The search for a vehicle that is both environmentally friendly, powerful, and spacious enough to comfortably seat a full family has ended. Here at Midtown Toyota, our Oak Park Toyota dealer, we are proud to offer our customers the all new 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV. This incredible vehicle comes standard with three rows of seating that hold up to seven passengers and a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain engine that make it the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its class. It’s very rare to find a hybrid that offers great power with such incredible gas mileage. The 2012 Highlander boasts 280 horsepower at 28 miles per gallon, notably more powerful and fuel efficient than its “competitors” in the hybrid crossover market. The 2012 Toyota Highlander doesn’t really have any competition because there are no other seven-passenger vehicles on the market that offer such great fuel economy. The powerful engine also makes the Highlander a great vehicle for towing, a rare trait in a hybrid. We at Midtown Toyota highly recommend our customers to take a ride in the Highlander to experience the comfort and luxury of an expensive sedan with the room for seven and incredible fuel economy.

2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 

• 3.5L V6 gasoline engine and three electric motors
• 280 horsepower (tows up to 3,500 pounds)
• 28 mpg city/28 mpg highway
• All-wheel drive system, stability and traction control
• 50 % better gas mileage than competitor non-hybrid crossovers
• 25% better gas mileage than competitor hybrid crossovers
• ECON button that changes throttle sensitivity to improves fuel economy
• Built-in trip computer and rearview camera
• Satellite radio, auxiliary (Ipod) input, and USB audio interface

We at Midtown Toyota want to explain the truth behind a common misconception that hybrid and electric vehicles could potentially create an enormous amount of garbage in the form of dead batteries. Dealerships around the US including our Oak Park Toyota dealership launched a program last year that ensures every piece of a Toyota hybrid battery pack will be recycled at the end of its use. It is estimated that hybrid/electric vehicle batteries (nickel-metal hybride battery packs) last between 7-10 years, depending on mileage and owner maintenance. While it is required by the California Air Resources board for hybrid battery packs to last at least 150,000 miles, Toyota batteries last between 150,000 and 300,000 miles. It’s estimated that about 1.3 million Toyota hybrids are in use today and about 500 hybrid battery packs expire every month. Hybrid battery packs do not instantly die. After a warning light in a Toyota vehicle signals the driver that the battery needs to be replaced, the fading battery begins limiting power to the vehicle, giving the driver ample time to get to our dealership and replace the battery.

What We Do With Dead Hybrid Batteries

Toyota sends us reusable shipping containers to send out all of our dead batteries. We ship them to Kinsbursky Bros, a recycling company based in California, where they “remove” or short the electrical current in the battery and break it down into different components. The plastic cover and shells around the battery are shredded and recycled. All of the naturally-occuring earth elements are removed and reused. The interior portion of the battery is sent to a smelting factory where the parts are recycled to make stainless steel. Thanks to Toyota and Kinsbursky Bros, we are able to make sure that every hybrid battery pack we receive is completely recycled.

We at Midtown Toyota are excited to announce that the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid was ranked as the top family sedan by Consumer Reports in the upcoming February issue for 2012. With 30 vehicles competing in the sedan category, the 2012 Toyota Camry and 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid were both highly ranked in every test. The Camry Hybrid offers a bold look and a fresh feel with improved gas mileage. The Camry has gained a reputation for it’s reliability and affordability, making it a highly popular vehicle with our customers at Midtown Toyota. The new hybrid model offers even better fuel economy, a fresh new interior, and dynamic handling that very few family sedans can compete with.

The Toyota Camry has always been ranked as one the top vehicles in the sedan category in Consumer Reports, and this year, with the introduction of the hyrbrid model, the Camry continues its domination. Consumer Reports performs extensive product testing every year on new vehicles and ranks them based on a number of specs. All of the 2012 Camry models that were tested for the February issue were given the “Reccomended tag” and the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid earned a whopping 38 mpg rating.

