Millennials. The only generation in American history to elicit as much pride as it does humiliation. Quintessential Millennials can be easily spotted by their overuse of #hashtags, their persistent bad decision-making habits justified with #YOLO, and the expeditious rate at which they carelessly jump from one job to the next. An intense sense of entitlement is another indication that you are dealing with a stereotypical member of the #MillennialGeneration.
Before you get too comfy on your throne of judgment, however, let’s take a brief look at the actual defining parameters of this generation. According to the Pew Research Center, the Millennial Generation is comprised of individuals born between 1980 and 1997. Surprised? So are a lot of people when they realize that the generation they so often ridicule, is also the one in which they belong. If you just now found out for the first time that you are a member of the Millennial Generation, I will give you a few moments to pause and let the reality of that fact sink in…
All good? Great! While you may need to call your therapist for an unscheduled session, I promise that you will be okay. I’m an anti-Millennial Millennial myself, and I am just fine!
Now that we have defined the Millennial generation in both age and stereotypes, let’s talk Toyota. At the 2017 New York Auto Show in April, the brand introduced a new concept compact crossover known as the Toyota FT-4X. As if entitled Millennials needed another reason to pat themselves on the back, Toyota gave them one by creating a vehicle entirely dedicated to their selfish frivolity.
The concept crossover features design cues that some call daring, but others like myself, call cringe-worthy. Resembling a toy Tonka truck more than it does a vehicle actual adults would get behind the wheel of – it seems like a sad attempt by Toyota to understand American Millennials. I’m not the only one thinking it, either. Roadshow by CNET had this to say about the clunky crossover: “Every cool detail is matched with some cringy feature like the GoPro camera built into the driver’s side mirror, door handles that double as water bottles or the swappable vertical side panels that can be removed or replaced with solid colored or tinted glass replacements. And the Internet is already poking fun at how useful those bright red tow hooks will be when this thing needs to be pulled back on the road where it belongs.”
Toyota obviously missed the mark with the FT-4X crossover concept. The fact that the oversized Tonka truck was introduced as a concept, is our only sliver of hope that this sad excuse for a crossover will never see the light of a dealership showroom.
Just like the dad who tries to connect to his kids by adding “AF” to the end of each sentence – Toyota should stop this sad attempt at connecting to Millennials before this sad excuse for a crossover sees the assembly line.
Listen to me, Toyota. I’m serious. AF.
