2014 Toyota 4Runner: New Look, Old-School Powertrain

The redesigned 2014 Toyota 4Runner was unveiled on Saturday, showing off an aggressive new look, but keeping many old-school details, such as a carryover powertrain with a five-speed automatic transmission. The 2014 4Runner debuted at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival here.

The 2014 4Runner goes on sale in late summer.

Pricing on the 4Runner has not been announced, Toyota said. The 2013 4Runner starts at $32,335, including an $845 destination charge.

The 2014 4Runner retains its body-on-frame construction for traditionalists who still expect a midsize SUV to do the things for which SUVs were invented: off-roading and towing. The 2014 4Runner is equipped with a 270-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 engine.

The 2013 4Runner 2WD model with the same powertrain as the 2014 model returns 17 mpg in city driving and 22 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.6-liter V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission returns 17 mpg in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway. The 2013 Pathfinder with the 3.5-liter V6 engine and CVT returns 20 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway.

The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report on Monday pegged the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline at $3.50 versus $3.81 a year ago.

Toyota said the redesigned 4Runner gets "a more forceful look." The tweaks include a redesigned front fascia and "edgier" smoked headlights. All grades are now standard with a roof rack. The cabin gets minor improvements, including Soft Touch door trim on 4Runner SR5 and Trail models. The Limited model comes standard with a leather-trimmed interior with new ventilated driver and front passenger seats.

New for 2014 on SR5 and Trail 4Runners is Entune Audio Plus, which includes Toyota's Entune multimedia system, an AM/FM/MP3 CD player with eight speakers, integrated Sirius XM Satellite Radio, USB port with iPod connectivity and Bluetooth. Standard on the Limited grade is the new Entune Premium JBL Audio system.

Standard on all 4Runner audio systems is a "party mode" setting that features rear liftgate-mounted speakers and is meant for tailgating. An optional third row on SR5 and Limited models allows 4Runner to accommodate seven passengers.

The 2014 4Runner has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

Source: Edmunds

Thanks to Kim for these kind words about our service department!

kimmcnn 

Denver, Colorado 

Apr 22, 2013

"I love my service agent, Victor, at Mtn States. I purchased my latest vehicle there in 2010 and always take it to Victor for service. They go the extra yard to make the customer feel appreciated and are always informative about service needs. I TRUST them!"

 

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2013 Toyota Avalon "Only The Name Remains" Interactive Drive Trailer

Toyota Unveils Green Car Concepts At Auto Shanghai Show

Toyota FT-HT Yuejia Concept - Shanghai Auto Show 2013

As China becomes a larger player on the world car market, shows like the one in Shanghai this week will become bigger and more important each year.

Toyota has already spotted the importance of the Shanghai Auto Show, launching two new green concepts.

The first of these is the uniquely-named Yundong Shuangqing II.

We're not sure what happened to the Yundong Shuangqing I, but Toyota informs us that Yundong is a term in Mandarin Chinese meaning "movement upon clouds", while Shuangqing means "dual support".

The former refers perhaps to the car's sleek styling, not unlike that of previous Toyota concepts such as the NS4 plug-in hybrid. Alternatively, it could point to the comfort and silence offered by the "dual support"--the car's hybrid powertrain.

The concept is unique to China and its hybrid powertrain is currently under development at the company's R&D center in Changshu.

Next up is the Toyota FT-HT Yuejia. This name, in Mandarin Chinese, means "happy family", and points to the vehicle's six-seater layout.

It's designed, says Toyota, to appeal "to young Chinese customers". Like the Yundong Shuangqing II it uses a hybrid powertrain, but the styling is much less conventional.

Its doors open in a scissor motion on huge hinges, revealing a cabin with no central pillar--an increasingly common feature of modern concept cars. There are three rows of two individual seats, and light-colored, luxurious trimmings abound. Once again, the concept is exclusive to China, and Toyota hints it will go into production in one form or another. Think of it as a more stylish alternative to the Prius V and you're on the right lines.

It's not surprising to see China pushing hybrid models in the Chinese market, as legislators become ever more worried about the country's terrible pollution problems.

While only a proportion of this comes from road transport, hybrids provide the most affordable solution to reducing emissions on city roads--and Toyota is sure to be at the forefront of hybrid sales.

Source: Green Car Reports

We just received another great review on cars.com!

Yana 
Golden, Colorado 
Apr 17, 2013

"Christin and Jesse were great. Christine was so informative, and give me all the details of the car that I need. The car was ready when we were there, no hassle, the process was so quick. We love our new RAV4 2013, and plan to buy our second car here there for sure. Everyone was helpful and nice. I hope their maintenance is as good as well."

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Mountain States Toyota: Colorado's Elite Toyota Dealer

Toyota Racing Development and NASCAR

Toyota announced today that they have reached 5 million hybrid vehicle sales worldwide!

