The cool thing about Toyota is that it produces a wide range of crossovers and SUVs that are affordable, reliable, and off-road-capable at the same time. Granted, some might be a bit boring to look at, but this could change in the near future. At least that's what the new FT-AC concept suggests. Unveiled at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, the FT-AC, which comes from Future Toyota Adventure Concept, promises to make weekend getaways a more fun and exciting experience.
About the size of a current RAV4, the FT-AC sports a very rugged look with massive wheel arch extensions, a beefy underbelly plate, and front bumper assembly, and a concept roof rack. Up front, the off-road-specific features are combined with aggressive-looking, swept-back headlamps, and a grille that's actually similar to a few production models. The rear is a combination of angular features, with the taillights' sharp edges extending well into the bumpers. The bumper features a big protective plate at the bottom, while a special rack holds a mountain bike. More protection can be seen on the side skirts, while the off-road tires complete the off-road-capable look.
The concept comes with a few cool convenience features too. For starters, the roof rack's LED lights can be controlled via a mobile device, while the capable geolocation system ensures you won't get lost no matter the trail you tackle. The side mirrors include infrared cameras that can record trail runs, but they can also be removed and mounted off-vehicle. An integrated Wi-Fi hotspot uploads footage to cloud-based storage for instant access via mobile devices
Finally, Toyota says that the production version of the FT-AC could be a hybrid and use a drivetrain that's both capable and fuel-efficient. The Japanese firm also talks about an advanced torque-vectoring AWD system, variable terrain-response settings, and four-wheel lock functionality, but doesn't give additional details. All told, the FT-AC could become a very interesting production SUV, even if Toyota decided to tone its design down a bit.
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