Yaris Cross) by RAI STAR On July 4, 2024, Toyota’s British subsidiary made a splash in the automotive world by unveiling the latest iteration of its compact SUV, the Yaris Cross. This revamped model, which builds on the original Yaris Cross launched in 2020, promises to deliver an exhilarating…
10 Spectacular Neoclassical Custom Suzuki Jimnys Ignite Automotive Enthusiasm
A different presence from the new “5-door Jimny”! Retro face “3-door Jimny” is awesome! The Latest Trend in the Custom Market
The “Jimny 5-door” came out the day before the Auto Salon… but it was a 3-door festival at the event!
The Suzuki “Jimny/Jimny Sierra” underwent a full model change to the 4th generation in 2018.The Jimny and Jimny Sierra are highly popular not only as standard versions, but also as customization bases. The Retro-Face Jimny is Awesome! Furthermore, the “Jimny 5-door” was unveiled for the first time! See the actual car you’re interested in in pictures!
Looking around the customization industry as a whole, the Jimny/Jimny Sierra has become a hot commodity for builders.
This popular model continues to have long delivery times of over 7 months, but with a significant number of units having been available for over 4 years since its release, demand for customization is higher than before.In the past, customization of previous Jimny models was mainly done at Jimny specialty stores to improve off-road performance.
Since the switch to the current Jimny, however, the user base has changed from enthusiasts to light users.Since more female users have entered the market, aero parts manufacturers, which had not been involved in the Jimny market, have started to release exclusive parts for the vehicle.Custom parts for the current Jimny have been on the market since immediately after the launch of the vehicle, including parts that change the square form to look like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, parts that recreate the atmosphere of the first-generation Jimny, and exterior parts that follow in the footsteps of the previous generation JB23/43 models.
Parts to give the G-Class look were a big hit among G-Class users and the Southeast Asian market, with some stores taking up to a year to deliver the parts.
Recently, customization for female users and light users has become popular, and the trend is to raise the vehicle height by 1 inch by changing only the coil springs, or to use pastel-colored body and wheels.
With Jimny customization becoming more and more popular, people were looking forward to seeing what new styles would appear at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2023.
In 2023, the classic taste will be even stronger, and the combination of the techniques that have been cultivated in the custom industry since the second generation Jimny and designs based on the motifs of famous cars has resulted in a lineup of highly finished custom Jimmys.
One builder commented on this year’s trend.
One builder commented on this year’s trend: “”To begin with, the custom Jimny industry tended to imitate other companies’ hit products.
So even though the brands were different, they often looked somewhat similar.
Since the current Jimny has been on the market for some time, more and more new manufacturers have entered the market. As the number of new manufacturers has been increasing since the current Jimny was launched, each company is aiming to create unique products.
In the midst of this trend, I think they are moving in the direction of neo-classic design that matches well with the Jimmy in the first place.
In particular, parts that reproduce the design of “classic cars” are popular in overseas markets, especially in Asia, and if they become a hit, they have the potential to become big business.
For example, DAMD, whose “Little. The sand-colored Jimny no longer looks like a “Gehre G.
In 2023, there were also many exterior parts that seemed to be inspired by the first generation Ford “Bronco” and the second generation Jimny (SJ30).
In addition, trial bumpers that were popular in the 1980’s and 1990’s are making a comeback, giving a fresh impact to younger users and nostalgia to middle-aged and older users.
Even in Japan, customization preferences differ by region, such as Kanto and Kansai, but the number of core users who drive off-road is decreasing compared to the 3rd generation Jimny, and the neoclassical customization may be exactly in tune with the feelings of the times.
Why are there so few “commercial vans” represented by the Hiace? Only Toyota/Nissan/Daihatsu manufactures .
“Why are there so few models of “”commercial vans”” represented by the Hiace? Why only Toyota, Nissan, and Daihatsu manufacture them?
What is the Current Situation Surrounding Commercial Vans?
There is a wide variety of passenger cars available in Japan, with domestic models alone numbering around 150.However, there are only a few commercial vans, and excluding OEMs, Toyota offers only the Hiace and Probox, Nissan offers the Caravan, NV200 Vanette, and AD (orders will be temporarily suspended at the end of August 2022), and Daihatsu offers the Granmax Cargo.
“”Hiace”” with a “”Gila face””? Or the ultra-luxurious “”Caravan””? A look at premium popular vans.
