Toyota has presented its new
2008 Toyota Vanguard mid-size SUV. Positioned somewhere between the
2008 RAV4 and
Highlander, the
Vanguard is 179.9 inches long and about 66.9 inches wide and may be ordered in either five- or five-plus-two seating formula (I'm afraid, you just can't call a seven-seater a car, which is 20 inches shorter than, say,
Audi Q7 or
Mercedes Benz GL-Class that are not real seven-seaters themselves).
The
2008 Toyota Vanguard, company says in its press release, is available with a choice of two engines. The smaller is an inline four-banger. Having a displacement of 2.4 liters, the engine will drink only 12.6 liters per 100 km, which is about 29.6 mpg. More powerful 3.5-liter V6 is combined with
5 Super ECT and is mated with Active Torque Control 4WD transmission.
Among available goodies are LED tail lights, steering-assisted stability control, keyless entry and satellite navigation.
In Japan, the
2008 Toyota Vanguard will be available at a price, ranging from $23,000 to $30,000. It is not yet clear, whether the car ever reaches Europe and the U.S. but if it will, expect it come under the
Lexus brand, Inside Line recommends.
See also: Toyota FJ Cruiser TRD will come all black 
.
