A 2000 S10 Blazer was my first car so I’m keenly aware. I miss that thing

It definitely is not anything special, but at least there was honesty in its utilitarian design. This new one I... just... have no words. That vertical jaggedness along the front grille is especially terrible.

If he really wanted a challenge he would have started with the pre-refresh Aztek.

Meanwhile, Toyota’s 4Runner is now 10 years old and sales are INCREASING, because it’s everything this Blazer isn’t.

As I said in my other comment below, this is not a US market S10 Blazer and this front end looks horrible.

That is not a US market S10 Blazer.  At least the US market one had a more upright front end which fit the body better.  This front end looks like a Chinese knockoff.

I thought automakers loved this crossover boom because they can charge more and have better margins on it... how can they possibly make anything less expensive than the EcoSport?

There’s a Tesla Model S in Grabber Blue that actually looks pretty badass.

Hmm, I guess they REALLY want you to get AWD with this.  I wonder why they’re even offering RWD with this package but hey, I think we’d all be complaining if it weren’t offered.

In that case the car is permanently in drift mode.

Not at all. I think journalists (and the public) have gotten used to 10 speed transmissions and 4 cylinders that pump out 300hp that by comparison they believe the 4Runner’s powertrain must feel like a dog. It definitely doesn’t. I had to floor it earlier today to get a head of a slow moving semi truck and it surged…

For reliability, which was our #1 concern when we got it, you can’t go wrong.  And honestly, I know more gears are the thing and all, but we have zero problems with the 5 speeds or engine power.  It is more than fine in every situation.

I assume you’re referring to the lighter Cavalry Blue which is currently available on the Tacoma, but they currently offer Voodoo Blue on the 4Runner if you get the TRD Pro trim.

I like to think I’d be that kind of rich guy.  I really don’t like uber-expensive cars and know nothing about Ferrari, Maserati, etc., but spending extra on gas would be my splurge.

I agree that the first generation GL looked the best (to me) - it looked sharp and angular and vaguely rugged without trying too hard. The second gen (it wasn’t a refresh right?) was softer although it carried some of the original queues as you point out.

We bought a 2019 4Runner in January and we LOVE IT. IT does everything well, is boxy enough to have great cargo space (and fit our dog’s crate behind the second row, which was not the case with any large-ish crossover), and is built well.

You just need to think about it logically. Britney’s In the Zone album was released in 2003. That album contained her song Everytime which was ‘supposedly’ an apology to Mr. Timberlake, so their breakup was at least before that. Doesn’t everyone know this stuff?

This is in no way as cool as the original - mostly because that one came out of nowhere and was for the time, and even now, incredibly quick.

It’s like the purpose of this is to appeal to the set that also pays extra for ‘handcrafted’ this and ‘small batch’ that, even if it isn’t necessarily better.