The Toyota Mirai, Toyota's car of the future

 

  At first glance, the Toyota Mirai has an aggressive stance that may come across as intimidating to some.  As you circle the hydrogen fuel-cell car, the lines and styling soften to reveal a tail end that would blend in among a sea of cars caught in traffic.

  The driving experience is just as confusing as the exterior. It feels like an oxymoron. One one hand, you're driving a production version of a hydrogen car. On the other hand, it feels more like a Camry, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not every car that moves away from tradition is going to be a Model S and not every driver needs Ludicrous mode. What most of us want is a vehicle that will get us to work every day, comfortably. In that respect, the Mirai is mostly there. 

  The interior of the Mirai is comfortable with tech and styling cues taken from Toyota's Lexus luxury line. It's a commuter that feels smarter and a more solid frame construction that a grocery getter. All in all, the Toyota Mirai sits between the Honda Accords, Toyota Camrys and Chevy Malibus of the world. But thanks to the fuel cell technology under the hood, the price tag has a heavy number...$57,700.  Thankfully though, like the hybrid and electric vehicles, it is eligible for federal tax credits.

You can shop our current Toyota inventory while you wait for the Mirai at www.smarttoyotaquadcities.com 

Be a Race Car Driver in Toyota's New Camry

Some grew up dreaming of being  astronauts. Some wanted to be firefighters. Others wanted to race car drivers. Well, now that dream is achievable in Toyota's new Camry. It's not your grandmother's Camry. It is the Camry as seen in NASCAR. What is so different about this vehicle from the rest of the Camry models? Well, 700 horsepower being sent to the rear wheels by a huge V8 engine and six-speed manual transmission.

Built with a two-door Solara skeleton with the Camry sedan's nose and tail detailing, it also features classic Camry features such as the integrated tubular roll cage, a full leather interior, and the high tech Toyota sound systems all within.

Unfortunately, we are not entirely sure it is legal to drive. And even if it is, would you buy it for its asking price on ebay of $159,000? If you have $159,000 to spend, the dream of being a race car driver can happen now. If you don't, the dream still awaits.

With all that said, the normal Camry is no slouch. In fact, Toyota keeps making it better and better. Starting at just over $22,000, there is no better value for your money. With a range of 35 miles per gallon and 4 cylinder engine, it is not as powerful as its racing counterpart, but it at least has four doors. 

For your Toyota Camry, be sure to shop with us at Smart Toyota of Quad Cities.

Forget Horsepower, Toyota Indiana Plant Powered by People

The people of Indiana have always been involved in the auto industry, whether it was Studebaker, Avanti, or more recently Hummer. It is no coincidence then that Toyota would want to put one of their American plants in the great manufacturing state. With over 4.45 million Toyotas coming out of Indiana in the last twenty years, it is safe to say that Toyota USA made a smart move in putting a plant in the Hoosier state. What is the key to the success of Toyota in their Princeton, Indiana plant? It isn't necessarily the quality of the engineering or the assembly lines. Plant president Norm Bafunno gives a simple answer: It is the people.

Speaking of the great culture that is at the Princeton, Indiana plant, Bafunno said, “My first day on the job as president, a team member came up to me and said she would like to talk about a policy the plant had. I thought to myself, ‘oh boy, what’s coming next.’ As it turns out, it wasn’t something she wanted changed that would benefit her, but, rather, she wanted to donate her vacation days to another team member whose son was sick and in the hospital. In a nutshell, that defines who we are.”

The Princeton plant was originally only making the Tundra. With how successful their operation was, the Sequoia, Sienna, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid are now all made out of this plant. After 20 years of successfully manufacturing these vehicles, you'd think it would be time for a celebration. Going off of the great culture that the plant has, they celebrated 20 years by donating two Siennas to non-profit organizations in the area, Aurora Inc., an organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in the community, and the Gibson County Counsel on Aging, a group that provides transportation to seniors in need.

There is more than just 20 years of operating to celebrate. It is 20 successful years for over 5000 team members to celebrate. Some highlights include:

$4.3 billion investment in the operation

24,058 jobs in Indiana (including direct, intermediate and spin-off employment)

29 top vehicle picks by Consumer Reports

11 J.D. Power Initial Quality Awards and 16 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Awards

265,000 volunteer hours donated by team members and $23 million in donations to area groups

3 expansions

“From the first Tundra produced to the current vehicle line-up, we are proud of the accomplishments of the Toyota Indiana team members,” said Osamu “Simon” Nagata, executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Toyota Motor North America, Inc. “It is clear the plant has a long and bright future ahead.”

“Our team members’ capability to adapt and to learn and apply those skills each day has enabled those results to occur,” Bafunno says. “It not only helps establish a great reputation, but, also, really builds a bridge to the future.”

Needless to say, us Hawkeyes are proud of our Midwestern counterparts and the commitment to the community that Toyota Indiana has made. For more information about your next Toyota, make sure you visit us or chat with one of our sales representatives at Smart Toyota of Quad Cities.

Toyota Number 1 Retail Brand for Month of April

Toyota continues to dominate the automotive industry in America as not only did they achieve the number spot in sales for retail brands, but also broke four records. Toyota's light trucks posted a sixth straight month of record sales, while RAV4, Highlander, and 4Runner all had their best month ever.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, released on May 3rd that they sold a total of 211,125 units in the month of an April, which was a 3.8% increase from April 2015.

