Posts Tagged ‘Toyota News’

This week, Toyota revealed a historic achievement: the 2012 RAV4 EV all-electric crossover, the first mass-produced electric SUV in the world. Toyota announced this vehicle was coming back in 2010, and the company had partnered with Tesla Motors to develop appropriate technology. Now that the unveiling has happened, car bloggers everywhere are buzzing with details surrounding the SUV. The news for Gresham Toyota is exciting, but underneath it all people are asking: is America ready for a Toyota electric SUV?

After releasing the plug-in Prius, Toyota proved it wasn’t going to stay content with simple hybrids. As a leader in automotive innovation, it surprised few people that the company planned to release an electric version of the RAV4. It also isn’t surprising that the RAV4 EV will be the most aerodynamic SUV and have an impressive electric range of 100 miles. Even with all of that accolade, though, many wonder if it will be received as well as the Prius.

Toyota seems to be wondering, too. With its unveiling came an announcement that the vehicle would only be sold at first in California—and that only 2,600 would be produced in the first three years. With a $50,000 price tag (before government tax incentives, which are significant), this isn’t a bad strategy. As popular as electric cars are in automotive news, they remain pretty scarce throughout most of the country. Until more states build the infrastructure to support charging stations, an electric SUV wouldn’t be as sensible for someone in the Midwest (yet). Here in the Northwest, we’re better prepared. Though the initial launch is a few hundred miles south of us, we Oregonians shouldn’t have to wait too long to drive the RAV4 EV all-electric crossover.

Looking for your own dependable Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

When people think of Toyota vehicles, innovation is often the first thing that comes to mind. The company has become famous for revolutionizing vehicular design, engines, and now production methods. In a recent article from the Detroit News, Toyota showcased its production plants where cars are being built like nowhere else on earth. One century after the Henry Ford assembly line, Toyota continues to prove that even the oldest conventions can be refined. At Gresham Toyota, we’re proud to offer these innovative vehicles on our lot.

Starting in 2008, Toyota began issuing a sizable number of recalls—large for any company, but especially one that was synonymous with quality. Toyota cars and trucks have been known to be dependable and reliable for decades, which was contrary to the issues experienced in 2008. The issue turned out where engineers least expected it: dated production methods. As Toyota cars and trucks became more popular, production at old plants had simply increased, not improved. Officials realized that in order to deliver the highest quality and quantity, new methods had to be developed.

As Toyota continually creates and implements new technologies, and demand can rise or fall week by week. Toyota knew its production plants had to be adaptable. Engineers began to move vehicles on wheeled platforms, which allowed the assembly line to be changed more quickly. Additionally, they created a “metal stamping” system that can mold and create numerous shapes of car doors. These seemingly small tweaks have already had a significant impact on the vehicles. Instead of halting all production for a single adjustment, these adaptive methods allow the whole process to continue at a normal pace. This doesn’t only mean an increase in production, but also that they’re produced without undue rush, so the famous Toyota quality remains high.

Looking for your own dependable Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

Actually, they’re going to read emotions according to What Car?, a UK automotive magazine. Throughout the last decade, Toyota has been in development of a mood sensing technology. The goal is to create a fleet of cars that know when you’re angry or sad, since those moods tend to increase the likelihood of an accident. To some, this may sound like science fiction or the plot of Knight Rider, but it’s not. Market analysts predict we may see the technology on the Gresham Toyota lot in as little as six years.

Mood sensing is much more complicated than a ring that changes color. It requires a complicated network of cameras and motion sensors. Today’s Toyota technology can analyze 238 facial points to determine if someone is happy, sad, angry, or neutral. Studies show that sad and angry drivers pay less attention to road hazards and traffic conditions, and they’re less responsive to brake or swerve. To keep yourself and others safe, your Toyota could intervene and brake or steer to avoid a collision.

Toyota hopes this technology will make roads safer in the future, but the advancements could have more practical purposes too. Screens would dim when the car knew you weren’t looking at them, and mirrors would automatically adjust based on your height. While these developments exceed current capabilities, Toyota has always remained at the forefront of new technology. If future Toyota vehicles can sense your mood, they won’t just improve your driving experience: they’ll keep you and others safe.

Looking for your own dependable Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

J. D. Power and Associates, long respected as the leading automotive industry expert group, has released its 2012 U. S. Vehicle Dependability Study, and Toyota swept the field.

Three of the top five brands in dependability rankings were Toyota Motor Corp. brands – Toyota, Scion, and Lexus all ranked well above average in the study’s namesake category.

In addition to sweeping the dependability rankings, Toyota earned awards in eight of the 14 model segments, more than all other manufacturers combined. The next-ranking manufacturer, Ford, only earned three.

Among the models earning recognition for the automaker were Lexus ES 350 and RX 350, Scion tC and xB, and Toyota Prius, Sienna, Tundra, and Yaris.

Looking for your own dependable Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

Unlike many of the vehicles that automakers unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this year, the 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser hasn’t undergone any mechanical overhauls. There’s no new engine with more horsepower, the fuel efficiency is the same, and Toyota kept the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), which allows the anti-roll bars to disengage if a driver chooses to take this luxury SUV off-roading.

What has changed, however, are the features that come with every Land Cruiser. Voice-activated navigation, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and rain-sensing windshield wipers that used to be optional. Toyota has made those little extras standard on the 2013 model. Want to grab dinner and a movie? Toyota’s Entune multimedia system integrates apps from smartphones, including OpenTable and movietickets.com. Need to take a hands-free call? Bluetooth integration with the Land Cruiser’s JPL speaker system makes that possible.

Comfort hasn’t been overlooked in these upgrades, either. From the leather-trimmed steering wheel to the cooler in the center console, from the vented passenger seats to power outlets in the rear seating area, the 2013 Land Cruiser is built to avoid the road trip blues. You know what we mean. “He’s touching me! My iPod battery’s dead! There’s nothing to DO!” No one’s going to complain in this SUV.

Looking for your own well-equipped Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!