Toyota Monitor

By  TCC Team,December 3rd, 2008

2009 Toyota Venza

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Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. just got rocked with a 33.8 percent sales decline for the month of November versus sales for that month one year ago. Is Toyota just feeling the pain that all automakers are experiencing in the North American market at present, or have their newest models and aggressive attempts at sales growth in America missed the mark?

The Toyota Tundra full-size truck, while finally big and bold enough to compete with domestic trucks, was timed poorly as gas prices have gone haywire and buyers are downsizing. Toyota offers no efficient diesel in the Tundra, and the top-level 5.7-liter V-8, while an impressive performer, is no fuel miser. Most buyers these days care more about efficiency than they do about a full-size truck that can rocket to 60 mph in the six-second range. Finally, reliability problems with the Tundra haven't helped its image any.

Toyota just rolled out yet another medium-sized SUV-ish vehicle, the 2009 Toyota Venza crossover. Based on the Camry platform, it does offer a relatively efficient four-cylinder and the kind of utility and convenience that families desire. But we found it to have rather chintzy interior materials, and wonder if Toyota really needs another car-based tall wagon in its arguably crowded lineup (RAV4, Highlander, Matrix).

Toyota has always known how to build great small cars; the automaker built its reputation on efficient, rock-solid reliable economy vehicles. In their quest for North American dominance, vehicle sizes, curb weights, and consumption have all risen at Toyota. Luckily, the carmaker hasn't abandoned its roots and has vehicles like the Yaris, Corolla, wildly popular Prius, and Toyota Camry Hybrid for buyers now seeking more efficient vehicles. Additionally, for the European and Japanese market, Toyota builds a host of lean and efficient vehicles. Perhaps we'll see some of those models trickle into the North American lineup as Toyota re-adjusts to a tough new market.

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1. 2009 Toyota Camry
2. 2009 Toyota RAV4

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