Wild snow-ready Toyota SUV, pickup concepts revealed
The US division of Toyota has modified its off-road vehicle lineup to show just how capable its SUVs and pickups can be in the harshest of winter conditions.
Toyota has gone big for this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, revealing five highly modified versions of the Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner, Land Cruiser (sold in Australia as the LandCruiser Prado), and Sequoia.
Dubbed the ‘Snowhunter’ concepts, the five SUVs and pickups were developed by Toyota’s Michigan-based CALTY Design Research department, aiming to produce the best winter expedition vehicles possible.
“Altogether, Toyota’s Snowhunter concepts express a shared vision for winter exploration – one where capability meets creativity, and the season opens new paths among snow-covered pines and crystalline snow-covered fields,” the brand said.
All finished in unique ‘Snowhunter’ camouflage with special badging and gloss-black exterior accents, the five vehicles share striking white powder-coated snow tracks as well as genuine Toyota and TRD lift components, making the wheel removal possible.
The Land Cruiser Snowhunter Concept – based on what’s sold in Australia as the LandCruiser Prado 250 Series – is fitted with rock rails and skid plates, a Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels, and a Thule SnowPack ski rack.
While Australian versions of the 250 Series are exclusively powered by a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, the US market receives a turbocharged 2.4-litre petrol-hybrid.
Toyota's Snowhunter 4Runner (left), Land Cruiser (centre) and Sequoia (right)
Stepping up to the 4Runner concept, the SUV gets extra underbody protection and greater cargo capacity, largely sharing the same accessories as the Land Cruiser.
For the full-size Sequoia – larger than the LandCruiser 300 Series – Toyota fitted the Tundra-based SUV with a TRD front skid plate, Toyota Genuine cast aluminum running boards, a Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels, and a Thule Pulse 2 roof box.
In the case of the Tacoma pickup (the mid-sized Ford Ranger rival for North America), it gets a roof rack, full-length bed rack with MOLLE panels, awning, cargo storage, recovery equipment, and bed lighting, with Toyota claiming it’s best suited to tighter trails.
Toyota Tacoma (left) and Tundra (right) Snowhunter concepts
Finally, the big Tundra also received significant upgrades, with the aim of becoming a “mobile basecamp” for those exploring.
Its most noticeable upgrade is CALTY's new TrailLift Pro Rack System Concept, which features an articulating top rack and greater storage solutions.
Mechanical upgrades include TRD rear billet control arms, while occupants can climb into the cabin using the Toyota ‘Predator’ steps.
It appears none of the concepts in full form will reach production, with Toyota instead using SEMA as a flexing exercise, much like it did last year with its modern twin-turbo V6-powered FJ60 LandCruiser, and a hydrogen-powered Tacoma.