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

• 38 mpg rating
• 200 horsepower
• 2.5-liter four cylinder hybrid drivetrain
• Quick acceleration
• High reliability ratings
• High handling ratings

In Chicago, Camry has always been a popular family sedan. We at Midtown Toyota are especially thrilled to offer the new hybrid model at a very affordable price. Come vist us at our Chicago location to see what all the hype is about.

In mid-November Toyota opened Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi (TMMMS), a Corolla production plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi that will add nearly 2,000 jobs. The $800 million plant will be Toyota’s 14th in North America and will produce 150,000 Corolla’s every year.  The opening couldn’t come at a better time. In one of the harshest economic climates in history and with the holidays approaching, TMMMS will bring joy and opportunity to many families in Mississippi.

“Today is a great day for Blue Springs and the entire State of Mississippi. Toyota chose Mississippi for its dedicated, talented workforce, and I know they will enjoy great success at their newest facility. We are proud to be the home of Toyota, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with our newest corporate partner.” – Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour

TMMMS is located in just outside of Tupelo, Mississippi and is a great leap for Toyota as they continue to focus on producing vehicles where they will be sold. In major cities throughout the US like Chicago, Corolla is one of the most popular vehicles. In fact, the Corolla is the best-selling car in the world of all time.  Soon enough, when you’re in Oak Park, used Corollas will be mostly produced in America. All Corolla engines for the TMMMS plant are produced in West Virginia and the cylinder blocks and heads are produced in Missouri and Tennessee.

“Building vehicles where we sell them helps us be even closer to our customers. The U.S. market remains a key to Toyota’s overall success, and Toyota Mississippi will play an important role for us here.” – Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Company President

Toyota introduced a new sports car this month that reintroduces Toyota as a manufacturer of fun. This innovative vehicle is being called the “86″ in America, “GT86″ in Europe, and “Hachi-roku” in Japan. The vehicle draws inspiration from the Toyota AE86 that was a popular model in the 1980′s. It’s the first sports car manufactured by Toyota since 2007. As the top automaker in Japan, Toyota traditionally introduces new models in a banquet-style fashion. The introduction of the 86 was a bit more flashy and fun. Expected to make it’s first public appearance in the Tokyo Motor Show, the Toyota 86 surprised thousands of racing fans at the Fuji Speedway circuit a week before it’s scheduled debut.

“We’ve made you wait a long time for this… At long last, here is a car for car lovers” – Akio Toyoda, Toyota Chief Executive

Toyota has been working hard to introduce a new sports car. After Akio Toyoda became Toyota Chief Executive in 2009, he  made it his mission to bring the fun back to the Toyota brand by developing a sporty, rear-wheel-drive vehicle. The 86 includes Toyota’s D-4S direct injection technology in a horizontally opposed boxer engine. This will be the first vehicle in the world with such engine, made possible by co-development with Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, who will release a twin model to the 86 called the “Subaru BRZ”. With the release of the 86 in 2012, Toyota is blurring the lines between what’s cool and what’s affordable.

“An affordable sports car that feels good driving on any road, and that’s not just fast on a circuit. There are few sports cars out there like that.” -Tetsuya Tada, Chief Engineer on the Toyota 86

Toyota 86

• First Toyota sports car since Toyota MR-S (2007)
• First horizontally opposed boxer engine with Toyota’s D-4S direct injection technology
• Rear-wheel-drive, compact, 2-liter engine
• Four-seater, light body, low center of gravity
• No disclosed pricing but estimated around $30,000-$40,000
• Will hit showrooms Spring 2012

We’re hoping to offer the 86 in Oak Park Toyota dealerships in the next year or two but we won’t know for sure until it is officially released in the US. In a few years you won’t just see this sporty compact at your Oak Park Toyota showroom because the streets will be flooded with 86′s.

Toyota was named the Best Automotive Brand last month in Kelly Blue Book’s 2012 Best Resale Value Awards. It comes as no surprise as the Toyota Camry has been the best-selling car in America for 13 of the last 14 years. Toyota was the only brand with more than one vehicle making the Top 10 list, with two models in the Top 3. In major cities like Chicago, Camry and Prius have continued to flourish with impeccable design and fuel efficiency at affordable pricing. This year Toyota blew away the competition and became the best choice for mid-sized and larger models, winning the award for Best Resale Value in the mid-sized vehicle, compact pickup truck, and mid-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV) categories. 

