Category Archives: Toyota

Toyota to unveil redesigned Camry on Tuesday

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Toyota

Toyota will reveal its redesigned Camry on Tuesday, showing to the world the new look they've given their flagship car. It will be the first time in five years that Toyota has redesigned the Camry and comes at a time when the manufacturer faces a number of struggles.

The Associated Press reports that the event, which will simultaneously take place in California, Michigan and Kentucky, will showcase the numerous upgrades being made to the car. Few details are confirmed, but one of the more impressive technological features is an entertainment system that allows drivers to connect to mobile applications.

Camry is still the number one selling car, with more than 20,000 units sold compared to its closest competitor, the Nissan Altima. Still, many felt a redesign was in order to attract a younger demographic.

"They are safe vehicles that have nothing fundamentally wrong with them, but they don't promote excitement," industry expert Jesse Tropak told the AP. "That is one of those elements you need to attract younger buyers."

Drivers looking to get behind the wheel of a Toyota may want to check out New Jersey Auto Auction, which offers plenty of models at affordable prices.

Ford, Toyota partner to create new line of hybrids

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Ford, Toyota

On the surface, Ford and Toyota may seem like competitors, but the two respected car manufacturers recently teamed up in an effort to provide motorists with more fuel-efficient options. The companies announced that they will collaborate to create an advanced hybrid system for light truck and SUV drivers.

The duo are expected to come to a formal agreement sometime next year, but the announcement ends years of the two working separately toward the same goal. By working together, both Ford and Toyota believe they will be able to create the next system faster than if they continued independently.

"Ford achieved a breakthrough with the Ford Fusion Hybrid, and we intend to do this again for a new group of truck and SUV buyers – customers we know very well," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development.

Specifically, the system will be focused on implementing hybrid features in a rear-wheel drive capacity. Both manufacturers are expected to implement the system in different ways.

Drivers looking to get behind the wheel of a Ford Fusion or Toyota Prius may want to check out New Jersey Auto Auction, which offers plenty of models at affordable prices.

Toyota debuts 2012 Yaris at Lollapalooza

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Toyota

Lollapalooza is typically thought of as one of the premiere summer music festivals, but this year's event had an unexpected guest. The 2012 Toyota Yaris made its debut at the Chicago-based event this past weekend, and it includes a bunch of new an exciting features.

Cars.com editor Joe Bruzek was on hand to check out the unveiling and gave a detailed description of the new Yaris. Among its updates is improved gas mileage – the automatic model will get around 35 miles per gallon on the highway, while the manual will get 38.

Additionally, Bruzek noted that the car includes a number of useful electronic features as well that will appeal to the young Lollapalooza crowd. For one, it comes complete with USB input and iPod capability.

Though it made its first public appearance this weekend, consumers will have to wait until late September or early October to get behind the wheel themselves.

Those looking to pick up a new Toyota, whether it be a Yaris or a Camry, can check out New Jersey Auction for used cars at an affordable price. 

Electric Toyota RAV4 to make its way to the general public

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Toyota

Ever since debuting the Prius, Toyota has been at the forefront of energy-efficient cars, and it looks like the company is set to expand the program into one of its most popular SUVs. Toyota announced that the new RAV4 will be available to the general public starting some time next year.

The announcement comes after there were rumors about whether or not the RAV4 would only be sold to fleet and car sharing programs – much like Toyota's other 2012 electric options the Scion iQ. Toyota made the declaration in an effort to clear up any misconceptions.

"We’d like to set the record straight," Toyota said on its website. "The 2012 RAV4 EV will definitely be sold to the general public. We anticipate robust public interest in the RAV4 EV and are keen to inform consumers that their future vehicle options include a battery electric Toyota."

Motorists looking to get behind the wheel of a used Toyota, whether it be a Prius or a Corolla, will want to check out New Jersey Auto Auction, which offers plenty of models at affordable prices.

Camry experiencing a challenge from Sonata

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Hyundai, Toyota

The Toyota Camry has long been the best-selling car inside the United States, and while that may very well be the case again this year, the popular vehicle has lost substantial ground to the upstart Hyundai Sonata, and according to Bloomberg is looking to separate itself once again.

Coupled with the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan, Toyota has seen sales of the Camry dip 31 percent compared to its best year ever – 2007. Comparatively, the Sonata has experienced a 35 percent jump after a revamp in its design last year.

"Sonata became a very honorable contender in the market,"’ Yoshimi Inaba, Toyota’s North American chairman, told the news source. "We do have good respect for the model, and the sales figures show it’s increasing quite a bit."

Perhaps the biggest reason for the boost in sales has to do with the fact that Hyundai has been making a push to boost fuel economy. The news provider reports that the Sonata gets 35 miles per gallon compared to the Camry's 32.

Toyota Camry tops the charts for “Most American Car”

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Posted in Toyota

Although Toyota is a Japanese automaker, its Camry model, which is manufactured in Georgetown, Kentucky, and Lafayette, Indiana, was recently named the "Most American Car" in a Cars.com study for the third consecutive year.