Does this number include you? If not, check out our inventory to join the Toyota family!

New Drivers Gain Critical Defensive Driving Skills and Confidence Behind the Wheel from Toyota's Teen Safe Driving Program

Toyota continues to offer its free-of-charge safe driving skills program, Toyota Driving Expectations, and comprehensive online resources with the goal of reducing motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among teens. Upcoming behind-the-wheel safety events will be held in Torrance, Calif., Denver and San Antonio for newly licensed or permitted teens and their parents to learn about defensive driving skills, crash avoidance techniques and the dangers of distracted driving during the 2.5-hour program.

Moving into its 10th year, Toyota Driving Expectations supplements standard driver’s education to prepare inexperienced drivers for the challenges they’ll face on the road. In recognizing the importance of parents’ involvement to help their teens develop responsible driving habits, the program requires a parent or guardian to accompany their teen.

Kicking-off in Torrance, Calif., professional instructors in the Toyota Driving Expectations “On The Road” program tour lead teens through driving courses and in-classroom discussions, while encouraging continued learning at home and demonstrating safe driving habits. This year’s events will be held at:

• Torrance, Calif.on May 4-5 at Toyota headquarters.
• Denver, Colo. on May 18-19 at Bass Pro Shops. Registration opens April 18.
• San Antonio, Texason June 8–9 at Toyota Texas Plant. Registration opens May 9.

“Safer drivers lead to safer roads, so Toyota is committed to helping educate and empower teens and parents around smart driving choices,” said Michael Rouse, Toyota’s vice president of diversity, philanthropy and community affairs. “Through our safe driving programs, partnerships and online resources, we hope more young drivers will absorb the sobering lessons of distracted driving and learn key skills to keep themselves safe behind the wheel.”

To further the connection with teens in local communities, Toyota Driving Expectations has launched teen driving assemblies in high schools and dealerships across the country. Free Toyota Driving Expectations safety clinics at select Toyota dealerships will be led this summer by professional drivers who address vehicle safety features, defensive driving, distracted driving and vehicle maintenance.

Making Safe Driving Information and Resources Available

Toyota also offers free online safety resources for teens, parents and educators through its partnership with Discovery Education at ToyotaTeenDriver.com. The Toyota Teen Driver also has annual contests for teens and educators, including the current Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge, whose top ten videos are open for public voting now through April 16th. The winning teen will receive $15,000.

Last fall, Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) announced preliminary findings from a major, national study that analyzed the critical role parents play in shaping teen driving habits. The UMTRI/Toyota Teen Driver Distraction Study found a significant correlation between parent and teen behaviors behind the wheel, suggesting parents can be influential role models for young drivers. Startling study findings showed that 61 percent of parents and 54 percent of teens report that they use a hand-held cellphone while driving, emphasizing the importance of including parents in the Toyota Driving Expectations program.

While helping parents talk to their teens about safety can be challenging, Toyota is dedicated to furthering this important conversation. Earlier this month, the company partnered with Teen Vogue to launch “Arrive in Style”, a safe driving campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving among teenage girls and inspire them to make a mutual commitment with their mothers to drive safely. The campaign features monthly advertorials with tips and advice from Toyota on different safe driving topics, as well as stories and online videos of Teen Vogue readers and their mothers about their commitment to driving safely. A microsite will feature Toyota’s Mutual Driving Agreement that mothers and daughters can e-sign and share via Facebook for a chance to win monthly prizes. In addition to signing the Agreement, teens can upload a photo on the microsite of them and their mom “air driving” for a chance to win a trip to New York City to be featured in the February 2014 issue of Teen Vogue.
 
Source: Toyota

1984 Toyota Commercial - Oh, What a Feeling!

Toyota Unveils Prius Endurance Racecar

One of the things that you never really expect to say in the same sentence is Prius and racecar. Toyota designs its Prius specifically for fuel efficiency, not for speed or performance. At least Toyota doesn’t design the Prius streetcar for performance, the Prius endurance racing car on the other hand is made to go fast.

Toyota calls its new Prius racing car the world’s fastest Toyota Prius. The car is a GT300 spec racing car that debuted last year in Japan in the 2012 Super GT series. The car hit the track again last weekend at the Okayama, Circuit in South Japan.

There’s very little similarity between this racing spec Prius and the road going car other than a slight similarity in the profile styling. Rather than using the street cars 1.8-liter engine, the racing car uses a 3.4-liter V8 race engine. That V-8 engine delivers its power to the rear wheels using a sequential manual gearbox. The racing powertrain does use the original Hybrid Synergy Drive electric system using a slightly larger lithium-ion battery pack sourced from the Prius+ MPV.

