I was 30 minutes late to work today, and it was all Toyota's fault. (Okay, it was actually all my fault, but my boss might not be as upset about it if I blame Toyota…) I went on a wild goose chase through the hills of Southern California, following a future Toyota SUV or crossover.
Heading toward the freeway, I saw a small caravan of vehicles going in the opposite direction. In front was a Lexus sedan (I think it was an LS 460), which are pretty commonplace in Southern California. But what caught my eye was the next vehicle in line - it was covered in all-black camouflage. The third was a Tundra with Michigan license plates.
Realizing I was going to be late to work (again!!!), I decided to turn around and follow the group. I wasn't going to follow them for long - just long enough to get a better look at the camo'd crossover. With no opening in traffic, though, I was forced to go around the block and do some careful zigzagging. I tried to time my maneuver so I'd end up behind the line of Toyota products, but drove too fast, overshot the trio, and saw that Lexus LS in my rearview mirror.
Now I had to pull over and wait for the caravan to pass so I could follow them. Mind you, I was in a bright red car with daytime running lights, which meant I stood out like a sore thumb. But I got there, and was in pursuit (at 30 mph). They turned on a major street in the area, one that would take them straight to their corporate headquarters after about six miles. I followed, getting a much better look at the mystery vehicle. It was about the size of a Prius or Camry, with a lot more ground clearance. Unlike either car, though, the rear roofline looked like that of an SUV. Unfortunately, they figured out I was following them, and the Tundra served as a decoy, keeping me from getting any closer to the crossover while the rest of the group took an alternate route. I didn't even have the chance to snap a photo.
So, what was it? My best guess is the upcoming Venza, a Camry-based vehicle that Toyota calls a "sedan crossover." It seats five and is said to provide the comfort and performance of a sedan plus the utility of an SUV. (Sure. Sounds like more like a wagon to me.) But after all the work of chasing them, I have nothing to show for it -- and no way to prove to my boss that I was actually late to the office for a work-related reason. If I come across another camo'd SUV, maybe I should try following them in something that blends in with traffic.