Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Toyota Supports National Gallery Exhibit and Cherry Blossom Centennial

Statement from Yoshi Inaba, president and COO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

Toyota and its team members and associates, dealers and suppliers in the United States and across the globe are pleased to support the National Gallery of Art and to celebrate the close and enduring friendship between the United States and Japan.

Toyota is proud to join the National Gallery of Art and the National Cherry Blossom Festival in celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Japan’s gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the nation’s capital.  

Toyota will help mark this centennial celebration with major support for the exhibition of one of Japan’s great artistic national treasures, Itô Jakuchû’s Colorful Realm of Living Beings. A part of the Imperial Household’s collection, this is the first time that this 250-year-old work will be shown in its entirety outside of Japan.

The National Gallery exhibition coincides with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, an annual celebration of the cooperation and friendship between Japan and the United States. The cherry blossom gift has been at the heart of this festival in Washington, D.C., attracting tens of thousands each spring. Toyota will also participate in the planting of new cherry blossom trees in public spaces to ensure the trees continue to mark the dawn of spring in the U.S. capital for years to come.

This spring also marks the anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan. As we remember the tragedy of a year ago, we marvel at the resiliency of the Japanese people and remember the overwhelming generosity from the world, but in particular from the United States.

Toyota and the National Gallery of Art were both founded 75 years ago, making this partnership all the more special.  

Our hope is that the Colorful Realm of Living Beings exhibition adds to the already spectacular annual celebration, and we invite all festival goers to share in the appreciation of this stunning example of Japanese artistry.

Courtesy of Toyota

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Here is a car care tip to help keep your vehicle looking like new.

Vacuum and sponge your interior every time you wash your car. Dirt particles are abrasive, and spilled liquids, such as soda, can be corrosive.[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

Thursday, March 15, 2012

New Fuel Efficient Models Help Strengthen Toyota's Industry Leading Fuel Efficiency

As drivers endure the steady ascent of fuel prices nationally, Toyota, the most fuel-efficient full-line auto manufacturer in the United States, has strengthened its portfolio of efficient cars with five recently introduced vehicles that offer an average combined fuel economy of 44 mpg.  

The Scion iQ (EPA rated 37 mpg combined), Camry Hybrid (EPA rated 40.5 mpg combined average for LE and XLE trim levels), and Prius v (EPA rated 42 mpg combined) all arrived to market in late 2011. The Prius Plug-in (EPA rated 50 mpg combined and 95 MPGe), featuring extended electric range, is making its way to first customers in the 15 launch states, and the Prius c (EPA rated 50 mpg combined) will be on sale nationally March 12.

These new vehicles represent a broad range of leading-edge drivetrain and engineering technologies that help them achieve a high level of efficiency. Hybrid Synergy Drive, extended electric vehicle range, generous use of lightweight high-strength steel, a focus on aerodynamics, and the use of efficient Continuously Variable Transmissions are among the features that help these new vehicles attain a high level of fuel efficiency. 

These five new models arrive to market with Toyota already enjoying a 12-percent improvement in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and a 10-percent improvement in U.S. truck CAFE over the past five years. Toyota remains committed to a long-term plan to bring a portfolio of advanced technologies to market, including hybrid, battery electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.


According to the EPA class summary found on U.S. Department of Energy’s www.fueleconomy.gov website, Toyota offers several models that achieve 2012 Best-in Class fuel economy EPA ratings (excluding Plug-in Hybrid and pure EV vehicles).  The Prius c leads the EPA’s compact classification with 50 mpg combined. The Prius Liftback’s combined 50 mpg leads the EPA’s midsize category, and the midsize station wagon class is led by the 42 mpg combined offered by the Prius v.  These segment classifications are determined by the EPA’s measurement of a vehicle’s interior volume.

Toyota and Scion branded vehicles also represent six of the site’s Top 10 EPA-rated Fuel Sippers for 2012 (excluding PHEV or pure EV products), and occupy four spots in that list’s top five.  Toyota family vehicles found on the U.S Department of Energy’s Fueleconomy.gov Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers include: 
  • 2012 Prius c (ranked 1st, 53 city, 46 hwy)
  • 2012 Prius (ranked 2nd, 51 city, 48 hwy)
  • 2012 Prius v (ranked 4th, 44 city, 40 hwy)
  • Toyota Camry Hybrid LE (ranked 7th, 43 city, 39 hwy)
  • Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE (ranked 8th, 40 city, 38 hwy)
  • 2012 Scion iQ (ranked 10th, 36 city, 37 hwy)
Prius was named the Best Overall Value of the year (Passenger Car category) for 2012 by IntelliChoice. Prius continues to be the world’s best-selling fuel-efficient vehicle, with more than 3.5 million vehicles sold worldwide.  Since its U.S. introduction in 2000, Prius – when compared to the average car – has saved American consumers an estimated $2.93 billion in fuel costs*, 1.1 billion gallons of gas* and 16.1 million tons of CO2 emissions*.

 

* Based on average EPA estimated combined mpg rating of Prius versus all MY 2001 to 2011 cars, 10,000 miles/year, and average U.S. gas prices including taxes. Fueleconomy.gov. Actual mileage may vary. US Energy Information Administration
Courtesy of Toyota

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

Five star review on DealerRater:

"Initially, I contacted Redlands Toyota to inquire on a used Lexus SUV that they were offering for a great price. I hesitated emailing the dealership quite honestly because I didn't want to be hassled with sales calls, however, because of the great price of the vehicle I decided to email for information. During the last several months, I have been negotiating a home loan modification, which has resulted in my credit rating negatively being affected for the first time. I had considered trading in my Chevy Tahoe in effort to downsize, and lower my monthly costs, but assumed my credit rating would prevent that. When Caroline contacted me shortly after I sent my email, it was the beginnng of a very different car buying experience. My sales rep Caroline was extremely professional, charismatic, knowledgeable, and immediately began working on getting me pre-approved for financing. I appreciated Caroline's reassuring nature as we discussed my current credit situation, and I felt a lot less embarrassed as we discussed my situation. The vehicle I was interested in had been sold, and the interest rate for used vehicles was higher than I expected, so Caroline suggested looking at new Toyota vehicles. I have owned three Toyotas in the past, and they have been awesome cars, so I was definitely open to looking at new Toyotas. Caroline showed me cars that fit my needs and budget, and was very patient with my endless questions. She took the time to show me the differences in the models that I was interested

in, and the features that were important to me. Choosing the Camry SE, was an easy choice because it is a fabulous car, but usually the paperwork part of the process is long and tedious, but for the first time, purchasing a vehicle from a dealership was fast, and stress-free! The finance manager Gil was also extremely professional, knowledgeable, patient, kind, and really took his time to answer all my questions, and didn't try to pressure me into purchasing anything more than I wanted to. I absolutely would refer my family and friends to Redlands Toyota for their stellar customer service and an outstanding car buying experience!"