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Toyota is on the Offensive. Will it work?
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Comments
I believe the hot crossovers sold around 120-150k per year or so. Maybe 70% of that pace in today's market.
In that regard the Venza is all but invisible.
It's basically a big Camry wagon, with a luxurious twist. The interior is much nicer than the RAV4, IMO.
That's why I think it could steal a few RX sales.
That was numbers from TOYOTA CANADA on the 8,800 a year.
USA:
4,745 in May, with the 2009 total at 15,942 so far
My bad..........:)
And we all fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
Still, 32k per year, at this rate, is still very much an also ran.
Heck, the old Forester sold at about 48k/year and it was considered an also ran. The new one is doing a lot better, as is the RAV4. And the funny thing is those aren't even the crossover leaders - the CR-V is.
I also stand by my original point. I think the Venza is a breakout model for Toyota, style-wise. It's got some prescence to it and the interior is pretty classy IMO, not as cost cut feeling as cars like the Camry. Yeah, I guess it is sorta Ford Edge ripoff or maybe Murano ripoff, but there are some pretty neat curves on it that make it look less vanilla than other Toyota cars.
Toyota usually plays it safe so I agree, the Venza does push the envelope for them a bit.
I have a Sienna and I've looked at the Venza and RAV4. The RAV4's interior feels cheaper than my Sienna, but the Venza seems nicer. Of course it costs a bunch more, way more than a Sienna with the same equipment.
More like a modern, RWD Celica, than a Supra, but I'm looking forward to it.
Hopefully the designers that did the Venza will work on that project. Rumors say a convertible may come, too, though that was before the crisis hit. We'll see.
Subaru will hopefully offer an AWD version.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Toyota Makes More Financing Vehicles Than Selling Them (AutoObserver)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have released the latest Fuel Economy Guide, listing the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the States. Once again, the Toyota Prius tops this chart, besting the competition with its EPA ratings of 51/48 miles per gallon city/highway.
Sure, it looks like a aeroblob, but buyers like that about it.
Stay the same, and you eventually fall behind. Toyota needs to adopt new attributes to gain or even maintain worldwide market share in the future. It's CEO has been talking recently about designing Toyotas to be more fun-to-drive. Good move, in my opinion, although that's probably more important to many participants in Edmunds forums than it is to the average motorist.
So true...
Hyundai caught everyone asleep at the wheel. Most brands reserve direct injection for their luxury brands and high-end models, and here they show up with 200hp and 35mpg in their base mid-size sedan.
It was a wake-up call to the whole segment.
Toyota has no choice but to respond. Their bread-and-butter Camry puts out a formerly competitive 169-179hp/32-33mpg. Today, that's 2nd fiddle.
Trouble is, Toyota and Honda have been leap-frogging each other by taking baby steps, and here comes Hyundai out of nowhere and blows them both away.
You can bet they are busy planning product responses now.
It'll be really interesting to see what Toyota and Honda do with their next generation Camry and Accord. And what about the next generation Malibu, Fusion and Fiat-inspired Chrysler/Dodge, just to name a few more models that will have to scramble to compete with the Sonata?
For example, when Ford had Volvo and Jaguar, a Lincoln always had to be a little less than a Jag. Lincoln often got a less powerful engine, fewer niceties, etc. So Lincoln became "Jaguar Light".
Cadillac didn't have that handicap, it could be all it wanted to be. Cadillac whopped Lincoln, badly. Ford is now trying to reinvent Lincoln, since it sold Jaguar and Volvo.
Same applies to Toyota. If Lexus has to be nicer, that limits how good a Toyota can be. Same for Honda with Acura on top. And Infiniti over Nissan. None of the lesser brands can match their big brother else they will cannibalize them.
Hyundai does not have that handicap. They ARE the premium brand above Kia. So Hyundai can go all out. DI for all, even at shockingly low price points.
The other mainstream brands got caught sleeping at the wheel.
Even now, their response must be calculated. The Accord cannot step on the toes of the TL. The Camry cannot cannibalize the ES. They can only do so much.
It'll be interesting to see how things develop.
Interestingly, Kia made the 200hp engine standard on the Optima, while the base Soanta gets 198hp. Not a big difference, but it shows that they are not letting Hyundai limit what Kia can be.
On the surface it would seem Hyundai is "above" Kia, but not really, they are striving for different a character for each brand.
VW did the same thing - Audi went Sporty, VW tried to go upscale. The Phaeton and A8 coexist even today in Europe (and it will likely come back to the USA).
I'm not sure it has worked that well, so let's see if Hyundai can manage.
Look at the cheapened Jetta, for instance. They're going after volume now.
Now, it would be surprising if they cheapen Audi, since that's VW's upscale brand, and Americans shopping in that category are willing to pay more for luxury and quality components.
The auto market in the US is already tight. I'm not sure a "cheapened" Jetta is the right idea.