Toyota’s “”Hiace”” boasts overwhelming popularity among commercial vans.
OEMs supplying other companies are also limited to a small number of small/ordinary commercial vans.
Daihatsu supplies the Granmax Cargo to Toyota as the “”Town Ace Van. Mazda offers the Bongo Brawny Van (based on the Hiace), Bongo Van (Grand Max Cargo), and Familia Van (Probox) manufactured by Toyota and Daihatsu, but other companies do not offer light/regular commercial vans.
At this time, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Suzuki do not offer light/medium commercial vans.
On the other hand, light commercial vans are available in a wide variety of models. Suzuki has developed and produced the Every and Spacia-based models, while Daihatsu has developed and produced the Hyzet Cargo and the Atley, and OEMs have also developed their own.
Suzuki’s Every is supplied to three manufacturers as Nissan’s NV100 Clipper, Mazda’s Scrum Van, and Mitsubishi’s Minicab Van, meaning that of the eight domestic manufacturers that handle passenger cars, four sell the same vehicle if Suzuki, the supplier, is included.
Daihatsu’s Hyzet Cargo is also supplied to three manufacturers as Toyota’s “”Pyxis Van”” and Subaru’s “”Sambar Van,”” and Honda, which has no OEM relationship, develops and produces the “”N-VAN”” on its own.
Returning to light/regular commercial vans, the number of models, including OEM vehicles, is currently small.
The Hiace is by far the best-selling model, followed by the Caravan. However, the sales gap is large, and although the number of registered Caravans has increased compared to the past, it is still less than half that of the Hiace.
And Daihatsu Granmax Cargo & Toyota Town Ace vans are produced by Astra Daihatsu Motor in Indonesia. Due to the impact of being imported vehicles, even before the issue of the new coronavirus arose, delivery dates were significantly delayed depending on the timing of the contract.
Commercial vehicles are often required to be delivered in a short period of time due to corporate activities, and some dealers say that the Town Ace is difficult to sell because of its unstable delivery schedule.
In addition, vans with wagon-like bodies, such as the Probox and AD, are also experiencing lower sales. In this situation, the market for small/standard commercial vans has essentially become a market for the Hiace and Caravan, with no other vehicle types able to enter the market.
Why are there so few models of “”commercial vans”” represented by the Hiace? Why only Toyota, Nissan, and Daihatsu manufacture them?
Two Reasons for the Low Number of Commercial Van Models
There are two reasons behind the dearth of commercial van models. First, commercial vans, including small/ordinary vehicles, are thin-margin products.Because of the overwhelmingly long mileage of commercial vans, which carry cargo, dealers say that it is not unusual for a Hiace to run 300,000 to 400,000 km, requiring durability that cannot be compared to passenger cars.
Although the price is a little higher for this reason, there is not much profit to be gained by manufacturers and dealers.
For this reason, Mazda and Mitsubishi used to develop and produce light/regular commercial vans on their own, but Mazda began to introduce OEMs and Mitsubishi has stopped handling them.
The second reason why the market for small/regular commercial vans became the market for the Hiace and Caravan was the improvement of the light commercial van product line.
The 1998 changes to the light vehicle standards brought the body size to its current size and increased the load capacity.
For example, the cargo length, width, and height of the HiZet Cargo Deluxe are 1915 mm, 1270 mm, and 1250 mm, respectively, while the Granmax Cargo GL, a small commercial van, measures 2045 mm x 1495 mm x 1305 mm.
Although the Granmax Cargo is wider, the difference is only 130 mm in terms of cargo length, so many users consider the light commercial van, the HiZet Cargo, to be sufficient.
Moreover, it is not unusual for a single corporation to own several vehicles for business use. In such cases, the low maintenance cost of a light commercial van is also a big advantage.
If only one vehicle is owned, the economic burden of a light/regular commercial van is small, but if three or more vehicles are owned, the difference can be significant. A light commercial van with a small body is also advantageous when parking in a warehouse.
However, light commercial vans are more profitable than small/ordinary commercial vans. As a result, OEM vehicles have become popular, as mentioned above.
The total of the four sister vehicles, Every + NV100 Clipper + Scrum Van + Minicab Van, will reach an average of approximately 8,000 units reported per month from January to August 2022. The Hyzet Cargo + Atley + Sambar Van + Pixis Van are also approximately 8,200 units.