Bill Fay, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager, said that April was "possibly the best month ever." He wasn't lying as the numbers don't lie. Camry and Corolla both sold over 32,000 units in the month of April. Their light trucks sales were up almost 13% for the month. RAV4 sales rose over 31.6%, making it a best ever April for the light SUV. Most of note, 4Runner's sales were up over 36% for the month, blowing away the previous record. The highest increase in sales came in the Land Cruiser, seeing a 78% increase in sales for the month of April. 

The reason for the success? Toyota's reliability and affordability. The top selling vehicles have all won multiple awards. RAV4 is a 2016 NHTSA 5 Star Overall Safety Rating Recipient, an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and Best Hybrid SUV for the Money by US News & World Report. The accolades don't stop. Highlander was named a Best Buy Award Finalist, one of sixteen Best Family Cars of 2016, and 5-Year Cost To Own Award, all by Kelley Blue Book. It was also given an NHTSA 5-Star Overall Safety Rating.

In the light truck line, the Tacoma was a Best Buy Award Finalist by Kelley Blue Book and it is also being recognized as not only the best selling compact pick-up in America by the auto industry, but it is also the best selling midsize pickup for the last ten years! Toyota Tundra has a whole hall of awards, but their most notable and telling is the industry accolade that recognizes their durability, with over 90% of Tundras sold over the last ten years still being on the road.

Want in on the reliability of Toyota? Great! Here is a link to our extensive new Toyota inventory. Also feel free to chat with on of our sales representatives here.

SOURCE: Toyota No. 1 Retail Brand in April 2016

Happy 50th Birthday, Toyota Corolla!

While other Toyota models may be more attention, the Corolla is about to celebrate it's 50th birthday, which is no small accomplishment.  To commemorate the milestone, Toyota is creating a 50th Anniversary Special Edition.

Only 8,000 of the Special Edition units are expected to be made, and are expected this fall.  The 50th Anniversary model will be based on the most current Corolla SE, and will boast 17-inch alloy wheels in two-tone finish and LED headlamps.  The interior will feature a 7-inch touchscreen, 4.2-inch instrument display, Entune Audi Plus, black unholstery with red accents, and, of course, plenty of special edition badges and insignia.  

The first Corollas were produced in Japan in 1966, and made it to US shores in 1968.  It quickly became the US' best-selling import, hitting 10 million units by 1983.  You can see our current model-year Toyota Corolla at Smart Toyota of Quad Cities

Chicago Auto Show

  I had the opportunity to attend the 2016 Chicago Auto Show and Toyota did not disappoint. The new RAV4 was present, the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, the "Back to the Future" Mirai and Kyle Busch's Toyota Camry NASCAR were just some of the models that were at the show. Toyota also had few concept vehicles there as well.

  The 2016 RAV4 encourages you to venture out. It's restyling creates a bold front end and a chiseled look, with an interior that matches the upgraded exterior. The RAV4 is a package that is athletic as it is refined and it's ready to take you on your next journey.

   Built for your endless weekend. The bold new look of the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro delivers unwavering capability and all the good looks to match. Character lines that are chiseled and muscular fenders show off the Tacoma's strength and an available hood scoop and aggressive grille hint at the power that is beneath the hood. With an attitude that has been amplified, this off-road icon is ready to rock.

Kyle Busch drives the No. 18 Toyota Camry (Joe Gibbs Racing). With 311 races run over 13 years, Kyle has  napped 76 wins, 222 top ten finishes and 48 pole positions. Congrats Kyle! Thank you for such a great representation of Toyota.

 

Paying homage to the 30th anniversary of the Back to the Future trilogy. A company called MV Designz assisted Toyota to re-imagine Doc Brown’s DeLorean DCM-12 time machine, but this time based it on the 2016 Mirai production model. The stock Mirai was converted from a four-door sedan into a coupe body style with two gullwing doors and finished in a custom brushed-aluminum paint to assimilate the body of the DeLorean that starred in the movies.

   Odds are, you've got to experience an all-new sensation. From a stomach dropping roller coaster to driving your first car, we've all experienced "butterflies". Toyota is giving butterflies to those awaiting news whether their three-wheeled, I-Road prototype, will hit the production line.






   The FV2 was created to heighten the driving involvement by bonding emotionally and physically with the driver. Replacing the traditional steering wheel, the Toytoa FV2 is controlled by the driver shifting his or her body to intuitively shift the vehicle forward and back, left and right.





  I highly recommend attending an auto show if you have the chance. The displays are amazing and show the brands love of their vehicles. You can shop our Toyota inventory at www.smarttoyotaquadcities.com or you can visit our showroom located at 1501 E. 53rd St. Davenport, IA. 52807 where you can speak with a member of our Toyota Certified Sales Team. We look forward to hearing from you.

Toyota FT-1 Concept

  These are modern times and the only way to make and impact is to design with an impact. Toyota's FT-1 concept car is pure performance. It is track-focused and a symbol that captures the energy and emotion we can expect to see in future Toyota designs.  It can accelerate 0 to 60 MPH with the top speed reaching 180 MPH. The interior is expected to be more refined, made better and aimed at the driver. Leaving racing fingerprints everywhere, the FT-1 is a hot concept vehicle and is sending shock waves across the industry.


Read more here. You can shop our current inventory at www.smarttoyotaquadcities.com or visit our showroom located at 1501 E. 53rd St. Davenport, IA. 52807 where you can speak with a member of our Toyota Certified Sales Team. We look forward to hearing from you.