The V-8 engine under the hood of the racing spec Prius is the same engine that Toyota uses in some of its other racing vehicles. However, the V-8 engine was detuned to meet the regulations of the GT300 class. Toyota’s racing car uses all sorts of aerodynamic features to improve downforce including a carbon fiber front splitter, rear diffuser, and a large rear wing. The racing car also has wider wheel wells and arches to handle fat racing tires.

Source: Slash Gear

We just received four great new reviews on cars.com!

Eddie K. 
Arvada, Colorado 
Apr 07, 2013

"In February 2012 I bought a new 4runner from mountain states toyota and was/is happy with my purchase. My wife car was total in July of 2012. We bought another kind of car(accord) hated it, its wasn't her camery (total). In november started looking for another car, had to be a camery, after a three months of reseach on line and at dealships on sunday. She narrow it down to what she wanted at the price she wanted to pay,it came to color gray or white, same price same accessories. She chose the gray 2012 camery in February of 2013.Match my 4runner."

Jim J. 
Commerce City, Colorado 
Apr 07, 2013

"I recently bought a Toyota from Mountain States Toyota after going to a Honda dealership. The difference was night and day. I felt comfortable, not pressured, the Toyota team was very professional. I will go back for my next car. A bolt came loose in the door of my new car and the service team quickly got me in, fixed the issue and ensured everything else was as it should. The repair was under warranty and there was no hassle. For going in for a repair the experience was good."

Emily 
Thornton, Colorado 
Apr 06, 2013

"Great people! Great experience! It was a simple process with attentive people. Having a baby with us they made the experience very efficient."

Skyking 
Westminster, Colorado 
Apr 05, 2013

"I have taken our Rav4 in every 5k miles for service and all occasions have been very professional and pleasant. All expectations were met and the facilities are neat and clean. I really have nothing to suggest to improve the experience, and I recommend this place to buy and get service."

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Thanks so much to our guests for leaving this great feedback!

rob239 

Denver, Colorado 

Apr 03, 2013

"I'll keep coming back to Mountain States as long as they're in business!!! Thanks Doug!"

edmunds48 

Denver, Colorado 

Apr 03, 2013

"I feel I got the best used car (Prius) at the best price around. I've had to go back to have them program a few things and they were so accommodating. I also take my car in for maintenance as well and they offer fresh fruit, pizza , massages, etc., on certain days and times. I'd definitely recommend this dealership."

Jeff P. 

Denver, Colorado 

Apr 02, 2013

"I bought my 2013 Tundra there last month. It could not have been easier. The salesman I worked with was great. I got 0% financing on my truck. Thanks a bunch!"

Ilian P. 

Denver, Colorado 

Apr 02, 2013

"Bought a Tacoma, they had it in stock (as the options I wanted are not very common) gave me good price. Overall happy with the experirince I had."

 

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Toyota Reveals All-New 2014 Highlander at New York Auto Show

April showers bring May flowers, but don't have April showers bringing you to a screeching halt!

Come in and bring in our coupon for a great deal on new wiper blades! And don't forget to check our website for specials before you come in for service! 

2014 Scion tC gets sporty new look with New York Auto Show debut

Scion, the brand that Toyota created 10 years ago to attract young buyers, is trying to evoke a sportier image with a new version of the tC coupe.

The 2014 version of the car was unveiled Thursday at the New York International Auto Show. The tC coupe accounts for 40 percent of Scion's sales.

Toyota says the new tC's styling is more aggressive. The old coupe looked sporty but wasn't viewed as a much of a performance car.

The engine stays the same, but the tC gets an updated six-speed automatic transmission that changes gears almost twice as fast as the old model, Scion says. The suspension also gets stiffer with stronger stabilizer bars for better handling.

The median age of a Scion buyer was 37 last year, the lowest in the U.S. and far below the industry norm. The average buyer of a new car in the U.S. last year was 52, according to the TrueCar.com auto pricing site.

Here are some highlights of the new 2014 tC:

UNDER THE HOOD: The same engine as the previous model, a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder with 179 horsepower. Two transmissions available, a six-speed automatic and a six-speed manual.

OUTSIDE: New headlights, a lower hood and a more open, muscular-looking grille. There's a blacked-out section of the rear bumper that looks like Scion's FR-S, a 200 horsepower sports car. New LED tail lamps and 18-inch alloy wheels. Two new paint colors: red and blue streak metallic.

INSIDE: Interior materials are upgraded with softer materials and lighter color fabric on the seats and roof. The car gets a 6.1-inch LCD touch screen that will go in all 2014 Scion models. There's also a new audio system with Bluetooth capability. Auto-off headlights also were added.

FUEL ECONOMY: About the same: 23 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway.

PRICE: Will be announced closer to when the car arrives in showrooms in June. Current model starts at $20,480 with an automatic transmission.

Source: NY Daily News