Since the Suzuki Spacia, the second largest selling minicar, is approximately 7,900 units, the Every and Hyzet Cargo boast an overwhelming scale when it comes to the total number of vehicles produced, including OEM vehicles.
* * *
The number of models of small/ordinary commercial vans and light commercial vans is also much smaller, because it is a tough world of thin profit margins.
To put it another way, we have a lineup of products that are extremely affordable for users and firmly support Japan’s logistics industry.
They are essential and reliable vehicles for a small number of elite customers.”
Toyota “new SUV” unveiled! “Aero specification” “RAV4 GR Sports” that seems to be fast as you see it Japan introduction? Announced in Europe.
“Toyota’s “”New SUV”” Unveiled! The “”Aero version”” of the “”RAV4 GR Sport””, which looks fast, will be introduced in Japan? Announced in Europe
Popular crossover SUV “”RAV4″” adds sporty “”GR Sport”” grade
On October 19, 2022, Toyota Motor Europe, Toyota’s European subsidiary, announced the addition of the “”GR Sport”” grade to the “”RAV4″” crossover SUV.Exclusive exterior with “”black emphasis”” looks cool! View images of the interior and exterior of the new Toyota RAV4 GR Sport .
On October 4, 2022, Toyota announced a partial improvement of the RAV4 in Japan, adding a plug-in hybrid system model to the RAV4 PHV as the “”Z grade,”” which was previously an independent model, as well as the “”Adventure”” special edition model. “”OFFROAD package II”” was also announced, but the “”GR Sport”” grade was not added.
Toyota’s new “”RAV4 GR Sport”” unveiled in Belgium
The RAV4 has been a popular full-fledged crossover SUV since its first generation launch in 1994. The current model is the fifth generation, launched in 2019; by 2020, cumulative sales will surpass 10 million units, making it what Toyota Motor Europe calls “”the best-selling SUV in the world.””
The “”RAV4 GR Sport”” announced this time is a sporty version based on the RAV4. As of October 2022, the GR Sport grade is available in five models in Japan, including the C-HR, Hilux, Prius PHV, Yaris Cross, and Land Cruiser.
The RAV4 GR Sport is available in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models with all-wheel drive (AWD-i).
Compared to the regular RAV4, the exterior is boldly styled with the addition of piano black wheel arch trim, side moldings, and back door garnishes.
The front features a new front spoiler with a black G-mesh pattern that matches the grille.
Hybrid models are finished in dark silver, while plug-in hybrid models are gunmetal gray, with different designs appropriate for different powertrains.
The front grille and back doors will also feature the GR badge.
Also on the feet are alloy wheels finished using a new ultra-precise line-cut technology. The standard 19-inch wheels have a glossy black finish with fine pinstripe detailing, highlighting the strong five-double-spoke design.
The sporty and refined exterior impression is also reflected in the interior, where the front seats are finished with animal-free synthetic leather bolsters and suede-like tactile materials.
The headrests are embossed with the GR logo, silver stitching on the seats, steering wheel and shift lever, and gunmetal trim on the doors and steering wheel for added contrast.
The floor mats and steering wheel also feature the GR logo.
In terms of driving performance, the suspension has been further improved. Firmer springs and shock absorbers have been newly installed to improve handling.
* * * *
Both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the new RAV4 GR Sport are scheduled to go on sale in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2022.”
Nissan has unveiled a luxurious version of its Elgrand minivan
Nissan has unveiled a luxurious version of its Elgrand minivan, called the “Elgrand VIP Mobile Conference Room,” which features a large monitor and various high-end amenities. The base model for this special edition is the “VIP” grade of the third-generation Elgrand, which was released in 2010. The VIP grade is designed as a “mobile office for executives” and includes features such as leather seats, reading lights, a 100V power source, and a twin sunroof. The Elgrand VIP Mobile Conference Room has a luxurious two-row, four-seat configuration instead of the standard three-row, seven-seat arrangement. Details about the vehicle have not been fully disclosed, but Nissan began testing a “mobile conference room” concept in May 2021, which may have influenced the design of this special edition.
Turbo revival! Why is Nissan’s new “X-Trail” equipped with e-POWER x VC turbo? The world’s first mechanism was amazing!
