Electric Cars

Experience Unstoppable Winter Adventure with Toyota's Snowhunter Fleet!

Toyota's Winter Warriors: The Genesis of Snowhunter Concepts

Despite forecasts of reduced snowfall, Toyota's CALTY Design Research center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, took a proactive approach by developing five unique Snowhunter concepts for SEMA. Drawing inspiration from Michigan's abundant lake-effect snow, these tracked vehicles are meticulously engineered to dominate winter landscapes, ensuring preparedness for any snowy challenge.

Shared Attributes: Unifying Design and Performance Across the Snowhunter Lineup

All five Snowhunter concepts boast a consistent aesthetic, featuring a distinctive Snowhunter camouflage exterior, special badging, sleek black accents, and powerful auxiliary lighting from Rigid. A common thread among these builds is a lift kit, a collaborative effort between Toyota Genuine Parts and TRD, which facilitates the integration of a specialized tracked drive system. This innovative system is designed to effortlessly navigate deep snow, making light work of conditions that would leave conventional vehicles immobilized.

Tundra Snowhunter: The Command Vehicle for Arctic Expeditions

The Tundra Snowhunter concept spearheads the collection, equipped with a pioneering Toyota TrailLift Pro Rack System Concept, a brainchild of CALTY Design. This robust frame offers versatile storage and organization options, ideal for securing gear such as bikes and kayaks. Its articulating top rack simplifies the loading of oversized equipment, ensuring efficiency even in the harshest conditions. Furthermore, the Tundra Snowhunter integrates TRD billet rear control arms, specifically modified to complement the tracked drive system's functionality.

Tacoma Snowhunter: Agile and Equipped for Challenging Trails

Following the Tundra's design philosophy, the Tacoma Snowhunter concept is tailored for more confined trails and demanding environments where maneuverability is paramount. It features a roof rack and a comprehensive bed rack adorned with MOLLE panels, providing ample space for additional cargo. An integrated awning, extra storage solutions, essential recovery gear, and bed lighting enhance its utility, making it a versatile companion for tight winter explorations.

4Runner Snowhunter: Blending Iconic Ruggedness with Winter Capability

The esteemed 4Runner SUV receives the Snowhunter transformation, enhancing its off-road prowess with Toyota Genuine rock rails and a Prinsu roof rack equipped with accessory panels. A Thule Pulse 2 cargo box complements its striking geometric gray and white camouflage pattern, offering additional storage capacity. This configuration proves highly practical, even for those not immediately planning to use the snow tracks.

Land Cruiser Snowhunter: Redefining Off-Road Supremacy in Snow

The legendary Land Cruiser's Snowhunter concept amplifies its reputation as an indomitable off-road machine. Toyota contributes its durable rock rails and skid plates, while Prinsu supplies a sophisticated roof rack with accessory panels. Thule adds a SnowPack ski rack, ensuring the Land Cruiser Snowhunter is fully prepared for rigorous snowy adventures, cementing its status as an unstoppable force.

Sequoia Snowhunter: Full-Size Winter Exploration Redefined

The Sequoia Snowhunter concept extends the Snowhunter theme to the full-size SUV segment, offering robust winter capabilities. A TRD front skid plate safeguards critical components from ice and debris, while Toyota Genuine cast aluminum running boards provide secure access. A Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels and a Thule Pulse 2 cargo box offer extensive storage for gear and recreational equipment, making the Sequoia an ideal choice for large-scale winter expeditions.

Innovative Tracked Systems: The Heart of Snowhunter Performance

While the specific supplier of the tracked drive systems remains undisclosed, their distinctive white powder-coat finish for the internal framework is noteworthy. These SEMA concepts are designed not only for their striking presence but also for their practicality, with many accessories being fully compatible with everyday vehicles, emphasizing their dual purpose of extreme capability and functional utility.

In a significant strategic realignment for its mid-size SUV portfolio, Mazda has announced the discontinuation of the CX-70 nameplate for the 2027 model year. The company will instead consolidate its offerings by incorporating the CX-70's two-row functionality directly into the CX-90 lineup, providing consumers with a more unified and simplified selection process.

