Having spent a small fortune on car rental in BC over the last few summers, it seemed like a good idea to buy a car on arrival this time. I am a buy-it-new-run-it-into-the-ground man, so I realised I would have to make an order soon. But order what?
My perfect vehicle would have all these attributes:
My perfect vehicle would have all these attributes:
- able to go anywhere in any conditions
- proper seats for four people
- fold flat in the back, with enough space to sleep two people
- built by Japanese workers in Japan (= reliability)
- 40 mpg or better in highway driving
Actually no vehicle ticks all these boxes. The closest I have found is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, a mid-size SUV with a hybrid engine built in Kyushu, capable of more than 30 mpg on the highway. Unfortunately, like several Toyota SUVs, the back doesn't fold properly flat. Worse, Toyota themselves warn that "Note: the Highlander Hybrid is not designed to be driven off-road." And though it shouldn't matter, the thing looks like the bastard child of a Range Rover and a walrus.
Also built in Japan - at Toyota's legendary Tahara plant, in fact - are the two proper off-roaders Toyota sell in Canada: the 4Runner and the FJCruiser. The latter looks cool (though possibly with a hint of hair-dresser) but fails the fold-flat and proper-seats-for-four tests. Both have hopeless fuel consumption.
Many north american climbers have pickup trucks pimped out with camper shells of various kinds. This is an option I have given serious thought. A couple of things put me off: the apparent need for a lot of carpentry and other DIY and (more seriously) the risk of ending up with a discarded and rotting camper shell in our garden, sorry, "yard", a classic symbol of redneck life that I am not nearly ready for.
So, I am getting a 4Runner. It ticks four out of five boxes. And, helpfully for we middle-aged men with self-esteem issues, looks nicely macho in its Trail edition. Psyched! Let's not discuss the price.
Also built in Japan - at Toyota's legendary Tahara plant, in fact - are the two proper off-roaders Toyota sell in Canada: the 4Runner and the FJCruiser. The latter looks cool (though possibly with a hint of hair-dresser) but fails the fold-flat and proper-seats-for-four tests. Both have hopeless fuel consumption.
Many north american climbers have pickup trucks pimped out with camper shells of various kinds. This is an option I have given serious thought. A couple of things put me off: the apparent need for a lot of carpentry and other DIY and (more seriously) the risk of ending up with a discarded and rotting camper shell in our garden, sorry, "yard", a classic symbol of redneck life that I am not nearly ready for.
So, I am getting a 4Runner. It ticks four out of five boxes. And, helpfully for we middle-aged men with self-esteem issues, looks nicely macho in its Trail edition. Psyched! Let's not discuss the price.