Toyota Winners at Kelly Blue Book’s 2012 Best Resale Value Awards

• Toyota Camry – 2012 Best Resale Value Award in mid-sized vehicle category
• Toyota FJ Cruiser – 2012 Best Resale Value in mid-sized SUV category
• Toyota Tacoma – 2012 Best Resale Value Award in compact pickup truck category
• Toyota FJ Cruiser – #2 in 2012 Best Resale Value overall (all vehicles category)
• Toyota Tacoma – #3 in 2012 Best Resale Value overall (all vehicles category)

The 2012 Best Resale Value Awards assess the projected resale value of current and upcoming vehicle models during the first five years of ownership. The awards are based on the Kelly Blue Book Official Residual Value Guide, the most recommended and trusted source in the industry for car valuation. Winners are determined by a group of experienced automotive analysts that factor in market conditions, vehicle data, sales data, projected economic conditions, and competition within vehicle categories.

“Winning the top brand in the Kelly Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards is a very significant honor as it reflects Toyota’s commitment to quality, dependability and reliability, which ultimately adds up to great value. Toyota will continue to deliver the finest cars and trucks consumers have come to expect for over half a century.”

- Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division

Toyota vehicles are projected to maintain their value better than any other brand in the industry for the next five years. You can test drive a Toyota and learn more about our award-winning vehicles at your local dealer. Chicago, IL and other Toyota locations offer the Best Resale Value Award winners and other new models from the hottest brand in 2012.

This week Toyota premiered 3 new vehicles at the Tokyo Auto Show, and the most futuristic of the 3 was the innovative Toyota Fun-Vii. With its wedge-shaped design, the internet-connected Fun-Vii will allow ultimate car customization. The “Fun” in Fun-Vii stands for how much fun it is to drive, and the “Vii” in Fun-Vii stand for Vehicle, interactive, internet.

This car is almost chameleon like, with its ability to change exteriors because the body panels double as display screens. Mototrend.com observed, “Outside, the driver can change the car’s color at whim; the interior is made up of multiple screens with augmented reality displays. Toyota has also included a “navigation concierge” that uses voice commands to give information and directions, as well as an internet connection to download the latest software updates.”

Beyond a unique ability to change its own exterior, the is car is engineered to connect wirelessly with infrastructure and roads around it, allowing the car to be part of future technologies like contactless charging and smart grids. Of course, this George Jetson car will have its capabilities accessible through smartphone apps as well.

The Toyota Fun-Vii may be making a debut at the Toyota Auto Show this week, but we won’t see this guy out on the roads for a few years to come. But Toyota is certainly flexing their design muscles with the Fun-Vii. Cars will become more customizable than ever with this new display technology.

 Oak Park Toyota dealer, Midtown Toyota recognized this same bold forward-thinking years ago with the debut of the now wildly popular Toyota Prius, a line that has expanded within the past year. In cities like Chicago, Prius has really flourished because drivers get sick of the ghastly gas prices from work commutes.

The highly anticipated Toyota Prius has just been voted as GreenCarReports Best Car to Buy in 2012. This year marks the expansion of the Prius family with the Prius v and Prius Plug-In Hybrid, and both of the new models made the list.

The Prius v wagon is longer with more space than any previous Prius but still gets an astonishing 42mpg. The V comes in three trim levels: They’re priced at $27,160 (Prius V Two), $27,925 (Prius V Three), and $30,750 (Prius V Five), all including destination. This new Prius has all the fuel efficiency you could ever want and more room than ever for family, friends, and cargo.

The soon-to-be-released next year, Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid works off very exciting Toyota technology. The battery recharges by engine overrun, regenerative braking and of course owners can plug in to charge within about 3 hours. The engine simply turns on whenever more power is needed, not necessarily when the battery is out, making this plug-in a new favorite. The final mpg hasn’t been released, but it will surpass the 50mpg of the original Toyota Prius. You may never spend time at the pump again!

The Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid won’t be released in every state right away, but in Berwyn, 2011 Toyota Prius vehicles are available as still get a very respectable 50mpg.

The credentials for GreenCarReports Best Car to Buy in 2012 include driving experience, safety, interior/exterior design, and of course optimum fuel efficiency. Oak Park Toyota Prius dealer, Midtown Toyota is proud that the newest members of their Prius family have already started filling their green trophy shelves.

Toyota is promoting the new Prius V with recipes? Through a new integrated partnership program with American Express Publishing, and its Food & Wine lifestyle publication, Toyota is creating a multi media customer content program called “Star Chefs’ Kids Cook.”

The campaign features a sort of  “ you can too” theme throughout, with 5 top chefs, Chefs Hugh Acheson, Barbara Lynch, Marc Murphy, Andrew Zimmern, and Michael Schwartz, collaborating to teach family-style meals. The chefs even bring their own kids in on the cooking action.

According to Marketing Daily, “The content will live as a digital rich-media site and a custom print section that includes things like instructions on how to do kid-friendly dishes, make meal preparation something both kids and adults can do, plus Q&A’s with each chef, and the chefs’ own memories about cooking with their kids.”

Nick Van Sicklen, digital ad director at Food & Wine mentioned this is the magazines first  time spotlighting Prius. “We created the framework but worked with Saatchi & Saatchi to refine the overall program,” he says. “It was kind of born around conversations [with the agency] about spending more time with family.”Toyota feels that the Prius v Aligns with this campaign, as it brings active families together is new modern ways.

This new Prius has more interior room and cargo space than the rest of its hybrid family and get’s a whopping 42 mpg. This versatile hybrid is as dynamic as the recipes from “Star Chefs’ Kids Cook” because of the three driving modes that are available with the push of a button: Power, Eco and EV. Chicago Prius drivers will love the eco mode with the bumper-to-bumper morning commutes.

Berwyn Toyota dealers, like Midtown Toyota, have long supported the Prius, since it’s first release. And they are thrilled with the expansion of the line as it bring in new customers and Toyota drivers.

The 2012 Toyota Highlander is the best SUV for families and fun. It’s nice, almost luxurious on the inside and stately on the outside, with the 2012 Highlander having a new grille and taillights. Obvious benefits are the powerful, yet efficient V6 engine, getting 20 city/25 hwy mpg, which is highly respectable for a midsize crossover.

Toyota really outdid themselves in the interior, and have been recognized as having one of the best looking cabins in their segment. One test driver described the leading Toyota  SUV, “The cabin exudes quality. The seats were comfortable and supportive with power lumbar. The tilt/telescopic steering wheel made finding an ideal long distance driving position easy… Interior storage bins and cup holders were large and plentiful. The locking glove box was huge. The top of the center console bin had a wide padded armrest.”

Of course, this SUV has great amenities like the navigation and sound system, standard third row seats, seemingly panoramic sunroof, quiet roomy cabin for up to 7, and is offered in base, SE and Limited trim levels. As a top rated family SUV, the 2012 Toyota Highlander is all about safety with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, side-impact airbags for front seat passengers, full-length side curtain airbags, a driver-side knee airbag and active front head restraints. Hill-start assist is also standard. All-wheel-drive models also gain hill-descent control.

Most reviewers of the Toyota Highlander, mention the innovative, “40/20/40-split design, which has a removable center section that stows neatly in a special compartment beneath the center console, makes it easy to access the way-back bench.” Parents with car seats will especially appreciate this new feature. For the Toyota Highlander 2011, Cicero dealer, Midtown Toyota has the right SUV for you.

So overall, this mid-size SUV is the parents alternative to the minivan when it comes to convenience and functionality. However, for style, the Highlander has no comparison in it’s category. Oak Park used Toyota dealer, Midtown Toyota has a wide selection of new and used Highlanders.