Mazda Elevates CX-90 with Enhanced Configurations and Features

Commencing with the 2027 model year, the Mazda CX-90 will emerge as a versatile platform, now offering both two- and three-row seating options. This pivotal shift eliminates the need for a separate CX-70 model, which Mazda stated was positioned rather awkwardly within its previous offerings. In addition to this structural change, the updated CX-90 models will benefit from a series of engineering and aesthetic refinements. These include enhanced rear suspension hardware designed to boost ride comfort, an expanded palette of exterior color choices, and a richer array of standard equipment across selected trim levels.

The decision by Mazda to streamline its SUV range is reportedly a response to the sales performance of both models in recent years. By offering greater flexibility within a single model line, the automaker hopes to clarify its market presence and better cater to diverse customer preferences without creating overlap between closely related vehicles.

Prospective buyers seeking a two-row CX-90 will have the option of two specific trims: the 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport and the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Sport. These are the only variants that will offer both seating configurations, while all other CX-90 trims will continue with the standard three-row setup. The entry-level CX-90 Turbo Select is priced starting at $41,345, including destination fees. For those opting for a two-row model, the Turbo Premium Sport begins at $48,525, and the Turbo S Premium Sport at $55,185.

Convenience is also a focus for the two-row CX-90s, which will feature one-touch auto-down second-row seats, facilitating easier access to the expanded cargo area. This thoughtful detail underscores Mazda's commitment to practicality and user-friendliness.

Under the hood, the CX-90 continues to offer two robust powertrain options. The turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six engine is available in two states of tune: a standard version delivering 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque on 87-octane fuel, and a more potent Turbo S variant. The Turbo S produces up to 340 hp and 369 lb-ft when fueled with 91-octane premium, or 319 hp with regular fuel. Both engines integrate Mazda's 48-volt M-Hybrid Boost mild-hybrid system and are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Turbo S also boasts a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Furthermore, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain will carry over into 2027. This system combines a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and a 17.8-kilowatt-hour battery. It delivers a combined output of 323 hp and 369 lb-ft on premium fuel, offering an impressive all-electric range of up to 27 miles.

Beyond structural and powertrain changes, Mazda has implemented several other enhancements across the CX-90 lineup. All 2027 models will feature a re-engineered rear suspension crossmember and updated rear suspension bushings to further improve ride comfort on varied road surfaces. The CX-90 3.3 Turbo Preferred trim now includes standard roof rails, while the Premium Sport gains Alexa Built-In integration. The top-tier Premium Plus models will come equipped with Mazda Online Navigation, featuring over-the-air updates as standard.

Aesthetic updates include new exterior colors like Navy Blue Mica and Aero Gray Metallic for all CX-90 models. Two-row versions specifically will also offer Melting Copper Metallic and Zircon Sand Metallic.

The standard CX-90 3.3 Turbo Select will boast 19-inch wheels, black leatherette upholstery, a power liftgate, three-zone climate control, a 10.25-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an eight-speaker audio system. Moving up, the Turbo Preferred adds 21-inch wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, wireless charging, and front and rear parking sensors. The Premium Sport trim introduces a more aggressive blacked-out aesthetic, while the Premium Plus elevates the experience with Nappa leather, adaptive headlights, Mazda's 360-degree View Monitor, and advanced driver-assistance technologies. The flagship CX-90 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus offers exclusive seven-seat capacity with second-row captain's chairs, Nappa leather, Japanese-inspired interior trim, additional interior lighting, and Mazda's Driver Personalization System.

By unifying its mid-size SUV offerings under the CX-90 banner for 2027, Mazda aims to simplify consumer choices at dealerships and, crucially, to translate this streamlined strategy into increased sales figures.

Mazda's strategic pivot with the CX-90 consolidation presents a compelling vision for automotive market dynamics. This move reflects a broader industry trend towards refining product portfolios to meet evolving consumer preferences more precisely. The decision to integrate the two-row CX-70 into the CX-90 is a smart play, reducing potential internal competition and simplifying marketing efforts. From a consumer perspective, a single, highly configurable model often breeds confidence and clarity. As a journalist covering the automotive sector, I see this as a calculated risk, but one with strong potential rewards. The success of this strategy will largely depend on how effectively Mazda communicates the enhanced value and versatility of the expanded CX-90 lineup to its target audience. It's a reminder that sometimes, less is indeed more, especially when that 'less' offers greater choice within a consolidated framework.