Just days after showing off the FT-AC Concept, Toyota has confirmed that it will soon release another small SUV that will slot below the RAV4. This is where the C-HR is positioned now, but the new SUV, which is unnamed at the moment, will actually come a bit cheaper in price. And, like the FT-AC, FT-4X and TJ Cruiser concepts, it will be near-endlessly customizable and urbanely styled with a focus on “lifestyle.” It will also serve as a basis for the next-gen Toyota RAV4 and Toyota 4Runner as well. Want to know more? Keep reading to learn about possible production schedules and a few more specifics…

Toyota’s New SUV

We’ve already seen what Toyota is thinking about its upcoming generation of vehicles, but what will really blow your mind is that the brand is planning for this new SUV, which will be about the same size as the C-HR, to be priced at below $20,000 – making it at least $2,500 cheaper than the front-wheel-drive C-HR. Oh, did I forget to mention that? While the C-HR is FWD only, the vehicle that will line up beside it sometime around 2020 will have the option for All-wheel drive. Take the price point, the option for AWD, and the customization options that you’ll likely get for this little urban SUV, and it should turn out to offer significantly more bang for your buck in the short-and long-term. What will it be based on, though? We have an idea….

2020 Toyota FT-AC Production Model

So, with the TJ Cruiser, FT-4X, and FT-AC all making their debut rather recently, we can easily make an observation about what Toyota will most likely do. First off, the TJ Cruiser probably previews a different but larger production model, so forget about that guy for now. That leaves us with the FT-4X and FT-AC. Well, the FT-4X is rather small, but it’s boxy as hell and kind of reminds everyone of the Nissan Juke or Honda Element – not a good impression to make for a new vehicle with a Japanese badge. So, we’re expecting the FT-AC. First off, it’s near production ready with the exception of some of the dramatic exterior styling which all could, with a little luck, end up being offered as optional equipment. This includes everything from the roof rack to the durable mirrors and even the off-road-styled wheels. Even the guarded front fascia could be carried over to production or offered as an option. With that said, our money is on the FT-AC, however, don’t expect it to happen quickly.

Reports show that the new model won’t come to be for at least a few years. That gives us a rough entry year of 2020. Not a bad time, but General Manager, Jack Hollis, really makes a good point: “It’s like the 90s again, we can have more than one vehicle in each segment if they are different enough.” We know it will be built on Toyota’s TNGA platform – the same underpinnings that’ll be found under the next-gen Corolla. It’ll be powered by a little four-cylinder, but Toyota will likely leave the option of a hybrid drivetrain for slightly more expensive C-HR. After all, it has to have at least one selling point, right? What do you think?

Is Toyota on the right track or is having more than one SUV in a given segment just too much? Should automakers quit designing SUVs already? Let us know in the comments section below.

References

Read our full review on the 2017 Toyota FT-AC Concept.

Read our full review on the 2017 Toyota FT-4X Concept.

Read our full review on the 2017 Toyota Tj Cruiser Concept.