“Turbo is back! Why Nissan’s New XTRAIL with e-POWER x VC Turbo? The world’s first mechanism is amazing!
Why Combine an e-POWER Generator with a Turbo Engine?
The Nissan XTRAIL, fully remodeled and redesigned for the first time in nine years, has evolved into a new genre of SUV with a high quality feel while inheriting the “”tough gear”” from the first generation.The black V-motion grille is so cool! See 35 photos of the tough and high-quality new Nissan xtrail.
While its North American sibling, the Rogue, was fully remodeled in 2020, the Japanese version of the new xtrail was launched two years later because time was needed to install electrification technology.
Nissan’s all-new XTRAIL, completely redesigned for the first time in nine years
The new xtrail is the first in the world to feature an electric powertrain that combines a 1.5-liter VC Turbo (variable compression ratio engine) and e-POWER.
Speaking of turbocharged xtrail models, there was a 2-liter turbo that produced 280 hp in the first generation model and a 2-liter clean diesel turbo that was available in the second generation, but not in the third generation (domestic specifications), and the fourth generation marks the return of turbocharged models.
On the other hand, the new XTRAIL’s turbo engine is different from the previous ones, and is used as a generator for the e-POWER. What exactly are its features?
Nissan has been focusing on EVs and has been promoting electrification. e-POWER, a series hybrid that uses the engine as a generator, has been installed in the Note, Serena, and KIX.
The new XTRAIL will be combined with the VC turbo, which Nissan was the first company in the world to mass produce, and which can change boost pressure and compression ratios.
When using an engine as a generator, it is more efficient to keep the engine in the same state as long as possible, but if a naturally aspirated engine is used as the generator, a high-revving engine is needed to produce high output.
In contrast, the VC turbo changes the boost pressure and compression ratio, so power can be generated without having to depress the accelerator pedal as much, making it possible to generate power in a stable manner when combined with e-POWER.
In addition, because the engine does not need to be revved up, it is quiet and also contributes to fuel economy, achieving fuel economy of 19.7 km/L for 2WD and 18.4 km/L for 4WD (WLTC mode fuel economy).
Ryozo Hirakou, expert leader of the Powertrain & EV Technology Development Division, who was in charge of the development of the new XTRAIL, explains: “”The VC turbo engine is a key component of the Xtrail.
The VC turbo engine really comes into its own when combined with e-POWER. It is a 1.5-liter engine normally, but when the need arises, it can deliver 3-liter-class power from a naturally aspirated engine.
When you want more power by pressing down on the accelerator pedal, you can get more torque and power generation capability by increasing the boost pressure without the engine having to work harder.
The Return of the Turbo! Why the new Nissan XTRAIL with e-POWER x VC turbo? The world’s first mechanism is amazing!
What is the “”e-4ORCE”” four-wheel drive for daily use?
The new XTRAIL was developed with the goal of making it “”more like an EV,”” and the “”e-4ORCE”” electric drive four-wheel control technology is one of those goals.Since the XTRAIL is not so much a car for off-road fun as a car for everyday use and occasional off-road trips, Nissan focused on making it “”nice”” when driven by ordinary people on ordinary roads, while maintaining its traditional “”tough gear”” character.
e-4FORCE”” in the new Nissan XTRAIL
In addition to increased body rigidity, the new model’s four-wheel motors successfully control the driving force.
Normally, on slippery road surfaces, control is applied after the car slips, but in the past, it took 0.1 to 0.2 seconds for control to be applied. This means that the car can run without noticing that it is actually sliding.
With the e-4ORCE, we wanted to dispel the image of ‘four-wheel drive for emergencies. The e-4ORCE uses four-wheel drive to stabilize the vehicle’s behavior when driven by an ordinary driver on ordinary roads in everyday use.
Even users who do not usually go off-roading will find the e-4ORCE XTRAIL easier to drive and easier to use in everyday life,”” said Hirakoh.
* * * *
Sales of the new XTRAIL have been strong, surpassing 10,000 units, the fastest in the history of the previous generation XTRAIL and the shortest for a vehicle equipped with e-POWER. 17,000 units had been ordered as of August 31, indicating that many users have been waiting for the new XTRAIL.
Among them, the e-4ORCE was overwhelmingly chosen by 90% of the total sales by drive system. The high-performance and luxurious new XTRAIL seems to be well received not only by existing fans but also by users interested in electric vehicles.”