With warmer temperatures, seemingly limitless hours of sunshine, and a bit of planning, a summer road trip is one of the most exciting adventures you’ll ever take. However, you can’t have the best journey possible without a worthy ally: your vehicle. Fortunately, Toyota has several vehicles that are ideal for a summer excursion. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle or you want to upgrade before you hit the open road, check out these Toyota models.
Prius Prime
Debuting in 2017, the Prius Prime is Toyota’s first plug-in hybrid. Like the original Prius, the Prime has a fastback rear hatch that allows for instant access to the rear, making it easy to pack the vehicle for your trip. The cabin comfortably seats up to five passengers with exceptional headroom, legroom, and hiproom, providing a journey free from cramps and fatigue.
Perhaps the best benefit of the Prius Prime is that it can run solely off electric power for short distances. Using a regular household plug, you can charge the Prime in just five hours and 40 minutes. At a charging station with 240-volt power, this time shortens to two hours and 10 minutes. This enables you to go up to 25 miles on a charge, which is a nice boon in cities. Aside from electric power, the Prius Prime gets an astounding 54 mpg, putting it in the upper echelon of hybrid vehicles.
4Runner
If you’re a true adventurer, you won’t find a better vehicle than the 2018 Toyota 4Runner. The four-wheel drive version of the 4Runner is expertly designed to go anywhere you want to go, regardless of terrain. The key to the 4Runner’s off-road prowess is a 4.0-liter V-6 engine that churns out a whopping 270 horsepower and up to 278 pound-feet of torque. Paired with the intuitive four-wheel drive system, it can tear up the pavement or the gravel without much difficulty.
When you’re looking to get off the grid completely, the TRD Pro takes your trip to another level. Featuring high-performance shocks, a sports-tuned suspension, a higher clearance, and quarter-inch-thick aluminum skid plates, the 4Runner TRD Pro is the wildest of the wild.
86
While fuel efficiency and off-road capabilities are spectacular amenities for any road trip, a sports car might be the best and most stylish way to enjoy your excursion. That’s why you need the 2018 Toyota 86. The heart and soul of the 86 is a 2.0-liter flat-four engine that provides up to 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque with an automatic transmission, but that’s not the best way to enjoy the trip. Opt for the manual transmission to get 205 horsepower and a driving experience that’s far more enjoyable.
During the journey, you’ll love the 7-inch, high-definition touch screen which puts you within a touch of navigation, apps, and your favorite tunes. When you put down the windows, crank the music, and take a hold of the 86, you’ll wonder why you considered any other road trip vehicle.
From a super-efficient hybrid vehicle to a go-anywhere SUV to a sports car, Toyota has just the vehicle you need to turn your summer adventure into one you’ll never forget, and you can find these at Smart Motors Toyota in Madison, WI.
“Prius Prime” via Flickr by chumlee10. Used with permission via CC BY-SA 2.0 / cropped from original
Connect with us
