But they did update the 4Runner to add Carplay for 2020 even though the platform is now 10 years old.
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Toyota Entune
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Thanks for the correction.
Interesting! Since it says JBL on the outside, and the LX advertises Mark Levinson, I assumed Toyota stuck with the Harman brand across all the 200 series. Should be more careful with my assumptions.
You got me thinking so I looked it up and the monitor/nav display is made by Panasonic (according to TOYODIY.COM). Now I wonder if the speakers are actually JBL or?
Yes they did. But in 2018, Toyota sold 140,000 4Runners and 3,200 Land Cruisers in the US. The added engineering cost for the new headunit is small when amortized over 140,000 units per year. Not so when amortized over only 3,200 units.
I have just bought my wife the 2020 4runner. The new Nav unit with AppleCar play is very nice.
Good question on the speakers. That was also my assumption that it would be a Harman product. By the way the factory cost of that unit is over $7000! That's as much as a motor/transmission.
They did make a head unit swap that was not part of a model change or facelift however. As you pointed out they sold 140,000 units last year with the old head unit so its certainly hard to see the logic in that move but they did it anyway. With a new 4Runner bound to be not far off they will just be changing again soon.
I think it is entirely possible that the Land Cruiser could see an updated head unit before its all over for the 200 series. They will just bump the MSRP a bit to cover it.
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I disagree. The 4Runner replacement still isn’t here. In the meantime, Ford is bringing back some competition with the Bronco and RWD Explorer. Toyota felt the need to do something to keep the 4Runner competitive in the meantime. And the engineering cost per unit is relatively low, given that they make 140k per year. The cost to engineer a Land Cruiser head unit will be at least as much, but you can only amortize it over 3,200 per, making the per unit cost much, much, much higher.
It makes perfect sense that Toyota would put CarPlay on their volume models first, rather than their niche models.
Might we see CarPlay in a LC before the 300? Only Toyota knows. I’m not holding my breath.
But that's my point. The new 4Runner isn't out yet but Toyota updated the head unit. The development cost is on the head unit manufacturer, Toyota just creates the specs and gets bids for a new head unit.
Very little cost for Toyota since they are just replacing part number xyz with part number abc. Vehicle production numbers are not relevant if Pioneer is making the radio and Apple develops and maintains the Carplay software. If the per unit radio cost from the manufacturer is higher it will be reflected in the vehicle MSRP. Just my opinion though, I respect your right to have a different one.
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Oh come on. You seem to be deliberately trying to ignore my point.
First, it isn’t free to replace the head unit, particularly when the head unit contains HVAC controls like the LC. You can’t just go to Pioneer and order a new one off the shelf. This isn’t a standard double-DIN headunit with an interchangeable size. Instead, each is custom designed to the vehicle and has to be tested on that vehicle.
That engineering work costs millions of dollars. Whether Toyota performs the engineering or Pioneer does that, it still costs millions, and that cost has to be recovered. We don’t know exactly how much that will cost. Let’s assume that costs $10M for the engineering (I suspect the real number is much, much higher).
That engineering cost is incurred whether you build 140,000 units or 3,200 units. At the 4Runner‘s volume of 140,000 units, that comes to roughly $70 per 4Runner. At 3,200 units, that comes to roughly $3100 per Land Cruiser, which would simply be untenable. Toyota would likely amortize the engineering cost over more than a single year of production, but we don’t know how many years.
Finally, Toyota has dozens of different lines of vehicles. They just started implementing CarPlay. It makes sense that they started with their highest volume models, primarily those that were being redesigned. I believe that the 4Runner and Tacoma were the first two that were given CarPlay without a redesign.
You want CarPlay. I get it. I want it, too. But what we want doesn’t change the required engineering to design, integrate, and test a new headunit.
Like I said, I disagree with just about everything your saying but I respect the fact that you are entitled to your opinion.
Really. What do you disagree with? The production numbers? That head units are not interchangeable? That it takes engineering time and cost to integrate a headunit with a vehicle? That a manufacturer must pass on those costs? That the engineering cost to design and integrate the headunit is similar whether you build 140k per year versus 3200 per year?
I want CarPlay, too. But it makes sense that Toyota is starting with the highest volume vehicles. The LC will get it when Toyota chooses and they play their cards close to their vest.
As I said I disagree with everything your saying. It's OK we really can disagree. It doesn't make either of us stupid or wrong. Why does it bother you that I disagree? I certainly don't feel that way about you. I welcome the different point of view. Have a nice weekend!
It’s obvious that Toyota disagrees with you as well, as demonstrated by the lackluster Entune system in our Land Cruisers.
Huh? Your response doesn't make sense. I never said it didn't suck?It’s obvious that Toyota disagrees with you as well, as demonstrated by the lackluster Entune system in our Land Cruisers.
Obviously not the case with the 10-year old 4Runner. Are you saying the "business model" is different for every vehicle they make? I'm pretty sure nobody expected the 2020 4Runner to get Carplay without a redesign either.
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You’re missing the entire point.
Toyota will so what it wants based on what they feel makes good business sense. Obviously, they’ve decided that offering an Entune update in the 2020 T4R makes sense. It’s also obvious that they didn’t feel compelled to offer an update in the 2019 (or 2020 I assume) LC200 platform.
Whether you (or I) agree with their model (and the current state of Entune) is irrelevant. It’s not going to magically bring about an Entune update.
Not missing the point at all. The point is you profess to know Toyota's business model per your own post. The 4Runner's Carplay update proved you don't. I have no idea what Toyota will do, all I'm saying is its possible the LC gets Carplay before a redesign. I base that on the fact that the 4Runner did. Notice I said possible.
Please keep us posted.
Be confident Toyota had a good reason for not adding Apple Car play etc. and you can bet it was financial And will still sell every 2020 LC without any incentive money.
That is not likely the case with the 4R and Tacoma which they added ACP this year. Both 4R and Tacoma are in a very competitive market with younger demographics ie, more tech focused.
Would love to have ACP, but at the end of the day you still bought one!
That is not likely the case with the 4R and Tacoma which they added ACP this year. Both 4R and Tacoma are in a very competitive market with younger demographics ie, more tech focused.
Would love to have ACP, but at the end of the day you still bought one!