The survey ranks cars based on the percentage of parts that are made within the U.S., where they are predominantly sold and how many are bought by Americans.

"In today's global economy, there's not an easy way to determine just how American a car is," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "Most cars built in the U.S., for example, are assembled using at least some parts that come from somewhere else. Additionally, many U.S. automakers assemble vehicles in Canada and Mexico, while foreign automakers have opened plants on U.S. soil."

Following the Camry in the rankings were the Honda Accord at number two and the Chevy Malibu at number three.

Individuals who want to show their American pride and are looking to purchase a Camry may want to check out New Jersey Auto Auction, which houses a number of makes and models including the Camry.

Prius wagon to be released this fall

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Toyota

The Toyota Prius has been one of the most popular fuel-efficient cars since it hit roads across the world nearly a decade ago, and the company is set to add a new model to the family. According to USA Today, Toyota recently unveiled the Prius v, a wagon-like version of the car aimed at families.

The announcement was made at an event earlier this week, which highlighted the impressive features on the soon-to-be released model. Though it's bigger and offers more space for families are cargo, it still maintains the Prius' impressive fuel economy, getting 44 miles per gallon.

According to the news source, though Toyota is hopeful about the addition of a new model, the name may cause some confusion. To help combat any mix-ups in the name, the original Prius will now be called the Prius Liftback.

Motorists hoping to get into a Toyota Prius, or other fuel efficient cars such as hybrid versions of the Ford Focus and Ford Escape can check out New Jersey Auto Auction which offers plenty of models at affordable prices.

Toyota expects sales dip in wake of Japanese earthquake

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Posted in Auto Brands News, Toyota

Toyota recently announced grim expectations for its annual sales report, but with the potential for a silver lining. Hurt by the production stalls caused by the Japanese earthquake, Toyota expects sales to drop 31 percent from the year before, but according to The New York Times, the company also believes it will enjoy a quick recovery.

Despite the fact that many of Toyota's plants have been slowed by the earthquake and its aftermath, its officials maintain that they should be up and running at full speed by November at the latest. Although they are optimistic for the future, the news source reports that they will likely be passed as the world's largest automaker by General Motors and Volkswagen. Still, that's not something that's too important to the company.

"We don’t see it as necessary to be the largest automaker in the world," Satoshi Ozawa, Toyota’s executive vice president, told the news outlet.

While it might be in the middle of sales slump, there's no denying Toyota has been among the most popular manufactures in recent memory. Drivers looking to get into a reliable model, whether it be the Corolla or Camry may want to look to New Jersey Auto Auction for their automotive needs.  

Toyota issues two recalls

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Posted in Toyota

Toyota has announced two recalls of popular vehicles for separate issues, one of which will affect more than 100,000 models and another that is restricted to just 50.

The big recall centers around used Toyota Priuses, specifically models from 2001 through 2003. Toyota has found that some versions of the popular hybrid may eventually lose their steering capability due to some screw in the steering column. Apparently, if a driver routinely makes hard left turns, the screws can become undone and it can be very difficult to turn the vehicle.

The degradation of steering ability comes over time, so it's not something sudden that will catch drivers unaware. Toyota says the recall affects 106,000 Priuses worldwide, including 52,000 in the U.S. Dealers will replace the screws affected by the issue with stronger screws that will eliminate the flaw. The repair is expected to take four hours.

In a separate recall, a very small portion of 2011 Venzas and Siennas are being called back for an issue related to the driveshaft. Toyota is going to look at 34 Venzas and 11 Siennas, but expects to just find 38 instances of the issue.

Drivers should keep up to date on recalls if they plan on shopping for a used car, and should be sure that the model they are considering purchasing has had all the proper maintenance work. 

U.S. Toyota execs to get developmental authority

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Posted in Toyota

In the automotive industry, the phrase "buy American" has been a hot topic for many years. With GM, Ford and Chrysler providing millions of jobs and economic stimulus for the U.S. economy, many citizens feel its their right to buy American cars and keep the country healthy. Yet in recent years, with major foreign automakers building factories in the U.S. and essentially creating new companies in America, the definition of what exactly is an "American car" has gotten quite muddled.

Toyota is one such manufacturer that has built plants in the U.S., and the Japan-based company also has several U.S.-only models that aren't available anywhere else. Now, Automotive News reports that Toyota is looking to give further development responsibilities to its U.S. branch, essentially making it a stand-alone company.

Marketing executives and other higher-ups in Toyota's U.S. branch will soon have the authority to design and approve new U.S.-only cars, without going back to Japan for approval. The new autonomy will hopefully further distinguish the Toyota brand in America from its Japanese parent company.

U.S. executives told the news source that having to run every change by Japanese officials ultimately hindered development on some models, like the Sienna, Tacoma and Avalon.

Drivers interested in "buying American" – or an import car – might want to check out New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide variety of cars for sale.