#4x4

The midsizer from Dearborn was overhauled for the 2024 model year, introducing sorely needed updates to its interior and new styling plus an improved choice of powertrains. This makes it a decent selection for our Right Spec series – at least until someone at Toyota deems us all worthy of a build-n-price tool for the Land Cruiser.

Moneyed types in this country who’ve been pining for the spiritual successor to Land Rover’s old-school Defender will be gratified to learn the first series production Grenadier models for North America have started rolling off Ineos Automotive’s factory floor.

A revamping of this nation’s best-selling vehicle (well, the half-ton portion of those numbers, anyway) is always worth a few words. The build-and-price tool for the 2024 Ford F-150 is now live, meaning we can poke around in what Ford asserts is a streamlined ordering process in which the number of buildable combinations has been cut by 90 percent compared to last year.

In what’s likely the most obvious move this year other than the Blackhawks taking Connor Bedard in the NHL draft*, Jeep has announced they are applying to the Gladiator nearly all the same updates its close cousin, the Wrangler, earned a few months ago.

We know there are more than a few members of the B&B who look upon the era of small trucks with no small amount of fondness. Nissan Hardbody, Toyota Pickup, Mitsu Mighty Max – they all hold a place in the minds of many.

Nissan seems to be on the cusp of reintroducing something with the Hardbody name, releasing this image just the other day and promising answers next week.

The Big T is adding new trims and options to its Tundra half-ton pickup truck for the 2024 model year, including an expansion of the TRD Off-Road package to its snazzy Platinum-grade 4x4 and extending the availability of the murdered-out Nightshade trim. Of greater interest to this author? A new TRD 3-inch suspension lift kit can now be installed at the factory.

Ford is adding some new options to the almighty Bronco Raptor for 2024, including an array of snazzy colors and trim. But the Real Ones know that’s not the biggest news – not when Ford says the Everglades is returning thanks to popular demand.

It would seem  our musings – and the musings of many other outlets, to be fair – regarding the future of Nissan’s entry in the full-size pickup truck segment were right on the money. The company has confirmed they plan to wind down production of the Titan after this model year.

The slow drip of information about the upcoming square-as-a-box Toyota Land Cruiser continues with the teaser photo you see above. 

Owners of late model Wranglers and Gladiators can now jack their rides skyward courtesy of a new kit from the official Jeep Performance Parts catalog.

Hey, it beats sketchy wooden logs and some hockey pucks.

It’s a great time to be fans of burly midsize trucks: the simultaneous existence of Ranger Raptor, Tacoma TRD Pro (plus Trailhunter), and the ZR2/AT4X duo at The General means there is ample choice on the market for shoppers in this segment.

Chevy went one step further by ‘roiding their already ‘roided Colorado ZR2 and creating the ZR2 Bison. Now, GMC dealers get a variant of their own in the new Canyon AT4X AEV Edition.

It’s an open secret that the Big T is on the cusp of returning this storied nameplate to North American showrooms, meaning the release of a shadowy teaser image isn’t a huge surprise. Still, it’s neat to see what’s in the hopper for this off-road brute.

Horsepower and SUVs can be a wicked combination when done right; witness any number of hi-po German and, increasingly, Italian machinery which somehow successfully combine high centres of gravity and outlandish acceleration numbers.

The new Range Rover Sport SV takes the concept and cranks its wick to 626 horsepower, meaning this Rangey is capable of hitting 60 mph from rest in just 3.6 seconds.

You know things are off the rails when typing “2023 Ford Bronco” into a search bar on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s database returns results with the words DO NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE in angry bold letters outlined with a red box. Oh, dear.

While that missive from the NHTSA may be a bit over-alarmist given it is for an easily remedied – but admittedly dangerous – issue of loose lug nuts from the factory, it remains true that Ford has issued yet another recall for its popular Bronco off-roader.

Why are we asking you to pay attention? Because thanks to Toyota’s glacier-like design cycle, it is entirely possible this is an event that will happen infrequently in our lifetimes. Hot on the heels of a new Colorado/Canyon and fresh Ranger, the Big T has unleashed a new Tacoma.