2014 4Runner- Why Tease When You Can Also Inform?

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When automakers want to drop the hint about their new car, they usually provide teaser photos to the public, where a tiny section of the vehicle is photographed so as to only give away a glimpse of it. You know the kind- they're usually a close up shot of the grille, or a headlight. I'll go out on the record and say I'm not the biggest fan of those (or maybe my imagination is just lacking!)

Need an example? Here you go:

In other cases, automakers might leak so-called "spy shots" where the vehicle is seen outside during a road test while covered up with protective material.

Toyota could have certainly gone with either option in previewing the new 2014 4Runner, but they decided to mix it up a bit in hyping us for their next SUV. In addition to the teaser photos, they also made an infographic! I like the idea- get us excited for something new by highlighting the vehicle's past achievements.

What do we know so far about the new 4Runner? The 2014 version will be a face lift of the fifth generation mid-size Toyota SUV. It will feature more aggressive looking front headlights and tail lamps, going with Toyota's recent trend of giving their vehicles a more sleek and stylish appearance (just take a look at the redesigned Avalon for further proof).

The official reveal of the 4Runner happens at the StageCoach Music Festival in Indio, California, which will coincidentally be the first-ever major vehicle reveal at a large concert!

The Toyota Family Tree

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Are you a fan of infographics? Those flashy images you constantly see people share that make learning about statistics, history, or scientific data more interesting? I can't seem to get enough of them, and even made a simple family tree one below showing some of the different vehicles Toyota has released over the years. A lot of this information came from two sources: Google (of course- I'd be lying if I didn't mention them!) but also the fully interactive "75 Years of Toyota" website that was recently launched by Toyota's global site. 

"75 Years of Toyota" is a complete history of nearly every Toyota vehicle ever made. I spent close to two hours browsing through it, reading about first editions of various cars, and still feel like I've only scratched the surface!

Whether you're a Toyota fan, curious about the vehicles that eventually turned into the ones we know today, or simply looking for a distraction, it's definitely worth checking out. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you can also get more of a slideshow view of Toyota's history, without having to browse through tons and tons of vehicle data. Using that link, you can see some of the more quirky stuff Toyota has put time and energy into, such as in 2004, when they developed "partner robots".

Was there anything within the infographic or slideshow history that surprised you? Leave a comment below with your favorite! 

How Do Hybrid Cars Work?

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If more data on the internet came in the form of infographics, I think we'd all be a lot more entertained when learning about something new. This is especially true if the infographic is interactive, where you can click on things. Or, as they called it in the 90's when I was growing up, "infotainment" (which, despite the cheesiness, I still love to say).

That being said, I recently stumbled across an automotive related one from the people at GOOD, all about hybrid vehicles and how they work. If you've ever wondered yourself, the data they've put together is pretty interesting. There are basic pointers on how hybrid vehicles run, to what happens when you're driving, braking, and stopping. Be sure to click on the section that talks about the benefits of owning a hybrid, where you can get a nice picture of how much gas they save compared to conventional cars. Most of us tend to know about MPG and how cars compare, but when you can get an actual visual of hybrids vs conventional vehicles, it's pretty eye opening (and just might convince you to consider a Prius after all).

The site uses flash to deliver the content, so just a heads up!

Do you have any favorite infographics? Whether they're car related, social media, or anything you find interesting, leave a comment and share them below with me!